Magick Brother

Magick Brother is the debut studio album by the progressive rock band Gong, recorded in Paris during September and October 1969 and released in March 1970 on the French BYG Actuel label.

Magick Brother
Studio album by
Gong
ReleasedMarch 1970
RecordedSeptember–October 1969
Studio ETA and Studio Europa Sonor, Paris, France
GenrePsychedelic rock, psychedelic pop[1]
Length43:52
LabelBYG Actuel
ProducerJean Georgakarakos, Jean-Luc Young
Gong chronology
Magick Brother
(1970)		 Camembert Electrique
(1971)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

The band's recently recruited bass player Christian Tritsch was not ready in time to play on the album, and so singer/songwriter/guitarist Daevid Allen played the bass guitar himself; a photo of Allen recording bass tracks for the album is featured on the cover artwork. They also made use of jazz contrabass (double bass) players Earl Freeman and Barre Phillips, who were recording for the label at the same time, on three tracks.[2] Occasional early Gong collaborator Dieter Gewissler, who normally played violin, also contributed some "free" bowed contrabass to two tracks. The LP sleeves were printed before the final track order and titles had been decided and so the songs "Rational Anthem" (AKA "Change the World") and "Glad To Sad To Say" were listed the wrong way round.[3]

Shortly afterwards, the band played its debut gig at the BYG Actuel Festival in the small town of Amougies, Belgium, on 27 October 1969, introduced to the stage by bemused compere Frank Zappa.[4]

Track listing

All songs written by Daevid Allen, though credited to his partner Gilli Smyth for legal reasons.[5]

Produced by Jean Georgakarakos and Jean Luc Young.

Side one (early morning)
No.TitleLength
1."Mystic Sister"1:32
2."Magick Brother"4:44
3."Rational Anthem (Change the World)" (mislabelled as "Glad To Sad To say")3:43
4."Glad To Sad To Say" (mislabelled as "Rational Anthem")4:09
5."Chainstore Chant"1:13
6."Pretty Miss Titty"4:06
7."Fredfish / Hope You Feel OK" ("Fredfish" listed on LP label but not on LP cover)4:33
Side two (late night)
No.TitleLength
8.Untitled3:57
9."Gong Song"4:11
10."Princess Dreaming"2:56
11."5 & 20 Schoolgirls"4:30
12."Cos You Got Green Hair"5:05
Total length:43:52

The version on CD has a different tracks grouping and lengths:

No.TitleLength
1."Mystic Sister, Magick Brother"5:54
2."Rational Anthem"4:08
3."Glad To Sad To Say"3:45
4."Chainstore Chant & Pretty Miss Titty"4:49
5."Fable Of A Fredfish & Hope You Feel O.K."4:43
6."Ego"3:58
7."Gong Song"4:12
8."Princess Dreaming"2:56
9."Five & Twenty Schoolgirls"4:30
10."Cos You Got Green Hair"5:05
Total length:44:00

Credits
Gong
Additional personnel
  • Barre Phillips – contrabass on 4 & 10
  • Earl Freeman – contrabass on 8, piano on 9
  • Burton Greene – piano on 8
  • Dieter Gewissler – bowed contrabass on 2 & 9
  • Tasmin Smyth (Gilli's daughter) – voices on 1 & 10

References
  1. "Allmusic ((( Magick Brother > Overview )))". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  2. Allen, Daevid. Gong Dreaming 2. SAF Publishing, 2009, p. 14.
  3. Allen, Daevid. Gong Dreaming 2. SAF Publishing, 2009, p. 19.
  4. Allen, Daevid. Gong Dreaming 2. SAF Publishing, 2009, p. 31.
  5. Allen, Daevid. Gong Dreaming 2. SAF Publishing, 2009, p. 20.
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