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45-476: Sam and the Womp are a British pop group consisting of trumpeter Sam Ritchie and Dutch-born vocalist Bloem de Ligny , also known as Lady Oo. The band's music mixes traditional elements of Balkan music with modern dub and drum 'n' bass elements. From its formation in 2009 to 2014, the band also included producer Aaron "Audio" Horn, the son of musician and producer Trevor Horn . The group's debut single " Bom Bom "

90-437: A Believer", on the grounds that his use of a wheelchair "was not suitable for family viewing", the producer wanting Wyatt to appear in a wicker chair. Wyatt won the day and "lost his rag but not the wheelchair". A contemporary issue of New Musical Express featured the band (a stand-in acting for Mason), all in wheelchairs, on its cover. Wyatt subsequently sang lead vocals on Mason's first solo album Fictitious Sports (1981),

135-646: A further tribute to Wyatt, on the B-side of the single, Orzabal performs a cover version of "Sea Song", from the Rock Bottom album. This recording later appeared on the compilation album Saturnine Martial & Lunatic and the remastered versions of Songs from the Big Chair . "Sea Song" was also covered by Rachel Unthank and the Winterset on their 2007 album The Bairns , and The Guardian ' s David Peschek said of

180-641: A greater sense of commitment and meaning in their singing." October 2014 saw the release of Different Every Time: The Authorised Biography of Robert Wyatt by Marcus O'Dair . In promotion of the book Wyatt appeared at the Wire 's "Off the Page" festival in Bristol on 26 September, and at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 23 November. A companion compilation album, Different Every Time – Ex Machina / Benign Dictatorships

225-601: A new band in England to record these numbers, but on 1 June 1973, during a birthday party for Gong 's Gilli Smyth and June Campbell Cramer (also known as Lady June ) at the latter's Maida Vale home, an inebriated Wyatt fell from a fourth-floor window and broke his spine. He was paralysed from the waist down and has used a wheelchair for mobility ever since. On 4 November, Pink Floyd performed two benefit concerts, in one day, at London's Rainbow Theatre , supported by Soft Machine, and compered by John Peel . The concerts raised

270-518: A reported £10,000 for Wyatt. In a BBC Radio 4 profile aired in 2012, Wyatt revealed that he and his wife Alfreda Benge were also given generous help by friends of Benge's, including supermodel Jean Shrimpton , who gave them a car, and actress Julie Christie , who gave them use of a flat in London, which they later bought from her. In the same interview, Wyatt also observed that his accident probably saved his life – although he did not drink at all when he

315-455: A stage rock band. In 1970, after chaotic touring, three albums and increasing internal conflicts in Soft Machine, Wyatt released his first solo album, The End of an Ear , which combined his vocal and multi-instrumental talents with tape effects. A year later, after becoming increasingly unhappy about his musical ideas being rejected by the others, Wyatt left Soft Machine. He participated in

360-485: A suite of songs composed by American jazz musician Carla Bley . His follow-up single, a reggae ballad remake of Chris Andrews 's hit " Yesterday Man ", again produced by Mason, was eventually given a low-key release, "the boss at Virgin claiming that single was 'lugubrious', the delay and lack of promotion denting Wyatt's chances of a follow-up hit." Wyatt's next solo album, Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard (1975), produced by Wyatt apart from one track produced by Mason,

405-470: The Brighton Dome , with Paul Weller and Danny Thompson , in support of Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn , as the opening instalment of "People Powered: Concerts for Corbyn". It was Wyatt's most recent public appearance. The Tears for Fears song " I Believe " from their 1985 album Songs from the Big Chair was originally written by bandmember Roland Orzabal for Wyatt, and is dedicated to him. As

450-518: The Mercury Music Prize nominated album Cuckooland was released. In 2004 Wyatt collaborated with Björk on the song "Submarine" which was released on her fifth album Medúlla . He sang and played cornet and percussion with David Gilmour on Gilmour's album On an Island , and read passages from the novels of Haruki Murakami for Max Richter 's album Songs from Before . In 2006 Wyatt collaborated with Steve Nieve and Muriel Teodori on

495-517: The Townhouse Studios in London . The album's name derives from de Ligny's name for her own fantasy sea. The record company had high expectations, and the album generally received positive reviews, with many comparing her vocal style to that of Icelandic artist Björk , although de Ligny cites Robert Wyatt as being a bigger influence. The single "Fingiecrookie" was released from the album and

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540-761: The fusion bigband Centipede , performed at the JazzFest Berlin 's New Violin Summit, a live concert with violinists Jean-Luc Ponty , Don "Sugarcane" Harris , Michał Urbaniak and Nipso Brantner, guitarist Terje Rypdal , keyboardist Wolfgang Dauner and bassist Neville Whitehead , and formed his own band Matching Mole (a pun, "machine molle" being French for 'Soft Machine'), a largely instrumental outfit that recorded two albums. Matching Mole gradually disbanded, and Wyatt began writing material that would eventually appear on his second 'solo' album in Venice. He began to assemble

585-773: The Channel 4 TV show Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and in an episode of the CBS TV program Elementary . Kmart Australia also featured the song in their 2013 series of TV commercials. The song has also been used in a series of Canadian TV commercials for the Joe Fresh line of clothing. The track went to number one on the UK Singles Chart in its first week of release. "Bom Bom" was produced by Horn, Ritchie and music producer and film composer Raz Olsher , at Fossil Studios in Hackney , London. The song

630-475: The North , Carla Bley , Eno, Michael Mantler , and Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera , contributing lead vocals to lead track "Frontera", from Manzanera's 1975 solo debut Diamond Head . In 1976 he was featured vocalist on Mantler's settings of the poems of Edward Gorey , appearing alongside Terje Rypdal (guitar) Carla Bley (piano, clavinet, synthesizer), Steve Swallow (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums) on

675-557: The Rolling Stones ' " We Love You " which had additional backing vocals from Brian Wilson , he and his wife Alfreda Benge spent a sabbatical in Spain, before returning in 1991 with a comeback album Dondestan . His 1997 album Shleep was also praised. In 1999 he collaborated with the Italian singer Cristina Donà on her second album Nido . In the summer of 2000 her first EP Goccia

720-492: The UK Singles Chart, having reached number 2 in John Peel 's Festive Fifty for 1982-released tracks. In 1984 Wyatt provided guest vocals, along with Tracey Thorn and Claudia Figueroa, on "Venceremos (We Will Win)", a song expressing political solidarity with Chilean people suffering under Pinochet 's military dictatorship, released as a single by UK soul-jazz dance band Working Week , also included on their debut album released

765-624: The Wilde Flowers , with Kevin Ayers , Richard Sinclair and Brian Hopper . Wyatt was initially the drummer in the Wilde Flowers, but following the departure of Ayers, he also became lead singer. In 1966, the Wilde Flowers split into two bands— Caravan and the Soft Machine —and Wyatt, along with Mike Ratledge, was invited to join Soft Machine by Kevin Ayers and Daevid Allen . Wyatt both drummed and shared vocals with Ayers, an unusual combination for

810-474: The Womp as the vocalist and in 2012, their debut single " Bom Bom " went to number one in the UK. The band released their second single 'Ravo' in 2013. In 2014, de Ligny launched her new solo project Bloom and released her first single under that name, "Animal Spirit", which was followed by "Pale Moon Golden Light" the same year and "The World For You" in 2015. In 2015, de Ligny founded Womp Records Ltd with Sam and

855-456: The Womp bandmate Sam Ritchie to release the band's single 'Zeppelin'. Kaleidophone , de Ligny's second studio album and first since Zink , was released in 2019. de Ligny has synesthesia . She became a mother in 2013. Robert Wyatt Robert Wyatt (born Robert Wyatt-Ellidge , 28 January 1945 ) is an English retired musician. A founding member of the influential Canterbury scene bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole , he

900-457: The Womp released " Bom Bom " under a licensing deal with One More Tune on 20 August 2012. The track gained further momentum after being used to soundtrack an international TV advertising campaign for Southern Comfort . Les Mills uses it for their biceps workout track in Body Pump . The song is also included in the video games Forza Horizon and The Sims 3: Island Paradise , and was featured on

945-543: The accompanying music video received airplay on a number of music TV channels, but album sales disappointed and she parted company with the record label. de Ligny later moved to Paris for several months, and in the beginning of 2000 studied fine art in Rotterdam. In 2002, de Ligny made a guest appearance on the album We Should Have Been Stars by the band Mist. She collaborated with the band again for their 2008 album Period . Also in 2002, with Ties van der Linden, she formed

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990-563: The album Around Robert Wyatt by the French Orchestre National de Jazz. In 2008, Wyatt collaborated with Hot Chip on the EP Hot Chip with Robert Wyatt and Geese . Wyatt was one of the guest editors of BBC Radio 4 's Today programme, working on the 1 January 2010 programme. Among other things he advocated greater prominence for amateur choirs, and admitted to a preference for them over professional choirs "because there's

1035-478: The album The Hapless Child and Other Stories . His solo work during the early 1980s was increasingly politicised, and Wyatt became a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain . In 1983, his original version of Elvis Costello and Clive Langer 's Falklands War -inspired song " Shipbuilding ", which followed a series of political cover-versions (collected as Nothing Can Stop Us ), reached number 35 in

1080-628: The ambient pop band Fono and Serafina. Their only album, Bathtub , was released in 2006. Around this time, de Ligny began performing under the stage name Serafina Ouistiti and subsequently attended the Willem de Kooning Academy of Fine Arts in Rotterdam , graduating in 2007. In 2005, she formed the band Polichinelle with the artist Bubu. They performed at the Glastonbury Festival in 2007. In 2007, de Ligny co-founded, with Bubu and artist Kai Nobuko,

1125-496: The arrangements to adjust to his new circumstances, and many of the lyrics were completed during this period. The album was met with mostly positive reviews. Two months later Wyatt put out a single, a cover version of " I'm a Believer ", which hit number 29 in the UK chart. Both were produced by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason . There were strong arguments with the producer of Top of the Pops surrounding Wyatt's performance of "I'm

1170-583: The cover: "That's the best version of that I've ever heard". In November 2011, The Unthanks released a live album, The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & the Johnsons , and Wyatt is quoted on the cover of the album as saying "I love the idea. It makes me happy just thinking about it." Dev Hynes credited Wyatt's album, Old Rottenhat as an influence on the song, "Take Your Time" from Hynes' 2018 album (as Blood Orange), Negro Swan . The verb "Wyatting" appeared in some blogs and music magazines to describe

1215-736: The early 1970s, and he felt that, had the accident not intervened to change his lifestyle, his heavy drinking and reckless behaviour would have eventually killed him. The injury led Wyatt to abandon the Matching Mole project, and his rock drumming (though he would continue to play drums and percussion in more of a "jazz" fashion, without the use of his feet). He promptly embarked on a solo career, and with musician friends (including Mike Oldfield , Ivor Cutler and Henry Cow guitarist Fred Frith ) released his solo album Rock Bottom on 26 July 1974. The album had been largely composed prior to Wyatt's accident, but during Wyatt's convalescence, he rethought

1260-425: The following year. In 1985 Wyatt released Old Rottenhat , his first album of original songs since Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard . The album featured strongly political songs with relatively sparse arrangements played largely by Wyatt alone. In the late 1980s, after collaborations with other acts such as News from Babel , Scritti Politti , and Japanese recording artist Ryuichi Sakamoto on his 1989 cover of

1305-428: The mid-1970s onwards. His solo music has covered a particularly individual musical terrain ranging from covers of pop singles to shifting, amorphous song collections drawing on elements of jazz , folk and nursery rhyme . Wyatt retired from his music career in 2014, stating "there is a pride in [stopping], I don't want [the music] to go off." He is married to English painter and songwriter Alfreda Benge . Wyatt

1350-530: The name Bloem, appearing on the festival circuit with appearances at the Oerol , Lowlands and Crossing Border festivals. de Ligny's festival performances brought her to the attention of the record company Columbia . In November 1998, under the name Bloem de Ligny, the album Zink was released, produced by Tricky associate and ex- Boomtown Rats guitarist Pete Briquette , with contributions from musician Maarten Veldhuis  [ nl ] , and recorded at

1395-579: The opera Welcome to the Voice interpreting the character 'the Friend', both singing and playing pocket trumpet. Wyatt released Comicopera in October 2007 on Domino Records , who went on to re-release Drury Lane , Rock Bottom , Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard , Nothing Can Stop Us , Old Rottenhat , Dondestan , Shleep , EPs and Cuckooland on CD and vinyl the following year. In 2009 he appeared on

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1440-561: The practice of playing unusual tracks, in particular songs from Wyatt's album Dondestan , on a pub jukebox to annoy the other pub goers. Wyatt was quoted in 2006 in The Guardian as saying "I think it's really funny" and "I'm very honoured at the idea of becoming a verb." When asked if he would ever try it himself, he said: "I don't really like disconcerting people, but even when I try to be normal I disconcert anyway." However, Alfreda Benge said it made her angry "that Robert should be used as

1485-459: The surrealist art collective Dream Society, producing animations, songs, films, and art installations based on sounds and images from "everyday life". de Ligny performs with the Society under the name Oo is an Instrument. Residing in London since 2003, she was involved in the founding of Gattoblaster Records, She has performed in the bands 4Fists and QDOS vs. Audio In 2009, de Ligny joined Sam and

1530-560: Was "unconventional". Wyatt said "It seemed perfectly normal to me. My father didn't join us until I was six, and he died ten years later, having retired early with multiple sclerosis, so I was brought up a lot by women." Wyatt attended the Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys , Canterbury, and as a teenager lived with his parents in Lydden near Dover , where he was taught drums by visiting American jazz drummer George Neidorf. It

1575-614: Was born in Bristol . His mother, Honor Wyatt , was a journalist with the BBC , and his father, George Ellidge, was an industrial psychologist . Honor Wyatt was a cousin of Woodrow Wyatt , whose political stance influenced Robert in joining the Communist Party of Great Britain . Wyatt had two half-brothers from his parents' previous marriages, Honor Wyatt's son, actor Julian Glover , and George Ellidge's son, press photographer Mark Ellidge . His parents' friends were "quite bohemian", and his upbringing

1620-566: Was curator of the Meltdown festival, and sang " Comfortably Numb " with David Gilmour at the festival. It was recorded on Gilmour's DVD David Gilmour in Concert . In January 2003, BBC Four broadcast Free Will and Testament , a programme featuring performance footage of Wyatt with musicians Ian Maidman, Liam Genockey, Annie Whitehead and Janette Mason, and interviews with John Peel, Brian Eno, Annie Whitehead, Alfie and Wyatt himself. Later in 2003,

1665-519: Was during this period that Wyatt met and became friends with expatriate 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 . The following year, Wyatt returned to England and joined the Daevid Allen Trio with Allen and Hugh Hopper . Allen subsequently left for France, and Wyatt and Hopper formed

1710-410: Was initially a kit drummer and singer before becoming paraplegic following an accidental fall from a window in 1973, which led him to abandon band work, explore other instruments, and begin a 40-year solo career. A key player during the formative years of British jazz fusion , psychedelia and progressive rock , Wyatt's own work became increasingly interpretative, collaborative and politicised from

1755-454: Was more jazz-led, with free jazz influences. Guest musicians included Brian Eno on guitar, synthesizer and "direct inject anti-jazz ray gun". Wyatt went on to appear on the fifth release of Eno's Obscure Records label, Jan Steele/John Cage: Voices and Instruments (1976), singing two Cage songs. Throughout the rest of the 1970s Wyatt guested with various acts, including Henry Cow (documented on their Concerts album), Hatfield and

1800-513: Was released and Wyatt made an appearance in the video of the title track. Wyatt contributed "Masters of the Field", as well as "The Highest Gander", "La Forêt Rouge" and "Hors Champ" to the soundtrack of the 2001 film Winged Migration . He can be seen in the DVD's Special Features section, and is praised by the film's composer Bruno Coulais as being a big influence in his younger days. In June 2001, Wyatt

1845-554: Was released as a digital download on 19 August 2012, and hit number one on the UK Singles Chart . It has sold over a million copies worldwide. In 2012, they signed to Stiff Records and One More Tune. WOMP Records trying to create Vol 2. As well as a Double CD package Featuring Sam. Sam and the Womp was formed in September 2009 when Ritchie and de Ligny's band QDOS joined forces with Horn. Initially signed to Stiff Records, Sam and

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1890-544: Was released on 18 May 2018. "Ice Cream Man" was released later in the year. In 2021, they released the single "Sun Dance" with fellow British rapper K.O.G. Bloem de Ligny Bloem (meaning 'flower' in Dutch) de Wilde de Ligny was born to an Indonesian father and a Dutch mother. They moved location twenty times before settling in Haarlem . After leaving school, she moved into a squat , and from 1996 began performing music under

1935-661: Was released on 18 November 2014. Wyatt performed the soundtrack to Jimmy McGovern 's 2014 BBC production, Common . In an interview with Uncut magazine in December 2014, Wyatt announced that he had "stopped" making music. He cited age and greater interest in politics as his reasons. In January 2015 Wyatt's biography Different Every Time was featured as BBC Radio 4 's Book of the Week , abridged by Katrin Williams and read by Julian Rhind-Tutt . On 16 December 2016 Wyatt appeared at

1980-430: Was written by Horn, Ritchie, de Ligny and Olsher. Horn left the group in 2014, and Ritchie and de Ligny continued as a duo. Ritchie and de Ligny co-founded Womp Records Ltd. in 2015. On 15 January 2018, the band's debut EP, Womp Records, Vol. 1 was released. On 1 May 2018, Sam and the Womp released the single "Posh Ragga", which features MC Solomon. This was the lead single from the band's second EP Bee Sides , which

2025-540: Was younger, he quickly fell into a pattern of heavy drinking while touring the United States in the late 1960s supporting the Jimi Hendrix Experience , and that he often caroused with heavy-drinking colleagues like Mitch Mitchell , Noel Redding and especially Keith Moon (who introduced him to the practice of alternating shots of tequila and Southern Comfort ). By his own estimation, he was an alcoholic by

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