Ένα βράδυ κάπου την άνοιξη του 1984 αν θυμάμαι καλά (λόγω εκείνου του καλού ανθρώπου) έπιασα στα χέρια μου μία original κόπια του δίσκου αλλά ταυτόχρονα άκουσα από αυτόν για πρώτη φορά τον όρο Canterbury. Ο δίσκος που στο μεταξύ που είχε γίνει αντιγραφή σε εκείνο το απίστευτα όμορφο ανθρακί μπομπινόφωνο που διέθετε, άρχισε να παίζει γεμίζοντας το χώρο με αυτόν τον space ήχο που σε μάγευε. Σε μάγευε παρά το γεγονός ότι η εγγραφή του δίσκου δεν ήταν ότι και το καλύτερο. Η όλη ατμόσφαιρα όμως σε συνδυασμό με τα ακούσματα που είχαν προηγηθεί είχαν δημιουργήσει κλίμα. Ίσως αναρωτιέται κανείς από σας πως είναι δυνατόν να θυμάμαι λεπτομέρειες από ένα γεγονός που συνέβη πριν 24 χρόνια. Θα απαντήσω ρωτώντας με την σειρά μου, υπάρχει άνθρωπος που δεν θυμάται την κοπελιά που έκανε έρωτα για πρώτη φορά? Εγώ τι νομίζετε έκανα εκείνο το βράδυ με την μουσική?
Δυστυχώς έχω το κακό συνήθειο να κολλάω σε μερικά πράγματα, οπότε στην συγκεκριμένη περίπτωση κόλλησα από τότε στο άκουσμα του Queen St. Gang, το οποίο περιπίπτοντος έπαιξε τέρμα στο μπαράκι χτες αργά το βράδυ.
Τώρα πληροφορίες περί Steve Hillage, Egg και Canterbury βρωμάει πλέον ο τόπος. Εγώ το μόνο που θα συμπληρώσω, είναι ότι ο συγκεκριμένος δίσκος άνοιξε την αυλαία του Canterbury αφού αν δεν κάνω λάθος θεωρείται ο πρώτος του είδους.
Personnel:
CLIVE BROOKS (BASIL DOWLING) drms A
MONT CAMPBELL (NJEROGI GATEGAKA) bs, vcls A
STEVE HILLAGE (SIMON SASPARELLA) gtr, vcls A
DAVE STEWART (SAM LEE-UFF) keyb'ds A
ALBUM:
1(A) ARZACHEL (Evolution Z 1003) 1969 R3
NB: (1) Also issued in the US (Roulette 42036); by Vogue (LDVS 17218) in France; by CBS in Italy in 1971; and by Bellaphon in Germany in 1972, also with a different cover. (1) has also been pirated on vinyl several times and reissued officially on CD (Drop Out DOCD 1983) 1994.
This spacey psychedelic album is notable for the involvement of Steve Hillage.
Steve Hillage, who was born on 2nd August 1951, first played in an outfit called Uriel who later evolved into Egg but by then Hillage had departed for college. When he finished college he was first in Khan and then in Kevin Ayers' touring band Decadence before joining the French-based hippie outfit Gong.
He recorded his Fish Rising album with assistance from several Gong members, much of the material which was co-written with his girlfriend Miquette Giraudy. He eventually left Gong in 1976. The same year he recorded another solo album, which was produced by Todd Rundgren in Woodstock, New York, and included members of Rundgren's band Utopia. It was critically acclaimed. His 45, It's All Too Much, was a Beatles cover.
He went on to record a series of solo albums in the late seventies with considerable recognition. In the eighties he became involved in production work. The nineties saw him recording again as leader of the loose knit dance music outfit System 7.
Musically it's at times a little over the top. But, the opening cut, Garden Of Earthly Delights is of interest and Azathoth has a rich 'church' organ backing. On side two Clean Innocent Fun previews Hillage's fine guitar work and Metempsychosis opens full of weirdness and sound effects (which recur at regular intervals throughout) before pursuing a similar vein. The latter track, in particular, begs comparison with Pink Floyd around the Saucerful Of Secrets era. Arzachel is a very keyboard-dominated album.
The group were known as Uriel until July 1968 when Hillage went off to college. The others formed Egg (July '68 - May '72) and the Arzachel album was recorded by Egg with help from Steve Hillage. When Hillage left college April '71 and returned to London he formed Khan.
Compilation appearances have included: Garden Of Earthly Delights on Circus Days Vol. 1 & 2 (CD) and Circus Days, Vol. 1 (LP); Queen Street Gang on Instro-Hipsters A Go-Go (CD).
(Vernon Joynson / Joe Rein / Jim McMaster / Gianpaolo Banelli)
Tracks:
1. Garden of Earthly Delights 2.45
Δυστυχώς έχω το κακό συνήθειο να κολλάω σε μερικά πράγματα, οπότε στην συγκεκριμένη περίπτωση κόλλησα από τότε στο άκουσμα του Queen St. Gang, το οποίο περιπίπτοντος έπαιξε τέρμα στο μπαράκι χτες αργά το βράδυ.
Τώρα πληροφορίες περί Steve Hillage, Egg και Canterbury βρωμάει πλέον ο τόπος. Εγώ το μόνο που θα συμπληρώσω, είναι ότι ο συγκεκριμένος δίσκος άνοιξε την αυλαία του Canterbury αφού αν δεν κάνω λάθος θεωρείται ο πρώτος του είδους.
Personnel:
CLIVE BROOKS (BASIL DOWLING) drms A
MONT CAMPBELL (NJEROGI GATEGAKA) bs, vcls A
STEVE HILLAGE (SIMON SASPARELLA) gtr, vcls A
DAVE STEWART (SAM LEE-UFF) keyb'ds A
ALBUM:
1(A) ARZACHEL (Evolution Z 1003) 1969 R3
NB: (1) Also issued in the US (Roulette 42036); by Vogue (LDVS 17218) in France; by CBS in Italy in 1971; and by Bellaphon in Germany in 1972, also with a different cover. (1) has also been pirated on vinyl several times and reissued officially on CD (Drop Out DOCD 1983) 1994.
This spacey psychedelic album is notable for the involvement of Steve Hillage.
Steve Hillage, who was born on 2nd August 1951, first played in an outfit called Uriel who later evolved into Egg but by then Hillage had departed for college. When he finished college he was first in Khan and then in Kevin Ayers' touring band Decadence before joining the French-based hippie outfit Gong.
He recorded his Fish Rising album with assistance from several Gong members, much of the material which was co-written with his girlfriend Miquette Giraudy. He eventually left Gong in 1976. The same year he recorded another solo album, which was produced by Todd Rundgren in Woodstock, New York, and included members of Rundgren's band Utopia. It was critically acclaimed. His 45, It's All Too Much, was a Beatles cover.
He went on to record a series of solo albums in the late seventies with considerable recognition. In the eighties he became involved in production work. The nineties saw him recording again as leader of the loose knit dance music outfit System 7.
Musically it's at times a little over the top. But, the opening cut, Garden Of Earthly Delights is of interest and Azathoth has a rich 'church' organ backing. On side two Clean Innocent Fun previews Hillage's fine guitar work and Metempsychosis opens full of weirdness and sound effects (which recur at regular intervals throughout) before pursuing a similar vein. The latter track, in particular, begs comparison with Pink Floyd around the Saucerful Of Secrets era. Arzachel is a very keyboard-dominated album.
The group were known as Uriel until July 1968 when Hillage went off to college. The others formed Egg (July '68 - May '72) and the Arzachel album was recorded by Egg with help from Steve Hillage. When Hillage left college April '71 and returned to London he formed Khan.
Compilation appearances have included: Garden Of Earthly Delights on Circus Days Vol. 1 & 2 (CD) and Circus Days, Vol. 1 (LP); Queen Street Gang on Instro-Hipsters A Go-Go (CD).
(Vernon Joynson / Joe Rein / Jim McMaster / Gianpaolo Banelli)
Tracks:
1. Garden of Earthly Delights 2.45
2. Azathoth 4.21
3. Queen St. Gang 4.25
4. Leg 5.40
5. Clean Innocent Fun 10.23
6. Metempsychosis 16.38
