Gong In The 70’s

Gong came into being almost by accident in the late sixties when Daevid Allen was refused entry back into Britain following European dates with Soft Machine. Deciding to stay in Paris Allen began working alongside Gilli Smyth and various musicians on what would eventually be recognised as Gong.

The first recognised 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 next three albums and became the Radio Gnome Invisible Trilogy. This mythological story was extremely popular and the resultant albums sold exceptionally well however following the departure of core members Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Steve Hillage citing the age old musical differences reason for leaving the band Gong moved in a more jazz oriented direction with the addition of Allan Holdsworth alongside Pierre Moerlen and Didier Malherbe.

Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Steve Hillage have all recorded as solo artists and Smyth subsequently formed the successful Gong offshoot Mother Gong. Occasionally the three have re united as was seen by the release of the live Gong album recorded in 1977.

Various permutations of Gong have worked together over the years under various names including Mother Gong, Expresso Gong, Gongmaison, Planet Gong and so on and so forth and also included an amazing array of musical talent moving through the ranks although various recent sightings of Gong have included Daevid Allen once again at the helm alongside Gilli Smyth and early member Pip Pyle. Daevid Allen continues to write and record with a wide array of musical partners including the recent collaboration with Japanese band Acid Mothers Temple which recorded the Acid Motherhood album as Gong in 2004.

Gong In The Seventies is a compilation album featuring performances drawn from the seventies which is seen as a key time in the development of the band that thirty five years on still commands respect and interest. And a large and dedicated fan base.

1.Eat That Phonebook
2.PHP's Advice
3.Master Builder
4.Flower's Gone
5.I've Been Stoned Before
6.Long Shanks
7.O Mother
8.Holy Mystery 
9.Tropical Fish 
10.Never Glid Before
11.Oily Way
12.Blues for Finlay 1972
13.Rhythmic Gliss Encore

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