Daevid Allen

Daevid Allen - Alien in New York [EP] - 1983 - Charly Records

Daevid Allen, born 1938 in Melbourne, Australia, was one of the founders of the British progressive rock band the Soft Machine in 1966. After recording just one album with the group, he became the founder/leader of Gong, which he left in 1973 to begin a solo career (though his first solo album, Banana Moon, was released in 1971 while he was still in the group). Allen explored his quirky, folky take on rock throughout the '70s and '80s on albums like 1976's Good Morning and 1983's Alien in New York. His solo work also included collaborations with underground rock impresario Kramer like 1993's Who's Afraid? and 1996's Hit Men, which was released on Kramer's Shimmy Disc label. Allen returned in 1999 with Money Doesn't Make It, followed a year later by Stroking the Tail of the Bird. Nectans Glen also followed in 2000. In 2003 Allen formed a new version of Gong with members of the Japanese collective known as Acid Mothers Temple, as well as playing and releasing material with his California-based band University of Errors. He continues to release numerous live sets and one-off collaborations in limited editions on various independent labels under his own and various group names. A best-of, Man From Gong, which only scratches the surface of his lengthy discography, appeared from Snapper Music in 2006. © William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

If you like the quirky, eccentric and original jazz rock sound of Can, and Robert Wyatt/Soft Machine, you may like this EP. Although Daevid Allen's work is often intricate, complex, and very unorthodox, it is never boring and all his music is accessible and worth listening to. Daevid's "Australia Aquaria" album is @ DAEVALL/AUSAQU

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Bananareggae - Allen 4:21
2 Are You Ready - Allen, John Hill 3:30
3 Oo la La - Allen 3:26
4 Side Windo - Allen



MUSICIANS

Daevid Allen - Guitar, Vocals
Bill Laswell - Bass
Bill Bacon, Fred Maher - Drums
Ralph Carney - Sax (Bass)
Gary Window - Sax (Tenor)
Mars Williamson - Baritone Sax
Mark Kramer - Trombone, Synth
The Bergerettes - Choir on Track 1