Ordering & Shipping Notice!
Other Doors is available in three different versions, all limited. Turquoise and Green vinyl editions will be out in limited and numbered runs of 300 copies whereas a super-deluxe marbled vinyl edition including a signed postcard, a full-colour album design slipmat and a Soft Machine tote bag will be limited to 150 copies only.
Thank you.
Please ensure that you choose the correct shipping price option for your country! Your item(s) will be delayed if you do not make the right choice as will need to contact you for the supplementary charges. SM
Other Doors
The brand new Soft Machine studio album ‘Other Doors’ has now been recorded, mixed and mastered and will be released on 30 June 2023.
Pre-orders for the album are now open here -
It can be ordered from Burning Shed, Amazon, Proper and digitally from Spotify, Amazon Music and Itunes etc
The band prefers you to buy the physical copy as that way the artists get paid!
It will soon be available from Bandcamp also.
A first single from the album, the title track ‘Other Doors’ was released on 21 April and on 2 June there will be a second single ‘Joy of a Toy’ the classic Keven Ayres/ Mike Ratledge instrumental that was first released by the band in November 1968 as their first USA single. This brand new version features Fred Baker playing the melody originally famously played by Kevin Ayres.
Vinyl announcement
Other Doors will be available in a beautiful 2LP 180gm vinyl edition in three different versions, all limited. Side four will be a full set of bonus tracks. Turquoise and green vinyl editions will be out in limited and numbered runs of 300 copies whereas a Super deluxe marbled vinyl edition including a postcard signed by all 4 members of the band, a full-colour album design slipmat and a Soft Machine tote bag will be limited to 150 copies only.
The brand new Soft Machine studio album ‘Other Doors’ has now been recorded, mixed and mastered and will be released on 30 June 2023. Our first studio album since 2018’s ‘Hidden Details’ it marks a new chapter in the history of the band – both an ending and a beginning for this unique band that has now been in existence for 55 years. This studio album sees the final studio appearance of the legend that is John Marshall, our wonderful drummer. John played his heart out on this album and since completing the recording and playing one incredible last gig at London’s iconic Ronnie Scott’s Club in July 2022, he has decided to retire as a result of ongoing health issues.
The album also sees the introduction of bass player Fred Baker to the band following the retirement of the one and only Roy Babbington,
We, John, John, Fred and Theo are all very proud are all very proud of this new album as it features some great new music and inspired playing as well as the reimagining of two Soft Machine classics – ‘Penny Hitch’ (from ‘Seven’) and ‘Joy of a Toy’ (from the first album). Atmospheric improvisations, psychadelic free jazz, burning jazz rock, screaming guitar, hypnotic looped alto flutes, fretless bass grooves, powerful drums and experimental electronic music, Soft Machine continues to pursue its musically ambitious, wide ranging, jazz based but without boundaries agenda in creating the most ambitious and adventurous heartfelt music we can imagine. We hope you like it as much as we enjoyed making it. With cover image by Lasse Hoile and Design by Carl Glover.
The tracks on the album are as follows-
1 Careless Eyes (Travis, Etheridge) : 2.28
2 Penny Hitch (Jenkins) : 6.49
3 Other Doors (Etheridge) : 4.51
4 Crooked Usage (Travis) : 8.29
5 Joy of a Toy (Ayers, Ratledge) : 3.24
6 A Flock of Holes (Travis. Marshall) : 2.18
7 Whisper Back (Etheridge) : 1.41
8 The Stars Apart (Etheridge) : 4.23
9 Now! Is the Time (Babbington, Baker) : 2.16
10 Fell to Earth (Travis) : 5.51
11 The Visitor at the Window (Travis) : 4.08
12 Maybe Never (Travis) : 2.26
13 Back in Season (Travis) : 7.17
John Etheridge - Guitars
Theo Travis – Tenor and soprano saxophones, flutes, Fender Rhodes piano, electronics
Fred Thelonious Baker – Fretless bass guitar
John Marshall – Drums and percussion
There will be a world tour promoting the album from October 2023 and we look forward to bringing the music to you live and seeing you soon.
Thank you very much
Soft Machine (John, John, Theo and Fred)