Name: The Dew at Dawn / (Slightly) Slightly All the Time
Brand: Soft Machine

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

MOD007

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2024-02-02

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Proper

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

5052442025009

Total Cap

Black 7"

Artist

Soft Machine

Genre GB

Psychedelic

Label GB

My Only Desire Records

Soft Machine is an English rock and jazz band from Canterbury, formed in mid-1966. The band was named after the novel "The Soft Machine" by William S. Burroughs. Led by Australian artist Daevid Allen, the group was influenced by the emerging Beat Generation and the music philosophies of Sun Ra. They started as a free-jazz outfit called the Daevid Allen Trio before evolving into Soft Machine with members Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, and Kevin Ayers. Their eponymous album released in 1968 is considered a classic of the late 1960s psychedelic era.

The band gained popularity on London's psychedelic scene and performed at various iconic venues such as The Marquee and UFO club. They also took part in notable events like the '14 Hour Technicolor Dream' alongside Pink Floyd and Velvet Underground. Despite several lineup changes over the years, Soft Machine continued to push boundaries with their experimental sound.

Today, Soft Machine remains active with current members John Etheridge on guitar, Theo Travis on saxophone/flute/piano, Fred T. Baker on bass (since 2022), and Asaf Sirkis on drums (since 2023). Their music continues to captivate audiences with its unique blend of rock and jazz influences.

My Only Desire Records is a recorded music label based in Plumstead, SE London. The label is owned by Jon Griffiths and has a passion for exhuming lost sounds and celebrating forgotten or underappreciated artists. With a focus on preserving the rich history of music, My Only Desire Records aims to bring these hidden gems back into the spotlight.

The label takes pride in its ability to uncover rare recordings and introduce them to a new generation of listeners. By curating an eclectic collection of *artists* and performers, My Only Desire Records offers a diverse range of musical styles that span across various genres and eras.

With an informative approach, My Only Desire Records provides detailed information about each release, including background stories about the *artists* involved and the historical context behind their work. This allows music enthusiasts to not only enjoy the music but also gain a deeper understanding of its significance.

Newest Listed Items

Fabled jazz-rock group Soft Machine present this heartfelt tribute to one of the greats of British jazz - trumpeter Harry Beckett - covering his stunning "The Dew at Dawn" on this limited edition 7" vinyl, with a cover of a classic Softs tune on the B side.

This is the second 7" in My Only Desire Records' Brit Jazz 45s series, which sees some of their favourite contemporary jazz acts each making brand new studio recordings of two classic compositions from the golden era of '60s and '70s British jazz. 

   Now led by guitar master John Etheridge, an original Soft Machine member since the mid-'70s and Canterbury scene veteran saxophonist Theo Travis, the band has undergone some recent lineup changes with bassist Fred Thelonious Baker (a former Harry Beckett bandmate) joining for 2023's 'Other Doors' album. This is also the first recording with drummer Asaf Sirkis, who has replaced the late British jazz legend John Marshall. 

  Etheridge and Travis' unique arrangement has upped the tempo of the "The Dew at Dawn" (originally released on Ogun Records in 1975) pushing the Caribbean-infused groove to the fore. Beckett's joyful theme - first played on Etheridge's guitar and then picked up by Travis' mesmeric soprano saxophone - evokes the sun rising over the misty Hackney marshes and the hope of a better future. The track is underpinned by Baker's nimble bass guitar and Sirkis' scattering drums, with Etheridge's superb soloing honed over a stellar five-decade career. 

  "Slightly All the Time" from Soft Machine's seminal 1970 opus 'Third', gets a clever reworking for this 7", with the sprawling epic-ness of Mike Ratledge's original composition, trimmed down to its essential parts, and Travis' outrageously good flute playing ramping up the '70s Brit jazz vibes. &nbsp;

The Dew at Dawn / (Slightly) Slightly All the Time

Music GB

Discover The Dew at Dawn / (Slightly) Slightly All the Time by Soft Machine. Limited edition 7" vinyl tribute to British jazz legend Harry Beckett. Label: My Only Desire Records.