Matching Mole

Matching Mole
Origin	Canterbury, England
Genres	Progressive rock (Canterbury Scene)
Years active	1971–1972 1973 (unoffcially)
Labels	CBS
Associated acts	Soft Machine, Hatfield and the North, 801

Matching Mole was a short-lived UK progressive rock band from the Canterbury scene best known for the song "O Caroline". Robert Wyatt formed the band in October 1971 after he left Soft Machine and recorded his first solo album The End of an Ear. He continued his role on vocals and drums and was joined by David Sinclair, of Caravan, on organ and piano, Phil Miller on guitar and Bill MacCormick, formerly of Quiet Sun, on bass. The name is a pun on Machine Molle, the French translation of the name of Wyatt's previous group Soft Machine.

Career

Their first, eponymous album was released in April 1972, the bulk of which was composed by Wyatt himself, with the exception of "O Caroline" (a Dave Sinclair composition with lyrics by Wyatt about his recent breakup with girlfriend Caroline Coon) and Phil Miller's "Part Of The Dance". For their second album, Matching Mole's Little Red Record, released in November 1972 and produced by Robert Fripp of King Crimson, Sinclair was replaced by New Zealand-born keyboard player and composer Dave MacRae who had already played a guest role on the first album. This album was more of a team effort, with Wyatt concentrating on lyrics and vocal melodies and leaving the composing to his bandmates.

Matching Mole disbanded in late September 1972 immediately upon completion of a European tour supporting Soft Machine, with Sinclair and Miller going on to form the more successful Hatfield and the North. A new lineup - consisting of Wyatt, MacCormick, ex-Curved Air keyboardist Francis Monkman and jazz saxophonist Gary Windo - was due to record a third album in 1973. This was cancelled when Wyatt fell from a window in June 1973, and was paralysed from the waist down, and therefore unable to continue drumming.^[1]

Personnel

Matching Mole personnel

(1971–1972)	Phil Miller – guitar David Sinclair – piano, organ Bill MacCormick – bass guitar Robert Wyatt - drums, vocals, mellotron
(1972)	(Dave MacRae would replace David Sinclair) Phil Miller – guitar Dave MacRae – piano, organ, electric piano, synthesizer Bill MacCormick – bass guitar Robert Wyatt - drums, vocals
(1973)	(This line-up never recorded an album) Gary Windo – saxophone Francis Monkman – keyboard Bill MacCormick – bass guitar Robert Wyatt - drums, vocals

Discography

Albums

Date	Album title	UK [2]	Notes
April 1972	Matching Mole	-	-
November 1972	Matching Mole's Little Red Record	-	Dave Sinclair was replaced on keyboard by Dave MacRae
May 2001	Smoke Signals	-	Compilation album
September 2002	March	-	Compilation album

References

1. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 251. CN 5585. 
2. ^ UK album chart positions

External links

• Matching Mole - A complete discography
• Matching Mole at Allmusic
• Canterbury Music Family Tree
• A 1995 interview with bassist Bill MacCormick for Facelift Magazine.