1975-November-9

Gong

Civic Hall	Guildford, England


Disc 1  -  52.16
1	introduction				 2.08
2	The Salmon Song				11.52
3	Chandra					 8.45
4	Glissando *				16.40
5	Cat In Clark’s Shoes			13.27

Disc 2  -  46.39
1	I'm Beginning To See The Light		 5.22
2	Aftaglid				14.49
3	Bambooji				 8.51
4	The Isle Of Everywhere			 9.08
5	Wingful Of Eyes				 4.54
6	Shamal **				11.49
7	Master Builder				 7.47



Laurie Allan		Drums
Mireille Bauer		Percussion
Miquette Giraudy	Dancing, Voices, occasional Synthesizer
Steve Hillage		Guitar, Voice
Mike Howlett		Bass, Voice
Patrice Lemoine		Keyboards
Didier Malherbe		Sax, Flute, Voice
Pierre Moerlen		Drums (Master Builder only)


*   includes themes later known as Lunar Musick Suite & Electrick Gypsies
**  including Searching For The Spark riff


Soundboard recording



Notes that came with this recording;


COMPLETE and UPGRADED

COMPLETE: because this release includes "Master Builder" in its entirety.  
The first release had only a 3 minutes truncated version.

UPGRADED: because this version comes from a much lower generation tape than 
the previous release.  Even though the sound quality was rated "excellent" on 
the first release, it was dull compared to this one! Sound quality is amazing 
on this new version.

Although it's from a lower generation tape, it's still not the master.  There were 
no more digital clicks, no hiss, but a few of the cuts found on the previous tape 
were still there (and were equally repaired).  And very surprisingly, a new cut was 
in "Chandra" (at 7.50) yet this song was complete on the previous tape; and a 
longer cut was found on "Wingful Of Eyes" (still at 2.22).  So these songs were 
patched with the previous version (a slight change of sound can be heard).

The introduction was also missing on this new tape, so it has been restored here 
using the previous version.



During the second half of 1975, GONG was in a transition phase: Daevid Allen 
had left the group, and Steve Hillage was seen as the new leader of the band, 
true to the spirit of its founder and its Pot Head Pixies.  However, Gong was 
already moving towards a more instrumental music and a sophisticated jazz-rock.  
Many new songs were created on stage during these few months, but when it came 
to record them for the album Shamal, Steve Hillage had decided to quit.
This is what makes live recordings of this short pre-Shamal period with Hillage 
all the more fascinating.

This concert is a rare document too, in many ways.

- Pierre Moerlen, absent because of multiple musical activities is replaced 
  exceptionally by Laurie Allan.

- The band plays a lot of pieces not yet released on album.  In addition to the 
  future Shamal titles, they play an early version of "Lunar Musick Suite and 
  "Electrick Gypsies", which would be later recorded by Steve Hillage for his 
  solo album "L" in 1976.  This first version played by Gong is quite exceptional.

- Similarly, the song "I'm Beginning To See The Light" played here, remains 
  unreleased to this day.

- The "Isle Of Everywhere" is not completed by the theme "Get It Inner" as was 
  the case for all other Gong concerts from this period (including the officially 
  released "Live At Sherwood Forest" recorded November 25, 1975)

- Finally, we note the presence of an unusual riff in "Shamal", which Steve Hillage 
  would later use for "Searching For The Spark" in 1977.


Uploaded to DIME by propylaen in September 2012.

Enjoy!