Tag Archives: Gong
1974 COUNTDOWN | #25 — #21
#25 SANTANA — LOTUS Given that they announced themselves to the world via their performance at Woodstock, it is surprising that this was Santana’s first live album. Recorded during a 1973 tour of Japan and released in May ’74, it is the pinnacle of the band’s jazz-rock phase. Musically, Lotus is a tour-de-force of mind-blowing […]
1973 COUNTDOWN: #30 — 21
30 ROXY MUSIC — STRANDED Don’t tell anyone, but I think I accidentally reversed this and For Your Pleasure (#72) in a moment of spreadsheet/red wine confusion. Such things can happen when you’re scrambling to write 70+ reviews and take all those photos. Oops. In sum, this third album is terrific but I think its […]
1973 COUNTDOWN: #70 — 61
70 CAN — FUTURE DAYS There is a sinuous groove throughout Future Days that is beguiling and cool as fuck. Though I do miss the forceful, controlled-explosion energy of the earlier albums. Kraut-lounge? Jägermeister on ice? [Released August 1973] * 69 PETER BANKS — TWO SIDES OF PETER BANKS With Steve Hackett (Genesis) and John […]
SOME PROGRESSIVE TREATS (1975 EDITION)
Although variety is a hallmark of Vinyl Connection, the heart of the matter is a love of all things progressive. Inspired by a posting of the fourth Greenslade album on a fb group, I found myself diving down a 1975 rabbit hole. It was great fun, with progressive jazz-rock being a wobbly kind of through-line. […]
DUNES
Been an eternity since a cover art post. What better reason to dust off some interesting album covers than the current ‘Dune’ series? So don your hat and sandals, slop on some sunscreen and let’s get sandy! THE ALBUMS Gong — Shamal [Virgin 1975] Helmet — Dead To The World [Ear Music 2016] Uriah Heep — […]
HILLAGE RIFFAGE
In some ways, packing for a year in a different hemisphere is easier than preparing a suitcase for two weeks at the beach. I pondered this conundrum back in 1996 as I prepared for an extended relationship cultural exchange in Germany. Often the answer to the question “How many? How much?” was answered with the […]
GONG EST MORT
There was a time when one of Vinyl Connection’s favourite recreations was reading a print biography of an artist while concurrently working through their catalogue of recordings. Soundtracking a music journey, you could say. Genesis, Fleetwood Mac, Zappa – all have provided entertaining reads and enjoyable playlists. A more recent print adventure was the idea […]