‘Soft Machine had far more musical ability than we ever did.’ — Nick Mason, Pink Floyd Soft Machine were one of the great pioneering bands. Always questioning the prevailing musical conventions and contemptuous of the rules that apply to popular music, they played a pivotal role in shaping psychedelic rock, progressive rock and jazz-rock fusion. Soft Machine: Out-Bloody-Rageous traces the lives of the band’s members, pieces together Soft Machine’s serendipitous formation and unique career, and unravels the truth, the mystique and the legend that surrounded this most elusive of bands. It recounts the incidents and internal tensions that led to an astonishing twenty-four different line-ups and places Soft Machine’s development in the musical and social context of the time. Graham Bennett witnessed many of Soft Machine’s performances and has produced a probing and thoroughly researched account of one of the great mythic groups of the 1960s and ’70s. Based on extended interviews with members and associates, the definitive biography of this ground-breaking band includes over a hundred photographs, posters and clippings and a full Soft Machine family tree, concert file, discography and sessionography. Soft Machine: Out-Bloody-Rageous is essential reading for any serious fan of rock or jazz. ARSC Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research Reviews of the first edition ‘ Highly entertaining, deeply insightful and definitive history . . . wonderful book. Totally illuminating and thoroughly recommended .’ — Daevid Allen, Soft Machine ‘ The definitive account of Canterbury’s finest . . . Bennett gets the whole fascinating story .’ — Mojo ‘ Slavishly researched. If you want to get all the facts and figures on Soft Machine, Bennett is your man .’ — Record Collector ‘ Mr Bennett has really done his homework . . . superb book .’ — All About Jazz ‘ Bennett’s acute observations capture the feel of those early years precisely. Encyclopaedic . . . scrupulous attention to detail .’ — The Wire ‘ Painstakingly researched and written with a genuine passion for the subject, Bennett’s balanced approach is strong on the background and input from the changing personnel .’ — Jazzwise ‘ A thorough treatment of the band as individuals, musicians and the social context. Difficult to imagine a better book on the subject. Unreservedly recommended .’ — What’s Rattlin’ ‘ Mr Bennett has done an incredible job of covering the importance and history of the greatest and most influential of all progressive band s.’ — Downtown Music Gallery ‘ Hits the bullseye — brilliant .’ — Michael King, author of Wrong Movements: a Robert Wyatt History ‘ A monumental work .’ — In Search of the Perfect Vinyl