News from Babel

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News from Babel
From left to right: Zeena Parkins, Dagmar Krause, Chris Cutler (missing Lindsay Cooper)
Background information
Origin	England
Genre(s)	Avant-progressive rock
Years active	1983–1986
Label(s)	Recommended
Associated acts	Art Bears
Former members
Lindsay Cooper Chris Cutler Dagmar Krause Zeena Parkins

News from Babel were an English avant-garde rock group founded in 1983 by Chris Cutler, Lindsay Cooper, Zeena Parkins and Dagmar Krause. They made two studio albums with several guest musicians (including Robert Wyatt) and disbanded in 1986.

1 History
2 Personnel
- 2.1 Guest musicians
3 Discography
4 External links

[edit] History

In the wake of English avant-garde rock group Henry Cow (1968-1978), Art Bears (1978-1981), a song-oriented group, were formed by three of Henry Cow's members, drummer Chris Cutler, multi-instrumentalist Fred Frith and singer Dagmar Krause. In Art Bears' wake, News from Babel emerged in 1983, comprising Cutler, Krause, Henry Cow woodwind player Lindsay Cooper, and United States harpist Zeena Parkins. It was Parkins' first "rock group" and the first time she had recorded with her harp. This new group followed the song-oriented approach of Art Bears, but with a different musical emphasis. Cooper composed all the music and Cutler wrote all the song texts.

News from Babel were purely a studio group. The name was derived from the title of George Steiner's book After Babel, and some of the songs on their albums relate directly to Steiner's books. In 1983 they recorded Work Resumed on the Tower, the title referring to the Tower of Babel, with guest vocalist Phil Minton. In 1986 they made Letters Home, named after the title of one of Sylvia Plath's books. Letters Home featured guest vocalists Robert Wyatt, Sally Potter and Phil Minton, plus guitarist Bill Gilonis from The Work, who also produced the album.

Cooper's music on both albums is a blend of jazz and cabaret, while Cutler's lyrics are literate, exploring Marxist themes and personal alienation [1]. The group disbanded in 1986 after recording their second album.

[edit] Personnel

Lindsay Cooper – keyboards, bassoon, sopranino and alto saxophones, all musical compositions (except "Contraries")
Chris Cutler – drums, electrics, percussion, all song texts
Zeena Parkins – harp, prepared and electric harp, accordion, composer on "Contraries"
Dagmar Krause – voice

[edit] Guest musicians

On Work Resumed on the Tower
- Phil Minton – trumpet, voice
- Georgie Born – bass guitar
On Letters Home
- Robert Wyatt – voice
- Sally Potter – voice
- Phil Minton – voice
- Bill Gilonis – guitar, bass guitar

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

1983 Work Resumed on the Tower (LP Recommended Records, UK)
1986 Letters Home (LP Recommended Records, UK)

For technical reasons, the original release of both albums on LP vinyl records were pressed on 12" discs at 45-rpm, and not the usual 33⅓ rpm.

In 1990, Recommended Records re-issued Work Resumed on the Tower and Letters Home on a single CD.

In 2006, Recommended Records issued re-mastered and repackaged editions of Work Resumed on the Tower and Letters Home, each on their own CD.

[edit] Singles

1984 "Contraries" (single-sided 7" Recommended Records, UK)

"Contraries" was originally only issued with the subscription edition of the LP Work Resumed on the Tower; later it was sold separately.

[edit] Boxed sets

2006 Complete (3xCD Recommended Records, UK)

Complete comprises the re-mastered and repackaged editions of Work Resumed on the Tower and Letters Home on two CDs, and an illustrated CD of the 7” single "Contraries".