The late 1960s to early 1970s were a bizarre time in the world of music. After The Beatles released their groundbreaking album to conquer them all, the 1967 concept album release Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, nothing now could stop a band (for better or worse) from making music in the name of art, rather than just to sell units. As time gradually shifted onwards, bands could create artistic and expressive music that, by this point in time, was, in general, much better in a creative sense than the Rock Music that was there prior to that time. Progressive Rock in particular sought out a newer, more intellectual music territory than before. Gong was one of these bands that made Progressive Rock a fascinating, artistic and intellectual listening experience. Combining a listening experience of Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Rock, and some drug-influenced vibes, they were formed by Daevid Allen, who had also founded the legendary Hippie band Soft Machine just before creating this group in 1967. This album is the first in the so-called Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy of albums by the group. This album is also the first by Gong to feature legendary guitarist Steve Hillage. The album was produced by Giorgio Gomelsky and was released on Virgin Records. Recorded at The Manor Studios in Oxford, UK, it was released on 25 May 1973 with six songs and runs for nearly 40 minutes in length. Let’s warp back in time to 1973 and take a listen to this album, and we shall hear how it sounds.

1. Radio Gnome Invisible begins with some cut-up and watery nonsensical vocals and a simple and striking guitar part. This is followed by some piccolo trumpet. This is all very weird, to be fair. It quickly emerges into a very Frank Zappa-style tune, which is pretty cool. It launches into the most ridiculous and nonsensical song throughout. Unique, different and very weird, this is a strange listen throughout. Still, this is very, very good to listen to. It eventually launches into a more straightforward guitar-led groove with weird as heck vocals and saxophone throughout. This music is not at all normal-sounding, especially in the breakdown midsection. This is very, very unusual music. All in all, a wacky and creative mixture of music that sounds great. This is also bizarre beyond definition, with a grand mixture of sounds and approach throughout. However, it is all still in a Rock Music context, and it sounds awesome and great for what it is. A top-notch tune to listen to, this sounds awesome and sweet in its own way. The sounds are out of this world, and the edited vocals are futuristic and freaky. Sweet.

2. Flying Teapot segues in from the previous track and runs for nearly 12 minutes in length. It begins with some dramatic electronic sounds, which are dark but inviting. This sounds creepily weird and is a strange introduction to the centrepiece of music at hand. This tune is definitely one of the weirdest and darkest instrumental pieces that you will hear. No lyrics at this point, just freaky electronics to listen to. Awesome, though, it sounds much better than AI-generated music that is now becoming increasingly common in the 21st century. This tune is definitely weird and warped. There are some Robert Wyatt-style horn samples throughout, which are really quite different. Drums eventually enter, alongside bass guitar, and some singing emerges that sounds clever, quirky and sweet. This is obviously music designed for stoners who enjoy Progressive Rock with an attitude and difference. The horns, multitracked drums and electronics make for a completely different music listening experience. A genuinely awesome tune to listen to. Gong has made music that, although never widely popular, deserves praise and credit for its ingeniousness and creative nature. Sounding like a real LSD trip, this is a cool, quirky and above all, unusual listen. The music throughout is simply amazing to listen to. It sounds superb and sweet. This also sounds very musically accomplished and intricate. The midsection has horns galore, all over the place and loose but supercharged drumming. It eventually launches into singing about having cups of tea and other bizarre and visionary things, ongoing. In other words, this freaky music is a winner. If you lust for real artistry in a Progressive Rock context, which is bizarre, this album release is perfect for you. Absolutely amazing and beautiful in its own way. The horns are a definite reminder of Robert Wyatt’s Rock Bottom (1974) efforts, and this sounds weird, warped and wonderful. The second half continues the trippy nature of it all, with lyrical singing about going into outer space and exploring the universe. There is some seriously cool wah-wah guitar and piano throughout, with drums all over the place. This is seriously really cool. It suddenly stops, followed by the lone sound of a man crying, followed by weird Syd Barrett-style vocalisations. Percussion and whooshing sounds follow, which are really odd. The percussion continues into it all, and this tune sounds fresh yet warped. Nonetheless, it is a winner. Drum soloing follows. As we approach the very end of the tune, stop/start drums are here, and the whole thing sounds joyous. This leads into an epic finale before finishing. Brilliant.

3. The Pothead Pixies launches into a grand and excellent song with some wacky vocals stating, “I am, you are, we are…crazy!” with saxophone and Fender Stratocasters galore. This is simple, rocking and sensationally cool. This is very quirky, and it seems that, once again, Gong took a leaf out of Frank Zappa’s book. A really bizarre and sweet song about being high as a kite. 4/20 culture fans will enjoy this laugh-out-loud and top tune, which sounds really neat. The saxophone is really nice as well. In the second half is a harpsichord and a trumpet with a silly riddle-like set of rhymes. If anyone needs to light up a blunt to Progressive Rock, Gong is seriously worth consideration. An awesome three-minute-long song. Very excellent to hear. Absolutely wacky and awesome.

4. The Octave Doctors And The Crystal Machine begins with a fade-in of keyboard sounds that are dual-tracked. This is very early 1970s in outlook and approach at hand, just sounding very spacey and trance-inducing. No doubt at all that Gong were heavily into drugs, especially after the previous track confirms this. This is a simple instrumental that sounds extremely futuristic and similar to Ambient Music. Awesome, nonetheless. It fades out nicely and segues into the next track.

5. Zero The Hero And The Witch’s Spell is a nine-minute-long epic. It begins with guitar harmonics, deep basslines and a flute playing away. Drums, wah-wah guitar and strange vocals about being deeply in love emerge. This is a sensationally powerful and awesome piece of music, with many layers of sonic exploration to hear. Absolutely a great listen to hear and enjoy, this is a wall-of-sound that sounds excellent. Sustained vocals lead into the next section, and this sounds gloriously enjoyable with wacky harmonies, bongo drums and all sorts of other musical treats. This was the heyday era of Progressive Rock, with Pink Floyd issuing (arguably the greatest Progressive Rock album of all time) The Dark Side Of The Moon in the same year that this mammoth monster came out. This has a grand and interesting mixture of sounds that are descriptively beautiful to this very day. This is true professional musicianship that should be, in retrospect, explored much more often today. It is a sad fact that most of today’s under-20-year-olds do not listen retrospectively to such music. In any case, this still sounds absolutely fantastic. Obviously designed like many of their Progressive Rock peers to be listened to under the influence, Gong specialises in the trippiest and druggiest Prog out there. There is a cool breakdown with weird and delayed vocals in the midsection, with some clever and explorational sounds out there. Surely if Jimi Hendrix were still around at that point in time, he would dig this? Likely so. This has some cleverly and decently arranged sounds and textures throughout, which sound really fantastic. Loose drumming, vocals, and wah-wah guitar make this tune come nicely alive. There is a definite spirit of intellectualism and Hippie vibes throughout. Drums enter properly, and this becomes groovy and has some heavy-sounding guitar throughout. The saxophone returns as we enter the second half of the song. A very brilliant and intricate piece of sonic exploration, Gong does sound a cut above the others with this inner/outer space exploration set to sound. Bizarre but beautiful, this is a pure winner of a listen. It is highly Psychedelic as well, blurring the boundaries between the Psychedelic Rock of the late 1960s and the Progressive Rock of the early 1970s. Nonetheless, this is fantastic, even if these guys were never that commercially successful. It wraps up with a frenzied conclusion that is best to be heard, as words cannot describe how wacky and weird it is. It segues into the next tune.

6. Witches Song/I Am Your Pussy is the final tune, and begins with some wacky wah-wah guitar and saxophone, and launches into an out there tune with a lady singing about the demonic nature of sex from the lady’s perspective. This is beyond bizarre, and it would ruffle the feathers of the people who place Parental Advisory Explicit Content on albums. Some manic and evil laughter occurs, which sounds really demonic, before this launches into an instrumental section with a sweet saxophone solo to hear. Nonetheless, this is really excellent and moving to hear. Soon enough, this returns to a very King Crimson and weird tune at hand. This is beyond bizarre listening, to say the least. If you have a sense of imagination and a sense of humour, this will make total sense to hear. Still, this is certainly listenable and enjoyable, despite the weird sexual references, which are very adult to listen to. A cool tune to listen to, all the same. This simply bizarre and odd tune about animals and sexual desire makes for a strange tune. At the end is a descending bass guitar-led conclusion. Awesome.

This album is great to listen to. It is an eccentric mixture of Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Rock, drug-influenced vibes and artistic concepts. Released at the heyday of Prog, this is an album that should be heard more often by listeners out there. It is very, very weird but totally listenable and enjoyable for those who have a high IQ who want to hear music when you are stoned out of your mind. Should you listen to this album? Do give it a try, especially if you are under the influence. Fans of Punk and more traditional song-based genres will not like this, however.

Lovably eccentric and valuable in a charming British way.

9/10