Banana Moon
Encyclopedia
Banana Moon is a 1971 studio album by Daevid Allen
. The album is sometimes referred to as Bananamoon and it was also reissued as a Gong
album.
The band features Allen's former Soft Machine
bandmate Robert Wyatt
on drums, Gary Wright
from Spooky Tooth
, Maggie Bell
from Stone the Crows
, as well as Christian Tritsch and Pip Pyle
from Gong. Some of the musicians on this album would subsequently contribute to Kevin Ayers
' 1975 album Bananamour
.
The track "Memories", basically a Robert Wyatt
performance, was initially recorded in 1967 by Soft Machine
(with Daevid Allen on guitar) and later also covered by Material
on their 1982 album One Down
with a lead vocal by Whitney Houston
. "Stoned Innocent Frankenstein" was re-recorded in 1978 by Allen in collaboration with Here and Now
as Planet Gong on their Floating Anarchy Live 1977
album.
The initial issue featured the painting (of moons or planets) by Didier Léon on the front of the gatefold cover, with liner notes written by Daevid Allen Subsequent issues included even one by BYG Actuel
that was credited to Gong and had the photo from the gatefold inside on the front. The first UK pressing, in 1975 on Virgin Records
subsidiary Caroline, had an alternative Daevid Allen drawn cover, featuring a peeled banana/moon playing a guitar.
with
Daevid Allen
Daevid Allen , sometimes credited as Divided Alien, an Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer and performance artist is co-founder of psychedelic rock groups Soft Machine and Gong .-Biography:In 1960, inspired by the Beat Generation writers he had discovered...
. The album is sometimes referred to as Bananamoon and it was also reissued as a Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
album.
The band features Allen's former Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
bandmate Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
on drums, Gary Wright
Gary Wright
Gary Malcolm Wright is an American musician, best known for his song, "Dream Weaver". He was the piano player on Harry Nilsson's version of "Without You".-Early life:...
from Spooky Tooth
Spooky Tooth
Spooky Tooth are an English rock band principally active, with intermittent breakups, between 1967 to 1974. In recent years, the band has been reconstituted at various points, and continues to perform occasionally.-Career:...
, Maggie Bell
Maggie Bell
Maggie Bell is a Scottish rock and blues-rock singer, regarded by some as Britain's answer to Janis Joplin.-Career:...
from Stone the Crows
Stone the Crows
Stone the Crows were a blues band formed in Glasgow in late 1969.-History:The band were formed after Maggie Bell was introduced to Les Harvey by his elder brother, Alex Harvey...
, as well as Christian Tritsch and Pip Pyle
Pip Pyle
Phillip "Pip" Pyle was an English-born drummer from Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, who later resided in France...
from Gong. Some of the musicians on this album would subsequently contribute to Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers
Kevin Ayers is an English singer-songwriter and was a major influential force in the English psychedelic movement...
' 1975 album Bananamour
Bananamour
Bananamour is the fourth studio album by Kevin Ayers and it featured some of his most accessible recordings, including "Shouting in a Bucket Blues" and his whimsical tribute to Syd Barrett, "Oh! Wot A Dream". After Whatevershebringswesing, Ayers assembled a new band anchored by drummer Eddie...
.
The track "Memories", basically a Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt
Robert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
performance, was initially recorded in 1967 by Soft Machine
Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the Canterbury scene, and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre...
(with Daevid Allen on guitar) and later also covered by Material
Material (band)
For the rock band of the same name, see The MaterialMaterial is a musical group formed in 1979 and led by bass guitarist Bill Laswell.-1978-82: The band:...
on their 1982 album One Down
One Down
One Down is a 1982 album by the New York based No Wave music group Material, recorded by indie producer/engineer Martin Bisi. The album sees the band reduced to a duo of Michael Beinhorn and Bill Laswell, collaborating with different musicians and singers on each track."Let Me Have It All" is a...
with a lead vocal by Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
. "Stoned Innocent Frankenstein" was re-recorded in 1978 by Allen in collaboration with Here and Now
Here & Now (band)
Here & Now are an English psychedelic/space rock band formed in early 1974. They have close connections with the band Gong and in 1977/1978 worked with Gong's Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth under the name Planet Gong...
as Planet Gong on their Floating Anarchy Live 1977
Floating Anarchy Live 1977
-Personnel:* Prof. Sharpstrings P.A. – guitar, lips, glissando guitar, vocal on track 2* Keith da Missile Bass – bass guitar and tree trunk* Kif Kif Le Batteur – drummery and asides besides* Gavin Da Blitz – synthesizah and pinball flip...
album.
The initial issue featured the painting (of moons or planets) by Didier Léon on the front of the gatefold cover, with liner notes written by Daevid Allen Subsequent issues included even one by BYG Actuel
BYG Actuel
BYG Actuel was a French record label specializing in free jazz. The label also released a small number of non-jazz recordings by artists such as Musica Elettronica Viva, Freedom and Gong.-History:...
that was credited to Gong and had the photo from the gatefold inside on the front. The first UK pressing, in 1975 on Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
subsidiary Caroline, had an alternative Daevid Allen drawn cover, featuring a peeled banana/moon playing a guitar.
Side 1
- "It's the Time of Your Life" (Christian Tritsch) – 3:21
- "Memories" (Hugh HopperHugh HopperHugh Colin Hopper was a progressive rock and jazz fusion bass guitarist. He was a prominent member of the Canterbury scene, as a member of Soft Machine and various other related bands.-Early career:...
, Robert WyattRobert WyattRobert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
) 3:37 - "All I Want Is Out of Here" (Tritsch) – 4:48
- "Fred the Fish and the Chip On His Shoulder" (Daevid AllenDaevid AllenDaevid Allen , sometimes credited as Divided Alien, an Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer and performance artist is co-founder of psychedelic rock groups Soft Machine and Gong .-Biography:In 1960, inspired by the Beat Generation writers he had discovered...
) – 2:27 - "White Neck Blooze" / "Codein Coda" (Allen) – 5:36
Side 2
- "Stoned Innocent Frankenstein" (Allen) – 3:28
- "And His Adventures In the Land of Flip" (Allen) – 11:44
- "I Am a Bowl" (Allen) – 2:46
Personnel
- Daevid AllenDaevid AllenDaevid Allen , sometimes credited as Divided Alien, an Australian poet, guitarist, singer, composer and performance artist is co-founder of psychedelic rock groups Soft Machine and Gong .-Biography:In 1960, inspired by the Beat Generation writers he had discovered...
– Guitar and vocals - Archie Legget – Bass
- Robert WyattRobert WyattRobert Wyatt is an English musician, and founding member of the influential Canterbury scene band Soft Machine, with a long and distinguished solo career...
– Drums. Vocals and guitar ("Memories") - Barry St. John, Maggie BellMaggie BellMaggie Bell is a Scottish rock and blues-rock singer, regarded by some as Britain's answer to Janis Joplin.-Career:...
– Backing vocals - Gerry Fields – Violin
with
- Christian Tritsch – Guitar and bass ("It's The Time Of Your Life")
- Pip Pyle – Drums ("It's The Time Of Your Life")
- Gary WrightGary WrightGary Malcolm Wright is an American musician, best known for his song, "Dream Weaver". He was the piano player on Harry Nilsson's version of "Without You".-Early life:...
– Piano ("Memories") - Gilli SmythGilli SmythGilli Smyth is a musician who performed with the bands Gong, Mother Gong and Planet Gong as well as several solo albums and albums in collaborations other members of Gong...
– Vocals [Space Whisper] (side 2) - Nick Evans – Trombone ("I Am A Bowl")
Credits
- Recorded January, 1971 at Marquee Studios, London.
- Produced by: Jean Georgakarakos, Jean-Luc Young
- Executive Producer: Pierre Lattès
Release history
- 1971: BYG Actuel – 45 (529 345) – France – Gatefold cover with coloured circles/moon picture.
- 1971: BYG Actuel – 529 345 – France – Single sleeve cover with band photograph in green. Reissue as a Gong album.
- 1975: CarolineCaroline RecordsCaroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...
(VirginVirgin RecordsVirgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
) – C1512 – UK – Daevid Allen drawn Banana Moon cover. - 1979: Charly Records – CR 30165 – UK
- 1990: Decal – CD LIK 63 – CD – Europe
- 1995: Spalax Music – CD 14945 – CD Digipak – France
- 1999: Get Back – GET 557 – Vinyl – Italy
- 2008: Charly – SNAP238CD – CD - UK http://www.charly.co.uk/Artists/Daevid+Allen/item11279?startPos=