GONG — Planet Gong: Live Floating Anarchy 1977 (review)

GONG — Planet Gong: Live Floating Anarchy 1977 album cover Live album · 1978 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
Sean Trane
I was never sure where this album ever stood in the Gong history, but I always perceived it as the first step of Daevid Allen to reclaim his Planet Gong property, since this album was released in 77 within weeks or months of the Live Etc (but recorded in 73) and the album Expresso II would be the last one named that way before Moerlen's gang would use Pierre Moerlen's Gong. So most likely, Daevid achieved his goal and probably partly due to this album. Outside his beloved Gilly, there is no-one else from the Gong history, and this album is the link between Here And Now and the Planet. But if the album does not really touch Gong mythology, it sure as hell relates, refers, cites, quotes and breathes, eat & sleeps to it as much as it can. As the title indicates, the album is live and recorded on one night and the artwork suggest stealing the album instead of paying more than their announced price. Truth must be told that Daevid was robbed many times of his rights by unscrupulous labels and managers.

There is a big difference, though between this album and the GonG galaxy. Here, this album could almost be classified as punk, if it was not for the sheer virtuoso qualities of Sharpstring and Keith Da Missile and Co. Indeed, the group is over exuberant and their energy not always "englishly contained" and the punk sometimes seeps through the pores of the songs. But unmistakably Gilly's intros bring us back to the RGI, even plunging a bit into You for a minute or two. To this Gonghead, the flipside is certainly more interesting with two full-blown psyched-out but tight jams. Drummer Kifkif (so-so in French) and Keith (bassist) indeed make an incredible bed so the rest of the group can sail on view and float at will. The almost binary rhythms can indeed bring you to Hawkwind's better moments as well.

But obviously the "Anarchy" deal is not to let ugly Pistols pull the blanket to them, and Daevid and the GanG (I just had to do that one ;o)) pull it ridiculously easily to their advantage. Sure, this album is a bit of "bastard son" of the GonG oeuvre, but it has no problem making recognized its parenthood either
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Bill Laurance & the Untold Orchestra : Bloom Third Stream
BILL LAURANCE
Buy this album from MMA partners
In Real Life RnB
OLI SILK
Buy this album from MMA partners
Out of the Question Vocal Jazz
ALLEGRA LEVY
Buy this album from MMA partners
Maxine / KID Nu Jazz
DONNY MCCASLIN
Buy this album from MMA partners
FAURÉVER (A Tribute to Gabriel Fauré) Third Stream
ENRICO PIERANUNZI
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Bill Laurance & The Untold Orchestra - Bloom (Official Music Video)
BILL LAURANCE
js· 2 hours ago
Excerpts from the Diary of a Red Army Soldier
JAKE GOTLIEB'S BANACH-TARSKI PARADOX
js· 10 hours ago
Grief
CHRISTIE DASHIELL
js· 1 day ago
Libations: Omnyama
NDUDUZO MAKHATHINI
js· 1 day ago
Stretch Out
ELIZABETH KING
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed