Benoît Moerlen
Encyclopedia
Benoît Moerlen is a French
percussionist, best known for his work in Gong
, Pierre Moerlen's Gong
and a later off-shoot Gongzilla.
at the Strasbourg Conservatory, where his elder brother Pierre Moerlen
had also studied percussion.
Benoît Moerlen first played with Gong on 1974's You
, Pierre already being a member. He joined more permanently for Gazeuse! (1976) and Expresso II (1978) when the band had come under Pierre's leadership. The latter was released under the Gong name in the UK, but as by Pierre Moerlen's Gong in North America. The band toured Europe in support. Benoît remained with the band for Downwind (1979) and Live (released 1980). Having left in 1979, Benoît joined Pierre in Mike Oldfield
's touring band, and he appears on the resultant live album Exposed (1979).
He re-joined Pierre Moerlen's Gong in the late 1980s for Second Wind and Full Circle Live '88, also playing additional keyboards. He also appeared with Pierre on Oldfield's Islands
(1987).
Benoît Moerlen was then a founding member of Gongzilla, playing vibraphone and marimba
, with bassist Hansford Rowe
and guitarist Bon Logaza, with whom he had played in Pierre Moerlen's Gong. They released Suffer (1995) and Thrive (1996, with guests David Torn
and Gary Husband
).
Benoît also plays solo marimba concerts in France, Belgium and Germany, and works in a duo called Akimbo with the German vibraphone player Stefan Traub. In 2005, Benoît was rehearsing with Pierre for a new line-up of Pierre Moerlen's Gong when Pierre died in his sleep.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
percussionist, best known for his work in 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...
, Pierre Moerlen's Gong
Pierre Moerlen's Gong
Pierre Moerlen's Gong is a jazz fusion outfit which is very different from the first incarnation of Gong, the psychedelic space-rock act led by Daevid Allen...
and a later off-shoot Gongzilla.
History
Benoît Moerlen studied the vibraphoneVibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
at the Strasbourg Conservatory, where his elder brother Pierre Moerlen
Pierre Moerlen
Pierre Moerlen was a French drummer and percussionist, best known for his work with Gong and Mike Oldfield.-Biography:...
had also studied percussion.
Benoît Moerlen first played with Gong on 1974's You
You (Gong album)
You is an album by psychedelic rock band Gong, recorded and originally released in 1974.Recorded at The Manor, Oxfordshire, side 1 was mixed at Pye Studios, Marble Arch, while side 2 at the Manor...
, Pierre already being a member. He joined more permanently for Gazeuse! (1976) and Expresso II (1978) when the band had come under Pierre's leadership. The latter was released under the Gong name in the UK, but as by Pierre Moerlen's Gong in North America. The band toured Europe in support. Benoît remained with the band for Downwind (1979) and Live (released 1980). Having left in 1979, Benoît joined Pierre in Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
's touring band, and he appears on the resultant live album Exposed (1979).
He re-joined Pierre Moerlen's Gong in the late 1980s for Second Wind and Full Circle Live '88, also playing additional keyboards. He also appeared with Pierre on Oldfield's Islands
Islands (Mike Oldfield album)
Islands is the 11th album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1987. Guest singers on the album are Bonnie Tyler, Kevin Ayers, Anita Hegerland and Jim Price. A different track list and cover was used for the American edition....
(1987).
Benoît Moerlen was then a founding member of Gongzilla, playing vibraphone and marimba
Marimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
, with bassist Hansford Rowe
Hansford Rowe (musician)
Hansford Rowe is a fusion bass guitarist.Basically a self-taught musician, Rowe played bass in a local New York City band in jazz clubs until he met drummer Pierre Moerlen...
and guitarist Bon Logaza, with whom he had played in Pierre Moerlen's Gong. They released Suffer (1995) and Thrive (1996, with guests David Torn
David Torn
David Torn is an American composer and guitarist.He is known for the organic blending/manipulation of electronic and acoustic instruments and performance techniques that have an atmospheric or textural quality and effect, along with a particular harmonic richness...
and Gary Husband
Gary Husband
Gary Husband is a British jazz and rock drummer, pianist and composer.- Short biography:Gary Husband is an English jazz and rock drummer, pianist and composer...
).
Benoît also plays solo marimba concerts in France, Belgium and Germany, and works in a duo called Akimbo with the German vibraphone player Stefan Traub. In 2005, Benoît was rehearsing with Pierre for a new line-up of Pierre Moerlen's Gong when Pierre died in his sleep.