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- CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE
WEEK
- Gong "Flying Teapot" 1973 (France/UK/Australia)
Gong
is a polarizing but unique group in the history of rock. Formed in
France by an Aussie (Daevid Allen) and his Brit girlfriend (Gilli
Smith) with a jazzbo Frenchman (Didier Malherbe), the core group
eventually expanded to include heavy hitters like Steve Hillage on lead
guitar and Tim Blake on synths. Just before this album, they moved to
England and became re-associated with the "Canterbury scene" (Allen had
been a founding member of The Soft Machine,
the quintessential Canterbury group, but was deported from the UK
before the Softs recorded their debut album). They signing to hip
Virgin records and had their peak years in 1973 and 1974 with the
"Radio Gnome Invisible" trilogy of high concept albums (and I do mean
"high" concept). A combination of radical hippie outlook, politics and
lifestyle with a very jazzy and proggy/spacey jam band sci-fi vibe,
Gong's music and ethos is polarizing: songs about "pothead pixies" from
outer space who travel around in flying teapots is just not some folks
cuppa tea (have another one, have a cuppa tea). But if you are going to
check this group out, Flying Teapot
is the first of their trilogy and contains some of their catchiest
numbers such as the funky chant-driven title track. Next, try the third in the trilogy which is their synthiest space-out album (a forerunner of ambient chillout techno); the middle album Angel's Egg pretty much splits the difference between these two.
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