Old Rottenhat Explained

Old Rottenhat
Type:	Album
Artist:	Robert Wyatt
Cover:	Old_Rottenhat.jpg
Released:	November 1985
Recorded:	1984–1985
Studio:	West 3 Studios, Acton, London; Acre Lane Studios, Brixton, London
Genre:	Canterbury scene, art rock
Label:	Rough Trade
Prev Title:	The Animals Film
Prev Year:	1982
Next Title:	Dondestan
Next Year:	1991

Old Rottenhat is the fourth studio album by Robert Wyatt. It was released in November 1985, and in 1993 it was reissued in its entirety as part of the CD Mid-Eighties. The album was produced and performed solo by Wyatt, and is dedicated to Michael Bettaney, a UK MI5 intelligence officer who in 1984 was convicted for acting as an agent-in-place for the Soviet Union.^[1]

Critical reception

The New York Times wrote that, "while the tunes are low-key, they often have surprising rhythmic shifts or twists of chromatic harmony."^[2]

Track listing

All songs written by Robert Wyatt

Side one

1. "Alliance" – 4:24
2. "The United States of Amnesia" – 5:50
3. "East Timor" – 2:52
4. "Speechless" – 3:37
5. "The Age of Self" – 2:50
6. "Vandalusia" – 2:44

Side two

1. "The British Road" – 6:23
2. "Mass Medium" – 4:43
3. "Gharbzadegi" – 7:54
4. "P.L.A." – 2:31

Personnel

• Robert Wyatt: vocals, piano, keyboards, bass, percussion

Recording details

• Recorded in 1984 at West 3 Studios, Acton, London, by John McGowan.
• Recorded in 1985 at Acre Lane Studios, Brixton, by Bill Gilonis.

"Thanks to Charles Gray and Vicky Aspinall for invaluable help and advice and thanks Duncan".

Album cover

The artwork for the album cover was created by Wyatt's wife Alfreda Benge.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Interviews & articles - English as a foreign language - New Musical Express 14th December, 1985 - A Robert Wyatt discography. disco-robertwyatt.com.
2. News: Pareles . Jon . Pop Album of the Week . The New York Times . 14 Mar 1986 . C24.