Classical Composer Reacts to GONG: THE FLYING TEAPOT (side 2) | The Daily Doug (Episode 569) 

Angels Egg has now slide into the playlist. Gong were playing at their best near this time.

I grew up on this. This was one of my favorite albums that my father played. I have now learned to appreciate just about everything that he listened to. I was raised on this King Crimson, older Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, Ashra Temple, Savoy Brown, Wishbone Ash and many more that I probably remember in deep recesses of my mind. Camembert Electrique is another one of my favorite albums from Gong.

I hung with the band after a gig in the 70s. They were all tripped out on acid. How they held it together to perform is beyond me! Still a perennial favourite though.

It's been quite a pleasure watching you react to this. I've been a Gong fanatic since I discovered them belatedly in 1990. I have since been snatching up everything I can find within this family of bands, and have gotten to know some of them personally. As Daevid used to say, "it's all way too serious to be taken seriously". There's a whole boatload of philosophy brewing behind the silliness, and Daevid himself practically radiated all of it even in casual conversation. His chosen successor, Kavus Torabi, is equally as well read and wacky, and one of the nicest, most positive people I've ever met. This is Gong just coming out of their formative phase, transitioning into a rather fearsome psychedelic fusion band as they attracted better players and became an incredibly tight unit just months later. Angel's Egg is several steps further along, and You is an absolute powerhouse. Daevid ran off in 75, and they changed into a percussion-driven fusion band, but Gong began reclaiming their earlier territory in the 90's when Daevid reformed the band. Later offerings like Shapeshifter, Zero to Infinity and 2032 add funk heaviness and techno into the mix, then Daevid started to transition the band into something that could continue after he was gone with I See You. Kavus's era then began, which sees Gong heading into guitar dominated trance music that still contains many of the emotional and spiritual components of the early band. There's a new one coming this year, but I don't have a clue yet what it will be like. In the early days, there was a whole lot of LSD involved, which Daevid phased out of eventually, but some others didn't. Kavus is definitely a psychonaut himself. In keeping with 4/20, weed is definielty a major factor as well, and I can't help thinking back to the time I got a call to come over and get Gong drummer Pierre Moerlen (who joined right after this album) high as hell. It was so much fun watching him air drum to Soft Machine (Daevid's band before Gong). there are dozens of albums from various Gong incarnations, many of which existed simultaneously. Somehow, even with different players and approaches, it's all fairly coherently part of the same musical family.

Daevid Allen's last contribution to Gong can be heard on I See You (2014), a fine album that transitions from 'his' Gong to its current, marvellous incarnation. They have recently completed a new album. The album following I See You, Rejoice! I'm Dead, celebrates Allen's vision and 'his' Gong. I've seen them several times in recent years.

I've been listening to Gong since my mid teens and still do on occasion. I actually just saw them live last month with Steve Hillage. The music is more than the sum of it's parts. Analysing and breaking it down will only confuse you, better to sit, chill and just let it do what it's meant to do.

Love the weird stuff. Zappa, Gong, Magma.

"I don't know what to think about that" Doug, welcome to planet Gong, and welcome to the Canterbury genre, a sub genre in the progressive rock genre. I'm excited to see your reactions of the rest of the trilogy and more Canterbury bands like soft machine, Hatfield and north, caravan, camel etc.

26:31 Doug they’re ONLY serious about their non-seriousness. And that, my friend, is the Oily Way! The ride keeps getting better, Doug.

Eclectic electric! Those of us who experienced the effects of certain mind altering fungal material while listening to this back in the day, were transported, dissembled and reassembled... life was never quite the same after! ✌🥸 peace from Australia

Angel’s Egg (1973) is great too and You is the end of the PHP trilogy and You (1974) is where I started being a Gong fan.

"Feels like you're among friends" is the best description of Gong. Along with great and inventive musicianship...First exposed in 1973. Never looked back...

You nailed it: talented musicians having fun. Please, oh please, finish the teapot trilogy; it keeps getting better and better!

You brave, brave man. Those who understand Gong's music at this time was all tongue-in-cheek love it, like myself. And I'm a clean person. I just love artists who have an original sound to them. But it is so wacky I can understand those who "don't get it." The teapot allusion is also to Russell's Teapot.

Saw Steve Hillage with the current Gong incarnation live about six weeks ago. Was a truly sublime aural experience. Highly recommend you checking some of Steve's work out, along with some more Gong.

The Flying Teapot is a great airlines. A smooth ride and all the tea you can drink 😂

My dad was a lifelong Gong fan and bought this album when it came out. He chose Pot Head Pixies to be played at his funeral :) :(

Seriously, these guys wrapped me up in their world for years during my celestial and ether days. 35 years later and I am still absorbed. Saw them with mostly this line up in 94 and 2010 and they were on another plane. Outstanding. PS - love your honest reaction mushroom 🍄

Gong fan from the 70s here. Awesome comment, awesome video. I so like that you respect this odd non-classical music Doug. Thank you.

I never really warmed up to this Gong but I absolutely love Pierre Moerlen's Gong! In particular the first 4 albums. For those not familiar: "Pierre Moerlen's Gong was an instrumental jazz fusion band led by French drummer Pierre Moerlen which developed as an offshoot of the psychedelic progressive rock band Gong founded and led by Daevid Allen. It was notable for the prominent use of mallet percussion, particularly vibraphone, in a jazz-rock context."

The music after Daevid Allen leaves in 1975 is completely different becoming instrumental Jazz rock fusion. On their album Gazuese! (1976) Allan Holdsworth joins and is allowed to go absolutely bonkers on his guitar.

Very nice, open-minded reaction to one of my favourite albums. Full of humour, surprises and stupenduousmus musical Originalität and quality. It is true, there is nothing else comparable!

The deadhead crowd should've definitely be introduced to GONG back in 70s. A mash up gig with grateful dead and gong would've been something else.

Thank you for the music daevid & Gilli, wherever your teapot has taken you. ❤

As a bit of a follow up… David Allen conceived Gong as being a vessel, a boat, that musicians could travel in together and alight from when the time was right. You’ll also notice that there’s no ownership of the Gong brand and many new gongs grew up after the original trilogy. Mother Gong, Pierre Moerlen’s Gong, New York Gong, Planet Gong etc. There are many associated acts as quite a few members were from the Canterbury Music scene.

Thanks for doing this great album here... I'm a big Gong fan...Only knowed about them for a year, or so.. Got 5 of there old albums now... I'm a happy Gong man, flying in my green teapot...

I go way back with Gong and actually saw them play live in Amsterdam, 1975. If you liked Flying Teapot you will LOVE Angel’s Egg, which features the classic lineup.

The wonderful mischief of this band - just hilarious live!

Doug this such a great show. I love your sense of humor. Saw Gong live in 73 - what a wonderful band!

A joy to witness someone discovering this stuff. The lack of an ending on "Zero the Hero and the Witch's Spell" is I think because it's intended to go straight into the next track without missing a beat, but it's no big deal - they work fine separately as well. Hope you'll go on to check out their next album, "Angel's Egg", which IMO is their best. (Even so, I acknowledge of course that Flying Teapot is The Iconic Gong album.)

Gong was a fantastic band, they used to record in the South of France. From my point of view, Shamal is one of their most sophisticated album with some sections completely Jazz rock : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3TxyoDkUcc4.html And the most elegant album is Gazeuse with songs like Percolations : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LW8p-7DR7Ro.html

You, the third part, is the only album I've tripped out on without any chemical assistance whatsoever.

😂😂😂 “You can be a cat, too”

Gong totally fucking rocks!

I discovered Gong in 1978 when someone lent me (age 15) a copy of Camembert Electrique, still a favourite album, and then on to this album. At that time, in the UK in the late 1970s, most of these musicians had a fairly devoted crowd of hippies and alternative lifestyle pot-heads (homegrown grass and hand-picked magic mushrooms were often employed to enjoy Gong).

Love Gong. Listen to the whole trilogy in one session in the small hours under the influence to get the full effect.

If you liked this, you'll adore the next two albums. Magical records :-)

Try Planet Gong - Live Floating Anarchy. That will baffle you.

Love to all Gong brothers and sisters.

You gotta finish the flying teapot trilogy. The next album Angel Egg is outstanding ...

❤ Gong. Read somewhere that the phrase "Flying Teapot" was appropriated from a Bertrand Russell quote. Daevid Allen was a very intelligent and creative fellow.

Bowie wrote about them,ziggy played guitar, jamming good with weird and gilli (daevid allen and gilli smith).and the spiders from Mars etc etc.

Priceless reaction. Thank-you so much. Cardiacs next, please.

I love Gong, I've been listening to them since my mid teens too, seen them several times. if you get the opportunity try Angel's Egg. You are correct they are still going strong; the mythology lives on.

That tea pot could easily be made into a bong!

It’s a mash up of folk, jazz, rock, vaudeville, music hall. It’s done with a heart full of fun and a big tongue in cheek, while still pushing for peace, love, and happiness.

Nice choice for 4/20!❤

I’m new to Gong, but “Octave Doctors” instantly reminded me of Pete Namlook’s vibe. I know you don’t dip your toes into ambient electronica often, but Pete’s work with Richie Hawtin “From Within” series is a standout for me.

Don't know that much about Gong, I did buy Camembert Electrique, it was a low price release by Virgin Records :)

As a prog fans without any knowledge of music, watching your reaction to my favorite songs makes me "know" why i love them. Really enjoy your channel, Doug. Thank you!

I never got into Gong for some reason so this is mostly new to me. Have to disagree that there is no one anything like this. First song immediately had me thinking of Zappa.

Despite the whimsical lyrics these guys were all accomplished musicians. These songs would often be extended on stage and the band could easily blow other (more "serious") bands off the stage at festivals.

About bloody time mate. ❤

There's so much more. The rest of the 'trilogy' that was actually about six albums.

Been a massive fan since the early 90s. Such a killer band in every form. Kavus is taking it along to the next levels now. Cheers!

Tea is refering to magic mushroom tea., Psilocybe semilanceata. The modulations in Gong are possibly based on Olivier Messiaen's modes of limited transportation. Les Percussions de Strasbourg is a classical music link to the percussionist from angels egg onwards.Also, the album shamal has a lot of those synthetic scales. Gong are are amazing. I am so happy you have discovered them. Steve hillage's solo work is great. The glorious om riff, has some very interesting poly rhythms. So much to enjoy! :)

@doug loved watching you take off to this ❤

Dude! Imagine being maybe 18 years old, already into prog for what fm radio allowed, and hearing a lower-down-the-dial FM college radio station mention a particular record store n Wethersfield CT, (ifyouknowyouknow), and hearing THIS when walking inside. I’ve never needed substances to trip.

Inching closer and closer to reviewing something with Allan Holdsworth. You should have reviewed the song Soli by Gong off of their espresso II album.

The Gong albums "You" and "Fish Rising" are fantastic.

Hey Doug, if you think this stuff is "odd" I don't know what you'd make of Camembert Eléctrique - the album that preceded Flying Teapot. Enjoyed your observations on this clip.

There is a super cool/weird video of them performing I Never Glid before live. Talk about strange.

I found this album at a flea market and bought it based on the cover art alone, had never heard of them. It’s a lot of fun

Since we are in these places, a good trip would be to the album "Un Peu de l'Âme des Bandits", by Aksak Maboul. I remember that I heard it years ago, by chance, on some weird radio program. It left me intrigued, but I never knew the band/ensemble name. Recently, thanks to the suggestions of youtube music, I was finally able to find them again !! hahaha . Just amazing band!

I discovered Gong back in the 90s, aged 18, 19 years old. I had just gotten into psychedelics and as a consequence psychedelic music - mainly late Beatles, early Pink Floyd and The Doors. Found this little alternative record store in the town where I studied at the time, and asked the old geezer behind the counter what he could recommend along the lines of weird trippy music, and he immediately grabbed this "best of Gong" CD out of a discount bin and told me to give it a listen. It was very cheap so I didn't bother checking it out in the store, just bought the CD on sight, just because it had cool cover art. As soon as I put it on at home I was blown away, this was way beyond anything I knew. It was basically my entry point into searching obscure weird music, probably indluencing my taste in music more than any other band or artist before or since. Glad you digged it, kind of jealous to see you have that moment of bewildered but pleasant surprise I had all those years ago. Wish I could discover them all over again.

My friend introduced me to both Gong and magic mushroom tea when I was 15- a cosmic tea pot it was indeed.

Just wanted to thank you for reminding me that this exists, I completely forgot about this album, I'm going to relisten to it later. :P Also, that song where you said that you were getting a dirty pink floyd vibe, I agree, it sounds like an alternative time line where Syd Barret rejoined the band in the 70s to me, lol.

You brought me Gong. Thank you.

I was hoping you would get around to Gong. I loved to get high to this in high school. Lot's of great 'underground' prog out there. Check out Gryphon if you want something different. I believe they are the only prog band with a crumhorn player. Also some of the Italian prog bands like PFM and Osanna were quite good.

I’ve always been intrigued by this band and finally got to get a grip on them thanks to you. Have you considered Soft Machine Three? I think you would really like this one. Keep up the great work.

Huh. I wasn't expecting a pretty clear influence on Pink Floyd's Welcome to the Machine from Zero the Hero, but cool! I've never listened to this band except for this two-sided reaction from you. They're bizarre, but extremely talented. I don't know if it's the kind of music I'd seek out - it's a little out there - but I think they're some real funky cats and I like them a lot for it.

I heard this album a few times about 40 some years ago and I haven't been the same since.

Hell I am back in the 70s watching Gong playing this at the Marquee Club in Wardour Street...now I feel my age because it sounds as fresh today as it did then.

Thank you very much!

Wait till you get to Camembert Elitrique.

Please please please do Angel's Egg and You. What an amazing trilogy. Camembert Electrique & Camembert Eclectique are great too 😂

I've been listening to Gong for 15 years. I love when you listen to them. Please, keep on discovering more Gong. Try Camembert Electrique and You.

Fun fact: Every GONG album has saxophone on it.

Ha Ha ..... this was funny and enjoyable reaction Doug thanks!

Saw them in mid 70s age Bill Hruford on drums due to predecessors encounter with French law. Gillys cat was interesting.

Great shit

they were one of the earliest users of the EMS synthesizers.

Wouldn't it be fantastic if this was performed at the Albert Hall. This was made in the golden age of music when money was not the first priority. One of their albums had written on the cover "Don't pay more than £2. 50 for this record or rip it off if possible."

Great Gift.

Another nice first listening/review vid. Thanks. I assume you know by now that Daevid Allen was the founder of Soft Machine before Gong. Happy 4/20 - whatever that is...

Caravan. Ozric Tentacles. Shpongle. enjoy

I'll have to pull out the vinyl- haven't seen it in 45 years! Please listen to a band called CHRYSALIS from the mid sixties! The drummer Dahoud Shaar went on to play with Van Morrison, then he was the first drummer on Saturday night live for two years (Ackroyd/ Belushi) He then went on to play with the Jerry Garcia Band before moving to Austin TX. The band, Chrysalis, was very progressive and a favorite of Frank Zappa who used the singer and bandleader, Spider Barbour, on Uncle Meat, I think! The band used to rehearse across the street from the Garrick Theater in New York, while Frank had his residency there! oh, and just a fun fact, Spider Barbour is a well established specialist on bugs (Entomologist) and the songs are kinda about bugs! Great Record! excellent vocals and keyboard parts! LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

Love this album

A Masterpiece, people should check out the remaster they did in 2019, in the big box, and also as 2 discs, the sound quality is superiour compared to all other cd pressings done !!! The Octave Doctors longer ? , just try Tim Blake`s first 2 Solo Lps !!!!!!!!!

What fun!

They have followed me thru life. Their album "Angels Egg" is their peak for me. Also their next album "You" I still listen to from time to time. Love how they play around with the music.......nothing is taken too serious.

Been into Gong for 30 years or so, in various states of consciousness and they're still an enigma........serious, never!

Check out the Ozric Tentacles - Steve Hillage was a band member and has a very distinctive sound to his Guitar and you can spot is very well on this album - his own adventures are fantastic.

Crazy band -in the best of ways!

Those are space whispers

Gong is an institution which may go against their philosophy but they can't escape reality. I love them.

Definitely a leauge of their own 😊

from part two of the trilogy, Angl's Egg, with Pierrer Moerlen comin in on rums and mallet percussion, the music got more complex and the mythology mixed with increasingly progressive music with time signature changes and the only other rock mallets beside FZ. The great part is how they amicably split into Pierre's Gong doing best mallet-driven fusion with Allan Holdsworth, and Daevid continued the Pixie mytholgy with Dider Malherbe and Yoni, and the world is one Gong richer. You must go on to Angel's Egg, tho, as a drummer I know how a different drummer changes EVERYTHING but you don't have to take yourself too seriosly. May your teaplot never land!

I love Gong.. 🚀🍄☕🫖🛸✌️🙏☯️🕉️🧘

Simply the best band ever.😊