Gong est Mort - Viva la Gong!
Encyclopedia
Gong est Mort, Vive Gong is a live album
by the psychedelic rock
group Gong
. It is a double
LP
recorded 28 May 1977 at the Hippodrome, Paris, France, and released by Tapioca Records, France in 1977.
The concert was a partial reunion of the version of the "Angel's Egg
"-era group with the return of Daevid Allen
, Gilli Smyth
, and Steve Hillage
who had left Gong in 1974 and 1975, respectively, and were not part of the then-current Gong which would eventually change its name to Pierre Moerlen's Gong
. Gong appeared as the headlining act in a 24-hour marathon festival; a poster advertising the event can be seen in the photo collage included with a later album, Gong Live Etc
. During the concert, all the music from four entire albums was performed: Camembert Electrique
, and the three albums of the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy. Some songs are presented in extended arrangements, therefore the album documents less than half of the entire performance.
Many of the songs are renamed from their original titles. Some songs are incomplete.
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
by the psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
group 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...
. It is a double
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
LP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
recorded 28 May 1977 at the Hippodrome, Paris, France, and released by Tapioca Records, France in 1977.
The concert was a partial reunion of the version of the "Angel's Egg
Angel's Egg (album)
Angel's Egg is an album by Gong, recorded and originally released on Virgin Records in 1973.It was recorded using the Manor Mobile at Pavillon du Hay, France, and mixed at The Manor, Oxfordshire, England...
"-era group with the return of Daevid Allen
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...
, Gilli Smyth
Gilli Smyth
Gilli 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...
, and Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
who had left Gong in 1974 and 1975, respectively, and were not part of the then-current Gong which would eventually change its name to 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...
. Gong appeared as the headlining act in a 24-hour marathon festival; a poster advertising the event can be seen in the photo collage included with a later album, Gong Live Etc
Gong Live Etc
Gong Live Etc. is a live album by Gong, recorded between 1973 and 1975 and originally released in 1977. It is a set of live recordings , studio out-takes and BBC session recordings spanning the years 1973 to 1975.- Track listing :Credits to C.O.I.T...
. During the concert, all the music from four entire albums was performed: Camembert Electrique
Camembert Electrique
Camembert Electrique is an album by Gong, recorded and originally released in 1971. The album was recorded at Château d'Hérouville near Paris, France, produced by Pierre Lattes and engineered by Gilles Salle...
, and the three albums of the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy. Some songs are presented in extended arrangements, therefore the album documents less than half of the entire performance.
Many of the songs are renamed from their original titles. Some songs are incomplete.
Side one
- "Can't Kill Me" (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...
) – 7:53 - "I've Been Stoned Before" (Allen) / "Mister Long Shanks" (Allen) / "O Mother" (Allen) – 6:39
- "Radio Gnome Invisible" (Allen) – 2:39
Side two
- "Zero the Hero and the Witch's Spell" (Allen, Christian Tritsch) – 10:04
- "Flute Salad" (Didier MalherbeDidier MalherbeDidier Antonin Malherbe is a saxophonist and flautist. He was one of the founders of the Canterbury sound band Gong....
) / "Oily Way" (Allen, Malherbe) / "Outer Temple" (Tim BlakeTim BlakeTimothy 'Tim' Blake , keyboards, vocalist instrumentalist and composer with both Gong, and Hawkwind. Blake is best known for his Synthesizer and Light performances as Crystal Machine, with the French Light Artist Patrice Warrener...
, Steve HillageSteve HillageSteve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
) – 10:09
Side three
- "Inner Temple (Zero Meets The Octave Doctor)" (Allen, Malherbe) – 6:01
- "IAO Chant and Master Builder" (C.O.I.T.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...
) – 7:05 - "Sprinkling of Clouds" (C.O.I.T.) – 4:50
Side four
- "From the Isle Of Every Where to the End of the Story of Zero the Hero" (C.O.I.T.) – 12:14
- "You Never Blow Your Trip For Ever" (C.O.I.T.) – 8:26
Personnel
- Bert Camembert (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, vocals - Shakti Yoni (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...
) – space whisper - High T. Moonweed (Tim BlakeTim BlakeTimothy 'Tim' Blake , keyboards, vocalist instrumentalist and composer with both Gong, and Hawkwind. Blake is best known for his Synthesizer and Light performances as Crystal Machine, with the French Light Artist Patrice Warrener...
) – synthesizer, keyboards - Bloomdido Bad de Grass Didier MalherbeDidier MalherbeDidier Antonin Malherbe is a saxophonist and flautist. He was one of the founders of the Canterbury sound band Gong....
– Selmer sax, flute - Le Pere Cushion de Strasbourger (Pierre MoerlenPierre MoerlenPierre Moerlen was a French drummer and percussionist, best known for his work with Gong and Mike Oldfield.-Biography:...
) – drums - Mister T. Being (Mike HowlettMike HowlettMike Howlett is a Fijian-born musician, Grammy Award winning producer and teacher based in the United Kingdom and Australia....
) – souper bass - Steve HillageSteve HillageSteve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
- guitar, vocals
Credits
- Andy Scott – engineer
- Daevid Allen, Christian Gence – mix at Studio Izason, Paris
- Venux De Luxe – live sound
- Grant Cunlisse – stage management
- Martin Sylvie – innersleeve photo
- Daevid Allen – outer cover