Chris Cutler

Neil Haverstick wrote,

<< unfortunately, I missed the gig...he was here with a guy named
Chris Cutler (sp?), >>

Yes indeed, that would be Chris Cutler of Henry Cow, RIO (rock in
opposition), and Recommended Records fame!

Cutler's band the Art Bears were as good as it gets in my book, and
"The World As It Is Today" and "Winter Songs" are far and away two of
my all-time favorite albums by anyone anywhere. Though not for
everyone, these are really special work to my mind. And if you can
find these as they were originally released (on vinyl) all the better
too... as some content and a lot of impact is lost on the CD
repackagings; including some of those really vivid E.M. Thomas
engravings from "The World As It Is Today".

Cutler's collaboration with Lutz Glandien "Domestic
Stories" is a nice continuation of the Art Bears' sound with Dagmar,
Frith, Alfred Harth, and a bit more 'technology'. I personally liked
it better than the post Art Bears News From Babel records... though
all those have dynamite moments as well; "Letters Home" in particular
has a couple of wonderfully plaintive Robert Wyatt takes on Cutler's
texts.

My favorite Henry Cow record is "Western Culture".

--Dan Stearns