Amougies by Caravan

"From the Sunday performances at the 1969 Amougies Festival with Caravan's set. Again, this is an invaluable document as Caravan live recordings are few, particularly from so early on in their career. So early on, actually, that I have been faced with some doubt as to whether at least one of these tracks (#4) is actually by Caravan. The voice doesn't sound like either Pye Hastings or Richard Sinclair (could it be cousin Dave on one of his rare vocal outings?), and the music sounds distinctly heavier and bluesier. Yet parts of it, especially the end, do feature some distinctive Caravan features, like fuzz organ and jazzy drumming. Your guess is as good as mine. Track 6 is also a bit of a mystery. It clearly sounds like Pye singing, but other than the track being unknown to me, the chorus of the song, which verges on out-and-out hard-rock, is very untypical of Caravan to say the least. I have no definitive answer to these questions, and because of between-song editing, there is no way to ascertain that the performance is continuous. The rest of the set, though, is recognisably Caravan, offering a good mixture of tracks from their first and second albums and the obligatory Soft Machine cover (and a staple of their own sets until 1971), the Kevin Ayers-penned "Feelin' Reelin' Squealin'". Not forgetting the version of "If I Could..." with Frank Zappa on guest guitar, which was seeded previously as part of the "FZ Amougies jams" fest. Again, thanks to the taper, JJB, for recording this at the time, and for allowing me to seed it here."
- from the original file uploader
https://www.guitars101.com/threads/the-first-actuel-paris-music-festival.724017/#post-3420953

There are two tracks in this bootleg that have been much debated over the years by the fans and Caravan experts. Titled in circulation as "unknowns", both of these are in fact Caravan, the only known recordings of these early songs. Dave Sinclair confirms that Track 4 is his composition "Break Away" and it is him "singing". It was not long after the Amougies gig that Pye no longer allowed Dave and the band to play this track with Caravan! Track 6 is Pye's composition "Standing". The band were rehearsing these two compositions early on at Westgate Terrace in Whitstable, but they never went on an album. Both are listed in Dave's original cards for his Hammond organ drawbar settings, along with "Red Beans and Rice", a cover influenced by Dave's discovery and love of Brian Auger. Break Away was also known as "G-Zombee" given Dave Sinclair wrote the tune in key of G. This track would eventually be reworked and recorded in 1976 as "Where Have I Gone?" on Dave's Moon Over Man album. https://www.dsincs-music.com/discography?lang=en&lightbox=dataItem-j90vb7j61
- Nic Sinclair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXhotn8JNk0
http://www.cocacamp.nl/reviews/interviews/int10richard2/intrichard2.html

Files for this rare* bootleg provided by Josh Voeks. Thanks Josh!


* - It must be rare, because it certainly isn't very well-done (ba-dump).

The leading voice of the Canterbury Scene. Beginning with the Wilde Flowers, on to Caravan, Hatfield & the North, Camel and all his recent group efforts, Richard Sinclair's singing and bass playing have been a constant source of delight for lovers of Canterbury music. A deep, low voice, a talent for memorable melodies few can match, plus an imaginative and fluid technique on the bass and guitar.

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