Shamal is a good album but I much prefer the next two when I get in the mood for some fusion-y Gong material.
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
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When was Shamal released? There is some conflicting information on the internet about it. Some sources say 1975, some point to 1976. Does anyone here know for sure?
My progressive music site: https://pienemmatpurot.com/ Reviews in English: https://pienemmatpurot.com/in-english/
I can't recall if Fish Rising was released before Shamal or after it. I know that some members on Shamal played with Gong in '74 and can be heard on the live '74 Oslo CD. An interesting transitional period for Gong. Steve Hillage performs material written for Fish Rising at that concert, so perhaps Fish Rising was released between YOU and Shamal? Shamal contains beautiful instrumentals . No doubt. Mike Howlett on vocals is not my preference to be, but it's a very good album with a unique approach and differs greatly from You, Fish Rising, and the later releases such as Expresso II . It's unique to own it because it's during a transitional period that began around the time of the Oslo '74 concert with Allen and Hillage sharing more of the songwriting and the instrumental end of things becoming a form of masculinity. As a result, Daevid Allen departed because he was disenchanted with the musicians in the band being like a bunch of stunt car drivers. A shame though because Allen did fit nicely over top of that expansion that...at the time...had progressed much further than Angel's Egg. So he left to record Good Morning. Shamal is cool because it put a definite stamp on precisely what direction the Gong band wanted to take. I loved the Radio Gnome Trilogy, but this period of Gong , where music was exploring different expanding ideas fascinated me.
I have some encyclopedia who mention 1976, while discogs goes for 1975.
According to http://www.calyx-canterbury.fr/gong/index.html it was released on Febr. 13 1976.
Maybe the conflict is cause by a "©1975" on the album-cover?
B.t.w. discogs gives 1976 for Gazeuse/Expresso, while that one was released Jan. 1977 according to Calyx.
My copy(Virgin) has P 1976 on the cover though.
February 1976
Thank you! I will go with that 1976!
My progressive music site: https://pienemmatpurot.com/ Reviews in English: https://pienemmatpurot.com/in-english/
Somehow underrated nowadays but it is one of "must have" albums of the 1970s Progressive rock.
John Kelman
Senior Contributor, All About Jazz since 2004
Freelance writer/photographer
'Gazeuse!' is surely one of the best Jazz-Rock albums of the Seventies and beyond, while 'Shamal', with a touch of Jazz-Rock, is one of the very best Progressive rock albums ever recorded. Some people don't like 'Shamal', I presume, mostly due to lack of Daevid Allen in personnel that recorded that album masterfully produced by Nick Mason from Pink Floyd. And 'Gazeuse!' for them "isn't GonG". Well, that's their right to be pathetic, but both albums are phenomenal without a question.
I always loved the opening track at the most as well. Progressive rock in all of its glory!
for me, the Tuned Percussion takes Gong to another level. As much as I love YOU, the next 5 albums with Pierre are also outstanding
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
I love Daevid Allen era but Shamal is my favourite Gong album anyway. There is something really unique about the style and atmosphere of the album that never fails to impress me. Brilliant production by Nick Mason also helps! Great album!
After this Moerlen took the charge completely and even if there is some nice music on those albums too they don't thrill me much.
My progressive music site: https://pienemmatpurot.com/ Reviews in English: https://pienemmatpurot.com/in-english/
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