Author Topic: Daevid Allen has returned to Planet Gong (Read 307 times)

hieronymous · « **on:** March 16, 2015, 08:35:51 PM »

Daevid Allen, founding member of the Soft Machine and chief architect behind the France-based band Gong, passed away on March 13 at age 77.

I have been a fan of this band for a good 15 years, even saw a couple of Acid Mother Gong shows in Japan while I lived there. The music can be really loopy, but also intricate, then veering off towards spacy. Now is probably my overall favorite album - it has everything, the sing-songy tunes that set up the story (Thought for Naught, A P.H.P's Advice), the spaced out synths, (A Sprinkling of Clouds), and the insane jazz/fusion virtuosity (Magick Mother Invocation).

Here are a couple of metaphors I came up with:

like Hawkwind meets Syd Barrett as they cross back and forth across the channel with Frank Zappa at the helm

like Jerry Garcia crossed with Al DiMeola

But actually they are just a really unique band, worth a listen. I've been re-listening to some of the classic albums (Camambert Electrique, Flying Teapot, Now) and enjoying them - probably haven't listened to some of this stuff in like ten years (My signed CD says 2004). It's sad to think that he's gone (too soon due to cancer), but he himself says You can't kill me - I'll be seeing you again, I'll be being you again, I'll be dreamin' you again, 'gain and again and again...

elwoodblue · « **Reply #1 on:** March 16, 2015, 08:49:29 PM »

aw, man...
I saw him in seattle 10 or so years ago.
Loved his glissando using a whammy bar as a slide.

He signed the album I brought, couldn't of been nicer.

edwin · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2015, 11:30:20 PM »

I opened up for Gong in Portland in the late 90s. What a great show and what wonderful people. Very down to earth, funny, and whipsmart.

pauldo · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2015, 05:35:59 AM »

That explains why WMSE's DJ Tom Crawford was spinning this trippy music that I heard yesterday afternoon.

As soon as I read Harry's first metaphor I went and checked the archived playlist and true to the phrase, it was Gong.

That is some brilliant soundscape music.

RIP Daevid

terryc · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2015, 07:12:36 AM »

I was into Gong/Soft Machine when I was 17, I was sort of in between musical styles and trying to find my niche, strange concept and so was the music, as hieronymous says in his quotes it was a strange crossover of styles.
I still have the cut price vinyl record issued by Virgin 'Camembert Electrique', I think I shall dig it out and have a listen in his memory
RIP Daevid Allen

hieronymous · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2015, 11:38:32 PM »

I think that Camambert Electrique is actually one of their best albums - here's You Can't Kill Me that I quoted above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2nCvX8ciCY

Top-notch musicianship! Steve Hillage is the guitarist that got me going on the Jerry Garcia meets Al Di Meola - but he isn't on this track! I believe all the guitar playing is Daevid Allen himself, space glissando and all!

Very cool Edwin that you got to open for them! Was Gong an influence at all on Shockra? In hindsight, they definitely don't seem opposed at all...

edwin · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2015, 12:12:28 AM »

Definitely. We covered a couple of their tunes way back in the day. But it was with another band, Skin, that I opened for Gong. Admittedly, less of a good match, but I'll take it!

edwin · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2015, 12:15:21 AM »

Definitely. We covered a couple of their tunes way back in the day. But it was with another band, Skin, that I opened for Gong. Admittedly, less of a good match, but I'll take it!

I did get all the members to sign a postcard for Shockra's guitar player, who was the big Gong fan, but it disappeared in the post. Too bad, because a few of them are gone now.

A weird encounter:

http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2009/03/05/george-jefferson-worlds-biggest-gong-fan/

smokin_dave · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2015, 05:47:12 AM »

Wow.This is why I love this board so much.I've never heard of this band before.Gong to me is very reminiscent of Gentle Giant whom I discovered in high school.

Thanks for turning me on.

hieronymous · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2015, 08:24:11 AM »

Double-post - sorry!

(Message edited by hieronymous on March 18, 2015)

peoplechipper · « **Reply #10 on:** March 20, 2015, 12:29:32 AM »

I'd heard of Gong before but had never heard it...that song sounds like a missing link between early King Crimson and early Pere Ubu...right now I can't decide whether to explore the black hole of Gong or walk away and save myself...and I don't know why I feel that way, it just seems like something that might suck you in in a bad way of some sort, perhaps just adding more cd's to an already stupid number...Tony

hieronymous · « **Reply #11 on:** March 20, 2015, 10:09:40 AM »

Tony, getting into Gong is definitely a major endeavor! I have gone through various versions of some of the albums - there are some cheapo versions by Charly that don't really have any notes - I have ended up with the Japanese mini-LP versions which have beautiful reproductions of the liner notes - miniature pieces of art with Daevid Allen's lyrics and drawings. If you do decide to make the plunge, I recommend:

Camembert Electrique
Flying Teapot
You

The Radio Gnome trilogy includes Flying Teapot, Angel's Egg and You, but I'm personally not a fan of Angel's Egg, and meanwhile Camembert Electrique is kind of a prequel.

Some of the post-Daevid Allen stuff is much more fusion-y, and Expresso/Gazeuse! even has Allan Holdsworth!

Edwin, thanks for the Sherman Helmsley link - I had no idea!

peoplechipper · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2015, 12:12:25 AM »

Thanks, I will take those suggestions and proceed accordingly...damn, more cd's...to go along with more books, more guitars/basses, more pedals and amps, more art and more bicycles; as one friend remarked man cave! you're whole place is a man cave!...good thing I'm single...Tony