GONG LIVE, ETC

Live Etc is an erratic ensemble of live cuts, sessions and some studio out take tracks, or at least under developed studio cuts including the ridiculously titled "Obby-Sccoby Doomsday Or The D-Day DJ'S Got The D.D.T. Blues", which was to be issued as commercial type singles as if the band needed that to tarnish their image and make some money by such endeavors. While the Daevid Allen line up is regarded as the definitive Gong, I personally get more satisfaction for the last side of this double album. The Steve Hillage line up which played tight funky fusion and without the zany and at times annoying lyric assaults of Allen which were distracting at the best of times. Sure singing about gnomes, pothead pixies and flying teapots is fun, but it's also fun to hear some good grooves without any outrageous drug influenced nonsense. "Isle Of Everywhere", recorded live at the Marquee, is free from any vocals and is all the better for it. It groves on for just over 10 minutes and is more entrancing and hypnotic than any of the so called lysergic which fuelled Allen's lyrics, "Mater Builder" also from the same Marquee gig gets included. But then most of the You album, from which this also originally appeared, was strong, well constructed material which could be seen as the bands peak as they soon started to fragment. Much of the sound quality is average, lacking a dynamic which only diminishes the talent and textures of the band and though Live Etc does come across as a half thought out mess. It is still worth a listen and for Gong first timers it gives an account of changes the went through regarding line ups and development from the early days right though to 1977.