I Giganti (71), Terra In Bocca (71), Poesia de un Delitto (??)

This is a great cutting-edge LP where the most important thing is the lyrics. The songs talk about one of the big problems in Italy: the Mafia (from an interview with a prisoner).

[Apparently members of Area and Il Volo were in this, at least on Poesia, which is a rock opera. Can anyone verify?]

Free Electric Sound (71), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (73)

Another from the German space scene. The ever-popular shimmering acid-drenched guitar is here, but there are a couple of twists. There is some mandolin and the vocals are in English and don't sound all drugged out. Includes members who have played with both Popol Vuh and Amon Düül II.

The first album is supposed to be top-of-the-line guitar space-rock as per Ash Ra Tempel. I haven't heard that one, but I have heard the other one, Bury My Heart.... That one is a subtle, acoustic type of space music, using some light electric, and also some nice female vocals. Overall, it reminds me of Popol Vuh circa Seligpreisung. The Popol Vuh comparison shouldn't surprise you, as the focal point of this band is that band's guitarist--Conrad Veidt. -- Mike Ohman

[See Amon Düül II | Popol Vuh]

The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp (68)

Legendary predecessor to King Crimson who put out a single album, plus a series of 45s. This is primarily for King Crimson fanatics, as most of this is squeaky-clean mums-and-dads kind of English pop, just the sort of thing you'd expect to hear from three boys from the bedsitter lands of Dorset. But there are indications that not all is rosy cheeks and starched collars for these lads, for example the twisted proto-Python (as in Monty) comic readings in between tracks on both sides of the LP (the Fripp-penned "Saga of Rodney Toady" in the A-side, "Just George" on the other). Also, the goofy horn-laden "Elephant Song," with recitation by Mike Giles, rather resembles the Bonzo Dog Band. There are also a couple of psychedelic moments, most notably "The Crukster" (which features a Moody Blues-ish poetic reading by Giles) and "Erudite Eyes" (which has some fine Fripp guitar work). Perhaps the only genuinely progressive moment is the three-part "Suite #1," which features classical-styled electric picking by Fripp, plus mellotron and piano!. -- Mike Ohman

[See King Crimson | McDonald and Giles]

Gilgamesh (75), Another Fine Tune You've Got Me Into (78)

Gilgamesh was founded by Alan Gowan. I have their first album which sounds very much like a jazzier version of National Health. No small wonder there, as Gowan was an important part of National Health after Gilgamesh broke up. The musical interplay of Phil Lee's guitar (tonefully similar to Phil Miller) and Gowan's keyboards will bring smack dab into Canterbury territory. The emphasis is on musicianship, so the songs are complex, full of time and key changes. They're not as "cold" as Egg, not as laid back as Caravan, nor as silly as Hatfield and the North. High quality music, though I find National Health a little more involving; Gilgamesh comes off a little stiff.

Canterbury band featuring future national Health keyboardist Alan Gowen. The first album is quite an excellent fusion/prog effort with lots of great synth work from Gowen. Sounds more like something German or French (like Edition Speciale perhaps?) than English. Includes the original, and better, version of "Arriving Twice." I've only heard this one once. The one I have is their second effort, Another Fine Tune You've Got Me Into, which is a lot jazzier, more meandering and a lot less interesting, in spite of the presence of Canterbury stalwart Hugh Hopper on bass. -- Mike Ohman

[See Gowen, Miller, Sinclair, Tomkins | National Health | Soft Head | Soft Heap]

Portrait (69), Testament of Time (71), Giltrap (69), Visionary (76), Perilous Journey (77), Fear of the Dark (78), The Peacock Party (80), Live (82?), A Midnight Clear (??)

I have Perilous Journey. It's a sort of overly bombastic type of light, neo-classical prog centered around Giltrap's acoustic guitar. May be too new-agey for some, in some sections bringing Mannheim Steamroller to mind. Yet Giltrap adds a jazzy air by having sax players solo on a few tracks. Also the use of horns and strings adds to the dynamics of the music. "Heartsong" was an instrumental hit in the UK. -- Mike Ohman

Working in numerous styles using acoustic, electric, and a full band, his music is not easily compared, but some parallels could be drawn with Steve Hackett. Perilous Journey is his fourth album from 1977 featuring Rod Edwards on Keys and Voice, John G.Perry on Bass and Simon Phillips on Drums. Peacock Party is his 1980 mostly acoustical solo album, featuring some help from Bimbo Acock, Ian Mosley and Gryphon's Richard Harvey. If you've not yet heard Giltrap's brand of guitar mastery, wait no longer.

Gordon Giltrap is a British guitarist who released a handful of albums in the mid-to-late-seventies that were in a symphonic, instrumental style, revolving around his virtuosic fretwork, reminiscent, at times of Will Ackerman's style. There is a CD reissue that contains two of his best releases, Visionary, recorded in 1975/6, and Fear Of The Dark, from 1978, with the addition of one previously unreleased track. They may be compared to Paul Brett's works, or, to stretch the point, a bit, perhaps to some of Mike Oldfield's earlier efforts. Visionary was apparently inspired by the works of William Blake, and features a horn and string section, adding to the fullness of the sound, which ranges from low-key acoustic guitar musings to orchestral passages. Fear Of The Dark is performed with the guitar/keyboards/drums/bass set-up, and the comparison with Mike Oldfield is a bit stronger on this, though it appears to me that Giltrap is a more accomplished guitarist.

A Peacock Party features Joh Acock (Steve Hackett), Richard Harvey (Gryphon), Ian Mosley (Marillion), John G. Perry (Caravan), John Gustafson (Quatermass), Morris Pert (Brand X, Mike Oldfield), and Rick Sanders (Fairport Convention).

Gipsy Love (7?)

Featuring Peter Wolf, pre-Flame Dream.

[See Flame Dream | Schoenherz | Victor]

The Power of Suggestion (??), The View From Here (89)

Pretty good bay area pop band led by Kevin Gilbert (of Toy Matinee infamy). The sound leans toward progressive and maybe even fusion a little. Their album The View From Here is loaded with great hooks, excellent vocals, and taped gimmicks between the tracks to give sort of a continuity feel.

Two albums, The Power of Suggestion and The View from Here. Kinda danceable poppy prog. Might not appeal to many people here, I'm afraid. Kevin Gilbert of Giraffe is also in Toy Matinee, which is a very similar sounding band.

[See Toy Matinee]

La Divina Commedia (73, released 92)

Long tracks w/ Hammond, flute, guitar; decent to poor recording quality but excellent music.

Ananann (87)

German guitarist playing in an almost jazz-mode, comparable to stuff like Al Dimeola, but less pointed and more spacy. His album Ananann is quite good.

Gizmo (79), Just Like Master Bates (79), Victims (81), They're Peeling Onions in the Cellar (??)

Canterbury/Gentle Giant influence w/ modern twist on Onions.

Journey of the Dunadan (93), Tracy Cloud "Love Changes" Featuring Glass Hammer (95), Perelandra (95)

Glass Harp (70), Synergy (71) It Makes Me Glad (72)

The members include Phil Keaggy, an absolutely amazing and creative guitarist who has done many solo albums on Christian record labels since, John Sferra, drummer, who has just now produced his own album North Bound (with Keaggy on guitar), and Dan Pecchio on bass. I'm not sure how to classify them - lots of flashy guitar blended with orchestral instruments, with complex rhythms. Keaggy does most of the vocals, although the others sing also. -- Howard Bartel

Music with Changing Parts (72), Solo Music (72), Music in Similar Motion/Music in Fifths (73), Music in Twelve Parts (74), North Star (77), Einstein on the Beach (78), Dance Nos. 1 and 2 (79), Satyagraha (80), GlassWorks (82), Koyaaniqatsi (82), The Photographer (83), Akhnaten (83), Mishima (85), Songs From The Liquid Days (86), Powaqqatsi (88), 1000 Airplanes on the Roof (89), Songs From The Trilogy (89), Passages (??), Piano Solos (??), Low Symphony (??)

A musical genius whose works span classical, rock, opera and chamber music. His early minimalist works were excruciating excursions of repetition, but after Einstein on the Beach, he became more listenable. Progressive fans might enjoy GlassWorks, Koyaaniqatsi, Mishima or 1000 Airplanes on the Roof. His latest Low Symphony is an orchestral work based on a 1977 Eno/Bowie album and there is less of that "Glass Trademark Sound" - which seems to be a trend in the later recordings.

This is Your Life (79, EP), Nine Months to Disco (80), Put Me on the Guest List (80), H.B.2 (??)

From the liner notes on Put Me on the Guest List -- Glaxo Babies were formed in late 1977 and built a steady following in their native Bristol area. They signed to Heartbeat Records a year later and released a four track E.P. entitled This is Your Life in February 1979. The E.P. led to a much repeated John Peel session and a follow-up single "Christine Keeler" - and also a track on the highly acclaimed Avon Calling album. The band then went through several personnel changes before releasing their first album Nine Months to Disco.(reprinted without permission) Funky space music.

Songs of the Spires (81), Walk on Well Lighted Streets (83)

Gleemen (70)

[See Bambibanda E Melodie | Garybaldi]

I Individual (78), Others

This is a very interesting band which is hard to describe. If you can picture a punked-out version of mid-period King Crimson, you can get an idea of their style. There are keyboards but the guitar is the main voice (as in KC). I like these guys but I realize it may not be everybody's cup of tea. -- Juan Joy

På Vej (73), Burhans (79), Intercity (80)

In Spite of Harry's Toenail (71), Lady Lake (72)

Gnidrolog are a long-forgotten band from the UK, whose two releases of bluesy progressive rock, in the style of early Jethro Tull, were passed by without much ado. The Tull comparisons also stem from the prominence of the flute to Gnidrolog's music. In fact, the group boasted two members on wind instruments, including flute, oboe and sax, adding another dimension to their sound, very reminiscent at times of early VDGG, abetted by Colin Goldring's intense style of vocal delivery.

There was a big write-up on this band in the Gentle Giant newsletter. I've never heard 'em, but I think they might appeal to GG fans. Vocalist Colin Goldring's name might ring a bell - he was a guest player on The Yes Album.

Profondo Rosso (soundtrack) (75), Roller (76), Suspiria (soundtrack) (77), Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark (78), Zombi (soundtrack) (78), Amo Non Amo (79), Patrick (soundtrack) (79), Squadra Antigangstern (soundtrack) (80), Contamination (82), Volo (82), Tenebre (82)

Beginning with their first Profundo Rosso Goblin were obviously better suited to soundtrack music than as a studio offering and the majority of their work was in this vein. One of the exceptions, their excellent second Roller is a great blend of symphonic progressive and horror-movie themes best on the lengthy track "Goblin." Their best soundtrack Suspiria was also a good movie and may be the best one to start with mixing a variety of effects into a progressive whole - interesting music. Later efforts, although I haven't heard their rare and unreissued 4th Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark were rather average including the soundtracks Zombi and Dawn Of The Dead. Most of their works are short however, rarely going over 30 minutes.

Italian band from the 70s/80s that did mostly (or maybe only) soundtracks for grade-B horror movies. Most of their stuff is really heavy and moody, with a Floydian progressive feel, and generally pretty good. All are fairly short albums (like 25-30 min.) and most of the CDs are all pricey japanese imports.

They are famous for the soundtrack of the Dario Argento's films. They sound like an experimental, vangard band where only the lp Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark and the last two albums are not instrumental.

Goblin were a very prolific band from Italy, who injected much of the "progressive" idiom into their music, most of which was in the form of horror movie soundtracks. Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark was not, though, but showcases their aggressive guitar/drums/keyboard style very well. Their compositional style was quite unique, combining diminished chord textures with processed vocals, and from passages on this CD, this "horror movie style" can be felt. This, recorded in 1977, along with Roller and Suspiria are probably the "essential" Goblin works. Tenebrae is another somewhat obscure soundtrack by the kings of the Italian horror movie score team, with a large variety of the darker style of music that has always made its way into their more accessible prog rock releases.

I heard some of the Suspiria soundtrack: eerie, dark, fascinating music, quite different from the LP I have by them: Il fantastico Viaggio del "bagarozzo" Mark. This album has vocals, and is heavily synth-orientated prog. There is even judicious use of sequencers here, fortunately they don't dominate. Except on the ethereal "Notte," there really isn't any of the horror-movie aspect so prevalent in their other work. The instrumentals "Le Cascate di Viridiana" and "...E Suono Rock" are the best tracks. "Opera Magnifica" has a nice classical-type melody with some keyboard fanfares that (surprise!) don't sound too hokey. All in all, good, but not great. -- Mike Ohman

The only time I have heard Goblin is when I made a point of watching Dario Argento's "Suspira" horror movie to listen to the soundtrack. By today's standard's, the movie proper is b-rate suspense at best. But the suspense was heightened greatly by Goblin's frightful backing music. Very eerie and capable of causing great tension. Very good. -- Mike Taylor

[See Cherry Five | Flea | Libra]

The Seed and The Sower (??), Joined By The Heart (??)

Two members of The Enid who released one solo album music obviously very similar in style to The Enid.

[See Enid, The | Godfrey, Robert John]

The Fall of Hyperion (??)

Keyboardist: album is similar to Enid work.

[See Barclay James Harvest / Enid, The | Godfrey and Stewart]

Consequences (77), L (78), Freeze Frame (79), Snack Attack (81), The History Mix (85)

Consequences is a 3-disc concept set utilizing the guitar-bowing device called the "Gizmo." Disc One features some spectacular sound effects, but a dearth of melodic content. Disc Two and the A-side of Disc Three are mostly dialogue by Peter Cook, essential for fans of British humour, interspersed by songs. The last side is dedicated to "Blint's Concerto--Parts 1-17," the most musical side of all. Works best if you think of it as a two-hour radio drama with high-tech sound effects rather than a regular record album. L is more musical, but probably stranger yet, with lots of sound effects and treatments, but more vocals. Often compared to Frank Zappa, and I guess that's a valid comparison, with satirical lyrics and twisted intertwining melodic lines, but not so much improvisation. I heard some of Freeze-Frame and it's even further out than this! Later albums cave in commercially, using rap and pop as musical devices for a good deal, if not all, of the music. -- Mike Ohman

These guys are both ex-members of the original lineup of 10cc. Their music could be described as very weird Zappa influenced pop, although not all of their albums are that interesting. Consequences is a long 3LP concept album that few have figured out. L and Freeze Frame are fairly eccentric and are probably their best. Snack Attack and The History Mix are pretty much stinkers, the latter being primarily a CD-long medley of re-recorded versions of old stuff they did with 10cc, plus a few new songs.

Creme and Godley are well known as the prime movers of 10cc, but Consequences, realised in the late-1976-early-1977 period, could well qualify for the "progressive" tag. In the course of their work with 10cc, Creme and Godley invented the "gizmo," "an instrument which resembles a guitar with a small typewriter keyboard placed over the strings." In their quest to record a demo with this versatile instrument, they ended up creating a 3-LP set (!), the process of which is detailed in the enclosed liner notes. Musically, there are a variety of styles, ranging from "rockier" pieces to long instrumentals, interspersed with natural sounds, and some hilarious dialogue by Peter Cook, sure to appeal to those who enjoy the style popularised by Britcom. Listening to this has to be approached more with the intent of observing the results of an experiment in melody (not with dissonance, as has been the inclination of the current avant-garde folks) than with an expectation of catchy tunes.

[See 10cc]

Blues Message (??), Super Live Session (??)

Late 60's electric blues/psych; Said to be one of the most influential early Japanese bands; Shinki Chen of Speed, Glue and Shinki is said to play guitar on Super Live.

[See Speed, Glue and Shinki]

Unmaker Of Worlds (90), Symphony In Extremis (93)

Gargantuan, oracular epics that bear out the evidence that progressive can also be heavy, loud, excessive, beautiful and destructive. The sound might be classified as keyboard-driven symphonic progressive metal (whew!)...Heavy handed keyboards, blistering metallic guitar work, all very dark and omni- present, and to that mix add some frenetic Arthur Brown-esque vocals - and that may give you an idea of what Golgotha sounds like. Hang onto something!

Golgotha is unusual in that their music is a (quite effective) combination of symphonic rock a la The Enid and aggressive lead guitar and vocals in a style that is more at home with hard rock bordering on metal. Each of the four tracks on Unmaker of Worlds are close to 10 minutes in length, and, with orchestral interludes between driving rock, make for very compelling listening.

I just added Unmaker Of Worlds and Symphony In Extremis to my collection so I can't adequately review them other that to provide a few generalities. The music is very powerful and dramatic. In this regard, the dramatics are similar to the dramatic style of Beethoven or Stravinsky. Another thought came to mind: if you took the vocal dramatics of Peter Hammill and turned it into instrumental music it might sound like this. Golgotha is a true solo work as all instruments and voices are played by Karl Foster. He has a great sense of dynamics which adds to the dramatic quality. The keyboards are lush and the guitar is aggressive. I'll have to see how this grows but upon the first couple of listens I find these two albums to of excellent quality.

You've heard of prog-metal? Well, I guess you'd call this metal-prog: lots of bombastic, symphonic keyboards, outbursts of heavy metal guitar, vocals that sound like Roger Powell in constant "Emergency Splashdown" mode, etc. No subtlety whateve, but subtlety really isn't an issue here. The whole idea is to be as over-the-top as possible, and they succeed gloriously. My favourite song on Unmaker of Worlds is the last one, "Raining on Still Waters," with the acoustic guitar. Not for everyone, but I kinda like it. -- Mike Ohman

Lord Krishna von Goloka (72)

Obscure Cosmic Couriers session featuring Klaus Schulze and many other members of bands from the Kosmische Musik label.

[See Cosmic Jokers, The

14. De Abril (74), 2 (79)

Spanish prog quintet whose focal point, instrumentally, is the fine interplay between guitar, organ and sax. Very Castilian, likely an influence on later bands such as Bloque and Asafalto. Only drawback is the English language "Shootin' Up," which is too long and repetitious. The other songs grow on you. Goma 2 may be a different band. -- Mike Ohman

Gomorrha (70), I Turned to See Whose Voice It Was (72), Trauma (72)

Heavy prog rock.

Magick Brother (69), Camembert Electrique (71), Obsolete (71), Continental Circus (72), The Flying Teapot (73), Angel's Egg (73), You (74), Shamal (76), Gazeuse! (77, aka Expresso), Gong Live Etc (77), Gong Est Mort (77), Floating Anarchy (78), The Owl and the Tree (86), The History and Mystery of the Planet Gong (89), Gong Maison (89), Live au Bataclan '73 (90), Live at Sheffield '74 (90), Shapeshifter (92)

Uh-oh. In my opinion the pinnacle of prog rock with the absolutely stunning You in which space fusion with swirling synths is a backdrop to the ever present talents of Steve Hillage and Didier "Bloomdido Bad De Grasse" Malherbe. And thats only one album. A virtual discography of delights! Daevid Allen's Gong was based around a mythological story of a utopian planet in which pot head pixies and telepathic gnomes abound. Many people don't like this silliness, but I do, it adds a charm and a dose of humor to what could have been a terribly pretentious bunch of music. I can't recommend these guys enough - they were truly progressive.

Perhaps the leaders in the genre of space fusion. This band combined incredble instrumental work with what can only be described as a very offbeat sensibility. For those who do not care for this type of attitude their later works with Peirre Moerlen at the helm are incredible examples of fusion at its finest.

When I first listened to early Gong, the question that came immediately to my mind is "Where are these guys coming from?" To be brutally honest, you may never understand the band's direction and purpose unless your mind has been altered at one time or another through various chemical means. The vocal songs, at first listen, appear silly and pointless but it is not the case. The vocals have the ultimate purpose of preparing you for the musical texture that is to follow. You is mostly instrumental and the vocal tunes carry and connect the instrumental excursions. This is not to say these guys are wonderful singers - they're not - but the silliness of the songs disappear when their purpose is discovered. The instrumentals are wonderful space jams with synth and guitar swirling between the speakers, and serve an excellent transport to carry you to far away places inside your head (deep, huh?). If you are a fan of cosmic/space rock you should give You a listen. Sit between your speakers, close your eyes and let yourself be carried into the Clouds. It is a journey worth repeating many times. The earliest albums, such as Magick Brother are more in the psych vein. Albums between this and You show a natural progression towards the classic space fusion of You which also has the influence of Steve Hillage on guitar. The Flying Teapot, Angel's Egg and You were a trilogy about the Planet Gong, with such inhabitants as Pothead Pixies and Octave Doctors. Silly but fun. This particular era of the band isn't for everyone and wasn't meant to be. It was created for those with an imagination that can get inside the smallest quark or stand back and look at all the galaxies and place them all in perspective. If your imagination can run wild as such, this is a must listen band. After You, the direction headed into mainstream fusion, under the direction of Pierre Moerlen, who joined when Allen left after Flying Teapot. Though Gazeuse is very good, they start to pale after awhile. For me, the real magic (or magick) is the trilogy. Be sure to check out You.

Much fuss is made over the early "psychedelic" incarnations of Gong featuring Daevid Allen (and I'll admit readily that stuff like Camembert Electrique and Angel's Egg are incredible), but this praise is usually coupled with belittlement of the later "Pierre Moerlen" version of the band. In fact, the Pierre Moerlen chapter of the band was quite good; albums like Downwind, Expresso II and Time Is The Key stand strong, although they are far more "serious" and fusion oriented.

Gong had two main phases (as well as many peculiar off-shoots): psychedlia under the leadership of Daevid Allen, and straight fusion under Pierre Moerlen. The albums of the early phase (including Camembert Electrique, Angel's Egg and You) are fantastically weird and wonderful -- the musicians have a wonderfully deft touch, and spin fantastic aural voyages that are not to be missed. They are also certified goofballs, so if you think humour does not belong in music, you'll have to re-think your opinions before diving into Gong. However, later Gong may appeal to the humourless -- it is very good (occasionally amazing) fusion, but without any of the wonderful drug-induced story and characters of the earlier albums. A side note for budding Gong-a-holics: a compilation of early Daevid Allen recordings from his time in Paris was recently (1992) released by a French label as *Je ne fume pas des bananes*, giving three-way credit to Allen, Gong, and Bananamoon (an early Allen band?). Stay away from this recording; it is almost irredeemable codswallop. It consists mainly of pointless, repetitive, and downright silly noodling; truly an inferior collection whose only value appears to be to illustrate how much Allen's talent grew as part of Gong proper. -- Greg Ward

Flying Teapot was the first of the Gong trilogy, Angel's Egg was the second part, and You was the third. They were all recorded in 1973/4, and feature the "classic," freaked-out line-up of Daevid Allen, Hillage, Blake, Howlett etc. plus Moerlen on the last two. Flying Teapot was penned in large part by Allen, and reflects the earlier Gong works, in its blend of spaced-out improvisational, psychedelic music with "profound" lyrics and a good dose of humour, a musical influence that is now evident in the works of the Ozric Tentacles. Angel's Egg saw Hillage and Moerlen (classically trained drummer) taking a larger share of the writing burden, and the result is probably the most highly regarded component of the trilogy. Again, it is evident what the Ozrics cut their musical teeth on. Floating Anarchy is a live recording from 1977, and is an energetic performance featuring Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth, with a strong contingent of musicians. The music is best described as a blend between the solo works of Steve Hillage (who, to the best of my knowledge, does not appear on this) with virtuosic guitar leads and arpeggios and the older Gong material. The lyrics are as irreverent and zany as ever, and showcases a band with strong improvisational skills, yet staying within a musical structure.

The trilogy albums are masterful efforts combining progressive, psychedelic and jazz, and doing a damn good job of it. Flying Teapot (sometimes erroneously known as Radio Gnome Invisible) was the first of these, and probably the weakest, it's the one which has failed to stick with me. Angel's Egg is a good deal more colourful, with Steve Hillage's guitar and Tim Blake's synth at the forefront, and also fine usage of Daevid Allen's glissando guitar. "Outer Temple/Oily Way/Inner Temple" is probably the best-known track from this album. You is definitely the best Gong album, worth your while for the amazing "Master Builder" alone! "You Never Blow Your Trip Forever" is also conidered a classic. Fusion fans and prog-heads alike will revel in this music. Shamal, the first album without Daevid Allen, shows a growing emphasis on percussion. Less of the wild experimentation and crazed abandon of the previous days (only "Cat In Clark's Shoes", with a Mexican-styled sax/violin duet, seems to have the sense of humour we've become accustomed to), but they still manage to make intelligent and credible, mostly instrumental, fusion/prog. Gong Est Mort is a worthwhile double LP document of a reunion of the Allen Gong. -- Mike Ohman

Hmmm, everyone likes the earlier spacey stuff by them. I tend to lean toward the later jazzier stuff they got into after Daevid Allen left the band. This later band was dominated by Pierre Moerlen and Didier Malherbe (and is not to be confused with Pierre Moerlen's Gong, which came later). Shamal is probably my favorite. Gazeuse! and Expresso II were also very good albums. Of the Daevid Allen era stuff, I only really like You, which is just an incredible album, and Angel's Egg, which has its moments.

Gong evolved over a period of a couple years, during which the founder, Australian guitarist/songwriter Daevid Allen, put together a handful of solo projects, picking up various musicians along the way. The band continued in a constant state of evolution throughout its history--in terms of both the music itself and the personnel. The album Expresso II, with the absence of founding member Didier Malherbe, marked the point at which no original members remained in the band! Many consider the band's high point to be the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy, especially either or both of the last two albums of the trilogy. Flying Teapot was the first, followed by Angel's Egg, then You. It was after Flying Teapot that several long-term personnel changes took place--including the appearance of Pierre Moerlen, finally giving Gong a permanent drummer. (Previously, the band had made use of numerous drummers, including Pip Pyle, Laurie Allen, and Rachid Houari. Chris Cutler and Bill Bruford also performed with the band, but did not record with them. And there were several others.) Allen left the band briefly after Flying Teapot. During his absence, Moerlen, along with Tim Blake, Steve Hillage, Didier Malherbe, and Jorge Pinchevesky did a short tour under the name Paragong. Apparently, the total Paragong recorded output consists of a single track called "Pentagramaspin," included on a Virgin compilation album titled V. Interestingly, the next two albums, the ones that seem to have the biggest following, were albums in which Allen's influence within the band was decreasing, and Moerlen's and guitarist Steve Hillage's influence was increasing. As a result, the band's direction became much jazzier and more spacey. You, in particular, features several extended jams. I'm partial to one called "The Isle of Everywhere." Much has been said about the silliness and humor in the Allen-era Gong. It would be too much to describe the lyrical content here, but the trilogy could be considered a rock opera of sorts, tremendously inventive and entertaining. It all revolves around what is probably a fairly coherent mythology (if you were to study it closely enough) and has serious underlying meanings. Allen's use of silliness is simply to avoid the possibility of falling into pretentiousness in the way he conveyed his message--a very admirable approach, and one he was quite successful with. (Contrast Gong to, say, Kansas. Now, if I were one of those guys, I believe I'd just jump off a bridge instead of playing music. Jeez.) My understanding is that the Planet Gong actually represents a future Earth in which people have finally learned to live in peace and love, etc. What it comes down to is that we have some "New Age" philosophy going on here; its further developed and becomes more obvious in his subsequent solo albums. I would even go so far as to suggest that this underlying philosophy, along with the musical contributions of Gilli Smyth's vocals and Tim Blake's synthesizers in particular, constitute a prototypical version of what would later become New Age music. But I won't hold that against them; I don't believe they set out to create a new genre of music--at least not one as insipid as the stuff we know as New Age. This, in my opinion, is the least interesting element of a band that dipped into styles as diverse as be-bop jazz, Middle Eastern music, and good ol' American three-chord rock'n'roll. Anyway, Allen's departure after You left the leadership role open for Moerlen to fill. Under Moerlen, Gong went in a much more "mainstream fusion" direction. The silliness left the band with Allen, but the music itself is just as interesting, sometimes more so. Continental Circus is a movie soundtrack. Obsolete is not a Gong album as such, but an album with Daevid Allan and some other Gong members, with poet Dashiell Hedayat. Floating Anarchy was actually recorded by Allen with Here and Now. An excellent rock album. Shapeshifter features ex-Gong members Pip Pyle and Didier Malherbe, along with some other folks. Not up to the standards of the trilogy--indeed, much of it (it pains me to say) sounds to me like filler to make use of the CD format's greater capacity. Probably not the recommended starting point for a new listener, but it has lots of worthwhile stuff nonetheless. About what you'd expect from Allen if you've heard a fair amount of his Gong and solo stuff. (Not that it's predictable, but it doesn't really have any surprises for the listener who's familiar with Allen's previous work.) And a warning about History and Mystery: It's not a "best of" album, as the unsuspecting buyer might assume. It's a collection of various tidbits, including poetry, dialog, announcements at concerts, alternate takes, demos, etc. Interesting for the hardcore fan, but of little or no interest to the casual listener. (Actually, I wouldn't expect even a hardcore fan to give it a whole lot of play.)

[See Allen, Daevid | Bloom | Gong, Mother | Gong, New York | Gong, Pierre Moerlen's | Grimes, Carol and Delivery | Hillage, Steve | Holdsworth, Allan | Khan | National Health]

Gilly Smith Mother (78), Fairy Tales (79), Robot Woman (81), Robot Woman 2 (82), She Made the World Magenta (93)

Gilli Smyth's Gong offshoot.

I bought She Made the World Magenta yesterday ... and sold it again straight away. It is bad. The music was not *too* bad but Gilli Smyth speaks *really* purile and predictable New Age drivel all over it. The first track is over half an hour (nearly half the entire disc) of a (Daevid Allen contributed) ambient drone with Gilli Smyth going on about how we are all part of a whole and how I am you and you are me etc. I have nothing particularly against New Age material but this is *so* trite it's unbelievable. Imagine the stupid voice you put on and stupid things you say when imitating sterotypical New Ageisms ... the entire album sounds *exactly* like that. I contemplated keeping the CD for its comedy value. But I didn't. Avoid. Maybe the earlier stuff is better?

[See Gong]

About Time (80)

In 1980, Gong-meister Daevid Allen teamed up with some prominent musicians of the "New York scene," including Bill Laswell and Chris Cutler. As might be expected, the music is a blend of the inspired lunacy of Allen's lyrics and the musical sensibility of groups such as Henry Cow, Fred Frith in his more musical moments, etc., which is to say that the sound is a loose, almost improvised blend of jazz and rock, with strong musicianship, and an underlying intensity and urgency. In general, I do not pay much attention to lyrical content, but, in this case, the compositions of Allen are absolutely poetic! My favourite excerpt ... "I paid my Arabs and I paid my dues...."

[See Gong]

Expresso II (78), Downwind (79), Time is the Key (79), Pierre Moerlen's Gong Live (80), Leave It Open (81), Breakthrough (86), Second Wind (89)

Later jazzy more serious version of Gong. Featured incredible drumwork as well as some killer guitar by Alan Holdsworth. Recommended: Gazeuse.

Pretty much a jazz fusion band with a strong percussion section. Downwind is a great album that features Mike Oldfield, Didier Lockwood, and Steve Winwood on a few tracks. The rest of the albums I have don't have any progressive feel to them at all. I really miss Didier Malherbe in this incarnation of Gong.

[See Gong | Gongzilla | Tribute]

Another Gong offshoot, and a lot like Here and Now.

[See Gong]

Suffer (95)

This American production marks what seems to be a new chapiter in the Gong story. This version follows in the footsteps of P.Moerlen's Gong, with slightly more rock ingredients. This jazz-rock fusion emphasises both rhythm and melody, thanks to the use of vibes, percussions and drums. Excellent guitar work by A.Holdsworth and B.Logaza should also be mentioned. This excellent production should please those that are used to the style as well as most electric jazz fans. -- Paul Charbonneau

[See Gong, Pierre Moerlen's]

Good God (72)

Canterburyish, comparable to Midnight Sun and Caravan. The album includes two cover songs, John McLaughlin's "Dragon Song" and Frank Zappa's "King Kong."

Good Rats (69), Tasty (74), Rat City in Blue (76), From Rats to Riches (78), Birth Comes To Us All (78), Great American Music (81), Tasty Seconds (96)

I had From Rats To Riches, which was sleazy hard-rock. Not progressive in the least, but somewhat entertaining. Birth Comes To Us All on the other hand, is supposed to be an arty concept-album. -- Mike Ohman

On The Future Of Aviation (85), Ariel (86), It's Alive (88)

Violinist Goodman's first band was The Flock, in the sixties, but he is best known for his tenure with Mahavishnu Orchestra and work with Jan Hammer, Lenny White and others. In the late 80's he released three solo albums on the Private Music label: The first is very low key and introspective, almost new-agey at times, featuring violins, drums and synthesizers; Ariel is more upbeat, with a full band sound, and much more varied. It's Alive is taken from one show in 87, and features material from the other two, plus a few new cuts, and is an ideal place to start.

Violinist with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and with the early seventies band The Flock, Jerry Goodman released two albums on Private Music, and followed up with a live work. The music is powerful violin/keyboard rock.

Violinist for Mahavishnu Orchestra. I recently picked up is It's Alive CD. The music is obviously more contemporary sounding than his work with Mahavishnu Orchestra, though still fusion in nature. There is some nice playing by Goodman and some excellent guitar work by Kraig McCreary. Some of the arrangements could use a little work, but overall it is a very good album. I'd say Goodman's style is more similar to Jean-Luc Ponty than L. Shankar, another incredible violinist who has also worked with John McLaughlin.

[See Mahavishnu Orchestra]

Goodthunder (70)

A heavy version of Jethro Tull crossed with Gentle Giant?

Sam Gopal (69), Escalator (??)

Chris Cutler (drummer for Henry Cow) in his 1967 book, "File Under Popular," describes the band as, "*the* archetypal sound of the vast all-night festivals: extended, extemporised, echoic music, based on Indian modes and tunings and played on guitar, bass and amplified tablas...." -- Mike Taylor

[See Fitzgerald, G.F. | Hawkwind]

Cryptosphere (80)

Basically the Nightcrawlers, so hear them. Their first tape was released under this "band" name.

[See Kolab | Nightcrawlers]

Summer In Town (85), Portrait Boy (89)

Startlingly original prog from Russia. On Summer In The City, the sound shifts from bright, Yes-influenced keyboard-prog, to dark Magma-like passages with throbbing bass, all in the space of the same song! The unpredictable nature of Summer... makes it a must have, it's sure to please many. Portrait Boy is not so immediately gratifying, in fact, much of it is downright weird. Just about every symphonic theme on this album is perverted by weird synthesizer noises, the effect is somewhere between some of Ralph Lundsten's work and a digital band-organ gone berserk. The overall effect is really creepy. It's the very digital, twisted nature of the album that makes it hard to get into. In the end, though, it's probably just as rewarding as the first. I hope this band has not broken up, though they probably have. -- Mike Ohman

Gothic Lunch (90)

Face of Ages (??)

Neo-prog band from who knows where (maybe UK?). Their style doesn't seem particularly derivative of anyone in particular, but their material isn't that memorable either, being generally simple and underdeveloped. Crap.

Escenes (77)

Gotic is a very good symphonic band that remind me of Camel, yet have a lighter maybe more fusiony sound than them. Lots of flute, lots of cool melodies, and a great deal of Spanish culture are evident.

This band melds the folk spirit of early PFM, the progressive classicism of Camel's Snow Goose period, and a healthy dose of light fusion into one of the best instrumental albums Spain has ever produced. The basic lineup is piano, flute, bass and drums, with guests on acoustic guitars, synthesizer, and percussion. Fans of the aforementioned will not be disappointed.

Gotic's Escenes is a stunning album and one that is highly recommended. A quartet (with guests on a song or two), the main draw is the beautiful flute work, the fluid analog keyboards (moog, mellotron and piano really shine forth) and tasteful (though occasional) electric guitar solos. In particular, some of the flute/keyboard passages are simply inspiring. There is also violin heard now and again. Escenes is a is very lush symphonic, finely woven in detail. Though not sounding very similar, I am remind of Celeste's excellent Principe Di Un Giorno because of the pastoral nature of both these albums. Perhaps it is because of the shared heritage but some of the keyboard work reminds me very much of Chick Corea circa Return to Forever (electric formation but quieter passages) so there is a bit of a fusionesque air, as well. In other words, while I am reminded of Corea blended with the '70s symphonic Italian scene, as a whole Gotic sound like no one else. Again: very highly recommended!

Escenes is a good example of Camel-like melodic instrumental prog. Very much like The Snow Goose, but periodically slow, still some very fine moments overall. Flutes and keyboards dominate the mix, there are guitars on three or four tracks only. "La Revolucio" uses piccolo and marching snare to create a sort of American Revolutionary feel. It and the beautiful ten-minute "Historia de una Gota d'Aigua" are the best songs. -- Mike Ohman

[See Pegasus]

Dream and Desire (75), E2-E4 (89)

Solo Ashra guitarist who put out electronic albums in the same vein.

E2-E4 sounds a lot like most of the other stuff he's done with Ashra.

E2-E4 is a highly metronomic and hypnotic work by the Ashra principal that showcases Gottsching's talent with electric guitar. Running the sound through a variety of sound-processing devices, this is similar in style to the works of Klaus Schulze, though somewhat minimalist in comparison.

[See Ash Ra Tempel | Ashra/Richard Wahnfried]

Jeunes Annees (76), Drones (80), De Anima (93)

Keyboarist; first LP is supposed to be weak, second excellent.

[See Weidorje]

Two Rainbows Daily (80; w/Hugh Hopper), Before a Word is Said (82)

Alan Gowen was the driving force behind reknown Canterbury band Gilgamesh and was also instrumental in forming National Health with Dave Stewart. Before a Word is Said was recorded very shortly before Gowen died of Leukemia. As you might guess, the other musicians are Phil Miller on guitars, Richard Sinclair on bass and Trevor Tomkins on drums (Tomkins was the drummer on Gilgamesh's Another Fine Tune You've Got Me Into). Of course, Gowen plays keyboards with his usual aplomb. As dedicated Canterbury fans know, *all* these musicians are outstanding on their respective instruments and are capable of creating some fine instrumental prog with just a hint of jazz flavor. Recorded in 1981, Before a Word is Said is most similar to Gilgamesh (of course) and National Health's D.S. al Coda (which contains all Gowen-penned tunes). All members contribute significantly to the melody with keyboards, guitar and bass trading licks off of each other or playing the same runs simultaneously. Essential to any fan of the Canterbury scene.

Before a word is said was made with Phil Miller (National Health), Richard Sinclair (Hatfield and The North, Camel, Caravan) and Trevor Tomkins (Gilgamesh). This album is Gowen's last work. Fans of the Canterbury scene, of Sinclair in particular, ought to investigate. Sinclair even sings on a couple of tracks, and everyone is in sporting form. -- Mike Ohman

[See Caravan | Gilgamesh | Hatfield and the North | Hopper, Hugh | National Health]