The Big Man

Soft Machine Legacy: Theo Travis (tenor and sopranos saxes, flute), John Etheridge (electric guitar), Hugh Hopper (electric bass) and John Marshall (drums, percussion). From the album Steam (2007).

In 1994 Etheridge issued a duet with guitarist Andy Summers, who played with Soft Machine in 1968 and was part of the famous rock band Police, called Invisible Threads, in which they use acoustic guitars and double bass, and made a world tour with him. That same year he released his first album Ash with his usual band, followed by Chasing Shadows (2001), I Did not Know (2004), Stitched Up (2006), In House - Live In London (2007), Alone - Live! (2008) and Break Even (2008).

In addition to all this, he participated in other projects, like the group Sweet Chorus in homage to Grappelli with which he published Sweet Chorus - Tribute to Grappelli (1998); the band Zappatistas in homage to Frank Zappa with which he recorded The Music of Frank Zappa - Absolutely Live (2001); and the duo with the Australian classical guitar virtuoso John Williams, with whom he launched Places Between - Live in Dublin (2006), and with whom he toured the United States in 2007 and New Zealand and Australia in 2008.

In 2004 he replaced Allan Holdsworth in Soft Works, resulting in Soft Machine Legacy with Soft Machine ex-members Elton Dean on alto sax and saxello, Hugh Hopper on electric bass and John Marshall on drums, and published Live in Zaandam (2005), Soft Machine Legacy (2006) and Life at the New Morning (2006), which included a DVD. Dean later passed away and was succeeded by saxophonist and flutist Theo Travis, recording Steam (2007). In 2009 Hopper also died, and was replaced by Roy Babbington, and the resulting line-up released Live Adventures (2010) and Burden of Proof (2013). In 2014, Etheridge toured with rock group Hawkwind. In 2015, Soft Machine Legacy removed the last word of its name, renaming itself Soft Machine, and launched Hidden Details (2018). In 2016 Etheridge teamed up with jazz singer Vimala Rowe to record Out of the Sky, which contains a blend of blues, jazz and flamenco, African and Hindu music. He also teaches guitar courses at universities and participates in radio programs.