Daevid Allen (Gong) Bananamoon Obscura 2006

The Bananamoon Obscura series is a set of limited edition discs released by Daevid through the Voiceprint label. They are not mainstream releases, but intended for collectors and die-hard fans. If you're a Daevid Allen (or Gong) freak then you'll want to hear these recordings!

Some of them are so far out (man!) that they'd obviously only appeal to a narrow section of Daevid's audience. Others are very good examples of what we've come to expect from the Divided Alien, but remained in the archives because they were either too similar to stuff that was already released, or the recording quality didn't cut the mustard.

If you're new to Daevid's work, I'd suggest you take a look at the brilliant post by user "poor" and check-out what's in there first.
If you're a true pot-head-pixie…



A cracking set, Dingo Virgin all on his own accompanied by acoustic guitar for most of the set. there's a bit of electric guitar in there too. The old hippy really spits out his protest songs with venom - he's certainly on top form. I guess the reason this wasn't released fully was due to the poor sound quality of the recording - there's a noticeable hiss throughout, although this doesn't really distract from the quality of the performance. We only get a short section of Rich Man Eat My Voice too, so perhaps the tape got mangled at the start of the gig (or somebody forgot to press the button?). The final track is an absolutely blinding rendition of Hours Gone - the best version I've heard. It will blow you away!

01. Rich Man Eat My Voice
02. High Points of Our Lives
03. O My Poor Brothers
04. Unriddle Me Gliss Then
05. Shadow
06. Age Cage
07. My Penis is Not Ageing
08. Relationship of Fools
09. Turn of the Road
10. Shaun's Birthday Cheer
11. Magick of the Circle
12. Magick Brother
13. Hours Gone

Axiom part 1

Axiom part 2

or on Megaupload: part 1 part 2






The sound on this one is excellent. A selection of run-throughs and out-takes from studio sessions in 1990. You'll be familiar with most of the tracks, but probably not with these arrangements; Magic of the Circle has a particularly jaunty feel to it.

"Possibly the best sound collection of studio work in the Obscura sound series for Gong main-man Daevid Allen lies with this set of Australian recordings from 1990 which for some reason were never released!…Overall this is one of the most proper Gong offshoot projects that I have heard and simply one of Allen's best solo offerings in this series. I highly recommend these recordings to the Gong faithful as well as to fans of singer/songwriters whom incorporate non-standard arrangements." Jeff Melton, Expose

01. Bopera 32
02. Magic of the Circle
03. Negotiate
04. Garden Song
05. Trial By Headline
06. Bopera 2
07. Lolli Song
08. Never Too Late
09. Here and Now I Will Allow
10. I Am My Own Roadie

Melbourne part 1

Melbourne part 2

or using Megaupload: part 1 part 2






…and now it gets interesting!
Bert Camembert is joined by "dAS" on number 7 in the Bananamoon series, fittingly entitled "The Mystery Disque". If you believe the blurb, this is a gleeful pataphysical encounter with a mysterious creator of BIG CITY ORCH in SFOakland. Which tells us absolutely nothing (and, at the same time, everything). The opening track, as you might've guessed, is a mangled, high-pitch version of the King Crimson song. It goes further out there with each track, ending on the wonderful No Udder which is just… well, what can I say? :¬)
Just listen to the madness - StuckInMyBrain will live up to its name for sure…

01. 21c Progrok
02. Clown Is Petrol
03. Master Freek
04. Barnicool Bill
05. Not Smiling…
06. Artscrew
07. Stuckinmybrain
08. I Planet
09. No Udder…

(I'll try to figure it out some day), so here it is as an MP3 @ 320kbps here or Megaupload






Methinks someone is a little tetchy…
Here we have Cotton Casino and Kawabata Makoto from Acid Mothers Temple making a right racket with the Aussie somewhere in the middle, thoroughly enjoying himself. The notes claim this was the first spontaneous concert by this particular little combo, and they're certainly having fun! The sub-title of this disc is "Beauty and the Basket Case" which pretty much sums-up what your ears are letting themselves in for. Be prepared (he he). Recorded off the board (it sez so here!) so it's a good'un. Happy happy happy…

01. Coolbrow Cathartonica (Boiled Egglake)
02. Thus Spake Lady Cottonade (Fried Egglake)
03. Gentlemen Strolling On A Fine Line (OMlette)
04. Egg Dragon's Glittering Eyes (Scrambled Egglake)
05. You Go Oh Yeah (HemlockSFO Jesu Grill)
06. Vegan Feedback Smoothie Please (HSFO Muzzleman Gridlock)
07. Psycho Delicate Hessianskin (HSFO Rabbihat Goldclampervan)
08. Elastic Beaverzip Cadenza (HSFO Sri Babaciao Siddhitrip)
09. Dread Lady Humanoid The Return (HSFO Goddex Crustica)
10. Stranger In The Tights (HSFO Zoozen Boo)
11. Goodnight Nursery (HSFOmigodquick)

Guru and Zero part 1

Guru and Zero part 2

or as a single file on megaupload






Exactly what it says on the tin m'darlings.
Studio rehearsals and run-throughs for the album "Good Morning" with Euterpe. Some songs weren't used, others were re-arranged before the final release. That makes this a very interesting alternative - a kind of mutant son of Good Morning. What more can I say?
This from the Voiceprint website: "Sound quality is fair, with some distortion, tape deterioration, and a lack of bass, but quite listenable overall. Don't let the mention 'rehearsal tapes' fool you: this is not a set of partial takes interspersed with conversion, but a tightly edited sequence of complete performances, akin to a studio demo."

01. Goddess Invocation
02. Magick Brother
03. Sitting In A Teashop
04. Friend
05. I Am The Rapist
06. Mystic Sister Invocation
07. A Wee Bit More
08. Prostitute Poem
09. Five and Twenty Schoolgirls
10. Bananamoon Reggae
11. Deya Goddess

Euterpe part 1

Euterpe part 2

or, if you prefer Megaupload part 1 part 2





The D Day DJ takes you on an hour-long trip across the radio waves. Telepathic, brain to brain, non-stop sound collage in the form of a radio broadcast from down under. Too many performers to mention (it sez 'ere) but Thom the Poet gets a name-check.

01. Psychic Radio Frontispiece
02. Anybody Listening
03. Thom Further On
04. Plenty Past Late
05. Listen Matey
06. Hello
07. Radio Brainwave
08. Psychic Radio
09. Art Radio
10. Punk Ironik
11. Telepathic Radio

part 1 is here

and part 2 is here

or on Megaupload part 1 part 2



and finally…



A live recording of Daevid accompanied by Mark Robson and Graham Clark. Similar (ish) in style to the "Live at the Witchwood" CD, but this one was a couple of years before that particular little gem. The songs are a mixture of Allen's and Robson's, and there are guest appearances from David Williams on Herbacious Border (with a good anecdote to follow), and Pok & Maya on Only Make Love If You Want To (which is called "Lady Dear Lady" here).
Highlights include a particularly forceful rendition of Old As The Universe, a soulful Ship Of Fools and yer ole fave, Magick Brother.

01. Nowhere To Everywhere
02. New Dreamtime
03. Ship Of Fools
04. Marks Intro
05. Tasmanian Road Song
06. Mullumbimby Mother
07. Sesame
08. Hours Gone
09. Herbacious Border
10. Introd Heathens All Members
11. Lady Dear Lady
12. Intro OAU
13. Old As The Universe
14. Happiest Coda
15. Magick Brother

Magick Brothers part 1

Magick Brothers part 2

or as a Megaupload-ious part 1 part 2


Happy listening!