In Praise of Learning

by Henry Cow, Slapp Happy

Overview

Henry Cow's third album, originally released in 1975, found them expanded to an eight-piece ensemble after a guest session on another group's record. Henry Cow absorbed Slapp Happy into their lineup after appearing on Slapp Happy's Desperate Straights album. It was a tenuous relationship (lasting only long enough for this release, and with Slapp Happy crumbling after Dagmar Krause decided to stay on with Henry Cow), but one that produced some stunning results. Anthony Moore and Peter Blegvad's "War" has enormous proportion and power that would have been beyond the scope of a relatively quiet trio. The sheer ambition of this work is bracing. Intricately composed and arranged pieces, rife with lyrics that meld poetry with politics, give way to extended improvisations. While that had always been the Henry Cow recipe, it was never given such dramatic sweep. No one has ever, before or since, sounded like this incarnation of Henry Cow. ~ TiVo Staff

Product Details

Release Date:	04/05/2024
Label:	Belle Antique
UPC:	4527516607357
Rank:	146262

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Henry Cow   Primary Artist
Slapp Happy   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Chris Cutler   Piano,Radio,Drums,Vocals,Trumpet
Tim Hodgkinson   Saxophone,Organ,Piano,Vocals,Clarinet,Keyboards
Lindsay Cooper   Oboe,Wind,Bassoon
John Greaves   Bass,Piano
Geoff Leigh   Trumpet,Saxophone,Sax (Soprano)
Dagmar Krause   Piano,Vocals,Voices
Fred Frith   Keyboards,Xylophone,Piano,Guitar,Violin
Peter Blegvad   Guitar,Vocals,Voices,Clarinet
Phil Becque   Oscillator,Synthesizer
Anthony Moore   Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Electronics,Synthesizer
Mongezi Feza   Trumpet
Guenther Wuesthoff   Saxophone
Werner Diermaier   Drums

Technical Credits

Henry Cow   Composer
Slapp Happy   Composer
Ray Smith   Artwork
Peter Blegvad   Composer
Phil Becque   Engineer
Martin Bisi   Remixing
Anthony Moore   Tapes,Composer
Tim Hodgkinson   Composer,Remixing
Fred Frith   Remixing,Composer
Simon Heyworth   Engineer
Chris Cutler   Composer