News from Babel
| Company type | Music ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | Chris Cutler, Lindsay Cooper, Zeena Parkins, Dagmar Krause |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Headquarters | England |
| Products | Studio albums, singles |
News from Babel was an English avant-rock ensemble established in 1983 by Chris Cutler, Lindsay Cooper, Zeena Parkins, and Dagmar Krause. Over their brief existence, they released two studio albums that included contributions from guest artists like Robert Wyatt before disbanding in 1986.
History
After the dissolution of the avant-rock bands Henry Cow (active 1968–1978) and Art Bears (active 1978–1981), News from Babel emerged in 1983. The lineup featured Cutler, Krause, Henry Cow’s woodwind player Lindsay Cooper, and American harpist Zeena Parkins—marking her debut in a rock band and her first recordings with the harp. Maintaining the song-focused style of Art Bears, Cooper composed the music while Cutler provided the lyrics.
Conceived as a studio-only project, News from Babel drew inspiration from George Steiner’s 1975 work After Babel, which explores language and translation. Cutler characterized the band as "a record as a letter or a newscast from a doomed but hopeful place." Their first album, Work Resumed on the Tower (1983), alluded to the biblical Tower of Babel and featured guest vocalist Phil Minton. Simultaneously, they issued the single "Contraries," co-composed by Parkins and Cutler.
The group’s second album, Letters Home (1986), took its title from Sylvia Plath’s writings. Though Krause had departed by then, she contributed alongside guest vocalists Robert Wyatt, Sally Potter, Phil Minton, and guitarist/producer Bill Gilonis of The Work.
Cooper’s compositions fused elements of rock, jazz, and cabaret, while Cutler’s articulate lyrics explored Marxist ideas and themes of personal alienation. Following their second album, News from Babel ended their activities.
The music of News from Babel was performed live for the first time in November 2014 when former members Cutler, Krause, and Parkins reunited with Phil Minton and others during A Celebration of Lindsay Cooper concerts held in England and Italy.
Personnel
- Lindsay Cooper – keyboards, bassoon, sopranino and alto saxophones, horns, marimba; composed all music except "Contraries"
- Chris Cutler – drums, electric instruments, percussion; wrote all lyrics
- Zeena Parkins – harp (including prepared and electric harp), accordion; co-composer of "Contraries"
- Dagmar Krause – vocals (1983–1984)
Guest musicians
- On Work Resumed on the Tower
- Phil Minton – trumpet and vocals
- Georgie Born – bass guitar
- On Letters Home
- Robert Wyatt, Dagmar Krause, Sally Potter, Phil Minton – vocals
- Bill Gilonis – guitar and bass guitar
Albums
- Work Resumed on the Tower (1984, LP, Recommended Records, UK)
- Letters Home (1986, LP, Recommended Records, UK)
Both original vinyl releases were pressed at 45 rpm for sound quality reasons. In 1990, Recommended Records reissued both albums together on a single CD. Remastered versions with new packaging were issued separately on CD in 2006.
Singles
- "Contraries" (1984, single-sided 7" vinyl, Recommended Records, UK)
Initially available only through the subscription edition of Work Resumed on the Tower, this single was later released independently.
Boxed sets
- Complete (2006, 3×CD, Recommended Records, UK)
Features remastered versions of both albums along with an illustrated CD containing the "Contraries" single.