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Gilli Smyth & Daevid Allen plus Ynys & Jazzy
Short Tales & Tall
Voiceprint VVP368CD || 09.2005 || £10.64
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For the children of Gong and other Planets - allegorical keys to the Gong mysteries & not
Tales by Gilli á la Mothergong's 'Fairy Tales' album, others by Daevid which are pure Planet Gong lore, and much more. It is expertly accented and beautifully illustrated throughout with samples of music and sounds from a vast range Gong related albums. Daevid's son Ynys and Gilli and Daevid's grand-daughter Jazzy both make remarkably professional recording debuts, so what with the involvement of Toby Allen (layout) & Orlando Allen (engineer/producer) it's a complete all round family affair.
The stories are from folklore and fantasy, both old and new. The first tells of how Zero found his music, and went to a strange green planet, then there are children telling tales, spooky witches, The Fisher King, The Irish Tuatha De Danaan, Mr Camembert, and others, interspersed with music, some quite familiar, from the extensive Gong family library.
Gilli's story telling voice is well known for the Taliesin story on the 1979 'Mother' album and 1980's 'Fairy Tales', followed by 'Robot Woman', 'Magenta' etc. Daevid has spoken or sung the Gong so many times, but never quite like this. This is the first album for which they tell interchanging tales of great contrast, of love gained and lost, betrayal, overcoming magical 'problems', sacrifice, fun. Not really just for little people in your life....dramatic, quirky, haunting.
There's also some lovely Daevid artwork on the triple fold-out didgi-pak and in the 16 page booklet, which contains all the words, making this an all round enchanting release.
Track Listing: Total Runtime 68.17
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The Owl and the Pussycat 2.14 (Edward Lear): Read by Ynys' charming and remarkably expert reading of the classic poem - it must be something in the Allen genes.
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The Children's Tale of Zero 6.14 (Daevid Allen): Read by Daevid. What it says on the tin - get them while they're young. With cameos from everybody and richly illustrated throughout by loads of appropriate snippets of Gong music and some sound effects.
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The Horned Women 7.41 (Trad/Gilli Smyth): Read by Gilli. (more info soon)
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Capt. Shaw and Mr Gilbert 1.16 (Daevid Allen): Read by Daevid. Probably the piece of his work Daevid has been performing longer than any other - it originally appeared in 1963's 'If Words Were Birds', his first published volume of poetry. I still have no idea what it's all about "and drank all the milk in his pockets".
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You Are A Bum 5.06 (Gilli Smyth): Read by Gilli & Tasmin. A tale of Princesses, Prince Ronald and a Dragon. (more info soon)
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The Curious Story of What Happened to Mr. Camembert When He Visited His Son in a Doggerel 7.06 (Daevid Allen): Read by Daevid. An exuberantly performance of his comic illustrated poem 'What Happened to Walter' written and drawn for his parent's visit to Deya in 1969. They had not met since the fresh-faced Daevid had left Australia 9 years before - he'd changed a bit and found a Gilli.
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Leprechauns 1.34 (Gilli Smyth): Read by Jazzy. (more info soon)
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The Garden of the Tuatha De Dannan 8.57 (Trad Irish): Read by Willi. The Irish myth (forgotten history?) of the Tuatha De Dannan (the people of the Goddess Danu) fairy folk; the fairies, pixies and brownies who inhabit the mounds, or Sidhe, of the Irish countryside.
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The Fable of A Fredfish Overheard 0.41 (Daevid Allen): Read by Daevid. (more info soon)
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The Sprightly Tailor 5.48 (Trad/Gilli Smyth): Read by Gilli. With a brief cameo appearance from Daevid. (more info soon)
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The Poppy Kettle 11.13 (Robert Ingpen): Read by Daevid. A unique disassembling, Gong-like tweaking and retelling of a folktale of Peruvian gnomes, pots and volcanos and their link with Australia. My personal favourite.
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Descent to the Underworld 6.33 (Trad/Gilli Smyth): Read by Gilli. The myth of the Sumarian goddess Inanna's descent to the underworld (the precursor of all similar myths) as she travels to the realm of the dead and claims it. However, her sister Ereshkigal, who rules the place, sentences her to death. With Inanna's death, however, nature died with her and nothing would grow anymore. Through the intervention of the god Enki she could be reborn if another person took her place. She choose her beloved consort Dumuzi, who would from then on rule the underworld every half year. With another fleeting Daevid cameo and some atmospheric backing music.
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Araby Soja 0.39: Gong. A live snippet from 2001.
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The House That Jack Built 3.08 (Trad): Read by Daevid. The CD ends with a helter-skelter rendition of the old nursery rhyme of cows with crumpled horns, crowing cocks, rat killing cats and the like.
Performers:
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Daevid Allen:
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Gilli Smyth:
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Ynys Allen:
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Jazmin Allen:
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Willy McElroy:
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