Following on from last week Yes post, we stay in 1974 for 'You', the third of Gong's 'Radio Gnome Invisible' trilogy of albums. Soon after its release, founding member and leader Daevid Allen departed from the band, closely followed by guitarist Steve Hillage, whose own 1975 debut solo LP 'Fish Rising' featured heavy contributions from many core Gong members, with the notable exception of Allen.
'A Sprinkling of Clouds', which closes side one of 'You', features Tim Blake's moog prowess to the fore. Blake is still actively participating in a number of musical projects including the current incarnation of Hawkwind, for whom I saw him rockin' a mean theremin just a couple of years ago.
Under normal circumstances, if a combo continues to ply its trade after all the original members have, in one way or another, moved on, I'd consider that to be a tribute act. A notable exception to the rule is Gong, an outfit who, with its various offshoots and side-projects, is as much a continuum of musical ideas as a band (interestingly, another exception to the rule is fellow Canterbury Scene alumni Soft Machine). Instigated, nurtured and encouraged by Daevid Allen from 1967 until his death in 2015 (in spite of his own periods of absence from the core line-up), Gong continue to tour and release new music to this day, their latest LP being last year's quite wonderful 'The Universe Also Collapses'. The record features knowing nods to the past, but also keeps a keen eye on the future and I can warmly recommend it to all former, or current, Pot Headed Pixies.
If you're of a similar vintage to me, chances
are that I can name two LPs that, at some
point in your youth, made an appearance in
your record collection, however briefly. 'The
Faust Tapes' and Gong's 'Camembert
Electrique' were both marketed by Virgin at
59p each, the price of a single, and were
gratefully snapped up by fiscally challenged
kids the length and breadth of the country.
These two records (along with the Sunset
budget reissue of Amon Düül II's 'Phallus
Dei') became early far-out favourites for me
and my little gang of musical adventurers. We
weren't always sure what exactly was going on within the grooves of these LPs, but we were
totally thrilled by the strange new noises we
were hearing.
There are no doubt a few battered old copies
of 'Camembert Electrique' being dug out and
dusted off today, following yesterday's sad
statement from Daevid Allen, original Gong main man and co-founder of The Soft Machine.
In case you haven't seen it, I quote this
from his website;
'Hello you Kookaburras,
OK so I have had my PET-CAT scans (which is
essentially a full body viewing gallery for
cancer specialists) and so it is now
confirmed that the invading cancer has
returned to successfully establish dominant
residency in my neck. The original surgery
took much of it out, but the cancer has now
recreated itself with renewed vigor while
also spreading to my lung.
The cancer is now so well established that I
have now been given approximately six months
to live.
So My view has Changed:
I am not interested in endless surgical
operations and in fact it has come as a
relief to know that the end is in sight.
I am a great believer in "The Will of the Way
Things Are" and I also believe that the time
has come to stop resisting and denying and to
surrender to the way it is.
I can only hope that during this journey, I
have somehow contributed to the happiness in
the lives of a few other fellow humans.
I believe I have done my best to heal, dear
friends and that you have been enormously
helpful in supporting me through this time
So Thank you SO much for being there with me,
for the Ocean of Love and Now, importantly,
Thank you for starting the process of letting
go of me, of mourning then transforming and
celebrating this death coming up - this is
how you can contribute, this would be a great
gift from those emotionally and spiritually
involved with me.
I love you and will be with you always -
Daevid xxx -'
Awful news indeed. We can only send good
vibes, hope for a miracle and celebrate the
music Allen leaves us with. Here's a
fantastic piece of footage from 1973,
featuring a live performance of 'I Never Glid
Before', originally released on that year's
'Angel's Egg' LP.
.jpg)
