So, don´t expect rock. Expect to float.
This was the second solo Hillage album that I heard, after Fish Rising (also on this blog). To be honest, these are the only two that you NEED to hear. I believe I found this first on Greg Davis´ New Age blog Crystal Vibrations. So, many many thanks to Greg.
Steve Hillage - Rainbow Dome Musick
Virgin, 1979Songs / Tracks Listing
1. Garden of Paradise (23:15)
2. Four ever rainbow (20:30)
Total Time: 43:45
Line-up / Musicians
- Steve Hillage / electric & glissando guitars, electric piano, synthesizers
+ Rupert Atwill / Eventide harmonizer
- Miquette Giraudy / electric piano, ARP omni, sequencers, Tibetan bells
"Guitarist Steve Hillage has almost done more for space travel than Neil Armstrong, and this spacious release entitled 'Rainbow Dome Musick' may well confirm that. Our favourite Hippie and his synth-tweeking partner Miquette Giraudy recorded two side-long pieces for the Rainbow Dome at the festival for Mind-Body-Spirit in April of 1979, so this does have a 'New Age' leaning but doesn't lend itself to be relegated as mere meditational back-drop, these are thoughtfully constructed, passionately arranged and performed slabs of spacey colour and emotion. Of course, one has to enjoy this sort of thing in the first place, and, more often than not, patience is rewarded. The A-side features Miquette's 'Garden of Paradise', and contains many layers of ARP synths, Rhodes e-piano and some delicate lead guitaring. Never in a hurry to get anywhere, its atmospheres are lush and tranquil. For those unfamiliar with Gliss- Guitar, this is a technique where a 'device', such as a guitar's whammy-bar (or tent peg, or screw-driver etc.) is rubbed up and down over the guitar strings on the fretboard. When the sound produced has been treated with tons of delay and reverb effects it creates this incredible, magical, sustained sound. The 'device' can be slid up and down the fretboard, and depending on the angle of the 'device', it can cover chordal or solo lines. An E-Bow is similar but never sounds as smooth. So, Steve's piece, 'Four Ever Rainbow', is dominated with these cosmic guitar Glissandos as well as a droning synth core. Towards the latter half, chirping synths come to the fore..." - Tom Ozric from progarchives.com
And to think that this was composed for a new age festival, released on transparent vinyl on Virgin Records, and sold for less than 2 pounds....... those were the days.
FILL YOUR EARS
3 comments:
This blog is so great, thank you very much for the time and effort you put in!
Thank you Eric, comments like yours are what keep it going.
I just took a look at your blog, and I´ll definitely be checking it regularly!
I feel I must comment on this as it's one of my all time favourite albums in any genre! A timeless classic which completely fills your head & has the ability to transport you to completely different states, in my case usually to deep & very peaceful sleep. That's a huge compliment because realistically, how many albums can you drift off to? I've probably heard this more than anything else in my collection for that reason & feel it has become a part of my very being! Okay, enough already, don't want to start sounding too fanatical but hey! For the record, I've never been a huge fan of Gong or anything else Hillage has done but that doesn't matter in the slightest. It should also be said that this is as much a Miquette Giraudy work as Hillage. Anyway, I could never recommend this enough. Anyone who's never heard it needs to fill their head immediately, This is the motherlode!
PS: I promised to 'get back to you' on that first Tim Blake lp, Crystal Machine, yeah! It certainly has it's transcendental moments though not quite in the same league as this.
The vocals didn't help me to love it but they are thankfully, fairly minimal. It's definitely a trip worth taking though. If I'd heard it 30+ years ago, I'd have probably flipped my wig over it!
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