JASON MENDONÇA
Akercocke’s vocalist/guitarist is transfixed by Canterbury scene drummer Pip Pyle.
“I was introduced to Gong by some hippy friends when I was at school, and I started with Flying Teapot. Then I discovered Camembert Electrique: Pip Pyle played drums on that album and his playing absolutely shone through. I was completely transfixed by his breakbeats.
A lot of people associate breakbeats with drum and bass, but you’ll find heaps of tough breaks if you go back to the fusion and prog bands of the early 70s. If you fast-forward Pyle’s career to Hatfield And The North and National Health, he played breaks with such élan that there was almost a danger in his playing: he lacked the reserve and precision of other jazz-influenced players of the time. It was that danger that really excited me.
It’s important to recognise that he had people like Bill Bruford among his peers but I don’t think he was ever acknowledged to the same degree as Bruford or John Weathers from Gentle Giant. I don’t know that Pyle ever received that kind of response until his death [in 2006]. That’s when loads of fans came out of the woodwork and there were some really beautiful obituaries.
Although I’m a guitarist, I’m also a frustrated drummer. I’ve been playing for about 30 years so I started pretty much around the time I first heard Pyle. I have a drum kit at home and I love playing: I just play very, very badly. I’m in awe of people who play percussion really, really well. The ability to separate limbs and have control of them individually, while doing four different things at once, just leaves me flabbergasted. I’m someone who finds playing the guitar and singing in a different time signature challenging enough!
I discovered the Canterbury scene retrospectively as an adult and my prog leanings are incredibly eclectic. I haven’t a clue about contemporary music but Mont Campbell from Egg is someone else I respect, and Sky’s Francis Monkman. I appreciate great instrumentalism and prog is awash with great players, many of whom never received any acknowledgement. I think it’s important to remember those forgotten heroes.” NRS
“There was almost a danger in his playing.”