DVD/CD double package of early '90's Gong band

Recorded in London in May 1991 Gongmaison was the transition, stepping stone band to full on Gong (it was decided to resume the Gong name when Pip Pyle came on board making 3 original band members, along side daevid and Didier in the line-up). This outfit was many younger person's introduction to a Gong band live as we toured extensively in the UK and Europe in the early '90's, and of course the rather wonderful 'Shapeshifter' album was recorded at the end of this period.

With the Voiceprint DVD edition of this concert out of pressing this is currently the only way to get hold of footage of this London concert, and to give it it's due, quite good record of the event. I remember being an excited part of the video mixing along with daevid one warm sunny day at a studio over-looking Winchester Catherdral green back in 1991. The 'bonus' audio CD included is also the first time the concert has been made available in such form - but more about that in a minute. So much for the bare facts of the release...unfortunately the background to this DVD/CD appears to be a bit murky.

A few months ago I brought 50 copies of this release, which has been out and about for quite a while, from one of my regular distributors in the hope that 'the Biz' had been properly done somewhere along the line - but it was cheap, so perhaps I should of known better (Music biz factoid No. 23 - if it's cheap then only people not receiving any money from sales will be the creators, the musicians). It's taken me until now to list it in the Kasbah because I find the whole thing rather disheartening.

Plenty of dumb stuff about this: None of the musicians I have asked so far (most of them) know anything about this release, so leaving aside any other issues that arise from that fact - no-one gave permission for an audio CD to be drawn from the film soundtrack. There are no writing or publishing credits on the packaging - so you could be right to assume that no MCPS publishing royalties will ever be paid despite the appearance of an MCPS logo. No-one in the band would have sanctioned that cover. Go and try and find out what you can about Landmark on the net, I can find very little about them, etc, etc...

What can I say - something pretty good wrapped in a dumb, ugly package which smells of uncaring petty avarice. I find myself in the position of having to sell the copies I have, unfortunately I can't afford to just chuck them, but I certainly don't want this to be seen as condoning this kind of release. And of course one never looses hope that whoever has done this has a change of heart one day and makes good the mistake

If you want what is actually a good Gong DVD (I haven't played the CD yet), and one which if you buy it here at least supports the artists by enabling PlanetGong to chug along, and you were going to buy it anyway - well here they are.

1. Fohat
2. Banana Award
3. Pretty Miss Titty
4. Om Riff
5. Esque Je Suis
6. Radio Gnome
7. Oh Mother/Longshanks
8. Dynamite
9. Didier Interview
10. Shepherd of the Clouds
11. Kaliplege
12. Selene
13. You and I

1. Fohat
2. Banana Award
3. Pretty Miss Titty
4. Esque Je Suis
5. Radio Gnome
6. Oh Mother/Longshanks
7. Dynamite
8. Shepherd of the Clouds
9. Kaliplege
10. Selene
11. You and I

• daevid allen: Guitar, glissando guitar, vocals
• Didier Malherbe: Saxophones, flute, WX7
• Graham Clark: Violin
• Shyamal Maïtra: Drums, percussion, tablas
• Keith Missile: Bass, vocals