Hugh Hopper RIP (1945-2009)

[strongcomet]

Hugh Hopper is no longer with us...

Hugh Hopper was one of the greatest musicians to emerge out of the Canterbury scene, and has been very active, both in the studio and live, right until before he got ill in 2008. I even saw him two years ago, I think, live with Daevid Allen and Chris Cutler, and it was a brilliant concert.

In June 2008, Hopper had to cancel a tour of Japan due to severe back pain. A few weeks later he was diagnosed with leukaemia and began treatment. In December 2008 two benefit concerts were held in Whitstable and London to raise money for his treatment. Sadly, after he had seemed to get better in early 2009, the illness took a turn for the worse, and after fighting bravely for several months, Hugh was finally and sadly defeated on June 7th. What was planned as a benefit concert at Le Triton in Paris on June 27th will now be a memorial event.



He will be greatly missed...

[zeebras]

i had the great pleasure of seeing hugh as a member of lindsay cooper's "oh moscow" presentation  in victoriaville quebec in 1989. victoriaville is a small town, and, as a result, musicians and fans tend to stay in the same hotel. hugh was around for most of the festival, and at the risk of being a real pest, i engaged in conversation with him whenever possible. the last night of the festival, my pals and i managed to get into the post festival party, where, for a good hour or so, me and hugh sat and had a few beers and chatted. i kept thinking to myself "i'm sitting here with hugh f ucking hopper!!!". he very graciously answered my barrage of questions. hugh was a real gentleman and was sincerely interested in spending time with a fan. it was a real honor, and remains one of the real highlights of my life.

[Max_Gate]

When I first heard Soft Machine, Hugh Hopper's bass was a (perhaps the) point of entry for me; he could make it sound like the tectonic plates were parting under my feet, or that the proverbial feather was hovering before my eyes.  

[strongcomet]

A two page Obituary in the UK Times Online...
and another one in the Guardian...

[strongcomet]

When I first heard Soft Machine, Hugh Hopper's bass was a (perhaps the) point of entry for me; he could make it sound like the tectonic plates were parting under my feet, or that the proverbial feather was hovering before my eyes.  

The first ever song I've heard by Robert Wyatt was "Memories". It was aired on the radio, and they played the Bananamoon version, and straight afterwards, without even a tiny break, the single version. I was mesmerized! Only later on I've found out it was written by Hugh Hopper.
This is my all time favourite tune, and while it's a very sad song, it makes me even sadder listening to it these days...

[zeebras]

"memories" is indeed a very beautiful song, and, as was discussed in this forum a couple of years ago, there is a very nice version on "one down" by material, featuring a pre-fame-and-fortune whitney houston on vocals and archie shepp on tenor sax.
thanks, hugh, for many years of great music.

[zeebras]

elaine difalco, keyboardist and vocalist with hughscore, has posted a nice remembrance of hugh:
www.cloudsandclocks.net/features/difalc ... per_E.html

[theallgolden]

"memories" is indeed a very beautiful song, and, as was discussed in this forum a couple of years ago, there is a very nice version on "one down" by material, featuring a pre-fame-and-fortune whitney houston on vocals and archie shepp on tenor sax.
thanks, hugh, for many years of great music.

i am not so much into all the music  hugh hopper did through all the years, but the tracks robert wyatt made with hugh hopper (or vice versa, released on the ''solar flares'' album) are among my favourites.  his ''jazzloops'' album is in a similar way with some great tracks thereon.

after re-opening of the wyattron i listened to all that memories versions (including the laswell/houston/shepp version) again. great song that is.

yes, thanks, hugh, for great music!

[zeebras]

here's something i think you folks will enjoy:
www.dailymotion.com/canterburyscene/video/16335428
a memorial to hugh put together by ameryic leroy with great videos from various groups hugh was involved in.

[theallgolden]

thanks for the information, zeebras, that is a nice tribute to hugh.