Egg The Civil Surface 1974 1 Germ Patrol

[Doobie1975]

Great song, this was the very first Egg song I've ever heard and I still remember the night I've heard this song on SIRIUS radio (in the wee hours of May 21, 2007) and it totally blew me away!

[Big77Jim]

This band is killer.I never heard them before today.I have heard other cantubury bands like Gong,Matching Mole or Henery Cow.I guess you learn something new everyday.

[Moralix]

Germ Patrol was the first track i ever listened to, when i discovered Egg back in highschool. Today i ordered the original pressing of The Civil Surface in MINT condition :D

[Tengent]

Sure there are "Canterbury" sounding bands out there today (Amoeba Split, Soundchaser, The Battleship Ethel), but no one EVER EVER has come close to the harmonic and rhythmic (beautiful) complexity of Egg. Actually, the only band that has was Frank Zappa. Maybe Kayo Dot... anyways I dig this and I hope to bring music similar to this on to a stage one day.

[threeby8887]

It's too bad they don't make bands like this anymore!

[MrColMC]

I remember Dave Stewart saying that he was worried that the drums had been mixed too loud. Maybe so, but what I listen to is the consumate understanding of harmony, atonality, Nicky Hopkins keyboard riffs, and so much much more that I felt that if I heard no music again in my life I wouldn't miss much! Huge fan please reform!

[svenghoulieil]

@MrColMC The toms on the intro are pretty dang loud, but the rest of the tune they are equitable

[SonofMrPeanut]

For me, this album is also the first Hatfield & the North album. I know that Dave Stewart was the only member of Egg to actually join, but there's too much here for me to ignore.

[NeilThompson30]

@SonofMrPeanut - I know exactly what you mean - it's not the Egg we all knew and loved - they'd gone a bit bland - but it would be Hatfield's second album! - released seven months after the first Hatfields one (March and October 74, fact fans)

[Doobie1975]

@NeilThompson30 I thought Hatfield & the North's second album was released in March 1975

[NeilThompson30]

@Doobie1975 - Egg's Civil Surface came out in October 74 - if it was by the Hatfields it would have been their second album.

[Doobie1975]

@NeilThompson30 I thought you were talking about Hatfield's "Rotter's Club" album instead of this album

[puddypuss]

@NeilThompson30 I bought this on november16th 1974 and was so pleased that I took it with me to a barclay james harvest concert at imperial college that day, as the music scene that I was used to late 60s very early 70s was melting away, as the 70s borought us punk glam and disco. I know dave stewart wasnt happy with the drum mix on this. I think the difference between this and earlier egg isnt so great, maybe a bit more melodic like caravan, but still with the mont campbell influence

[sunaru1]

I like the music as I do of others from the era / area, but Caravan were always far more accessible and musically better - better than Soft Machine!!!

[sunaru1]

Clive Brooks later played for Tony McPhee in the Groundhogs, but got paid a mediocre salary for his efforts. He eventually made money from painting and decorating (he did my brother's ceiling) but still managed to release a wonderful tape called Camelia (with his girfriend on vocals - I have a copy). Clive originally played with Home (see The Alchemist) the bass player of whom went onto ACDC. Such are the different fortunes of musicians.

[NeilThompson30]

@sunaru1 - the drummer of Home was my good friend Cooky (Mick Cook) RIP.

Cooky got his mates to form a new Groundhogs for Tony in 1975. Lovely bloke.

[sunaru1]

@NeilThompson30

Correct - Mick Cook. Check out his Camelia album.

[Tengent]

Very clever composition. The main melody's phrasing reminds me of Uncle Meat's.

[thewordofgord]

another classic! my god it's great after all these years....thanks for posting, any photos of the band at all?

wordofgord