Search - Gong :: Continental Circus

GONG AT THEIR BEST, UNRATED, EARLY PROGRESSIVE GEM

Chadelle Jean-Baptiste | Sireuil France | 05/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unrecognized album, recorded in 1971, between Magick Brother and Camembert Electrique. Continental Circus is the soundtrack to Jerome Laperrousaz' documentary about motorcycle. This album freature some of the best Gong material: Blues For Findlay and the masterpiece What Do You Want, intense, mind-blowing, the perfect answer to Astronomy Dominee and Interstellar Overdrive. This album hallow Gong to become the best progressive group of the early 70's."

Why is this album so overlooked?

BENJAMIN MILER | Veneta, Oregon | 12/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're a Gong fan, you absolutely need Continental Circus, a 1971 film soundtrack. This album was originally released on Philips, and is the first Gong release that's more the Gong we all know and love. This was the same lineup to give us Camembert Electrique, which for many, is considered the first real Gong album (although I think Continental Circus is every much a Gong album as Camembert). Their previous offering, Magick Brother was essentially a Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth album (but also billed as a Gong album) with help from mainly musicians I'm not familiar with. But with Continental Circus, the group consisted of Allen, Smyth, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, and Christian Tritsch. This one, along with 1974's You was one of the Daevid Allen-era albums that is the least vocal-dominated. The movie this soundtrack is based on is apparently about a motorcycle racer, so obviously no references to the Planet Gong or the Pot Head Pixies. But all the elements of Gong are here: Daevid Allen's unmistakable voice and glissando guitar, and Gilli Smyth space whisper. The album consisted of four extended cuts. "Blues For Findlay" describes the motorcycle racer, but consists of some great extended jams and glissando guitar. "What Do You Want" is a fantastic piece, and is familiar to all familiar with Camembert Electrique, because this piece was later reused as "Fohat Digs Holes in Space". "Blues For Findlay (Instrumental)" is the closing piece and is largely an instrumental space jam. This album demonstrates that Gong started getting their stuff together. This is really an underrated and overlooked album in the Gong canon, but it's still very much a must have in my book!"

Gong - 'Continental Circus' (New Rose)

Mike Reed | USA | 12/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"'Continental Circus' was a movie soundtrack that Gong apparently worked on,a film about the 1970 Grand Prix.This is a lesser known Gong CD,that is well worth getting a copy of,that is if you're a Gong fan,like myself.The album originally saw the light of day right between the time they put out 'Camembert Electrique' and 'Angel's Egg',so we're talking REAL vintage here,folks.About 1971.Noticed that most of the music here(four tracks,34 minutes)are more guitar dominated than other Gong lp's.The cuts I enjoyed the most were the two different versions of "Blues For Finland".Both the eleven-minute piece of cosmic work-out as well as the nine-minute instrumental track.Very well done.Not a bad disc to trip on.Recommended."