OFF: Pentagramaspinn - notGong notParagong notround notlager

[Kenneth Magnusson]

I just think that all of You out there who are Gong-freaks should get
Paragong Live '73, it's such a wonderful bit of freak-music, but to shed
some light on this affair I will quote the text from the booklet, O.K.
(Yes, I should have done this from the start but I'd forgot about their
existence, sorry).

"It was March 1973, Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth, exhausted by the hectic
1972 touring schedule, the recording of 'Flying Teapot', and occupied by
their baby Tally, left Gong - the group they had founded in 1969 - and
returned to Deya, Majorca. By this time 'Flying Teapot' drummer* and
bassist Laurie Allen and Francis Moze had also decided that they had had
enough, and had departed. Tim Blake, Steve Hillage, Didier Malherbe, Venux
de Lux and the extended Gong family/tribe decided to continue. Paragong was
born."

[here follows a bit on how Mike Howlett and Pierre Moerlen joined the band,
and then, something off interest for the discussion, I'll continue]

"Paragong existed for only two short month, March and April '73**, and only
ever played gigs in France. Up until now there has been no release to
document the band's crucial role in the development of Gong. Paragong was
in fact the vehicle in which the major players of the best-known Gong
line-up first came together, and where to large measure the musical of the
'classic' Gong sound first manifested."

*Is drummer the English word for drummel, I wonder ?
** What's so short about them ?

Now, just get it, it should still be available, try Voiceprint.

Kenneth

> Chris Warburton writes:
>
>> >>Definitely not: there may have been a Gong track on "V" (probably was) but
>> >>definitely not Paragong.  The Gong track would have been from the "teapot"
>> >>trilogy, or an ottake therefrom.
>> >>
>> >>I will brook no disapute on this ( *g* ).  I spent too much time after
>> >>school ('73/'74/'75 academic years) listening to "V" and the other Virgin
>> >>stuff of the time ( & Henry Cow stilll rool!) to misremember
>> >>this...Paragong came along later, probably post Shamal/Gazeuse period - or
>> >>even as a response to those....
>> >>#
>> >>ChrisW
>> >
>> >Now, you sure your memory isn't SLIGHTLY rusty even? ;^)~
>> >
>> >Let me just check here... ah yes, the Tapestry Of Delights book... hmm,
>> >ah, yes!! Kenneth is right! And I am right! You were there then, you
>> >prove it by not remembering this :) I will quote from the historical
>> >tome:
>> >
>> >"The dominant forces of what remained of Gongwere Hillage and Moerlen,
>> >but the only vinyl output of this era <1975> seems to have been Hillage's
>> >solo album Fish Rising, which included alot of band material, and an
>> >outtake, "Pentagramaspin", which got an airing on Virgin's 1975 double
>> >album sampler, "V", credited to Paragong."
>> >
>>
>> I remember the title of the track now that you mention it, and it may be
>> that the line up was that of "Paragong", but I still maintain that it was
>> NOT credited to "Paragong" on the copy of "V" that my friend owned - I
>> think perhaps it was just listed as an outtake from "Fish Rising": either
>> way, it was a most excellent track (as were most of the tracks on that
>> sampler).
>
>OK - peace!
>
>Here's a definitive description from the whateveritwas leaflet that
>accompanied this release (I've got a xerox copy a friend gave me once).
>
>                        STEVE HILLAGE
>
>                        Pentagramaspinn
>                        (Steve Hillage) 5.45
>
>        The Sky-drunk Heartbeat Band comprising
>
>        STEVIE HILLSIDE Guitar and Voice
>        BAMBALONI YONI  Youyou voice
>        MIKE HOWLETT    Bass
>        DAVE STEWART    Organ
>        TIM BLAKE       Synthesizer
>        DIDIER MALHERBE Saxaphone
>        PIERRE MOERLINN Percussion
>
>A track from the sessions for Steve Hillage's forthcoming solo album on
>Virgin, this won't be included on (V203) (out in April).
>
>        Recorded September 1974 at the Manor
>                Engineer: Simon Heyworth
>        Published by Virgin Music (Publishers) Ltd
>
>        Steve Hillage is a member of Gong
>
>
>There y'are
>
>jill
>
>PS:  there was also a Clearlight Symphony track on it - but not one
>        that featured any of the Gong folk.
>=========================================================================
>J.D.Strobridge at ed.ac.uk                         eset08 at holyrood.ed.ac.uk
>                                                ELIJSA at srv0.arts.ed.ac.uk
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------


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