List of Soft Machine and spin-off band members

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Soft Machine performing live in 2018.

Soft Machine are an English jazz fusion band from Canterbury. Formed in mid-1966, the group originally consisted of drummer and vocalist Robert Wyatt, guitarists Daevid Allen and Larry Nowlin, bassist and vocalist Kevin Ayers, and keyboardist Mike Ratledge. The current lineup of the band, active since changing their name from Soft Machine Legacy in 2015, features drummer John Marshall (from 1971 to 1984, and since 1999), bassist Roy Babbington (from 1973 to 1976, and since 2009), guitarist John Etheridge (from 1975 to 1978, and since 2004), and saxophonist and keyboardist Theo Travis (who joined for the first time in 2006).

History[]

Drummer Robert Wyatt was the first and only lead vocalist for Soft Machine. After his departure, the group became entirely instrumental.
Drummer Robert Wyatt was the first and only lead vocalist for Soft Machine. After his departure, the group became entirely instrumental.

1966–1971: Robert Wyatt years[]

Soft Machine were formed in mid-1966 by drummer and vocalist Robert Wyatt, guitarist Daevid Allen and keyboardist Mike Ratledge, who had previously worked together in the Daevid Allen Trio.[1] Originally known as Mister Head, but soon renamed the Soft Machine, the band's inaugural lineup also featured guitarist Larry Nowlin and bassist and vocalist Kevin Ayers, although Nowlin left after four shows.[2] The group were reduced to a trio in October 1967, when Allen was denied re-entry to the UK following a tour of France, after overstaying his visa.[3] Wyatt, Ayers and Ratledge recorded Soft Machine's self-titled debut album in April 1968, which was issued at the end of the year.[4] Between May and July, Andy Summers joined on guitar.[5] After a final American tour, Ayers left Soft Machine in September 1968.[6]

Wyatt and Ratledge rebuilt Soft Machine in December 1968 with the addition of Hugh Hopper on bass, another former member of the Daevid Allen Trio, and released Volume Two the following September.[7] The next month, as the band's style moved more towards jazz, they expanded to a seven-piece with the addition of saxophonists Elton Dean and Lyn Dobson, cornet player Mark Charig and trombonist Nick Evans.[8] Both Charig and Evans had left by January 1970 due to "financial and logistical challenges", while Dobson also departed a couple of months later.[8] After the release and promotion of Third and Fourth, frontman Wyatt was fired from Soft Machine in August 1971 and replaced with Australian jazz drummer Phil Howard.[9] After recording half of Fifth, Howard himself was replaced by John Marshall.[8]

1972–1978: Karl Jenkins tenure[]

After Elton Dean's departure, Karl Jenkins took over and became band leader. When Mike Ratledge left in 1976, he switched to keyboards.
After Elton Dean's departure, Karl Jenkins took over and became band leader. When Mike Ratledge left in 1976, he switched to keyboards.

After Fifth was completed, Dean also left in mid-1972 and was replaced by Karl Jenkins, a former bandmate of Marshall's in Nucleus.[10] The group issued Six the next year, which was Hopper's last album before departing in May 1973.[11] He was replaced by Roy Babbington, another former Nucleus member who also performed double bass on Fourth and Fifth.[10] In November, the group became a five-piece again with the addition of Allan Holdsworth (another Nucleus alumnus) as their first guitarist in five years.[12] He remained until April 1975, when he recommended John Etheridge as his replacement.[13] By early 1976, the band were left with no original members when Ratledge chose to leave,[14] with Jenkins focusing on keyboards and Alan Wakeman joining on saxophone.[15]

After the release of Softs in 1976 (on which Ratledge had performed two tracks before leaving), Soft Machine's lineup continued to change regularly. Wakeman left in July, just after the album's release,[16] and was replaced briefly by Ray Warleigh.[17] For a European tour later in the year, Ric Sanders joined on violin and Percy Jones took over from Babbington, who had suddenly quit.[18] Jones declined to join on a full-time basis and was replaced by Steve Cook, with the resulting 1977 tour spawning the band's first completely live release, Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris.[19] After a final show in December 1978, Soft Machine effectively disbanded and members went their separate ways.

1978–1984: Spin-off and returns[]

In 1978, former Soft Machine bassist Hugh Hopper and saxophonist Elton Dean formed the spin-off band Soft Heap, with former National Health keyboardist Alan Gowen and drummer Pip Pyle.[20] For their first tour, Pyle was temporarily replaced by Dave Sheen due to other commitments, and the group (renamed Soft Head) issued the live album Rogue Element by the end of the year.[21] With Pyle back on drums, the band recorded a self-titled debut album in late 1978, which was issued early the following year.[22] National Health's John Greaves later replaced Hopper and guitarist Mark Hewins joined after Gowen's death in 1981, with this second incarnation recording the live album A Veritable Centaur released in 1995.[23] A live album recorded by the original Soft Heap lineup of Hopper, Dean, Gowen and Pyle in 1978 was released as Al Dente in 2008.[24]

Jenkins briefly revived the Soft Machine moniker in 1980 for Land of Cockayne. The album featured the band's previous drummer John Marshall and a range of guest musicians, including former Soft Machine guitarist Allan Holdsworth and saxophonist Ray Warleigh, former Cream bassist Jack Bruce, keyboardist John Taylor and more.[25] In the summer of 1984, Jenkins and Marshall reformed Soft Machine once again for a short run of shows at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, joined by Warleigh, guitarist John Etheridge, bassist Paul Carmichael and second keyboardist Dave MacRae.[26]

Hugh Hopper and Elton Dean formed a number of Soft Machine spin-off bands during the 1990s and 2000s, including Soft Bound (pictured).
Hugh Hopper and Elton Dean formed a number of Soft Machine spin-off bands during the 1990s and 2000s, including Soft Bound (pictured).

1999–2015: Later spin-off bands[]

Over ten years after the last Soft Machine spin-off band, Hugh Hopper and Elton Dean formed Soft Ware in 1999, adding former Soft Machine drummer John Marshall and former King Crimson contributor Keith Tippett on keyboards.[27] The group did not release any albums, and by 2002 had changed their name to Soft Works as Tippett left and former guitarist Allan Holdsworth joined.[27] Abracadabra, the band's only studio album, was issued in 2003.[28] Holdsworth left again after the album's release and was replaced in October 2004 by his original replacement in Soft Machine, John Etheridge; at this point, the band renamed themselves Soft Machine Legacy.[27] During the final Soft Works tour, Hopper and Dean also recorded an album with Japanese keyboardist Hoppy Kamiyama and drummer Tatsuya Yoshida under the moniker Soft Mountain.[29] In 2004, they completed a tour with French keyboardist Sophia Domancich and drummer Simon Goubert under the moniker Soft Bounds.[30]

The first lineup of Soft Machine Legacy released Live at Zaandam in 2005, followed by a self-titled debut studio album and the live video New Morning: The Paris Concert the following year.[27] On 7 February 2006, however, Dean died following a year of "heart and liver problems".[31] His place in the band was taken by Theo Travis, and in January 2007 the group issued their second studio album Steam.[27] In June 2008, Hopper was diagnosed with leukemia and temporarily replaced on tour by Fred Baker of In Cahoots.[7][32] He later died of the condition on 7 June 2009.[33] As had happened when Hopper left Soft Machine in 1973, his place was taken by Roy Babbington.[34] In 2010, the band issued the live collection Live Adventures recorded in 2009, which was followed in 2013 by their third studio release Burden of Proof.[27]

2015 onwards: Soft Machine returns[]

Starting in December 2015, Theo Travis, John Etheridge, Roy Babbington and John Marshall began touring as Soft Machine, dropping "Legacy" from their name.[13] The band released their first official studio album under the original moniker since 1981 in the form of Hidden Details in September 2018.[13]

Members[]

Current band members[]

Image Name Years active Instruments Soft Machine release contributions
John Marshall Cosmopolite 2018 (212056).jpg
 John Marshall
  • 1972–1978
  • 1980
  • 1984
  • 2015–present
  • drums
  • percussion
  • all releases from Fifth (1972) to Land of Cockayne (1981)
  • BBC in Concert 1972 (1994)
  • Live in France (1995)
  • BBC Radio: 1971–1974 (2003)
  • British Tour '75 (2005)
  • Floating World Live (2006)
  • all releases from NDR Jazz Workshop (2010) onwards
Roy Babbington Cosmopolite 2018 (212014).jpg
 Roy Babbington
  • 1973–1976
  • 2015–present (session guest in 1970 and 1971)
  • bass
  • double bass
  • Fourth (1971)
  • Fifth (1972)
  • Seven (1973)
  • Bundles (1975)
  • Softs (1976)
  • BBC in Concert 1971 (1993)
  • BBC Radio: 1971–1974 (2003)
  • British Tour '75 (2005)
  • Floating World Live (2006)
  • all releases from NDR Jazz Workshop (2010) onwards
John Etheridge and Theo Travis Cosmopolite 2018 (211948).jpg
 John Etheridge
  • 1975–1978
  • 1984

  • 2015–present
 guitars
Theo Travis Cosmopolite 2018 (213008).jpg
 Theo Travis 2015–present
  • tenor and soprano saxophones
  • flute
  • keyboards
  • piano
 Hidden Details (2018)

Former band members[]

Image Name Years active Instruments Soft Machine release contributions
Mike Ratledge 1966–1976
  • keyboards
  • piano
  • synthesisers
  • flute
 all releases from "Love Makes Sweet Music" (1967) to Softs (1976) and Live at the Proms 1970 (1988) to Switzerland 1974 (2015)
Robert Wyatt 1967.jpg
 Robert Wyatt 1966–1971
  • drums
  • percussion
  • lead and backing vocals
  • all releases from "Love Makes Sweet Music" (1967) to Fourth (1971)
  • Live at the Proms 1970 (1988)
  • BBC in Concert 1971 (1993)
  • Live at the Paradiso 1969 (1995)
  • all releases from Spaced (1996) to BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003)
  • Somewhere in Soho (2004)
  • Breda Reactor (2004)
  • Grides (2006)
  • Middle Earth Masters (2006)
  • Alive in Paris (2008)
  • Live at Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971 (2009)
KevinAyers1974.jpg
 Kevin Ayers 1966–1968 (died 2013)
  • bass
  • guitars
  • backing and lead vocals
  • "Love Makes Sweet Music" (1967)
  • The Soft Machine (1968)
  • Soft Machine Turns On, Volumes 1 and 2 (2001)
  • BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003)
  • Middle Earth Masters (2006)
DaevidAllen1974.jpg
 Daevid Allen 1966–1967 (died 2015)
  • guitars
  • backing vocals
  • "Love Makes Sweet Music" (1967)
  • Soft Machine Turns On, Volume 1 (2001)
Larry Nowlin 1966 guitars none – live performances only
Hh hammamet 72 bmp clip1.jpg
 Hugh Hopper 1968–1973 (died 2009)
  • bass
  • guitars
  • alto saxophone (1968–69)
  • all releases from Volume Two (1969) to Six (1973), from Live at the Proms 1970 (1988) to Noisette (2000) and Backwards (2002) to Breda Reactor (2004)
  • Grides (2006)
  • Alive in Paris (2008)
  • Drop (2009)
  • Live at Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971 (2009)
EltonDean01.jpg
 Elton Dean 1969–1972 (died 2006)
  • alto saxophone
  • saxello
  • flute
  • keyboards
  • Third (1970)
  • Fourth (1971)
  • Fifth (1972)
  • Live at the Proms 1970 (1988)
  • BBC in Concert 1971 (1993)
  • Live in France (1995)
  • Virtually (1998)
  • Noisette (2000)
  • Backwards (2002)
  • Facelift (2002)
  • BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003)
  • Somewhere in Soho (2004)
  • Breda Reactor (2004)
  • Grides (2006)
  • Alive in Paris (2008)
  • Drop (2009)
  • Live at Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971 (2009)
Lyn Dobson 1969–1970
  • tenor and soprano saxophones
  • flute
  • backing vocals
  • Third (1970)
  • Live 1970 (1998)
  • Noisette (2000)
  • Backwards (2002)
  • BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003)
  • Breda Reactor (2004)
  • Alive in Paris (2008)
Mark Charig
  • cornet
  • trumpet
  • Fourth (1971)
  • BBC in Concert 1971 (1993)
  • Backwards (2002)
  • BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003)
Nick Evans trombone
  • Third (1970)
  • Fourth (1971)
  • Backwards (2002)
  • BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003)
Phil Howard 1971 drums
  • Fifth (1972)
  • BBC in Concert 1971 (1993)
  • BBC Radio: 1971–1974 (2003)
  • Drop (2009)
Karl Jenkins (detail).jpg
 Karl Jenkins
  • 1972–1978
  • 1980
  • 1984
  • baritone and soprano saxophones
  • recorder
  • flute
  • oboe
  • keyboards
  • piano
  • synthesisers
  • all releases from Six (1973) to Land of Cockayne (1981)
  • BBC in Concert 1972 (1994)
  • BBC Radio: 1971–1974 (2003)
  • British Tour '75 (2005)
  • Floating World Live (2006)
  • NDR Jazz Workshop (2010)
  • Switzerland 1974 (2015)
AH-1975-s.jpg
 Allan Holdsworth 1973–1975 (touring 1977) (session 1980) (died 2017)
  • guitars
  • backing vocals
  • Bundles (1975)
  • Land of Cockayne (1981)
  • BBC Radio: 1971–1974 (2003)
  • Floating World Live (2006)
  • Switzerland 1974 (2015)
Paintbox Exeter 2017 web.jpg
 Alan Wakeman 1976 tenor and soprano saxophones Softs (1976)
Ray Warleigh
  • 1976
  • 1984
(session 1974, 1980) (died 2015)
  • alto saxophone
  • flute
  • bass flute
  • Bundles (1975)
  • Land of Cockayne (1981)
Blacksheep festival 2014 rs FR 1259.JPG
 Ric Sanders 1976–1978 violin Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris (1978)
Up percy jones.png
 Percy Jones 1976 bass none – live performances only
Steve Cook 1976–1978 Alive & Well: Recorded in Paris (1978)
Paul Carmichael 1984 bass none – live performances only
Dave MacRae
  • keyboards
  • piano

Spin-off band members[]

Image Name Years active Instruments Release contributions
EltonDean01.jpg
 Elton Dean
  • 1978–1988
  • 1999–2006 (until his death)
  • alto saxophone
  • saxello
 all Soft Machine spin-off band releases from Rogue Element (1978) to New Morning: The Paris Concert (2006)
Pip Pyle 1978–1988 (died 2006)
  • drums
  • electronic drums
  • Soft Heap (1979)
  • A Veritable Centaur (1995)
  • Al Dente (2008)
Alan Gowen 1978–1981 (until his death)
  • keyboards
  • synthesisers
  • Rogue Element (1978)
  • Soft Heap (1979)
  • Al Dente (2008)
Hh hammamet 72 bmp clip1.jpg
 Hugh Hopper
  • 1978–1979
  • 1999–2009 (until his death)
 bass all Soft Machine spin-off band releases from Rogue Element (1978) to Al Dente (2008), except A Veritable Centaur (1995)
Dave Sheen 1978 (touring) drums Rogue Element (1978)
John Greaves (musician).jpg
 John Greaves 1979–1988
  • bass
  • vocals
  • keyboards
 A Veritable Centaur (1995)
Mark Hewins.jpg
 Mark Hewins 1981–1988
  • guitar
  • vocals
John Marshall Cosmopolite 2018 (212056).jpg
 John Marshall 1999–2015
  • drums
  • percussion
 all Soft Works and Soft Machine Legacy releases
Keith Tippett.jpg
 Keith Tippett 1999–2002 (touring 2015)(died 2020)
  • keyboards
  • synthesisers
 none – live performances only
AH-1975-s.jpg
 Allan Holdsworth 2002–2004
  • guitars
  • synthesisers
 Abracadabra (2003)
Hoppy Kamiyama 2003 (Soft Mountain) keyboards Soft Mountain (2007)
Tatsuya Yoshida at Death By Audio 2012.png
 Tatsuya Yoshida drums
Sophia Domancich.jpg
 Sophia Domancich 2003–2004 (Soft Bounds)
  • keyboards
  • piano
 Live at Le Triton 2004 (2005)
Simon Goubert drums
John Etheridge and Theo Travis Cosmopolite 2018 (211948).jpg
 John Etheridge 2004–2015 guitars all Soft Machine Legacy releases
Theo Travis Cosmopolite 2018 (213008).jpg
 Theo Travis 2006–2015
  • tenor and soprano saxophones
  • flute
  • keyboards
  • piano
  • Steam (2007)
  • Live Adventures (2010)
  • Burden of Proof (2013)
Roy Babbington Cosmopolite 2018 (212014).jpg
 Roy Babbington 2009–2015 bass
  • Live Adventures (2010)
  • Burden of Proof (2013)

Touring substitutes[]

Image Name Years active Instruments Details
Brian Hopper
  • 1969
  • 2018
 tenor and soprano saxophones Hopper performed as a session and touring guest during 1969, and again later at several shows in 2018.[35]
Liam Genockey.jpg
 Liam Genockey 2004–2005 drums Genockey and Fletcher substituted for the injured John Marshall at shows in October 2004 and summer 2005.[35]
Mark Fletcher 2005
Fred Thelonious Baker.jpg
 Fred Baker 2008–2009 bass Baker replaced regular bassist Hugh Hopper between his 2008 leukemia diagnosis and his death in 2009.[32]
NEWS opening picture.JPG
 Gary Husband
  • 2015
  • 2018
  • drums (2015)
  • keyboards and piano (2018)
 Husband substituted for Marshall in 2015,[36] and later performed several shows as a guest performer in 2018.[37]
Nic France 2015–2017 drums Between 2015 and 2017, France filled in for John Marshall after the regular drummer injured his back.[38][39]

Timelines[]

Soft Machine timeline[]

Spin-off band timeline[]

Lineups[]

Soft Machine lineups[]

Period Members Releases
June – September 1966 none
October 1966 – October 1967
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano, flute
  • Robert Wyatt – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Kevin Ayers – bass, guitar, vocals
  • Daevid Allen – guitar, backing vocals
  • "Love Makes Sweet Music" (1967)
  • Faces and Places Vol. 7 (1972)
  • Soft Machine Turns On, Volume 1 (2001) – four tracks
October 1967 – May 1968
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano, flute
  • Robert Wyatt – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Kevin Ayers – bass, guitar, vocals
  • The Soft Machine (1968)
  • Soft Machine Turns On, Volume 1 (2001)
  • Soft Machine Turns On, Volume 2 (2001)
  • BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003) – five tracks
  • Middle Earth Masters (2006)
May – July 1968
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano, flute
  • Robert Wyatt – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Kevin Ayers – bass, guitar, vocals
  • Andy Summers – guitar
 none
July – September 1968
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano, flute
  • Robert Wyatt – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Kevin Ayers – bass, guitar, vocals
December 1968 – October 1969
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano, flute
  • Robert Wyatt – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Hugh Hopper – bass, guitar, saxophone
  • Volume Two (1969)
  • The Peel Sessions (1990) – two tracks
  • Live at the Paradiso 1969 (1995)
  • Spaced (1996)
  • Backwards (2002) – one track
  • BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003) – two tracks
October 1969 – January 1970
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano
  • Robert Wyatt – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello, keyboards
  • Lyn Dobson – saxophone, flute
  • Mark Charig – cornet, trumpet
  • Nick Evans – trombone
  • The Peel Sessions (1990) – two tracks
  • Backwards (2002) – three tracks
  • BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003) – one track
January – April 1970
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano
  • Robert Wyatt – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello, keyboards
  • Lyn Dobson – saxophone, flute
  • Noisette (2000)
  • Breda Reactor (2004)
  • Alive in Paris 1970 (2008)
April 1970 – August 1971
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano
  • Robert Wyatt – drums, percussion, vocals
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello, keyboards
  • Live at the Proms 1970 (1988)
  • The Peel Sessions (1990) – four tracks
  • Virtually (1998)
  • Backwards (2002) – two tracks
  • Facelift (2002)
  • BBC Radio: 1967–1971 (2003) – five tracks
  • Somewhere in Soho (2004)
  • Grides (2006)
  • Live at Henie Onstad Art Centre 1971 (2009)
September – December 1971
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello, keyboards
  • Phil Howard – drums
  • Fifth (1972) – three tracks
  • BBC Radio: 1971–1974 (2003) – three tracks
  • Drop (2009)
December 1971 – mid-1972
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello, keyboards
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Fifth (1972) – four tracks
  • Live in France (1995)
Mid-1972 – May 1973
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, piano
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – saxophone, keyboards
  • Six (1973)
  • BBC in Concert 1972 (1994)
  • BBC Radio: 1971–1974 (2003) – one track
May – November 1973
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, synthesisers
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – saxophone, keyboards
  • Roy Babbington – bass, double bass
  • Seven (1973)
  • NDR Jazz Workshop (2010)
  • BBC Radio: 1971–1974 (2003) – four tracks
November 1973 – April 1975
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, synthesisers
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – saxophone, keyboards
  • Roy Babbington – bass
  • Allan Holdsworth – guitar, backing vocals
  • Bundles (1975)
  • Floating World Live (2006)
  • Switzerland 1974 (2015)
  • BBC Radio: 1971–1974 (2003) – three tracks
April 1975 – March 1976
  • Mike Ratledge – keyboards, synthesisers
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – saxophone, keyboards
  • Roy Babbington – bass
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • British Tour '75 (2005)
  • Softs (1976) – two tracks
March – July 1976
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – keyboards, synthesisers
  • Roy Babbington – bass
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • Alan Wakeman – saxophone
  • Softs (1976) – remaining tracks
July – September 1976
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – keyboards, synthesisers
  • Roy Babbington – bass
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • Ray Warleigh – saxophone, flute
 none
September – November 1976
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – keyboards, synthesisers
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • Percy Jones – bass
  • Ric Sanders – violin
November 1976 – December 1978
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – keyboards, synthesisers
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • Ric Sanders – violin
  • Steve Cook – bass
Band inactive 1978–1980
June – July 1980
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – keyboards, synthesisers
Band inactive 1980–1984
July – August 1984
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Karl Jenkins – keyboards, synthesisers
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • Ray Warleigh – saxophone, flute
  • Paul Carmichael – bass
  • Dave MacRae – keyboards, piano
 none
Band inactive 1984–2015
December 2015 – present
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Roy Babbington – bass
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • Theo Travis – saxophone, flute, keyboards
  • Hidden Details (2018)

Spin-off band lineups[]

Period Members Releases
Soft Heap
(1978–1979)
  • Soft Heap (1979)
  • Al Dente (2008)
Soft Head
(April – August 1978)
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Alan Gowen – keyboards, synthesisers
  • Dave Sheen – drums
  • Rogue Element (1978)
Soft Heap
(1979–1981)
  • John Greaves – bass, vocals
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello
  • Alan Gowen – keyboards, synthesisers
  • Pip Pyle – drums
 none
Soft Heap
(1981–1988)
  • John Greaves – bass, keyboards, vocals
  • Mark Hewins – guitar, vocals
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello
  • Pip Pyle – drums
  • A Veritable Centaur (1995)
Spin-off bands inactive 1988–1999
Soft Ware
(September 1999 – June 2002)
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello, keyboards
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Keith Tippett – keyboards, synthesisers
  • John Marshall – drums
 none
Soft Works
(June 2002 – October 2004)
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello, keyboards
  • Allan Holdsworth – guitar, synthesisers
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Abracadabra (2003)
Soft Mountain
(August 2003)
  • Soft Mountain (2007)
Soft Bounds
(2003–2004)
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • Sophia Domancich – keyboards, piano
  • Simon Goubert – drums
  • Live at Le Triton 2004 (2005)
Soft Machine Legacy
(October 2004 – February 2006)
  • Elton Dean – saxophone, saxello, keyboards
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Live in Zaandam (2005)
  • Soft Machine Legacy (2006)
  • New Morning: The Paris Concert (2006)
Soft Machine Legacy
(March 2006 – June 2009)
  • Theo Travis – saxophone, flute, keyboards
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • Hugh Hopper – bass
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion
  • Steam (2007)
Soft Machine Legacy
(July 2009 – December 2015)
  • Theo Travis – saxophone, flute, keyboards
  • John Etheridge – guitar
  • Roy Babbington – bass
  • John Marshall – drums, percussion

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