The Guitar and Other Machines
reissue liner notes (Anthony H. Wilson)

Not that yellow, Vincent

Things were changing again.  The incredible four-piece which added Cor
Anglais and Viola to Vini and Bruce had seen its most perfect
expression in the Japanese gigs ('Domo Arigato') and three memorable
nights at the Electric Cinema in London's Notting Hill Gate.

Another crossroads.  Tim Kellett went off to join Simply Red and young
Metcalfe got buried in his two classical projects, the Duke Quartet
and the Kreisler Orchestra.

And then Vini had some new technology thrust upon him.  Bruce
sometimes describes the way Vini's other manager treats Vin as being
like watching "someone peering over Van Gogh's shoulder and shouting,
no not that yellow, you dick... this yellow".  Now Vini was no
stranger to tech stuff -- so much of his sound comes from the harmonic
sex between his guitar and his delay machine.

But the world of machines that Martin Hannett had introduced Vini to
in 1979 had moved on apace.  In our family, New Order were in the
forefront of the Sequencer Revolution; it somehow seemed really
important -- what was it, the first instrument that truly played
melody and rhythm in the same notation -- fuck knows.

Anyway Vini was handed a Yamaha Sequencer and a DMX Drum Machine.  And
told to do something with it.

Actually it wasn't quite like that.  He was asked if he fancied it,
and just to hang out with the equipment in case he found something
flowing from it.  Admittedly the tragic genius kept like a battery hen
and fed shit and instructions makes better reading.  But the kid does
go his own way.  Whatever, the cardboard boxes arrived with the
goodies and it was duck to water; as in things really flowing.

On tracks like 'Arpeggiator' and 'E.L.T.' it was clear the Durutti
Column had found another exhilarating avenue.  And for all the
technology, Metcalfe's viola and Bruce's drums were still on the most
moving form.

'LFO Mod', a rare piece which was done specially for 'Valuable
Passages' a US release on Relativity and not put on the European
version, is one of Vini's favourite pieces from this period and
displays the 'sequence-revolution' ad its most advanced stage prior to
'Vini Reilly', the next work.

And Simon came back from Brooklyn where he was either teaching or
learning timbales, can't quite remember which.  A couple of days at
'Out of the Blue' with Stuart James and Nick Garside brought the gang
together, with ACR Jes on vocals and audio-scratching.  'Dream
Topping' says it all.

This period also saw the Durutti Column at WOMAD, exquisite
performances which we couldn't leave off this CD.  Our favourite
pianist, Swing out Andy Connell is on Keyboards and Liu Sola a chinese
lady opera writer is the vocalist on the WOMAD stage, and has never
actually explained what she was singing.


The Guitar and Other Machines

Written and arranged by Vini Reilly.  'Arpeggiator' by Reilly and
Mitchell.  'English Landscape Tradition' by Reilly and Metcalfe.
Produced by Stephen Street.

Vini Reilly: Guitar, Keyboards, Machine Programs and Vocals.
Bruce Mitchell: Drum Kit, Xylophone and DX Machine.
John Metcalfe: Viola and Percussion on 'When the World'.
Stephen Street: Bass Guitar on 'English Landscape Tradition'.
Rob Gray: Mouth Organ on 'What Is It to Me' and 'Jongleur Grey'.
Stanton Miranda: Vocals on 'When the World' and 'Red Shoes'.
Pol: Vocals on 'When the World', 'Red Shoes' and 'Bordeaux Sequence'.

Special thanks to Simply Red/Elektra for Tim Kellett's trumpet on
'When the World'.

Recorded at Suite Sixteen, Rochdale; Strawberry Studios, Stockport;
and Island Studios, Hammersmith.  Mixed at Island Studios.
Engineers: Chris Nagle, Lee Hamblin and CJ.

Published by the Movement of 24th January Publishing/Copyright
Control.


Related Works

LFO Mod,
written by Vini Reilly.  Published by The Movement of the 24th January
Publishing/Zomba Publishing.  A Factory Communications Record 1988.

Dream Topping,
written by Vini Reilly, Simon Topping, Jeremy Kerr and Stuart James.
Published by The Movement of the 24th January Publishing/Zomba
Publishing and Copyright Control.  A Factory Communications Record
1988.

28 Oldham Street,
written by Vini Reilly.  Produced by Stuart James and Nick Garside.
Published by The Movement of the 24th January Publishing/Zomba
Publishing.  A Factory Communications Record 1988.

Live at WOMAD
Otis, English Landscape Tradition, Finding the Sea and Bordeaux,
written by Vini Reilly.  Live Mix by Stuart James.
Andy Connell: Piano.
Liu Sola: Vocals.
Published by The Movement of the 24th January Publishing/Zomba
Publishing.  A Factory Communications Record 1989.