Henry Cow was a complex English experimental rock and progressive rock band formed in 1968 by two multi-instrumentalists, namely Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson, at the University of Cambridge. The band’s recording personnel changed throughout the passage of time, with Fred Firth and Tim Hodgkinson being the only two constant members (with several longtime collaborators such as the drummer Chris Cutler, bassist John Greaves as well as bassoonist and oboist Lindsay Cooper). They were influenced by the Soft Machine and they became one of the most significant British progressive rock bands during the 1970s.
Regarding the name of the band, it was previously believed that the group was inspired by the 20th-century American composer Henry Cowell. Nonetheless, this particular misunderstanding was dismissed by the band members. Tim Hodgkinson mentioned the fact that this name was just ‘in the air’ back in 1968 and that they thought it was a good name for their band. In actuality, the story behind the band’s name can be shortened to just the fact that it sounds funny, according to a 1974 interview by drummer, percussionist, and pianist Chris Cutler (who appeared on all releases by the band). He mentioned the fact that the name is just silly. Either way, the band members thought it was the right name to represent them musically and they move forward under this particular moniker.
The English experimental rock and progressive rock band Henry Cow performing live on stage at the Festa dell’Unità di Torino in Turin, Italy on 20 September, 1976. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Henry Cow was a band which prioritised musical experimentation over commercial success. Their sound was quite unique for their time, being very hard to imitate by other artists. Although they were not a commercial act, they managed to become significantly influential. They also created a musical legacy which went beyond the confines of progressive rock. As such, their music was a mixture of multiple other sub-genres of music, most notably avant-prog, art rock, jazz fusion (or jazz-rock), and avant-garde jazz. They were musically active between 1968 and 1978. Throughout this time, they released 5 studio albums as follows (listed in chronological order):
- Legend (1973)
- Unrest (1974)
- Desperate Straights (1975)
- In Praise of Learning (1975)
- Western Culture (1979)
The band’s discography also consists of two live albums, more specifically Concerts (1976) and Stockholm & Göteborg (2008). Below you can listen to some of my favourite songs from their discography. I truly hope you will like listening to them as I did. Many thanks for your time, attention, and readership! It means a lot to me and you are appreciated! All the best and rock on! 🙂 🤘
P.S. On a personal note, I’d like to add the fact that I initially got to know about this band when I asked a very good friend of mine (who took care of me when I had kidney stones) and former flatmate when I was still a BSc student in Aalborg, Denmark about what his favourite progressive rock band was. He just told me that Henry Cow was the only progressive rock band that he was truly in to. And so, after some time, I decided to listen to them a little bit as well. I was not disappointed, of course. Many thanks, Luca, wherever you are! I truly hope you are well!
Documentation sources and external links:
- The band’s page on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
- The band’s discography on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
- The band’s biography page on www.scaruffi.com
- The band’s biography page on www.furious.com
- The band’s biography page on www.allmusic.com