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Syzygy View Drop Down
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Posts: 6387 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Gong Essay for "Death as a Fact of Life"
    Posted: December 04 2007 at 18:54
Originally posted by Bluesaga

Awesome essay, very insightful.  I love Gong, but every time I end up listening to them I'm so overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the music I can't even focus on the lyrics, so it's nice seeing an analysis.

Originally posted by The Lost Chord

Also, I was a bit rushed in writing this essay but I feel confident in getting a message across to some degree...The essay was only supposed to be 6 pages double spaced, mine ending up at 16 pages, and I still felt I left out alot of intentions.  Overall, I am satisfied and hope you enjoy it and can share it, if not the essay, at least some love!Big%20smile

That's pretty admirable, often I'm not even motivated enough to write any more than the bare minimum or even to revise my essays...  I'm sure if I could write about topics I were passionate in, I'd have a much greater drive.  Anyway, I'm curious, how long did it take you to write this?
 
Nice Art Bears pic in your signature, Bluesaga; I think it was taken at Kirchborg studios in Switzerland during the recording of Winter Songs.
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micky View Drop Down
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Posts: 27740 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2007 at 19:05
wow helluva job Brian..lets see... yeah why not..

5 clappies.. for a masterpiece of Prog Archives blogging... next to Andrea's matchless RPI entry.. the most informative blog one I've seen here... then again.. I knew really nothing of them before hand.. just a a bunch of freaky hippies...

ClapClapClapClapClap

....  I remember there was some thread.. several months ago about which 'biggest' prog band have you never heard or some sh*t like that.  I posted Gong.  That was highly ..highly informative.. considering my own personal thoughts on many of the things they talk about Brian.  Nice post....  I'll see about getting that trilogy... probably long overdue anyway.

Edited by micky - December 04 2007 at 19:05
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Posts: 8890 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2007 at 19:27
Originally posted by Syzygy

Originally posted by Bluesaga

Awesome essay, very insightful.  I love Gong, but every time I end up listening to them I'm so overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the music I can't even focus on the lyrics, so it's nice seeing an analysis.

Originally posted by The Lost Chord

Also, I was a bit rushed in writing this essay but I feel confident in getting a message across to some degree...The essay was only supposed to be 6 pages double spaced, mine ending up at 16 pages, and I still felt I left out alot of intentions.  Overall, I am satisfied and hope you enjoy it and can share it, if not the essay, at least some love!Big%20smile

That's pretty admirable, often I'm not even motivated enough to write any more than the bare minimum or even to revise my essays...  I'm sure if I could write about topics I were passionate in, I'd have a much greater drive.  Anyway, I'm curious, how long did it take you to write this?
 
Nice Art Bears pic in your signature, Bluesaga; I think it was taken at Kirchborg studios in Switzerland during the recording of Winter Songs.

Thanks.  I've only recently gotten into them, bought Winter Songs and The World as it is Today on vinyl and really enjoy them.  I'm asking for Art Box for Christmas, can't wait to hear it.
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Posts: 156 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2007 at 23:47
Nicely done dude... your paper is well written. GonG definately had some wonderful ideas and ideals that are important to consider and embrace... Not to mention their music, sophisticated and inventive, simply brilliant. Good Job
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Posts: 27745 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 04 2007 at 23:54
Originally posted by micky

   I'll see about getting that trilogy... probably long overdue anyway.


They're all great, but "You" is 5+ stars, one of the greatest albums I've ever heard.  I consider it their masterpiece, essential for every prog collection.
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Posts: 27740 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 05 2007 at 00:02
Originally posted by NaturalScience

Originally posted by micky

   I'll see about getting that trilogy... probably long overdue anyway.


They're all great, but "You" is 5+ stars, one of the greatest albums I've ever heard.  I consider it their masterpiece, essential for every prog collection.


I've known it's been a hole in my collecton... but really wasn't inspired to get on with buying something from them until reading this.  I'll get that one... thanks Pat
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Posts: 1909 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 05 2007 at 02:15
Man, thanks for reading this, guys!  I actually worked on the actual essay vigorously for about a month.  But my Gong interest have gone on past a year.  So, in the end it wasn't too difficult to "understand" what I wanted to portray, but then again I am a Finance major and NEVER write essays, so writing this was unfirmiliar at times.
 
I was definitely rushed, but as I said for what its worth I like it.  If I could I'd write alot more, maybe another time...it is really hard to get the deep insights and ideas of this whole theme out there, I hope I got at least a part of it in the text.
 
You guys are awesome, made me feel really great reading your comments, thanks a ton, and of course couldn't have done it without the actuality that is GONG, hippie concepts, love, peace and music!  Thanks to that first and foremost!!Clap
 
Peace guys!
 
P.S.! Micky, I'm glad to know this paper inspired some interest for you in Gong...defnitely check out everything you can!  I started with Radio Gnome 1, and still consider it a good, safe start...but then again, you're no casual music fan, so anything is good...get it all, and hopefuly you enjoy what you hear!  Nevertheless, great philosophies in there!Embarrassed


Edited by The Lost Chord - December 05 2007 at 02:26
"Only the sun knew why"
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Posts: 163 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 05 2007 at 18:36
Great essay, well-written and insightful.  It's nice to read a serious essay about one of my favorite bands!  Just out of curiosity, did you include a bibliography in the final copy?
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Posts: 1909 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 05 2007 at 20:09

Yes.  I was intent on posting that here but completely forgot, but here it is and thanks for reminding me!  Also, thanks for reading and the kind word!!Big%20smile

 

Bibliography

 

1)      Strassman Md, Rick. DMT: the Spirit Molecule. Park Street Press, 2000.

 

2)      Dobkin De Rios, Marlene, and Oscar Janiger. LSD: Spirituality and the Creative Process. Park Street Press, 2003.

 

3)      Huxley, Aldous. The Doors of Perception & Heaven and Hell. Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2004.

 

4)      Miles, Barry. Hippie. Sterling, 2005.

 

5)      Roy, Maxime, and Ronald Couture. "Progressive Rock Ultimate Discography." Prog Archives. 2 Nov. 2007 <http://www.progarchives.com>.

 

6)      Php. "Cyber-Home of Gong, GAS and Gliss." Planet Gong. 28 Oct. 2007 <http://www.planetgong.co.uk/>.

 

7)      Montserrat 1973 and Other Stories. Dir. Gong. Perf. Gong, Daevid Allen, Acid Mothers Gong. DVD. DVD Voiceprint, 2006.

 

8)      Classic Rock Legends: Gong. Dir. Gong. Perf. Gong. DVD. Classic Rock Legends, 2000.

 

9)      "Gong Mythology." Wikipedia. Oct.-Nov. 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gong_mythology>.

 

10)  Gong. Radio Gnome Invisible Trilogy. Rec. 1973. Virgin, 1973.

 

11)  Hill, Brennan R. Jesus, the Christ: Contemporary Perspectives. Twenty-Third Publications, 2004.

 

This may be an old Biblio because I had a #12 and it was blank, I can't seem to find the complete one but it is only missing that 12th source, sorry!
"Only the sun knew why"
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Posts: 15523 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 06 2007 at 11:11
I just want to point out a minor mistake.

The title of this thread is Gong Essay for "Death as a Fact of Life" but the essay posted has the title "Life as a Fact of Death".

It's an interesting essay, Brian. You really conveyed your enthusiasm in your writing. Clap
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Posts: 1909 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 06 2007 at 16:50
Originally posted by progismylife

I just want to point out a minor mistake.

The title of this thread is Gong Essay for "Death as a Fact of Life" but the essay posted has the title "Life as a Fact of Death".

It's an interesting essay, Brian. You really conveyed your enthusiasm in your writing. Clap
 
Thanks for the kindness, Progismylife!  You may be suprised to know, the title for the essay was inspired by the name of the class.  I figured switching the name of the class was pretty clever, and it also evokes the message of the essay perfectly.  Not a mistake by any means!  I was thinking in Gong terms, and the title of the essay being a switch on the class name is something somehow Gongish in presentation, somewhat humorous but powerful and intriguing as well!
"Only the sun knew why"
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Posts: 497 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 07 2007 at 09:24
Althought i dont finish reading your essay yet, i can say that is really interesting topic and very well-written text. As happened to others you sparked my interest in gong! Great job!

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Posts: 75 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 07 2007 at 15:16
Ugh, I use a book by Brennan R. Hill in my Religious Studies class.... I'm not going to even talk about what I think of that book.

Great work, your paper gave me hope as I wrote my research paper on good ol' Frank Zappa. The paper inspired me to go out and find some Gong stuff.
Prog... It's good.
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The Lost Chord View Drop Down
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Posts: 1909 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 07 2007 at 15:36
Wow, awesome to hear this inspired some of you guys...thanks alot for those comments!
 
Hope you can enjoy what you pick up, if it isn't obvious enough how I feel, Gong is brilliance, buy everything!LOL
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Posts: 43777 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 08 2007 at 11:32

Nice essay TLC.  It is cool to have that certain band whose music really speaks to you like Gong does for you.  Personally, I've only recently dabbled in Gong with a Best of Gong compilation.  Since the various albums tell a story, a compilation album probably doesn't do a band like Gong justice.
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Posts: 3445 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 23 2007 at 12:31
Impressiv.. i havent read it but yust looking at the titles gives me headech. Wink
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Posts: 1909 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 26 2007 at 11:01

Thanks for all the comments again, guys!  Always nice to see some interest in thisHug
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