The End of an Ear

Background

The album was recorded in August 1970, while taking a break from Soft Machine (which he would eventually exit the following year). Containing mostly free jazz and experimental music, with no lyrics (only vocal experimentation by Wyatt), it is an unusual album. It includes Soft Machine's Elton Dean on saxophone and Caravan's David Sinclair on organ, who in 1971 would join Wyatt in the group Matching Mole. About half of the album is filled by a two-part cover of Gil Evans' "Las Vegas Tango". "To Carla, Marsha and Caroline (For Making Everything Beautifuller)" is based on the music of "Instant Pussy", a song Wyatt first recorded solo during a Soft Machine BBC session in late 1969, and eventually appeared, also in instrumental form, on the first Matching Mole album.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Robert Wyatt; except where indicated

1. "Las Vegas Tango Part 1 (Repeat)" (Gil Evans)
2. "To Mark Everywhere"
3. "To Saintly Bridget"
4. "To Oz Alien Daevyd and Gilly"
5. "To Nick Everyone"

1. "To Caravan and Brother Jim"
2. "To the Old World (Thank You For the Use of Your Body, Goodbye)"
3. "To Carla, Marsha and Caroline (For Making Everything Beautifuller)"
4. "Las Vegas Tango Part 1" (Gil Evans)

The song titles refer to the following people or groups: Mark Ellidge (Wyatt's half brother), Bridget St. John, Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth, Nick Evans, Caravan and Jimmy Hastings, Kevin Ayers' The Whole World, Carla Bley, Marsha Hunt and Caroline Coon.

Personnel

Characters in order of appearance: