Robert Wyatt was born in Bristol as a son of an industrial psychologist (his father) and a journalist with the BBC (his mother). His mother was a cousin of Woodrow Wyatt whose political ideas influenced Robert in joining the Communist Party of Great Britain. During his teenage years he lived in Lydden near Dover and went to school in Canterbury. He was thaught to play drums by visiting American jazz drummer George Neidorf. He also became friends with Australian musician Daevid Allen who rented a room in Wyatt's family home.

In 1962 Wyatt and Neidorf moved to Majorca living near the poet Robert Graves. A year later he returned to England and joined the Daevid Allen Trio. When Allen left the band he formed a new band called The Wilde Flowers including Kevin Ayers, Richard Sinclair and Brian Hopper. Wyatt was the drummer but when Ayers left he became the lead singer.

Soft Machine - first 3 albums: Soft Machine / Volume two /Third

In 1966 the Wilde Flowers split into two well known bands: Caravan and Soft Machine. Wyatt joined Soft Machine again with Kevin Ayers and Daevid Allen. Wyatt played drums and shared lead vocals with Ayers. Both Caravan and Soft Machine became very influential in the so called Canterbury music scene. After 3 albums with Soft Machine Wyatt released his first solo album titled "The End Of An Ear" in 1970 and left Soft Machine. He formed his own band called "Matching Mole" which sounds like the french translation for his previous band Soft Machine. In french that would be "Machine Molle". The first album of Matching Mole released in 1972 was almost completely composed by Wyatt himself and the band included Dave Sinclair of Caravan. Their music was mostly instrumental and after a second album which was more an album by the other members of the band instead of himself he also left this band. During the first live performance of Matching Mole in 1972 Wyatt met Alfreda Benge which he called Alfie. She would become his girlfriend. She was assistant editor for Nicolas Roeg, the film director of psychological thriller "Don’t Look Now" and "The Men Who Fell To Earth" (starring David Bowie).

Matching Mole debut album

So he decided to work on his third album for a new line-up of Matching Mole but eventually it would become a solo album. His work is a fusion of experimental jazz rock, psychedelic rock and progressive rock. He started writing songs for the new album during a winter holiday in Venice (Italy). He was there with his girlfriend Alfreda. Wyatt was inspired by the water surrounding Venice: “Not the little canals, but the big open ones". "Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road" is about the end of Matching Mole.

Robert hit a rock bottom in his life when falling out of a fourth floor window on an early summer evening in 1973. It was at the birthday party of two members of another band of the Canterbury scene called Gong. He broke his spine and became paralized and had to stay in a hospital for eight months. He had to spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair from then on. Stangely enough the accident saved his life. At the end of the 60's he became a heavy drinker together with Mitch Mitchell (JHE), Noel Redding (JHE) and especially Keith Moon (The Who) which started when he was touring with the The Jimi Hendrix Experience (JHE) supported by his band Soft Machine. Because of the accident he had to change his lifestyle dramatically. Otherwise he would still have been an alcoholist and that would have killed him. It meant the beginning of his maturity. During the period in hospital he could set his mind to work on the songs for his next solo album.

Wyatt in hospital with Afreda Benge in 1973

With the help of Mike Oldfield, Ivor Cutler, Henry Cow and guitarist Fred Frith he released his second solo album "Rock Bottom". "Rock Bottom" was produced by Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason and released in 1974. Wyatt already arranged the whole album before the accident but decided to rearrange all songs due to his new circumstances. Two months later Wyatt put out a single, a cover version of "I'm a Believer", which hit #29 in the UK again produced by Nick Mason. His performanced at Top Of The Pops to promote the single lead to a battle with the producer of the show who wanted to have Wyatt sitting on a chair instead of a wheelchair because the producer thought is "was not suitable for family viewing". Wyatt won the battle and appeared in his wheelchair. His next single also produced by Mason was a cover version of "Yesterday Man" but the release was heavily delayed by Virgin Records because they thought this version was lugubrious!

2 exlusive single: "I'm A Believer" / "Yesterday Man"

The album is full of synths, guitars and trumpets placing you in a trance that makes you feel like floating undisturbed in an alien ocean. Fully enriched and intensified by Robert's broken and vulnerable vocals.

Wyatt and Benge in 1974

The album makes you feel Wyatt's pain, loss and suffering. The music also describes his love for Alfreda Benge whom he married on the day of the release of the album. She provided the artwork for all his album covers and lyrical assistance.

Alternate album cover from 1989 re-issue

"Sea Song" was later covered by Tears for Fears in the 80's as a B-side to "Mother's Talk".

Orginal album cover

Rock Bottom (1974)
Sea Song / A Last Straw / Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road / Alifib / Alife / Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road 

Exclusive singles (1974)

  • "I'm a Believer"/"Memories
  • "Yesterday Man"/"I'm a Believer"

I'm A Believer at TOTP

Sea Song

Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road
Matching Mole - Oh Caroline