Gong- I Never Glid Before (First Listen) 

OMG Gong. I love you for this! Back in 197? I used to go to Selectadisc Records in Nottingham every Saturday and spend a few hours flipping through the used bins until I found something that looked interesting, plonk my £1 or £2 down on the counter, get the bus home and see what I got. I had no idea what to expect when I dropped the needle onto side 1 of Gong Live Etc, but I must have listened to that album literally 1000 times. Not sick of it yet.

Gong with Daevid are always such fun ! The current line-up have captured some of that essence. Their gigs are a happiness trip from beginning to end

The drumming is amazing because it's the one and only PIERRE MOERLEN!

Check out Steve Hillage's Fish Rising LP (Salmon Song, etc.) Also, this requires a little research, but Sherman Helmsley (aka TV's George Jefferson) was an obsessive Gong fan.

Gong has two distinct periods of which the great Pierre Moerlen (drums) was a part. He lead the second incarnation of the band which became a unique jazz band. The first incarnation lead by Daevid Allen is the best known and has jazz elements mixed with space rock and Allen's pot head pixie mythology. Although the lyrics are fun and silly on the surface, Allen incorporates many aspects of Eastern thought and religion. Yes, Canterbury, although as noted the lines of what is and is not Canterbury are blurred as it is more a style than a location. For me, "You" is the best album of the Allen era. For the Moerlen era, "Gazeuse" which also has Allan Holdsworth on guitar.

I discovered this band in 1974 and I found the album you as a cut out and especially love the song , the master builder. Then I discovered electric cafe , and after that , the flying teapot and finally Angel egg, so you see I listen to that album last . You will the comparison between Angel egg and you , oh by the way ,I haven't seen this band, but would like to. Welcome to planet gong.

Gong has to be the most underrated prog band considering their vast output and inventiveness, not to mention their sound changed from album to album. Everything won't hit you but you can't ignore them. Their first album just ooozes Canterbury mixed with Pink Floyd.

Gong comes directly from Canterbury by way of France, and are usually included in that scene. Daevid was a major figure in starting Soft Machine. Kevin Ayers was in Gong for a while as well. Hillage is another connection. Daevid was denied re-entry into the UK in 67, so had to leave Soft Machine, and started Gong in Paris. John Lennon and Yoko Ono used to jam with them in Paris. Gong is my favorite band, and has been since I first found them in 1990. I've met Daevid, Didier, and Pierre from the classic band... spent an entire evening with Pierre back in 97. got him so baked he was air-drumming like a madman to Soft Machine Third. I also know the current band from the cruise... Kavus Torabi was like meeting an old friend. Unlike most of Canterbury, Gong is massively psychedelic to the core, and enormously fun to watch. Flying Teapot, Angel's Egg and You are pretty much flawless examples of what they did. The new band, since 2015, all new guys picked by their predecessors, has a heavier edge, but maintains the feel and attitude. i'd recommend Master Builder, A Sprinkling of Clouds, Oily Way/Outer Temple/Inner Temple, Zero the Hero and the Witch's Spell, You Can't Kill Me, Magdalene, How to Stay Alive without killing the planet, and Flying Teapot as great places to get started. There are many offshoot bands worth checking out as well. gong is a monster of a rabbit hole. I've been finding new stuff to like for 30 years now, and there always seems to be more.

Have a cup of tea, have another one, have a cup of tea.

I recommend the track "Isle of Everywhere" from the "You" album (1974) it's quite a long track at around 13 minutes but contains some excellent instrumental passages (1 sax solo and 2 guitar solos) plus exceptional drumming throughout by the late great Pierre Moerlen. Gong are well worth getting into and were always a brilliant live act. Although as you pointed out they had roots in the Canterbury scene they also had French influences which made them a bit different from the rest.

THANK you for reacting to Gong! Been trying to get react channels to do that for a while now! Also: Gong (at least Daevid Allen Gong) is absolutely Canterbury, and absolutely psychedelic (I describe it as jazzy psychedelic space prog 😂). Please do more Gong reacts!

'Love Is How Y Make It' is an absolute gem from the same album. A must listen.

Congratulations! You have received your first transmission from Radio Gnome Invisible, direct from Planet Gong! Brilliant band, brilliant album. Daevid was a true one of a kind. Re: Canterbury or not, opinions vary. They are certainly not *exclusively* a Canterbury band (should such a thing exist), but there's enough overlap in terms of peoples and vibes for me to feel comfortable placing them in that context. Rather more crucially, they were pioneers along with the likes of Hawkwind of another slippery subgenre - SPACE ROCK. It's all pointless nerdery in the end though. Just have a cup of tea and enjoy the ride!

Gong had some of the very best musicians in progressive rock. The rhythm section of Pierre Moerlen on drums and Mike Howlett on bass is generally considered to be on par with some of the other great rhythm sections, like Bruford/Squire of Yes, Bruford/Wetton of King Crimson or Liebezeit/Czukay of Can (a German band that was extremely influential; you should definitely listen to them too). And Steve Hillage on guitar and Didier Malherbe on saxes and flute are absolutely top too. Malherbe is actually my favorite sax and flute player; you should hear his phenomenal work on Mother Gong's album "Fairy Tales" (my favorite album of all times. As you probably guess Mother Gong are a spin-off band of Gong).

You know it's criminal that bands like Gong were not more popular. But like you said they are weird and the mainstream doesn't know how to handle that. A better rhythm section you'd be hard pressed to find or a more original band. It's the Anglo-French fusion that makes them unique. Lot's of amazing early ambient spacey textures. You are going to love the trilogy.

Man, when I was 15 my friends and I listened to a lot of Gong, Zappa and Pink Floyd. Gin in the bong and sensimilla in the bowl.

DUUUUDEEE! Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy of Gong went on to form electronica/techno/trance duo System 7! Big influence on the psychedelic trance scene!

Sorry. One more comment. The cup o' tea reference. If you listen to them more you'll realise the band and their songs inhabit a whole mythology, in which cups of tea (not to mention flying teapots) feature, amongst other things I won't spoil for you. Ok. Ian out.

Gongs music is so incredibly detailed and complex in every possible artistic aspect. I absolutely love it all!!!

In 1978, when I was 21 years-old, “Gong Live Etc.” by Gong was playing in a record store. I was turned on, to the music. I inquired about it from one of the employees.

Gong are part of the Canterbury scene. Daevid Allen, the founder of Gong, was a founder member of Soft Machine. Steve Hillage master guitarist was always in and around the hippy movement, as were most of the band. Pierre Moerlin is an inspired drummer. They are all old hippies, like me. All of their songs are a mix of rock, jazz, folk, nursery rhyme, music hall, and jazz. They are light hearted, preach love for your fellow man and selflessness. You should check out the full trilogy of albums. My daughters, I'm old, now 44 and 42 years old, have told me they will play "Pothead Pixies" at my funeral.

I've never heard of Gong before. First thought is sounds like a softer, less chaotic Gentle Giant piece. Love the vocals. Cool!

Good Lord! This has such a Syd Barrett Pink Floyd psych crossed with Canterbury sound. I had a couple of their albums but not this one. I forgot how they sounded. So interesting! Let's just end all the arguing and say the 70's was the best decade for rock music, case closed. This was so crazy good!

Daevid Allen was a genius. Who else would make the last track on their last album 'Weird Quartet' Cajun music?

The trilogy of albums: Flying Teapot, Angels Egg, You, are 3 of the greatest fusion albums ever made. This particular track has my favourite guitar solo of all time.

My feed is giving all the back catalog of your videos, lol. I am getting a kick out of this. I haven't paid attention to the lyrics but I really am enjoying it. The first section was so much fun, I was sorta disappointed when it got more conventional though happily that didn't last. Now I am going to have to check the back catalog for more like this. Glid: past tense and past participle of glide.

Love your channel, lots of my fave artists, Gong are fab.

It's a great album and part of a Trilogy... The "You" album is a personal favourite. "A Sprinkling of Clouds" show cases how trippy, spacey and psychodelic they can get. You will loose yourself in this track. Before Pierre Moerlin became leader, after Allen left, and took them more down a jazz fusion direction.

Also - to get their lyrics (the Daevid Allen era lyrics), dig into their mythology because it’s really deep and convoluted and pataphysical and fantastic!

Yes I think of Gong as Canterbury scene. They have the personnel links and the sense of whimsy that is Canterbury. Another enjoyable reaction, Gong are really playful and you picked up on it.

Allan Holdsworth was on 3 Gong albums, and Bundles by Soft Machine.

Avant garde jazz rock, not unlike the Mothers of Invention - could be an influence. I'm always interested in the origins of a band's sound.

I don't know Gong very well. Thanks for your analyse, it gives me the opportunity to go back into their music. I liked Camembert electrique a lot (because of the funny “tu veux un camembert” at the end. Some musicians in the band were French, so I felt some connection. Even more Pierre Moerlen was Alsatian and I heard him playing with our local artist in the early seventies…

Thanks JP, now you are delving in to my deepest musical realms.

There is a connection with Caravan and the Canterbury scene, not directly with Allen but with his band mates in The Soft Machine. Before The Soft Machine, Kevin Ayres, Hugh Hopper and Robert Wyatt played in The Wilde Flowers with Richard Sinclair of Caravan. I feel Allen was influenced by the sound of the Canterbury scene despite his exile in France which led to Gong. Gong produced some great riffs. I remember they sold themselves as an alternative community, a way of life, bigger than a pop group, cosmic pixies. Allen always struck me as being a raging pervert. Went jazzy after he left. Shamal is good, produced by Nick mason of Pink Floyd. There's a whole tragic post story too, involving Planet Gong, Hawkwind, Here and Now, Cardiacs, Ozric Tentacles, Margaret Thatcher and her annihilation of a way of life and more.

Hey, Gong is not a part of Canterbury Scene - they're from Planet Gong :) I love this song, especially Pierre Moerlen's (drums) work - he's killing it. In fact Daevid Allen was a member of Soft Machine for a short period - he left band before they released their first album. And if you are interested in doing more Gong reaction, check "Master Builder" (song from "You" - the third part of Radio Gnome Triligy). Cheers

I like the jazzy horn section I like music with a ladder brass in it

Love Gong and glad to see you reacting to them so positively.

You absolutely must react to anything off of Steve Hillage "Fish Rising" album!

Fortunate enough to have seen Gong live a few times,always put on a great show.

Yes, they are indeed part of the Canterbury school of prog. Allen and Hillage are both singing on this one. David left channel, Steve right channel.

My favourite Gong track???? Ooooh tricky, got to fight with a fair few winners in the catalogue, but sod it, it's the most fun so yup! And yes, Pierre Moerlen's drumming is possibly the most enjoyable I've ever heard, just gob-smackingly amazing and fun!

This is a band I've sampled but never listened to a song of theirs in its entirety. Reminds me of Bonzo Dog Band from the same era (you should hear their song 'Death Cab for Cutie' which was used in the Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" film and has a band named after it). This also sounds like Frank Zappa's brand of noise.

Dope album. Welcome to Planet Gong. I know you reviewed Khan, but more Hillage is always a good thing!

Glad I glid! Great gobs of Gong-gasym gunked my guitar! Peace.

Ozric Tentacles is a band highly influenced by the Allen era of the band, but all instrumental space rock. Hawkwind is usually mentioned as a space rock group contemporary of Gong. While I like some Hawkwind I was never able to get into them like I did with Gong. Along the same lines in the Canterbury scene, Clearlight Symphony, especially the debut album and "Forever Blowing Bubbles". And... Steve Hillage's solo work.

You should check out their song Isle of Everywhere. Trippy, fusion goodness, with an amazing Steve Hillage solo.

Fun groove with the changing of speed at the end. A minute into it I figured I’d check out but somehow they sold me and I liked it way more than I thought I would. Thanks for that as there’s always something new here JP!

What the heck was that? Anything with horns, count me in!! Gong, that’s a new one for me. 👌

Hi, Justin, it's great you have discovered gong :)), i think you should listen to the albums from the time when Pierre Moerlen was the musical director. My suggestion, start with the first piece Expresso from the album Gazeuse! It is always interesting to see your recessions. Best regards Peter

I don't think there's a "masterpiece" in gong's music, but what's most near to it was in the YOU album, you have to listen to the whole album, and choose what part is the most "appealing" to you

I love the isle of everywhere by gong

I know I'm rather late to this party, but just a note on the vocals: they alternate between Hillage (right hand channel) and Allen (left).

So glad you got to Gong!! This was a good choice of song to get into them. The most random sounding band achieved through deceptive musicianship and tight rehearsal. The Radio Gnome Trilogy (if which this is the middle album ) is worth many revisits. They don’t fit obviously into the Canterbury scene even though there are connections. A great mix of stoner philosophy, humour, world music, jazz and ambient there is much to discover. Start with Flying Teapot. Then the meanings will start to come through. I’m glad you responded so positively.

I love the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy - You, Flying Teapot and Angel's Egg, but not much else of theirs.

Love this one JP. Gong, Hillage and Daevid Allen lovely stuff. I have to ask again for the Kevin Ayers track Blue. Ayers was also briefly in Gong and also Soft Machine and had Steve Hillage playing on some of his early stuff. Kevin Ayers was truly a Canterbury scene great.

so wacky. loved this. truly English, strange and jazzy.

"The Isle of Everywhere" is the one to listen to, from their album "You" and a very close second is "A Sprinkling of Clouds". From this album, Angel's Egg, "Other Side of the Sky" is much better.

Hi JP Thanks very much for playing my request. If you type into RU-vid The Canterbury Scene An Interview With Steve Hillage and Daevid Allen, you may pick up some information there about Canterbury music scene. Enjoy your search. Stay safe bud.

A midnight madness -style reaction release :nice This reminds me of a bunch of session musicians playing around , having fun with their own stuff , while they’re waiting for someone really ‘serious ‘ like Frank Zappa to arrive Having said that , the track grew on me quite a lot as it progressed Family show - but this definitely has the feel of ‘head ‘ music ( dark room , headphones , you get the idea )

Thanks for doing Gong! Some fantastic stuff there. Take in the whole trilogy, you will find much to relish there. A fair bit of nonsense, but all joyful and sometimes thoughtful stuff. And the wonderful Didier Malherbe on sax ...

What a surprise. She opened the cupboard and found the eyes.

Amazing album . As are most Gong Albums

Early Gong was too psychedelic to be classified as Canterbury (check "Radio Gnome Invisible" for more quirkiness...), but they took the jazzier route, notably with the album "Gazeuse" (feat. Allan Holdsworth). Then they had similarities with Soft Machine (also with Holdsworth).

Gong! To boldly go where no reaction video has gone before(far as I know) As mentioned below , Angel's Egg is the middle of a trilogy of albums "Radio Gnome Invisible" full of fuzzy furry oily critters acting as sort of icons for various band members. A can of worms you have opened...lol Enjoy the journey Is there a current equivalent of Gong in excess and eccentricity? Maybe The Mars Volta/maybe not Can of worms? Better analogy might be Pandora's Box What fun Good job Justin

This period of Gong, yes -- Canterbury. But the late 70's band was more of a pure jazz rock outfit, sort of like later Soft Machine. So still Canterbury, perhaps, but more on the periphery. The other aspect of the band is the space rock style which influenced Hawkwind and Ozric Tentacles.

Gong were relentlessly positive and cheery, Old school Hippies of the first order. Yes, they were closely aligned with the Canterbury scene, but were more Anglo French, in that they spent a lot of time in France and had French members. This song is part of the Flying Teapot trilogy of albums which is a journey of enlightenment for the protagonist "Zero the hero". If you feel a little down, they could fix it with surreal Dadaist metaphors about your journey through life. Wow, have I ever been more pretentious? Not recently. It's the lockdown.

Daevid Allen's 77' Solo album, 'Now is the Happiest Time of your Life', is my favorite Album of all time. I think you'll love it Justin.

2 words....loved it :)

Love Gong so far... as I work my way back from Steve Hillage. I bought “L” mainly because of me being a huge Todd Rundgren fan, he produced “L”. Gong seems very adventurous and spacey which I dig turtley. I have Sprinkling of Clouds on one of my Mix CDs. Have yet to hear the amount they deserve. Have to fix that... some I will do with you, some on my own. Tangent time... As some have said, this is more a psychedelic direction, sweet. A band I was lucky to see in 1993 was Ozric Tentacles on their Jurassic Shift tour, kind of an next step towards jam world music. Very influenced by Gong and Steve Hillage. Totally a trip I’ll never forget. Wall, ceiling projections by a steampunk like artist in that it was all analog. Slides and cell squishy things splashed onto everywhere, while the band played fantastically in almost totally darkness. My friends had talked their way into the band’s dressing room before the show and it was filled with people and smoke, so much so, I don’t know how these dudes played anything but, it was a great show and experience. Love Jurassic Shift as an album and memory. I still get letters now and then from them in Erpland. Don’t ask, I have no idea... try: Sunhair ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Fi7VPXmbxME.html Jurassic Shift ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UviPosBdGAo.html Vita Voom ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-h5JoFTyL6x0.html Enjoyed the analysis and music, Peace, Music and friends ( just remembered my car got towed that night also... still worth it)

Excellent! I reckon you're about to get an avalanche of biog, and fuzzy reminiscences about the band, so I'm getting in as early as possible to formally request 'Fohat Digs Holes in Space' for your next Gong joint. (Can I use that word?)

Dude, and Soft Machine's Fourth over THIRD? THIRD is essential listening.

PS David Bowie said that Gong' s Banana Moon was the inspiration believe it or not of Ziggy Stardust..he said it was No 3 in his favourite albums of all time.I hope David departed this world listening to it 😉

Shared this where the band will see it.

Intrigued, eh? Listen to the whole Gong "You" album start to finish. It is the culminating album of their early years and the tale of Zero the Hero and the Pothead Pixies. Or you could listen to the album "Shamal", their next album, which was the first album by Gong as they shifted into a more prog-jazz/rock format moving away from the heavier psychedelia. Blessings.

this one has shades of Roxy Music in it with some jazz fusion elements,, interesting song never heard it before . just to let you know shared your reaction to "the ninth wave" to a fb Kate Bush fan club page people are really enjoying your journey with her music. :)

Jazzy and so much fun. There is a kind of link to Canterbury scene, in that Daevid Allen was a founding member of Soft Machine. Tea maybe a reference to some other substance(i was told by a friend,"pot head pixies are referenced in Gong albums)Tea pot? Can anybody else confirm this about tea /pot reference?

Wow. GONG screwed up my mind as a kid. Very bizarre, but VERY talented. Great musicianship. Not meant for a developing brain. Listen to it after the age of 16.

New to me. Interesting. Sounds like part Roxy Music and part Ian Dury.

Gong may or may not be "Canterbury scene", depending on which period & lineup. Once Daevid Allen and Steve Hillage left the band in 1975-76, the sound changed quite significantly. The band ended up being renamed "Pierre Moerlin's Gong" - and over the following years, a number of variations of Gong came into existence - with varying degrees of "Canterbury-ness". You might find a good deal of enjoyment in a French band that emulated the Canterbury style quite well (obviously not actually *in* Canterbury, though, so ...) - They went by the name "Moving Gelatine Plates". Their first eponymous album is very good, and distinctly Canterbury in sound, and their second - "The World of Genius Hans" follows up well (I actually prefer it). Their third album was recorded quite a bit later, and is at times more polished, and a bit Dada-esque : a kind of Post-Canterbury :-)

Check out Magma - mad French band who made up their own language called Kobian.

I really, really suggest you to dig deeper in Gong's universe, to watch live videos ecc... Daevid Allen was a unique character in Music and Art in general. Band's performances were totally crazy

Like to you to do anything but Sharky puppy I’d like the one that they feature Lalah Hathaway but there is an incredible group very well choreographed

Hey JP, you've just reacted to KBs the ninth wave, thanks for that it was just great. Now please some moreprogrock cause that's What Kate Bush is to me and many other. Try next some Roxy Music, maybe Ladytron or Mother of Pearl. Thanks JP, Cassandra

Ah. Gong are a ride. Enjoy!

Loved your reaction to this classic Gong song. Even with the passing of Daevid Allen there is still a Gong band taking his vision onwards and Steve Hillage has returned to his roots in recent years, as well as still playing as System 7. Check out the modern Gong with Steve Hillage reprising I never glid before. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bZGIcCgOq8w.html

great band, and a great track. they touched on Canterbury, but quite the multi-national band. Allen Australian, Hillage English. other members, French etc, and they operated out of France quite a bit in the early days. if you've not come across it already, check out the live version, excellent. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iiy5K81qvbg.html

Hey have u heard much from Faith no more? Stripsearch & Ashes to ashes are good :)

Vocals remind me of King Crimson's "Happy Family" from the Lizard album.

I like Gong my favourite album is YOU.

I never before glid, but I’m glad that I did. Ps, I almost slid off the grid.

Wow, I'd have recommended something more far out there for a Hillage fan. Needn't be Pothead Pixies, but say Oily Way, to show off Gong. But sure. And a live video to see Daevid up there. Doesn't have to be a real old recording - he kept his show incredible to the end. For instance: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KGXP2DonCiw.html

"They're having a blast recording this" - watch them having a blast playing it live ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iiy5K81qvbg.html

Try Percolations I and II :)

I didn't notice that slightly questionable aspect of the cover for years.

What is this song has everything in it has a little bit of jazz little bit of fog little bit of rock the thing is kind of for folk sound and rock

"I Never Glid Before" is actually one of the three songs I like from the Angel's Egg album. the other two are "Inner Temple" (which Steve Hillage will use as "Knights Templar" on his instrumental album "And Not Or" at the end of 82) and "Love is How U Make It". I prefer the following album 'You' (1974) whose content is more unified and especially the transition period with 'Shamal' (1975-1976) and Pierre Moerlen's Gong (Jazz-rock era) because I never was a fan of Daevid Allen's Gong. On the other hand, I really like the solo career of Steve Hillage who brings together certain musical elements heard in Gong but less crazy and more focused.

Not really sure what to say about this tune. Kinda weird, I just know I didn't dislike it. Agree, playfulness works for me.

PS I.so hate auto correct..it really is racist y'know against us English folks too..Steve Village..yeah that's a great typo.lol👍 Nearly as good as when I.spoke to a guy called Dennis the other day & auto correct called him penis 😂😂😂he never did answer me !

Live floating anarchy album ali baba have u any bullshit mama planet gong at their finest or camambert electirque cpr tbeir more spaced sound