LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

GONG is a true legend of the Seventies' Progressive rock scene. Be it cosmic, space-rock or getting completely crazy, its universe is really unique. It's filled with flying teapots, angels eggs or other various unknown musical objects. The band has been created by Australian singer-guitarist Daevid ALLEN, at a time he was forced to stay on French territory after a tour with SOFT MACHINE. Then, the cream of both local and British musicians jumped on it: Tim BLAKE, Pierre MOERLEN, Didier MALHERBE, Mike HOWLETT, Miquette GIRAUDY, Steve HILLAGE, Allan HOLDSWORTH, Bill BRUFORD, Pip PYLE... Without forgetting the charming Gilly SMYTH and her well-known "space whispers" ! The first album "Magick Brother" was recorded in 1970 and was followed shortly thereafter by "Bananamoon" (1971) and "Camembert Electrique" (1972), and the three albums showcased GONG at their wildest. With "Continental Circus" (1972) and the famous Radio Gnome trilogy, consisting of "Flying Teapot" (1973), "Angel's Egg" (1973) and "You" (1974), the group hit their peak, combining delirious space-rock, Oriental influences, jazz and humour in a delightful cocktail. "Floating Anarchy", from 1977, reflected the ambiguities of the punk era. The two live albums, "Live in Paris Bataclan 1973" and "Live at Sheffield", are both excellent documents of the madness of the group's stage performances, while the mini-CD "ParaGong Live 1973", with Allan HOLDSWORTH and Bill BRUFORD, foreshadowed the direction the group would take on "Shamal". The iconoclastic "Gong Est Mort" was recorded live in Paris on 28 May 1977 at a reunion concert. The "Trilogy Box" is what it says; a boxed set with the three Radio Gnome albums, as well as a booklet containing all the lyrics and other writings. "Best Of" doesn't contain any unreleased tracks, but it nonetheless gives an excellent picture of the group's discography, as well as containing an extract from the album "Obsolete" by the underground poet Dashiell HEDAYAT, who was accompanied for the occasion by GONG. The group has over the years included a certain number of "personalities" among its ranks--Gilli SMYTH and her famous "space whisper", drummers Pip PYLE and Pierre MOERLEN, guitarist Steffi SHARPSTRINGS and saxophonist Didier MALHERBE... Precursor of Progressive space-rock, GONG present a definitely crazy music full of humour. Daevid ALLEN and his gang of strange and funny companions will from now on invade your screen and your loudspeakers, thanks to the wonderful DVD "Classic Rock Legends". After a first attempt in 1992, GONG finally reunited around Daevid ALLEN in the year 2000. Old veterans and newcomers gathered to issue "From Zero To Infinity", an album deeply rooted in GONG's glorious past. Then came an European tour, recorded on the excellent "OK Friends 2001 Tour". Parisian dates are here, as well as performances in Great-Britain and Scandinavia. Let's get on board the magical saucer !