Puneet Varma (Editor)

Desperate Straights

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Recorded
  
November 1974

Artists
  
Henry Cow, Slapp Happy

Label
  
Virgin Records

Length
  
36:06

Release date
  
21 February 1975

Desperate Straights httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumb6

Released
  
February 1975 (1975-02)

Studio
  
The Manor, Oxfordshire, England

Producer
  
Slapp Happy, Henry Cow and Simon Heyworth

Desperate Straights (1975)
  
In Praise of Learning (1975)

Genres
  
Experimental rock, Cabaret, Art Pop

Similar
  
Henry Cow albums, Experimental rock albums

Slapp happy henry cow desperate straights


Desperate Straights is an album by British avant-rock groups Slapp Happy and Henry Cow, recorded at Virgin Records' Manor studios in November 1974. It was the first of two collaborative albums by the two groups and was released in February 1975.

Contents

Almost all of the album comprises Slapp Happy composed material and it is for this reason that it is generally regarded as a Slapp Happy album with backing by Henry Cow. The music is an unusual blend of avant-garde music and nostalgic pop, and the success of this collaboration led to the two bands merging. The lyrics of the song "A Worm Is at Work" refers to the song "War", which was recorded during the same sessions as this album, but was released later on In Praise of Learning, the second Henry Cow/Slapp Happy album.

CD reissues

  • In 1993 Virgin Records reissued Desperate Straights together with Slapp Happy's Casablanca Moon on a single CD.
  • In 2004 Recommended Records issued a remastered version of Desperate Straights on CD by itself.
  • Personnel

    Slapp Happy
  • Dagmar Krause (credited as "Dagmar") – voice, Wurlitzer ("In the Sickbay")
  • Peter Blegvad – guitar, voice
  • Anthony Moore – piano
  • Henry Cow
  • Tim Hodgkinson – clarinet, piano ("Caucasian Lullaby")
  • Fred Frith – guitar, violin
  • John Greaves – bass guitar, piano ("Bad Alchemy")
  • Chris Cutler – drums, etc.
  • Additional musicians
  • Geoff Leigh – flute
  • Pierre Moerlen – percussion ("Europa")
  • Mont Campbell – French horn
  • Mongezi Feza – trumpet
  • Nick Evans – trombone
  • Lindsay Cooper – bassoon, oboe
  • Production
  • Slapp Happy – producer
  • Henry Cow – producer
  • Simon Heyworth – producer
  • Peter Blegvad – cover art
  • Bob Drake – remastered 2004 CD reissue
  • Songs

    1Some Questions About Hats1:51
    2The Owl2:14
    3A Worm Is at Work1:53

    References

    Desperate Straights Wikipedia