Pictured above: Soft Machine, 1970
Following the leave of their bassist Kevin Ayers and his subsequent replacement by Hugh Hopper, Soft Machine experimented with the inclusion of horn players, although none of these except saxophonist Elton Dean would last past a few months. The quartet saw one of the greatest shifts in the band’s musical genre, completing their transition from psychedelic music to jazz (previously experimented with in Volume Two). Recording of the appropriately titled Third took place between April and May of 1970 at IBC, London. It not only was the last Soft Machine album with lyrics, but also the last Soft Machine album that contained recordings involving Kevin Ayers. It was released a month after recording was concluded, and became the most critically acclaimed Soft Machine album to date.
Third
01. The Garden of Love (21:07) [1]
02. Slightly All The Time (18:11) [2]
03. Moon in June (19:08) [2]
04. Out-Bloody-Rageous (19:15) [2]
Released: June 6th, 1970
Track sources:
[1] - The Garden of Love, 1997
[2] - Third, 1970
Pictured above: Led Zeppelin, 1970
Following the release of their debut, Led Zeppelin embarked on several US tours, ranging from clubs and ballrooms to, later on as their popularity grew, large auditoriums. Some of their concerts lasted for over four hours, with expanded and improvised versions of their repertoire. It was during this period of intensive concert touring that the band developed a reputation for off-stage excess.
“We basically hit the ground running during our first couple years of touring, still, things got very tiring, and we didn’t wanna burn out so early.”
- Robert Plant, 1985
The first recording session for Led Zeppelin II took place at Olympic Studios in November 1969, albeit further sessions only took place later in the year, in between touring. Determined to have a proper break, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page retreated to an 18th-century cottage in Snowdonia, Wales, called Bron-Yr-Aur. This change in setting encouraged a slight change of musical direction in the band’s material due to the lack of electricity or running water, with an emphasis on acoustic arrangements. After preparing material for the album there, they were joined by John Bonham and John Paul Jones to rehearse the songs at a mansion in East Hampshire known as Headley Grange. The album was recorded at Headley Grange making use of The Rolling Stones Mobile Studio and at Olympic Studios between May and June 1970, produced by Page and engineered by Andy Johns and Teddy Manning.
Led Zeppelin II
01. Immigrant Song (2:25) [1]
02. Friends (3:54) [1]
03. Celebration Day (3:29) [1]
04. St. Tristan’s Sword (5:41) [2]
05. Since I’ve Been Loving You (7:23) [1]
06. Out On The Tiles (4:06) [1]
07. Poor Tom (3:02) [2]
08. Hey, Hey What Can I Do (3:56) [2]
09. Bron-Yr-Aur (2:06) [3]
10. Gallows Pole (4:56) [1]
11. Tangerine (3:10) [1]
12. That’s The Way (5:37) [1]
13. Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp (4:16) [1]
14. Hats Off to (Roy) Harper (3:42) [1]
Released: October 5th, 1970
Track sources:
[1] - Led Zeppelin III, 1970
[2] - Coda, 1982
[3] - Physical Graffiti, 1975
Pictured above: Kevin Ayers, 1970
Having recently left Soft Machine and forming a new band dubbed The Whole World, Kevin Ayers started recording his solo debut, Shooting at the Moon. It was recorded between April and September of 1970, interspersed by live performances. A notable temporary member of the band is Syd Barrett, who only participated in recording and some live performances between April and June, during a brief hiatus of his own band Stars between conclusion and release of their debut album. While the album was released in October of the same year, the band disbanded shortly after, with their erratic live performing and Ayers not being cut out for life on the road touring.
Shooting at the Moon
01. May I? (4:01) [1]
02. Rheinhardt & Geraldine / Colores Para Dolores (5:41) [1]
03. Clarietta Rag (3:19) [2]
04. Lunatics Lament (4:53) [1]
05. Pisser Dans Un Violon (8:02) [1]
06. The Oyster and the Flying Fish (2:37) [1]
07. Underwater (3:54) [1]
08. Clarence in Wonderland (2:06) [1]
09. Red Green and You Blue (3:52) [1]
10. Stop This Train (Again Doing It) (6:07) [2]
11. Shooting at the Moon (5:53) [1]
12. Syd’s Party (2:53) [2]
Released: October 1970
Track sources:
[1] - Shooting at the Moon, 1970
[2] - Joy of a Toy, 1969 (12 - Joy of a Toy Continued)
Pictured above: Pink Floyd, 1970
Work on Pink Floyd’s seventh studio album, Atom Heart Mother, began at the same time as their sixth album, Embryo, was almost done taking shape. The title track resulted from several instrumental figures the band had composed during rehearsals in early 1970. Recording of the piece was troublesome and the band felt as if it was lacking something. This “something” was eventually found with the help of Ron Geesin, who had previously worked with the band during Embryo. He composed an orchestral arrangement to go over the backing track the band had provided him with while they went on tour to the US. The final piece took up almost half of the album’s length, with other half being occupied by three songs of about five minutes each in length composed by Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and David Gilmour, and a 13-minute suite titled Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast centered around sound effects primarily conceived by Nick Mason.
The album was released on October 2nd, 1970. Albeit being commercially successful, the band’s first #1 in the UK, the band, particularly Waters and Gilmour, expressed negative opinions of the album in more recent years.
“All I ever tried to do is play music I like listening to. Some of it now, like Atom Heart Mother, strikes me as absolute crap, and I no longer want or have to play stuff I don’t enjoy.”
- David Gilmour, 2001
Pictured above: The Velvet Underground, 1970
Following their contract with MGM expiring, The Velvet Underground signed with Cotillion Records (a subsidiary of Atlantic Records) for their fifth album: Loaded. The title was a reference to Atlantic’s request that the band produce an album “loaded with hits”. When the album started being recorded in April of 1970, Doug Yule played a more prominent role in the band, and with Lou Reed’s encouragement, sang lead on four of the album’s ten tracks.
"Lou leaned on me a lot in terms of musical support and for harmonies, vocal arrangements. I did a lot on Loaded. It sort of devolved down to the Lou and Doug recreational recording."
- Doug Yule, 1995
While their previous two albums were recorded mostly live in a collaborative atmosphere, the bulk of Loaded was crafted in studio. Since Maureen Tucker was absent from the band on maternity leave to have her first child, the percussive role was taken up by several people, including Doug Yule, his brother Billy Yule, engineer Adrian Barber, and session musician Tommy Castanaro. It was also during the Loaded recording sessions that the band (with Billy Yule on drums) secured a nine-week residency at the New York nightclub Max’s Kansas City, playing two lengthy sets per night.
Disillusioned with the alleged staleness of the band, and facing pressure by manager Steve Sesnick, Reed decided to quit the band during the last week of their stay at Max’s Kansas City in August 1970. Although having informed Tucker, who attended yet was not performing due to her pregnancy, he had not tell Morrison or Yule about his intent to leave. According to Yule, Sesnick waited until one hour before the band was scheduled to take the stage before notifying him that Reed was not coming. After which the band took stage nonetheless, with Sterling Morrison on bass, Doug Yule on guitar, and Billy Yule on drums. Audience reception that night was negative towards Reed’s absence, and the band canceled their remaining nights at the club, disbanding soon after.
“We were pretty demoralized really, especially given how the crowd reacted to Lou being gone. We couldn’t help but imagine how we would’ve just faded away from then, so we just quit while we were ahead.”
- Doug Yule, 2006
Despite the band’s breakup, Loaded was nonetheless released on November 15th, 1970, becoming the band’s biggest commercial hit up to that point. About a month later, on December 15th, 1970, While walking Lou Reed was mugged on the street and subsequently assaulted with a knife, being hospitalized the same night.
“Basically, all I said was ‘better make it count, fuckhead’ and the mugger just lunges forward, stabbing me in the right of my kidney. Thankfully I wasn’t dead, but I didn’t have the patience to press charges on the shmuck.”
- Lou Reed, 1973
