Matching Mole

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Matching Mole was a UK progressive rock band from the Canterbury Scene formed in 1971 by Robert Wyatt after he left Soft Machine (and recorded his first solo album End Of An Ear). He continued his role on vocals and drums and was joined by David Sinclair (also of Caravan) on keyboards, Phil Miller on guitar and Bill MacCormick (formerly Quiet Sun) on bass. The name is a pun, since Machine Molle would be the translation of Soft Machine into French.

Their first, self titled, album was released in 1972 and comprised a mixture of band jams and Wyatt's solo compositions, notably their most well remembered song O Caroline. For their second record, released in the same year and produced by Robert Fripp, Sinclair was replaced by David MacRae who had already played a guest role on the first album. This album was more of a team effort, with Wyatt taking a less involved role.

Matching Mole disbanded by the end of 1972, with Sinclair and Miller going on to form the more successful Hatfield and the North. A new lineup was due to record a third album in 1973, but this was cancelled when Wyatt fell from a window and was paralysed from the waist down and was therefore unable to continue drumming.

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