Bill MacCormick of Matching Mole

[hieronymous]

I have a new favorite album - the eponymous debut of Matching Mole. Anyone familiar with the bassist, Bill MacCormick? Rather than search the internet for everything, I thought I would ask - there is so much esoteric knowledge in here.

Matching Mole grew out of the drummer/singer Robert Wyatt leaving the Soft Machine. It came out in 1972. The first three songs are classic Robert Wyatt ditties. Then the album goes into suite mode. Oh yeah, it has David Sinclair of early Caravan on organ doing what he does best. It has a song called "Dedicated to Hugh, But You Weren't Listening" and Bill MacCormick is pictured with a slot-head Gibson bass! Hard to tell what it actually is, but I dug up a picture:



I would guess EB-3 but not confident.

Anyway, I considered putting this in the Gibson section, but it isn't necessarily Gibson-centered, though he does get an amazing sound and it wouldn't surprise me if it was a short scale Gibson bass!

It's kind of crazy, but here's the entire album on YouTube - skip to around 11:10 or 21:30 for the best bass-bits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsj4vY0kiPE&feature=share

Thanks for any info!

[Highlander]

Most definitely proggie, Harry... definitely left-field, as you say...

1972 French broadcast with a predominantly Bill MacCormack composition and a very strange Bob Wyatt... so what's new...
EB3 closeups from a bit before 6min... Dave Macrae on keys here - Sinclair had moved on...


This one has "video" of them playing live and the 4min - 6min is not part of the above - video/music does not match... EB3 visible...


Don't know a great deal more as it was a come-and-go in my collection in the 70's as it was not my (flying) cup of tea...

[Pekka]

Great player and working now as a politician. His brother was Ian McCormick who wrote to NME as Ian McDonald (and thus not to be confused with the King Crimson reeds/mellotron man). Check out "801 Live" and Quiet Sun's "Mainstream for some great bass playing. He had switched to Precision at that point. Also Robert Wyatt's "Team Spirit".

[hieronymous]

Thanks guys - I could have looked it up on Wikipedia or something but it's a lot more fun to ask here! I'm going to have to check out those videos soon.

[Barklessdog]

A long favorite of mine- it's the mole!

MacCormack was also on the infamous band 801 with Phil manzanira.

What a sad story for Robert Wyatt.I still listen to his music which I enjoy.

[chromium]

Great player and working now as a politician. His brother was Ian McCormick who wrote to NME as Ian McDonald (and thus not to be confused with the King Crimson reeds/mellotron man). Check out "801 Live"...

A guy that I worked with who shared an interest in prog and stereo gear (I was putting together my system at the time) had turned me on to both 801 and the McDonald (the other one  ) and Giles LP.  Great stuff, and it eventually led me to Mole as well

[nofi]

damn. i saw them open for somebody centuries ago. all i can remember thinking' is that the guy from king crimson' ?

[Highlander]

Always loved that cover...

[Pekka]

My fav Matching Mole album is "A Little Red Record". Bill also played with Random Hold and I recall it was his last band as he switched to politics. I should dig out an issue of "Facelift" (Cantebury scene magazine) which has an interview.

Any fans of Quiet Sun's "Mainstream"? I recall it being a hard listen at times but having great moments such as Charles Hayward's "Rongwrong". Hayward's band This Heat in the late seventies and early seventies was great too and very ahead of their time. I also like his band Camberwell Now.

[Barklessdog]

My fav Matching Mole album is "A Little Red Record". Bill also played with Random Hold and I recall it was his last band as he switched to politics. I should dig out an issue of "Facelift" (Cantebury scene magazine) which has an interview.

Any fans of Quiet Sun's "Mainstream"? I recall it being a hard listen at times but having great moments such as Charles Hayward's "Rongwrong". Hayward's band This Heat in the late seventies and early seventies was great too and very ahead of their time. I also like his band Camberwell Now.

I loved Quite sun. So hard to find digitally. I remember playing it at parties late at night.

[clankenstein]

i love the quiet sun lp.i have it on cd,dont remember if its remasterd or not.the remastered 801 live is great.i have matching mole and matching moles little red record ,but there is a matching mole live i have as well with some pretty rad bass distortion,i will find that one when i get home.

[Barklessdog]

Seems like macCormick disappeared after his stints with Manzannera?

I really enjoyed Phil's solo stuff. Simon Phillips was an amazing drummer. Phil however never had great chops, but but out good music in my opinion. I also read that sometimes he was great and other times just horrible, live. I never got to see him or Roxy Music.

[Highlander]

Saw Roxy last in '80, supported by the Tourists, but I missed them as I was in the bar... across the road from the Hammy O...

[Pekka]

Seems like macCormick disappeared after his stints with Manzannera?

He had a band called Random Hold in the late seventies/early eighties and it featured Peter Gabriel guitarist David Rhodes and keyboardist David Ferguson. Peter Hammill produced their first album and they sounded a bit new wave, post punk etc. Not too dissimilar from Hammill's albums from that era 'though I prefer Hammill's stuff more. Maybe not as high on a muso level but better songs and you can't compete with Hammill's voice!

[Highlander]

Looks like he became a "specialist" author under the nom-de-plume of Alan MacDonald, writing about WWI... 1st title was Pro Patria Mori...