OFF: Gong :)

[Paul Mather]

On Thu, 26 Jun 1997, Cliff and Pam Wheaton wrote:

> I have it on order already:) And, I'm in the process of finding a source
> for the other parts of this trilogy:) I'm already hooked! Thanx muchly
> for the info, Ian-I appreciate it!

If you have _Flying Teapot_, I think the hard work is already behind you.
_You_ (and _Angel's Egg_) should be fairly easy to find.  My local store
had _You_ on the racks at domestic pricing.  I believe it (and _Angel's
Egg_) are on Caroline Records in the USA, and most shops should be able to
order their stuff (Smashing Pumpkins are on Caroline, for example, or at
least they were).

I echo Charlie's statement about _Est Mort_.  This is a superb live album.
I prefer it even over the rather scrumptious 25th Anniversary Birthday
Party 2CD set that came out recently, even though it covers much the same
ground.  (Good value, too, at 75+ minutes!)  There are excellent versions
of "Master Builder" and "Isle of Everywhere," better, I think, than those
on the _Live!_ album (which aren't too shabby in themselves).  Hunt out
_Est Mort_ if you can.  I bought mine from the used racks, so I don't know
how easy this one is to acquire.

Another album to consider that nobody's mentioned thus far is _Fish
Rising_.  Ostensibly a Steve Hillage solo album, this features so many
Gong members to make it essentially a _You_-era Gong album in its own
right.  If you like _You_ and _Angel's Egg_, you'll no doubt like _Fish
Rising_ (especially if you are partial to Hillage's guitar!).  It contains
two main pieces: "Solar Musick Suite" and "The Salmon Song" (if memory
serves), though the latter pales a little alongside the high-octane
version on the Steve Hillage _BBC Radio 1 Live In Concert_ CD released
contemporaneously with the Hawkwind CD of the same name.

Finally, I was tickled to hear that your investigation of Gong was
prompted by your being a collector of teapots.  I was the other way
around!  A friend introduced me to Gong, and, for some reason, teapots
became sort of an in-joke between us (it's a long story).  Another friend
is a collector of old kitchen china from the 1930s--50s, so, since coming
to the USA, I kind of slipped, unconsciously, into teapot collecting
myself.  I have a small collection of Hall teapots; mostly the 1--2 cup
kind.

Good luck with your Gong acquisitions!

Cheers,

Paul.

obCD: Steve Hillage, _BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert_

e-mail: paul at csgrad.cs.vt.edu                    A stranger in a strange land.