Daevid Allen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daevid Allen
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Allen performing with Gong at The Zappa Club in Tel Aviv, 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Christopher David Allen |
| Also known as | Divided Alien, Bert Camembert, Dingo Virgin, Ja Am |
| Born | 13 January 1938 Melbourne, Australia |
| Died | 13 March 2015 (aged 77) Australia |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1960–2015 |
Christopher David Allen (born January 13, 1938 – died March 13, 2015), known as Daevid Allen, was an Australian musician. He helped start two important psychedelic rock bands: Soft Machine in the UK (1966) and Gong in France (1967). He was known for his unique musical style and creative ideas.
Contents
Biography
Early Years and First Bands
In 1960, Daevid Allen was inspired by writers he discovered in a bookshop in Melbourne, Australia. He traveled to Paris, France, and stayed at the Beat Hotel. There, he met other artists and musicians.
In 1961, Allen moved to England. He formed a free jazz group called the Daevid Allen Trio. A young musician named Robert Wyatt was also in this band. In 1966, Allen, Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Mike Ratledge formed the band Soft Machine. The band's name came from a book.
After a tour in 1967, Allen could not return to the UK because his visa had expired. So, he went back to Paris. There, he started a new band called Gong with his partner Gilli Smyth. They also had another project called the Bananamoon Band. In 1968, they were involved in the Paris protests. After this, they moved to Deià, Mallorca, for a while.
In 1969, Allen and Smyth returned to Paris. They got a chance to record an album. They formed a new version of Gong and released their first album, Magick Brother, in 1970.
The 1970s and Gong's Success
In 1971, Allen released his first solo album, Banana Moon. Many musicians played on it, including Robert Wyatt and Gilli Smyth. Gong's band members became more stable with Daevid Allen (guitar, vocals), Gilli Smyth (vocals), Pip Pyle (drums), Christian Tritsch (bass), and Didier Malherbe (woodwinds). This group worked on the soundtrack for a film and Gong's second album, Camembert Electrique.
In late 1972, electronic musician Tim Blake joined Gong. Later, Steve Hillage and Pierre Moerlen also joined. This lineup recorded the famous "Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy" of albums: Flying Teapot, Angel's Egg, and You. The band signed with Virgin Records in 1973.
Daevid Allen left Gong in April 1975. He then recorded three more solo albums: Good Morning (1976), Now Is the Happiest Time of Your Life (1977), and N'existe pas! (1979). During these years, he lived in a creative community in Deià.
In 1977, Allen performed with a group called Planet Gong. He also reunited the "Radio Gnome Trilogy" version of Gong for a special show in Paris. This concert was later released as a live album.
In 1978, Allen moved to New York. He formed a new band called New York Gong, which had a punk influence. They toured the U.S. and recorded the album About Time.
The 1980s and 1990s
In 1981, Allen returned to Australia. He settled in Byron Bay and worked on different artistic projects, including poetry.
In 1989, he formed a new Gong band called Gongmaison. They toured and released an album. Later, they went back to using the name Gong and released Shapeshifter in 1992. This album continued the imaginative stories that Gong was known for.
A second Gong reunion happened in London in 1994. The "classic" lineup toured between 1996 and 2001. They released a new studio album, Zero to Infinity, in 2000.
In 1998, Allen helped start two new bands: University of Errors (based in San Francisco) and Brainville 3 (based in the UK). He recorded several albums with both groups. He also worked with Spirits Burning, a space rock group with many different musicians. Allen also did experimental music with the band Big City Orchestra.
Other projects during this time included the Invisible Opera Company of Tibet and the Magick Brothers.
The 2000s and Later Years
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Allen worked on a project with his son, Orlando, and members of Acid Mothers Temple. This led to the group Acid Mothers Gong and the album Acid Motherhood in 2004.
In November 2006, a "Gong Family Unconvention" was held in Amsterdam. Many former Gong members from the early 1970s reunited for this event. More Gong concerts took place in London in 2008, with Allen and other original members.
In November 2007, Allen performed a series of concerts in Brazil with a version of Gong called Daevid Allen and Gong Global Family. His other band, University of Errors, also performed.
The 2009 Gong album 2032 featured Chris Taylor on drums. Allen's son, Orlando, took over as drummer in 2012.
In 2013, Allen performed his solo music and poetry in England. He also joined The Invisible Opera Company of Tibet (UK) on stage.
His last studio album with Gong, I See You, was produced by his son Orlando and released in November 2014.
Illness and Passing
In June 2014, Daevid Allen had surgery for a growth on his neck. It was found to be cancerous. He later had radiation treatment. In February 2015, Allen shared that the cancer had returned and spread. He decided not to have more surgeries.
On March 13, 2015, Daevid Allen passed away in Australia. His son, Orlando, announced the news. He was surrounded by his family.
Discography
With Gong
Solo & with others
- 1960s
- 1963: Live 1963 (with The Daevid Allen Trio, first released 1993)
- 1967: "Love Makes Sweet Music" b/w "Feelin' Reelin' Squeelin'" (debut single of Soft Machine)
- 1967: Faces & Places, Vol. 7, AKA Jet-Propelled Photographs (demos with Soft Machine, first released 1972)
- 1967: Turns On, Volume 1 (with Soft Machine, Allen appears on 4 demo tracks, first released 2001)
- 1970s
- 1971: Obsolete Dashiell Hedayat & Gong
- 1971: Banana Moon
- 1973: Gong on Acid 73 (BMO Vol. 16, with Gong, released 2006)
- 1976: Good Morning (with Euterpe)
- 1977: Now Is the Happiest Time of Your Life
- 1977: Studio Rehearsal Tapes 1977 (BMO Vol. 1, with Euterpe, released 2004)
- 1978: Mother (Gilli Smyth; Allen guests on a few tracks and produced the album)
- 1979: N'existe pas!
- 1980s
- 1980: Divided Alien Playbax (BMO Vol. 8, Disc 1, released 2004)
- 1980: Divided Alien Playbax (BMO Vol. 9, Disc 2, released 2004)
- 1981: Self Initiation (BMO Vol. 3, released 2004)
- 1982: Ex/Don't Stop (with David Tolley)
- 1984: Radio Art 1984 (BMO Vol. 14, released 2006)
- 1988: Live Spring '88: The Return
- 1989: The Owl and the Tree (with Mother Gong)
- 1990s
- 1990: Stroking the Tail of the Bird (with Gilli Smyth and Harry Williamson)
- 1990: Australia Aquaria
- 1990: Seven Drones
- 1990: The Australian Years
- 1990: Melbourne Studio Tapes (BMO Vol. 10, with Invisible Opera Company of Oz)
- 1992: Who's Afraid? (with Kramer)
- 1992: Live at the Witchwood 1991 (with Magick Brothers)
- 1992: Je ne Fum' pas des Bananes (unreleased early Daevid Allen/Bananamoon Band/Gong)
- 1993: 12 Selves (with Liz Van Dort)
- 1995: Hit Men (with Kramer)
- 1995: Dreamin' a Dream
- 1995: Bards of Byron Bay (BMO Vol. 4, with Russell Hibbs)
- 1998: Eat Me Baby I'm a Jellybean
- 1998: 22 Meanings (with Harry Williamson)
- 1998: Live in Glastonbury Town (BMO Vol. 11, with Magick Brothers)
- 1998: Solo @ The Axiom, Cheltenham '98 (BMO Vol. 15)
- 1999: Live in the UK (BMO Vol. 2, with Brainville)
- 1999: The Children's Crusade (with Brainville)
- 1999: Money Doesn't Make It (with University of Errors)
- 2000s
- 2001: Sacred Geometry (with Micro Cosmic)
- 2001: e²x10=Tenure (with University of Errors)
- 2001: Nectans Glen (with Russell Hibbs)
- 2002: Beauty the Basket Case (BMO Vol. 17, as Guru and Zero)
- 2002: One Who Whispers (with Cipher)
- 2002: Ugly Music For Monica (with University of Errors)
- 2004: Jet-Propelled Photographs (re-makes of early Soft Machine material, with University of Errors)
- 2004: Live in Chicago (with University of Errors)
- 2004: Makoto Mango (as Guru & Zero)
- 2004: Live @ the Knit NYC (BMO Vol. 6, with Nicoletta Stephanz)
- 2004: The Mystery Disque (BMO Vol. 7, with das)
- 2004: Altered States of Alien KWISP (BMO Vol. 13, with Altered Walter Funk)
- 2004: Gentle Genie (compilation 1985-1999)
- 2005: Sacred Geometry II (with Micro Cosmic)
- 2005: I Am Your Egg (with Gilli Smyth & Orlando Allen)
- 2005: DJDDAY (with Weird Biscuit Teatime)
- 2006: Live at The Fleece, Bristol, England, 6th June 2003 (with University of Errors)
- 2006: Glissando Grooves (BMO Vol. 12, SFO Soundtribe 3, with Don Falcone)
- 2008: Trial by Headline (with Brainville 3)
- 2010s
- 2012: Soundbites 4 Tha Revelation (poetry)
- 2012: Live at the Roundhouse 1971 (with Gilli Smyth & Soft Machine)
- 2012: Live in San Francisco (with Magick Brothers)
- 2013: Tried So Hard (with The Invisible Opera Company of Tibet, UK)
- 2015: Elevenses (as The Daevid Allen Weird Quartet)
- 2017: The Roadmap in Your Heart b/w Another Roadmap in Your Head and An Ambient Heat (7-inch single, by Spirits Burning & Daevid Allen)
Filmography
- 2015: Romantic Warriors III: Canterbury Tales (DVD)
See also
In Spanish: Daevid Allen para niños
