Henry Cow was an English avant-garde rock group, founded at Cambridge Unive… Read Full Bio ↴Henry Cow was an English avant-garde rock group, founded at Cambridge University in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. An inherent anti-commercial bias kept them at arm's length from the mainstream music business, enabling them to experiment at will. They remained in existence for 10 years, breaking up in 1978, and produced a body of music that was challenging, provocative and influential for years to come. Collaborations with the similarly-minded band Slapp Happy led to an eventual but brief merger of the two bands in 1974, and demerging in 1975. Cutler, Frith and Krause also continued on as Art Bears from 1978 as disagreements set in and the band dissolved.
Henry Cow was among the founding members of the movement dubbed Rock in Opposition (RIO).
A number of people passed through Henry Cow over the years:
* Georgie Born - Cello, Bass (1976-1978)
* Lindsay Cooper - Bassoon, Reeds (1974, 1975-1978)
* Chris Cutler - Drums, Percussion (1971-1978)
* Fred Frith - Guitar, Violin, Bass, Piano, Xylophone (1968-1978)
* John Greaves - Bass, Piano (1970-1976)
* Tim Hodgkinson - Keyboards, Reeds (1968 - 1978)
* Dagmar Krause - Vocals (1975 - 1978)
* Geoff Leigh - Flute, Reeds (1972 - 1973)
Henry Cow's repertoire included elaborately scored pieces (often with complex time signatures), tape manipulations, free improvisation and songs. It incorporated elements of jazz, rock, classical music and the avant-garde. Dagmar Krause's vocals added another dimension to their sound, giving it a dramatic, almost Brechtian flair.
Their music was often experimental, making classification all but impossible. However, the following styles (amongst others) are often associated with Henry Cow:
* rock (too general and therefore inadequate)
* progressive rock
* art rock
* avant-progressive rock
* avant-rock
* chamber rock
* experimental rock
* free improvisation
Some of these styles may come closer to describing their music than others, and often it contained elements of all of the above, but in reality, Henry Cow simply remains one of those unclassifiable groups.
Henry Cow's music was challenging, not only to the listener, but also to the band themselves. They often composed pieces to challenge their own capabilities. Some of their music was scored beyond the conventional ranges of their music instruments necessitating that they "reinvent their instruments", learn how to play them in completely new ways. And yet their music may not have been as good as it could have been. Henry Cow conducted their affairs as a committee, having regular, minuted meetings with no decisions being made unless approved by the group. This included their music. Band members brought their ideas to the table but often they ended up being watered down as a result of the collective process, rather than strengthened, and many of their best ideas may not have been fully realised. Who knows what Henry Cow might have produced had individual members been given more free reign.
While their music is a decided "acquired taste", there is much to recommend in it, for as it is often dissonant and challenging, it is also rich and exciting, and yields more insights upon repeated listening.
Henry Cow reunited in November 2014 to celebrate the music of the late Lindsay Cooper for shows in the UK and Italy.
Henry Cow was among the founding members of the movement dubbed Rock in Opposition (RIO).
A number of people passed through Henry Cow over the years:
* Georgie Born - Cello, Bass (1976-1978)
* Lindsay Cooper - Bassoon, Reeds (1974, 1975-1978)
* Chris Cutler - Drums, Percussion (1971-1978)
* Fred Frith - Guitar, Violin, Bass, Piano, Xylophone (1968-1978)
* John Greaves - Bass, Piano (1970-1976)
* Tim Hodgkinson - Keyboards, Reeds (1968 - 1978)
* Dagmar Krause - Vocals (1975 - 1978)
* Geoff Leigh - Flute, Reeds (1972 - 1973)
Henry Cow's repertoire included elaborately scored pieces (often with complex time signatures), tape manipulations, free improvisation and songs. It incorporated elements of jazz, rock, classical music and the avant-garde. Dagmar Krause's vocals added another dimension to their sound, giving it a dramatic, almost Brechtian flair.
Their music was often experimental, making classification all but impossible. However, the following styles (amongst others) are often associated with Henry Cow:
* rock (too general and therefore inadequate)
* progressive rock
* art rock
* avant-progressive rock
* avant-rock
* chamber rock
* experimental rock
* free improvisation
Some of these styles may come closer to describing their music than others, and often it contained elements of all of the above, but in reality, Henry Cow simply remains one of those unclassifiable groups.
Henry Cow's music was challenging, not only to the listener, but also to the band themselves. They often composed pieces to challenge their own capabilities. Some of their music was scored beyond the conventional ranges of their music instruments necessitating that they "reinvent their instruments", learn how to play them in completely new ways. And yet their music may not have been as good as it could have been. Henry Cow conducted their affairs as a committee, having regular, minuted meetings with no decisions being made unless approved by the group. This included their music. Band members brought their ideas to the table but often they ended up being watered down as a result of the collective process, rather than strengthened, and many of their best ideas may not have been fully realised. Who knows what Henry Cow might have produced had individual members been given more free reign.
While their music is a decided "acquired taste", there is much to recommend in it, for as it is often dissonant and challenging, it is also rich and exciting, and yields more insights upon repeated listening.
Henry Cow reunited in November 2014 to celebrate the music of the late Lindsay Cooper for shows in the UK and Italy.
Look Back
Henry Cow Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Look Back' by these artists:
Betty Who Betcha I can make you look back, look back, look…
David Kushner I wanted to get the hell out of Portland You wanted…
Denzal Park feat Eyelar I know your heart is filled with a million wishes,…
Diplo Zonin' on the road Not knowin' where to go But I ain't…
dora jar How long is it until the fire spreads into the…
FIAMA GANG Rich ass motherfucker come Baby Pluto My bitch, she a freak…
Flipsides Where do you wanna go Now that we're apart and all…
G.Cripes Time for me to set you free now, and I'm…
Gammer & Becci Seem so far away, Places to escape can′t find me The days…
I.Q. Zero A little bit Of this And a Little bit Of that Add it All Up …
I/O/I Don't be serious, it's not a problem You and I are…
KlangKuenstler feat. Alice Phoebe Lou Look Inside Look Inside Look by look straight it′s just …
Lame Ducks Why do things have to be so hard? I gotta get…
Last Dinosaurs I I can't help but look Look back At everything I I know eve…
Med-X Long long time ago, Before the wind, before the snow…
Miriam Stockley When the morning comes I just know you'll be gone You won't…
Nils Bech Hello it's me from last night, how are you I'm…
Opal Skies He can't see Why she screams so loud But she's so much…
Phil Soda The night is wide open We're frozen in motion Don't let it…
Shanti We're all going through the same things We're all going thro…
Side By Side Always move on Step forward and progress Never forget what…
Spiritual Beggars No underhanded lies Better look me in the eyes Speak the tru…
Stanleys ...we have Dawn of the Squid, and we also have…
Sweet Tuesday When I asked you when to call your name You said…
Sysuev Every single thing I had I earned And there's always somethi…
The Flipsides Where do you wanna go Now that we're apart and all…
Tone Damli Pretty, pretty, you begging me pretty please. And I have be…
Tye Tribbett & G.A. Time for me to set you free now, and I'm…
YungShu I put in that work Just hoping it work My whip go…
신승훈 그대를 사랑하게 된 것이 나의 잘못인가요 그대 떠나가지마 한때에 잘못보다는 더 커다란 사랑들을 위해서 살고…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Henry Cow:
Bad Alchemy I dream Hermaphrodite and I sit up all night Our eyes…
Deluge Don't disturb me while I'm dreaming Walk softly on my peace…
Gloria Gloom Like so many of you I've got my doubts about how…
Living in the Heart of the Beast Situation that rules your world (despite all you've said) I…
Lovers of Gold Lovers of Gold Give All you own To bats and spiders and t…
Nine Funerals of the Citizen King Down beneath the spectacle of free No one ever let you…
Nirvana for Mice Sweet mystery of life I will remember Sweet mystery of life…
Ottawa Song You and I could sail away to distant lands. In a…
Teenbeat Reprise Instrumental…
Viva Pa Ubu Here is a song for all you Ubists Fat & loathsome, Rich…
War Tell of the birth Tell how war appeared on earth Thunder an…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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