Artist Profiles: Gong

Gong in 1974

Gong is a psychedelic rock band formed in the late 1960s when Australian musician Daevid Allen was refused entry back into Great Britain following European tour dates with Soft Machine. He decided to stay in Paris, where he began working together with Gilli Smyth and various musicians on what would eventually be recognizable as Gong.

The first recordings from the band were Magick Brother, Mystic Sister in 1970. Followed by albums such as Camembert Electrique, Flying Teapot, Angels Egg and You. These last three albums followed the fortunes of Zero The Hero and told the tale of the pothead pixies and was told over the course of the three albums and became the Radio Gnome Invisible Trilogy.

Following the release of You in 1974, Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth left Gong and Steve Hillage became the band leader. He also left in 1975 to pursue a solo career. Gong continued in a jazz fusion oriented direction which was very different from the original musical concept of the band.

Since the 1970s, Gong experienced various reincarnations with variations of the Gong name: Mother Gong, Pierre Moerlen’s Gong, Planet Gong, New York Gong and Gongmaison.

Founder Daevid Allen re-formed Gong various times and his last album was I See You, released in 2014. He died in 2015 and a new Gong lineup without Daevig Allen released Rejoice! I’m Dead! (2016). This new lineup, led by Kavus Torabi, featured Fabio Golfetti, Dave Sturt, Ian East and Cheb Nettles.

in 2019, a boxed set titled Love From The Planet Gong: The Virgin Years 1973-75 was released.

Discography:

Magick Brother (BYG Records, 1970)
Camembert Electrique (Philips, 1971)
Continental Circus (Virgin Records, 1972)
Flying Teapot (Virgin Records, 1973)
Angel’s Egg (Virgin Records, 1973)
You (Virgin Records, 1974)
Shamal (Virgin Records,, 1976)
Shapeshifter (Celluloid, 1992)
Zero to Infinity (Snapper Music, 2000)
Acid Motherhood (Voiceprint, 2004)
2032 (G-Wave, 2009)
I See You (Madfish, 2014)
Rejoice! I’m Dead! (Madfish, 2016)
The Universe Also Collapses (Kscope, 2019)
Love From The Planet Gong: The Virgin Years 1973-75 (UMC, 2019)

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