Nosferatu (Hugh Cornwell and Robert Williams album)

Nosferatu was the 1979 album[1] by the Stranglers' Hugh Cornwell's musical collaboration with Robert Williams, who was a drummer in Captain Beefheart's Magic Band. The album cover features a still from F.W. Murnau's 1922 film of the same name,[2] with the album styled as a soundtrack to the Film. The album is dedicated to the memory of Max Schreck. The inner sleeve features song lyrics on one side and a lifesize Hannya Mask (by K.Kaneko) on the other.

Nosferatu
Studio album by
Hugh Cornwell and Robert Williams
ReleasedNovember 1979
RecordedDecember 1978–April 1979
GenrePunk/Gothic
Length34:59
LabelUnited Artists
ProducerHugh Cornwell and Robert Williams
Hugh Cornwell chronology
Nosferatu
(1979)		 Wolf
(1988)
members of the seminal rock band the clash sang backing vocals on the final track puppets
Robert Williams chronology
Nosferatu
(1979)		 Late One Night
(1982)
Singles from Nosferatu
  1. "White Room"
    Released: 1979

'Guest' musicians on the album include Ian Underwood from Frank Zappa's band and David Walldroop. Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh of the band Devo play on the song "Rhythmic Itch", and "Wrong Way Round" features a cameo from Ian Dury as a fairground barker (listed as "Duncan Poundcake" on the album credits).[2]

Hugh Cornwell was advised to start a solo career in case of The Stranglers breaking up due to the end of the punk-rock scene. A cover version of Cream's "White Room" was the only single to be released from the album, backed with an instrumental version of "Losers in a Lost Land", which failed to chart; however, "Wired" was included on the Stranglers' "Don't Bring Harry" EP which reached No. 41 in the UK Singles Chart.

An additional track "Grinding Gears" recorded at the same sessions was released on Robert Williams first solo album Late One Night.

Track listing
Side 1
  1. "Nosferatu" - (Hugh Cornwell, Robert Williams) - 1:43
    • Hugh Cornwell - guitar
    • Robert Williams - drums, lead vocals, guitar, bass, Tama toms, whistle
    • Ian Underwood - Yamaha synthesizer
  2. "Losers in a Lost Land" - (Cornwell, Williams) - 4:26
    • Hugh Cornwell - guitar, lead vocals, bass
    • Robert Williams - drums, synthesizer
  3. "White Room" - (Jack Bruce, Pete Brown) - 3:53
    • Hugh Cornwell - lead guitar, lead vocals, synthesizer, Chamberlin Mellotron, bass
    • Robert Williams - drums, backing vocals, tympani
    • David Walldroop - rhythm guitar
    • Ian Underwood - Sonar Yamaha Synthesizer
  4. "Irate Caterpillar" - (Cornwell, Williams) - 5:00
    • Hugh Cornwell - guitar, lead vocals
    • Robert Williams - drums, bass, synthesizer, percussion, waterphone
    • David Walldroop - guitar solo
    • Ian Underwood - Yamaha synthesizer (intro)
  5. "Rhythmic Itch" - (Music: Cornwell, Williams/Lyrics: Mark Mothersbaugh) - 2:12
    • Hugh Cornwell - guitar
    • Robert Williams - drums, bass marimbas
    • Mark Mothersbaugh - lead vocals, Prophet synthesizer
    • Bob Mothersbaugh - guitar, backing vocals
Side 2
  1. "Wired" - (Cornwell, Williams) - 3:07
    • Hugh Cornwell - guitar, lead vocals
    • Robert Williams - drums, backing vocals, guitar, bass, guicas, whistle
    • Ian Underwood - Moog synth solo, soprano saxophone (intro)
  2. "Big Bug" - (Cornwell, Williams) - 3:50
    • Hugh Cornwell - guitar, lead vocals
    • Robert Williams - drums, backing vocals, tack piano, bass
    • A. N. Russian - voice (intro)
  3. "Mothra" - (Cornwell, Williams) - 2:57
    • Hugh Cornwell - bass, chant
    • Robert Williams - drums, chant, tubular bells
  4. "Wrong Way Round" - (Cornwell) - 4:58
    • Hugh Cornwell - guitar, lead vocals, Calliope, synthesizer
    • Robert Williams - drums, bass
    • Ian Dury ("Duncan Poundcake") - fairground barker
    • Various people - crowd
  5. "Puppets" - (Cornwell) - 2:48
    • Hugh Cornwell - guitar, lead vocals, bass
    • Robert Williams - drums
    • The Clash - puppet chant

[3]

Personnel
  • Robert Williams - drums, backing and lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass, percussion, whistle
  • Hugh Cornwell - guitar, lead and backing vocals, keyboards, bass
  • Ian Underwood - synthesizers, soprano saxophone
  • David Waldroop - guitar
  • Bob Mothersbaugh - guitar, backing vocals
  • Mark Mothersbaugh - synthesizer, lead vocals

References
  1. Hugh Cornwell and Robert Williams: Nosferatu at Discogs (list of releases)
  2. NOSFERATU (Hugh Cornwell & Robert Williams). hughcornwell.com. Retrieved on 4 March 2009.
  3. http://www.discogs.com/Hugh-Cornwell-Robert-Williams-Nosferatu/release/5475181
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