brief GAS history
established 1976- 2023
- …is year 47 of the GAS tightrope walk between the physical, bees-knees world and the twinkling, shape-shifting concept known as Gong. All who have run GAS have done so more as an act of faith than anything else, responding to the soul-call that somehow unites the Gong network. This mission invariably takes huge amounts of energy on every level, not to mention a risk to one's sanity - however I am sure none of the past guardians would swap their time at the helm (although who is really steering this baby?) for anything else. Here I acknowledge them, holy fooles though I know each and every one of them to be.
- GAS?…
- Gong's Amigos of Sound… Golden Armadillo Sisterhood… Giggling Acid Survivors… Gaia's Ancient Soothsayers… Girls Against Sausages… Gurus Are Sus… Great Assembly of Spaceheads… Gong Appreciation Society… pick your own interpretation, or make up one to suit your s'elf.
- GAS
- …from Dutch 'gas', probably from Greek khaos 'empty space' (see also 'chaos'). Sense of 'empty talk' is from 1847. Anglo-Irish 'fun, a joke', used by Joyce. Slang meaning 'something exciting or excellent' from earlier hepster 'gasser'. [cetacean needed]
- 1976-77, Brighton
- Chyme, Grant Showbiz and Bella. Chyme now works as an alternative therapy practitioner. Showbiz was Here & Now's very own Octave Doctor, before twiddling the knobs for the Smiths, and others. He is a member of Moodswings and Blue Midnight and runs the occassional rather splendid club. Currently working with with, amongst others, The Right Honourable William Bragg of Barking - Billy to his mates.
- 1977-79, North Devon
- Harry Williamson and Gilli Smyth. Harry, for so many years the musical centre of Mother Gong, now lives and works in Melbourne, Australia running his own successful recording studio and of course is always making music.
- 1979-82, North Devon
- Ark Redwood. Aardvark (as he was then known) ran GAS from Oxford Cross, Harry Williamson's house in North Devon, until Harry and Gilli left for Australia. Ark is now the head gardener at the sacred Chalice Well Gardens at the foot of Glastonbury Tor.
- 1982-85, deepest Devon
- Brian Zero. Brian plays guitar with the UK Invisible Opera Co. of Tibet, Riven (with Nigel Shaw and Carolyn Hillier) and his own band, Vamp, with partner Jackie Juno. He released his first solo CD, Tara, in 2004. He still lives in Devon.
- 1985, Devon
- Pete Barnes and Jake. Sadly, Pete and Jake have both gone before.
- 1986-88, deeper Devon
- Brian Zero. Sweet mother of God he came back for more! (Brian rescued it, actually.)
- 1988-89, Yorkshire
- Rob Ayling and Barbara Kirk. Rob Ayling ran the Voiceprint/Zeit Distribution empire from the northeast of England, and believed in the music business… which then ate him. Babs lives in W.Yorkshire, very happily I hope.
- 1989-91, Somerset
- Harry Williamson and Jonny Greene. A bit of another rescue job. Oh how we wobble along.
- 1991 to present, Glastonbury
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Jonny Greene takes GAS on as the first full-time helmsman, since aided by the likes of Blaiddwyn, Friday, Tim Flatus, Vicki Purple, Peter Hartl, Jonny's partner Su-fi, and a great many Gongsters around the Planet.
Over the years this line of GAS ‘world trees’ have been supported by an almost endless list of family, friends and household pets from every country - Mike Howlett, David Id, Basil Brooks, Mark Robson, Steve Gay, Bob Delvishio, Rick Chafen, Michael Clare, Fabio Golfetti, Craig Mitchell, George Ottinger, Jessica (Fi-Fi le Bon Bon) Checler, Manfred Bress, Phil Howitt, and Graham Hinton to name a small but a few.
An Avenue of Bowing Gnomes,
A Mighty Ringing of Gongs, and
The Order of the Sacred Golden Banana
To each and every one of You!May your camel never stumble.