One’s career rarely gets any more progressive than that of Bill MacCormick, an English politician who played a prominent role within Liberal Party and Liberal Democrats but is primarily known for playing bass on a variety of memorable records. Some may suggest the world caught on to his immense melodic talents on a couple of pieces from Eno’s “Here Come The Warm Jets” yet Bill’s finest hour had come earlier, on an eponymous debut and "Little Red Record" albums by MATCHING MOLE MacCormick helped his old friend Robert Wyatt form and develop. However, it was not the beginning of the veteran’s story which is recounted in his new book.
Making It Up As You Go Along…
Titled “Making It Up As You Go Along…” and available currently from the musician’s website, this solid tome differs from his previous volumes – credited to Alan MacDonald, because, as an author, Bill uses his middle names, just like his late brother Ian, of “Revolution In The Head” fame did – because those dealt with World War I, and the new book is MacCormick’s autobiography. Within its pages William, in his own words, “meanders through the outer realms of 1960s and ’70s rock music” and reminiscences about founding a school band with Phil Manzanera, whom the bassist would join later in 801, immersing himself in the Canterbury scene with QUIET SUN, passing through the ranks of GONG and RANDOM HOLD, who supported XTC and Peter Gabriel on tour, being the webmaster behind official sites of GENESIS, Phil Collins and Manzanera, and producing other artists.
All of his adventures, MacCormick notes, are “to be taken with a pinch of salt, and not remotely seriously” – and people who read Bill’s recollections on his Facebook timeline know this approach makes the so-called accidental bass player’s memoir all the more gripping. A no-brainer read.
