Soft's Triple Collection

I like boxed sets for many reasons.  One of the reasons I like them is because it's where you can get a mix of their favorites, hits, rare, and unreleased music in one nifty package.  The second reason I like these boxed sets is because it comes with a nice annotated book with information on the band and also the track listing.  Lastly, the reason I like these sets because it looks good on the shelf with the other music of the artist and in some cases shows how devoted you are to said artist.  Sometimes these sets help unscramble the different transitions and lineup changes of a group and help pick some of the best music from those changes.  Case in point, Soft Machine.

Soft Machine were one of the greatest UK avant/jazz-rock bands of all time and their work, whether their earliest performances as a psychedelic band, who were contemporaries of, and shared stages with Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, all the way to being one of Europe's best known 'fusion' bands, their work continues to be name-checked by today's hip experimentalists.
I stumbled upon these guys when I was in my first year of community college.  I would religiously listen to two radio shows that had them on rotation once in a while.  I also got help from a co-worker at the local library who would give me the thumbs up or down if it was something that I would like.

Soft Machine Family Tree

The Soft Machine when through many incarnations and with that you could see the music change with those different line-up changes.  Triple Echo helps out a ton.  I had a few of their albums, but always was curious to hear more.  The lineup changes did not bother me too much, but the music was always ahead of their time.  I always loved the early stuff and this was no exception.  Triple Echo had enough early music to keep me going back for more.  What I like about this anthology of work is the I can go and listen to a few early or later songs and quickly jump to the album they are on and get a better listen to that era or time period.

After a long time collecting their music on CD I finally got myself a copy of Triple Echo on record.  I bought it on impulse.  I wanted the book, but I wanted the music first.  I will buy another copy when I have some extra money.  I'm sure the notes are great.  The family tree above I have seen in a Pete Frame book about Rock history is where my Soft Machine love started.  In the digital age it took a while going through search engines and services that provide album downloads, but when I found it I was happy to have it.  It might sound corny, but a holy grail of MP3's for me to at least have it in digital form.

The early incarnation of Soft Machine, left to right Wyatt, Allen, Ayers, Ratledge circa 1967

Long live Soft Machine that should be my credo.  I love may bands, artists and singer/songwriters and Soft Machine is no exception.  They were a different band of it's time, but their influence is timeless.  The music is a mix of Jazz, Rock, Psychedelic and Avant-Garde and this "stew" has great results.  The early years for me is something I can say will always be the music that gets the constant listen, but the later years had great moments too.  They added a guitar player which they never had.  The guitar was no slouch was well. Allan Holdsworth who is famous in the Progressive Rock and Fusion worlds cut his teeth with them for a brief moment.  This box covers it all.

Is this a good introduction to Soft Machine?  Well, no because for one it's not in print and two there are different eras of Soft Machine that it would be hard to pick one over the other to new fans.  The die-hards would love it because of the first two singles that open the box.  Is there a good retrospective, yes, but then again that too is out of print.  What would be awesome if someone at Esoteric Records could put this out.  They do a fine job of old Progressive Rock albums that otherwise would not get new listeners.  If I were a new Soft Machine fan, your best bet is Volume 1&2 on one CD if you can find it.  It's a start and if you like it continue in their catalog and dive in with both feet.  The music you listen to is certainly different then you have ever heard, but well worth a listen.  Hope I can convert you as a loyal fan such as I.  Good Luck and Enjoy!

1971 Soft Machine: a far cry from the early line up.  Still pretty good though with John Marshall (Far Left) on drums