The Civil Surface
Encyclopedia
The Civil Surface is Egg
’s third and final album. It was released in 1974. The band had broken up in 1972, not before performing some new material during their last concerts. The new songs were very well received by the audience, so the trio decided to re-unite to record these songs. The album features guest musicians such as Steve Hillage
and Lindsay Cooper
.
Critics have often complained that the album is poorly mixed, with the drums being far too loud. A recent reissue by Eclectic Recordings includes liner notes by Dave Stewart, in which he suggests that these problems were partly due to Clive Brooks insisting that his drumwork needed to be mixed louder.
Egg (band)
Egg were an English progressive rock band formed in January 1969.-Career:The founding members of the group were Dave Stewart who played organ , Mont Campbell on bass and vocals and drummer Clive Brooks...
’s third and final album. It was released in 1974. The band had broken up in 1972, not before performing some new material during their last concerts. The new songs were very well received by the audience, so the trio decided to re-unite to record these songs. The album features guest musicians such as Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
and Lindsay Cooper
Lindsay Cooper
Lindsay Cooper is an English bassoon and oboe player, composer and political activist. Best known for her work with the band Henry Cow, she was also a member of Comus, National Health, News from Babel and David Thomas and the Pedestrians...
.
Critics have often complained that the album is poorly mixed, with the drums being far too loud. A recent reissue by Eclectic Recordings includes liner notes by Dave Stewart, in which he suggests that these problems were partly due to Clive Brooks insisting that his drumwork needed to be mixed louder.
Track listing
- "Germ Patrol" – 8:31
- "Wind Quartet I" – 2:20
- "Enneagram" – 9:07
- "Prelude" – 4:17
- "Wring Out The Ground (Loosely Now)" – 8:11
- "Nearch" – 3:22
- "Wind Quartet II" – 4:48
Personnel
- Dave Stewart - organ, piano, bass (6)
- Mont CampbellMont CampbellHugo Martin Montgomery Campbell , formerly known as Mont Campbell, now Dirk Campbell is a British progressive rock musician, best known as a member of progressive rock band Egg.-Biography:...
- bass, vocals, French horn, piano - Clive BrooksClive BrooksClive Colin Brooks is a drummer, best known for his work in the English progressive rock band Egg.-Uriel/Egg:...
– drums
Guests
- Steve HillageSteve HillageSteve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
– guitar (5) - Lindsay CooperLindsay CooperLindsay Cooper is an English bassoon and oboe player, composer and political activist. Best known for her work with the band Henry Cow, she was also a member of Comus, National Health, News from Babel and David Thomas and the Pedestrians...
– bassoon, oboe (1,6) - Tim HodgkinsonTim HodgkinsonTim Hodgkinson is an English experimental music composer and performer, principally on reeds and keyboards. He is best known as one of the core members of the British avant-rock group Henry Cow, which he formed with Fred Frith in 1968...
– clarinet (1,6) - Amanda Parsons – vocals (4)
- Ann Rosenthal – vocals (4)
- Barbara GaskinBarbara GaskinBarbara Gaskin is a British singer who, with her musical partner, the keyboardist Dave Stewart, formed a duo in 1981. In September of that year they had a number one single in the UK with a cover version of the song "It's My Party"...
– vocals (4)
Wind Quartets performed by
- Mont CampbellMont CampbellHugo Martin Montgomery Campbell , formerly known as Mont Campbell, now Dirk Campbell is a British progressive rock musician, best known as a member of progressive rock band Egg.-Biography:...
– French horn - Maurice Cambridge – clarinet
- Stephen Solloway – flute
- Chris Palmer – bassoon