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Gong

Musical Group
Forlisteners into psychedelic/progressive rock, canterbury-related sounds, space rock concept albums, and fans of surreal, humorous rock mythology.
11 Reviews 15 Definitions 36 Charts
Psychedelia Progressive Jazz Fusion

The Profile

Gong are a psychedelic/progressive rock band formed in Paris in 1967 by Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth, known for surreal humor and the Radio Gnome Invisible concept trilogy (Flying Teapot, Angel's Egg, You).

Publicly documented background: founded in Paris (1967) by Daevid Allen (Australian) and Gilli Smyth (English); associated with the Canterbury scene; core classic-era members include Steve Hillage, Didier Malherbe, Mike Howlett and Pierre Moerlen. The Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy is a widely recognized centerpiece of their 1970s catalog. Lineups changed frequently; Daevid Allen died in 2015 and the band continued afterward.

Across 10 reviews, Gong are portrayed as a fiercely recognizable, anti-commercial psychedelic/space-rock universe built around Daevid Allen’s mythology and sense of fun. The Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy is repeatedly treated as their core statement, praised for innovation, odd structures, and jazz/fusion touches. Live accounts emphasize theatrics, charisma, and long space-trips, while later-era releases get a more mixed reception. Lineup shifts (including Pierre Moerlen-led periods and post-Allen eras) are noted as key to understanding their sound.

Notable Quotes

❝ As their leader, Daevid Allen, said,
“a band that too few people love too much”.
❝ Suppose you are a brilliant personality, unconventional, an unabashed fan of more or less heavy drugs, but above all, suppose that you have contemplated a project that no one before had ever approached: summarizing EVERYTHING in three albums.
❝ Banana Nirvana Manana!
❝ Gong, first and foremost and despite everything, is a unique band.
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