Tim Blake

[happytheman]

Obviously his work with Gong is well known.. and I've heard of his solo album New Jerusalem over the years but had never heard it.. Seemed like every time I would search for it I would find plenty of overpriced copies on Amazon. Last night scrolling thru the Shamal thread I was reading where people had favorable reviews of the Gong spin off from the same time period Paragong. So I headed over to Amazon to find a recording Live '73 that was equally overpriced but alas I stumbled over New Jerusalem for a nice price so I downloaded it along with Waterfalls in Space (also attractively priced).. Looking forward to checking both of these releases out this weekend.. I see where he has a number of solo albums.. any others worth looking into?

[Steve F.]

I think his first one, Crystal Machine, is his best. At least for me. It's a more 'purely' electronic/space album than New Jerusalem, so it depends what you are looking for.

[happytheman]

I think his first one, Crystal Machine, is his best. At least for me. It's a more 'purely' electronic/space album than New Jerusalem, so it depends what you are looking for.

Yeah that's another one that every time I searched for it.. way overpriced.. I'll keep my eyes on that one.. Thanks!

[progman1975]

Yeah that's another one that every time I searched for it.. way overpriced.. I'll keep my eyes on that one.. Thanks!

http://moonweed.free.fr/Cds/c-machine.html

[arturs]

I like them all. Tim doesn't have much of a voice and the songwriting isn't that great. But once he gets his unique magic going with those phat moog sounds, no one else can do what he does.

I agree that right now downloading is the way to go to buy his albums. The physical cd's are too damn expensive!

[happytheman]

I like them all. Tim doesn't have much of a voice and the songwriting isn't that great. But once he gets his unique magic going with those phat moog sounds, no one else can do what he does.

I agree that right now downloading is the way to go to buy his albums. The physical cd's are too damn expensive!

Yeah cheapest for Crystal Machine on Amazon is $48 I picked up New Jerusalem for just under $6 and Waterfalls in Space for under $2. Several of his other albums were in the $7-$9 range which is very reasonable..

[GuitarGeek]

For me, one of the highlights of the 2006 Gong Family Unconvention in Amsterdam, was hearing Tim play New Jerusalem live. That was awesome!

[strawberrybrick]

It's unfortunate that Crystal Machine wasn't the best recording.

[happytheman]

Thumbs up on New Jerusalem enjoyed that one.. Waterfalls has it moments...

[spacefreak]

Love the more song-oriented New Jerusalem. It has the classic "Lighthouse" that became a Hawkwind live favorite during his short stint with that band. Also, the dreamy space folk of "Song for a New Age", covered by the incarnation of Hawkwind Light Orchestra some 34 years later.

Crystal Machine is equally interesting and sits in an entirely electronic style. He toured heavily this album and was one of the very first acts to use laser lightning on stage.

[strawberrybrick]

Love the more song-oriented New Jerusalem. It has the classic "Lighthouse" that became a Hawkwind live favorite during his short stint with that band. Also, the dreamy space folk of "Song for a New Age", covered by the incarnation of Hawkwind Light Orchestra some 34 years later.

Tim's spent the better part of the last 15 years with Hawkwind!

[spacefreak]

Tim's spent the better part of the last 15 years with Hawkwind!

Yes, by "short stint" I referred to the 11/2 years he spent with them in the fall of the 70s.

[Mr.Krautman]

Tim didn't produced much solo works but Crystal Machine and New Jerusalem are essential gems in the electro-space-cosmic genre. The latter is a very accessible and pleasant recording, especially the tittle track which I still enjoy and listen regularly. It's a real shame these records are no longer available in CD format and probably never will, as Tim seems to favour (mp3) digital downloads only. Someone (Mark ? Steve ?) should make some deal with him and re-issue/remaster these two classics which are in demand.

[Steve F.]

Someone (Mark ? Steve ?) should make some deal with him and re-issue/remaster these two classics which are in demand.

They are not in demand except by a few people here.

[zeprogmeister]

Great synthesist, awful singer.

[strawberrybrick]

They are not in demand except by a few people here.

I also can't imagine anyone *willingly* going into a financial partnership with Tim. I say this with a smile, his legend doth proceed him!

[GuitarGeek]

Tim didn't produced much solo works but Crystal Machine and New Jerusalem are essential gems in the electro-space-cosmic genre. The latter is a very accessible and pleasant recording, especially the tittle track which I still enjoy and listen regularly. It's a real shame these records are no longer available in CD format and probably never will, as Tim seems to favour (mp3) digital downloads only.

There's financial reasons for that. There's probably a less overhead to put an album up on a server and charge whatever price for said download, than to enter into any business arrangement to have CD's pressed and sent out to distributors, etc.

[Sunlight Caller]

Before this thread I had totally forgotten seeing him with Hawkind in the late 70's, at The Rainbow I now recall. Must have been something in the air that night

I have one other Tim Blake album, can't recall its title other than the word "Magick" I have it on CD but also can't remember anything about the music. Seems to be a theme here!


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[Udi Koomran]

Daevid's Glissando Gilli's Spacewhisper and Moonweed's crystal Machine were the 3 pillars that gave gong that spacey signature
easily my fav synthesist
I do like his first solos and his contributions to Fish Rising , and Clearlight Symphony
but His post Gong synths don't come close to what he did in Gong

[Udi Koomran]

For fans here is some good stuff
Saratoga Space Messengers - Obscure 7's single from the 70's

https://youtu.be/-tdTa8-Qc5I

New Jerusalem on French TV

https://youtu.be/lasx7jcf_S0

His solo at The first Gong reunion Hippodrome, Paris, 1977
https://youtu.be/3nG3Vgu5Hwo

[spacefreak]

They are not in demand except by a few people here.

...out of which only 1/2 will buy physical

[calyx]

His solo at The first Gong reunion Hippodrome, Paris, 1977
https://youtu.be/3nG3Vgu5Hwo

This doesn't appear to be from the Gong reunion (this would have Jorge Pinchevsky guesting on violin) but from another (or more) show(s), maybe at the Hippodrome, which was a venue Tim played several times during that period, as it was run by his good friend Jacques Pasquier (former manager for Crium Delirium and touring agent for Rock Pas Gaga which represented Gong, Magma and others in the early-mid 1970s).

[Steve F.]

For fans here is some good stuff <snip>
His solo at The first Gong reunion Hippodrome, Paris, 1977
https://youtu.be/3nG3Vgu5Hwo

Thanks! I very much enjoyed getting to hear this!!