Magick Brother
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| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [1] |
Magick Brother is the debut studio album by the progressive rock band Gong, recorded in Paris during September and October 1969 and released in March 1970 on the French BYG Actuel label.
The band's recently recruited bass player Christian Tritsch was not ready in time to play on the album, and so singer/songwriter/guitarist Daevid Allen played the bass guitar himself. They also made use of jazz contrabass (double bass) players Earl Freeman and Barre Phillips, who were recording for the label at the same time, on three tracks.[2] Occasional early Gong collaborator Dieter Gewissler, who normally played violin, also contributed some "free" bowed contrabass to two tracks. The LP sleeves were printed before the final track order and titles had been decided and so the songs "Rational Anthem" (AKA "Change the World") and "Glad To Sad To Say" were listed the wrong way round.[3]
Shortly afterwards, the band played its debut gig at the BYG Actuel Festival in the small town of Amougies, Belgium, on 27 October 1969, introduced to the stage by bemused compere Frank Zappa.[4]
Track listing
- Side one (Early Morning)
- "Mystic Sister" - 1:32
- "Magick Brother" – 4:44
- "Rational Anthem (Change the World)" (mislabelled as "Glad To Sad To Say") – 3:43
- "Glad To Sad To Say" (mislabelled as "Rational Anthem") – 4:09
- "Chainstore Chant" - 1:13
- "Pretty Miss Titty" – 4:06
- "Fredfish" (listed on LP label but not LP cover) / "Hope You Feel OK" – 4:33
- Side two (Late Night)
- "Ego" – 3:57
- "Gong Song" – 4:11
- "Princess Dreaming" – 2:56
- "5 & 20 Schoolgirls" – 4:30
- "Cos You Got Green Hair" – 5:05
All songs written by Daevid Allen, though credited to his partner Gilli Smyth for legal reasons.[5] Produced by Jean Georgakarakos & Jean-Luc Young.
Credits
- Daevid Allen – guitar, bass guitar, vocals
- Gilli Smyth – space whisper
- Didier Malherbe – flute, soprano saxophone
- Rachid Houari – drums, percussion
- Additional personnel
- Barre Phillips – contrabass on 4 & 10
- Earl Freeman – contrabass on 8, piano on 9
- Burton Greene – piano on 8
- Dieter Gewissler – bowed contrabass on 2 & 9
- Tasmin Smyth (Gilli's daughter) – voices on 1 & 10
References
- ^ a b "Allmusic ((( Magick Brother > Overview )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
- ^ Allen, Daevid. Gong Dreaming 2. SAF Publishing, 2009, p. 14.
- ^ Allen, Daevid. Gong Dreaming 2. SAF Publishing, 2009, p. 19.
- ^ Allen, Daevid. Gong Dreaming 2. SAF Publishing, 2009, p. 31.
- ^ Allen, Daevid. Gong Dreaming 2. SAF Publishing, 2009, p. 20.