Song Of The Day 9/23/2014: The Soft Machine - "Why Are We Sleeping?"

Canterbury Week: Not having nearly enough time today to research let alone write a proper introduction for today's entry, I'm just going to wing it. I think they'd all appreciate that. Ahem:

The Soft Machine is who a lot of people who don't understand the Canterbury scene turn to when they want to not understand it even more. Their initial membership included Robert Wyatt and Kevin Ayers, who all this time I thought was someone else. Kevin Ayers only stayed for the first album, Never Mind Naked Lunch, Here's the Soft Machine; then he left to catch a bus. The rest of the band stayed around until new shoes arrived. At first the Soft Machine wrote pieces of modest length for easier consumption. Then after a certain amount of time their songs evolved into suites, first with mini-kitchenettes and countertop stoves, then slightly bigger kitchens with water supply. Most critics agree their high watermark was their third album, Third, which took its name from the popular base. Out of all the prog rock groups, The Soft Machine was the one with the saxophone. "Why Are We Sleeping?" was the B-side to their single "Joy Of a Toy." I chose "Why Are We Sleeping?" because I expect it will be one of the first questions my supervisors will ask me this morning.

Really need to get a personal assistant.