RADIO GNOME INVISIBLE PART 1 - FLYING TEAPOT

"Then when you're receiving, Perceiving your telepathic powers, Who knows why the wind blows through this window, Why you believe in me, We believe in you..." What the heck is this? Oh, just the first track of the first part of the infamous Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy, that's all. Only the most important Gong series of albums ever. This one was followed by the equally wonderful Angel's Egg and the masterpiece to end this You. The first album is a real trip introducing us to the 'invisible ideological empire' of Pot Head Pixies, Zero the Hero, The Octave Doctors and of course the Space Witch.

Gong are eternally surreal cosmic adventurers who always strive to produce the wackiest spaced out music on the planet. Gong were more than travelling Felini-esque circus, more than avant-garde musicians, more than cosmic clowns, or space rocking infidels, they were on another planet altogether. I read those thoughts somewhere but they are worth repeating.

Second track is as strange. The title track; "If you feel belief hi Pete, I got a story to tell you, Of a band of little green men, From a far away planet, If you want to know about love, Then ask the wee geezer, He can teach you telepathy, He can read your mind backwards, If you try to do the cat in You can only be a loser, Paranoia never touch him, He's got ways of laughter..." I don't know what else needs to be said. The music is worth mentioning consisting of a hyper psychedelic groove and very weird instrumentation. Daevid Allen is the guitarist, Francis Bacon plays VCS3 synth, electric & upright pianos, bass, Tim Blake plays the VCS3 synth, crystal machine, and Steve Hillage is the chief guitarist. He was the member that made the difference to the transition from underground pysch act to bonafide consummate professional Canterbury stars. Hillage's spacey glissando guitar is incredible, and he works in beautifully with the soundscape of Blakes keyboards creating an ethereal spacey quality that lifts each track to the stratosphere. He had a wonderful solo career after his stint with Gong, but he will always be remembered for this trilogy. The sax by Didier Malherbe is dreamy and surreal. As for Gilli Smyth... we will get to her later.

Next track, The Pot Head Pixies has tantalising sounds and lyrics to smoke a joint to, though I never indulged, "They got a Flying Teapot, don't need a taxi I am you are we are crazy! They're from the planet of love, the Pot Head Pixies, I am you are we are crazy! Ding dang dong, singing the song, it's pretty catchy..." It is really, a great catchy Gong sing-a-long song with a druggy philosophy. The sax is fun and disjointed sporadic drumming works along with those guitar swells. The way the women vocalise "crazy" is memorable and humorous. This may be their funniest song yet it is seriously well played instrumentally.

'The Octave Doctors And The Crystal Machine' is a short burst of sound, a spaced out instrumental, a synth soaked ambient queasy sound that hooks into you at a subconscious level. it has no time signature and is curiously cold and Tangerine Dream like compared to other Gong tracks. A nice transition to the next:

'Zero the Hero and the Witch's Spell' is very odd, the time sig is slow and the vocals are painful sustained cries; "I love your faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace, I love your spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace, I love your rays baby, And if you like I'll stay toniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight!". The sax that follows is fractured, zany and off kilter, but you will like this if you are into psych prog. I heard this many times live on "Live Etc" and always felt this was one o f the best Gong moments. There is an extended surreal section with ghostly moans and a hypnotic creepy riff, free form anti music, dysfunctional music at its highest level, this has to be heard at least once.

How does all this end? It doesn't really but the last track to finish the first part of the trilogy is delightful. 'Witch's Song/ I Am Your Pussy' stands out as do all of Smyth's contributions. Gilli Smyth plays the orgone accumulator er... orgone box, and of course is billed as the space whisperer. On this she sings the erotically charged 'I Am Your Pussy'. My cat likes this. The lyrics are orgasmically nasty; "I am your pussy, You are my tramp... Mioaw... mioaw... mioaw... You can be a cat too, Shadow tied to a tree, Sometimes I slide away To be free, Cover you with a warm dark mothering, Fill you with animal love..." . She is proud to be the space witch of the Planet Gong universe. She was heard on "Camembert Electrique" with 'I Am Your Animal' and will return on "Angel's Egg" with the 'Prostitute Poem'. She basically sings in sexy whispers and sounds quite intoxicating. "Be careful or I might scratch you" , Smyth whispers sardonically and this is followed by manic witchy laughter. You have to be in the mood, but its delirious disturbing fun.

So this is perhaps the weaker album of the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy but still excellent showing how good this trilogy is. The first part seems to descend to darker atmospherics as the album progresses. I have not done it yet, but I think to hear this trilogy end to end would be a stimulating experience. None of the parts of the trilogy are dispensable, all have equal value, and I think they are outstanding examples of Canterbury psychedelia at its best.

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