Banana Moon by Daevid Allen, his first solo album, released in 1971.
I've discussed the life and death of Daevid Allen, his partner in life and music, Gilli Smyth, and Gong at length in the article "Rejoice! I'm Dead!... the Gong, the Life and Death of Daevid and Gilli".
Banana Moon is an extraordinary debut, a psychedelic and spacey album, a cosmic, surreal logbook from the founder of Gong, recorded with the help of friends and musicians during Daevid's return from "exile" in the UK, and born out of improvisation.
The album blends progressive rock, jazz, and futuristic sounds. It's a fascinating work, essential for those who love Gong's universe and its surreal musical philosophy. It's a manifesto of creative freedom that celebrates innocence, psychedelic highs, and the rejection of social conventions, paving the way for Gong's subsequent hippie-mystical visions.
The album is filled with the spacey effects, ethereal vocals, and dreamlike atmospheres typical of Allen's style. These spontaneous sessions still retain a raw energy and creative freedom that make it special, anticipating many of the sounds Daevid would later explore with Gong.
As mentioned, the album was recorded during Daevid's brief return to the UK, and it best represents the transition between the psychedelia of Canterbury and the future space adventures of the great Gong. Before the album, Allen had formed the "Bananamoon Band" with Gilli Smyth in Paris, a project that was interrupted by the protests of May 1968. Upon its release in July 1971, early copies were issued under the title Bananamoon and credited to Gong. BYG quickly withdrew these copies, replacing them with the corrected edition under Daevid Allen's name.
This collection, somewhere between acid jam sessions and a collection of outtakes that would not have found a place in the Gong canon, spans a variety of genres, from rock 'n' roll to psychedelic suites. The stellar lineup includes Robert Wyatt (vocals and drums on "Memories"), Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, and Maggie Bell. Many of the musicians involved, such as drummer Pip Pyle and bassist Christian Tritsch, officially joined Gong soon after these sessions, leading to the creation of Camembert Electrique that same year.
The album doesn't follow a linear narrative, and in this respect, it reflects Daevid Allen's signature anarchic, Dadaist, and psychedelic aesthetic. This aesthetic is evident in the narrative of the complex mythology of Planet Gong, and also introduces Gilli Smyth's "Space Whisper" and the use of avant-garde sound effects and loops (as in "Codein Coda").
The album was initially conceived with two distinct titles for the two sides of the vinyl: side A titled "Banana Moon" and side B "Stoned Innocent Frankenstein," a division reflected in the contrast between pop-rock songs and longer experimental suites.
"Stoned Innocent Frankenstein" is the character who lends his name to the opening track on side B and represents the stereotype of the psychedelic outsider. The song serves as an introduction to the 12-minute suite "And His Adventures in the Land of Flip," a pure improvisation and space rock affair.
Then there's "Memories," one of the album's standout tracks, a Hugh Hopper ballad sensitively interpreted by Wyatt, the first official recording of the song; it had remained unreleased since the 1967 demos. Tracks like "Fred the Fish" and "I Am a Bowl" reveal Allen's humorous and anarchic side, typical of the Canterbury sound. Pure psychedelia is found in "Stoned Innocent Frankenstein," which anticipates the space-age themes that would later define the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy. Of course, there's room for Canterbury's trademark humor; "Fred the Fish" has its trademark playful and childlike approach, using nonsense to undermine the structures of conventional music.
The title and original cover art use the banana as a symbol, a symbol of irreverence and madness. Kevin Ayers, a friend of Allen's, explained that the reference to the banana came from his habit of eating it with cornflakes, transforming it into a symbol of rebellion against normality.
Interestingly, many years later, the album was cited by David Bowie as one of his all-time favorites, acknowledging its role as an invisible precursor to glam rock due to its eccentric aesthetic.
Banana Moon is an essential work for fans of psychedelia and space rock, capturing the essence of Daevid Allen's creative genius, evident from his debut album—a debut that was… space-age!
Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page.
Tracklist
1. Time of Your Life (3:21)
2. Memories (3:37)
3. All I Want Is Out of Here (4:48)
4. Fred the Fish and the Chip on His Shoulder (2:27)
5. White Neck Blooze (4:36)
6. Codein Coda (12:32)
7. Stoned Innocent Frankenstein (3:28)
8. And His Adventures in the Land of Flip (11:44)
9. I Am a Bowl (2:46)
Duration 37:47
LineUp
- Daevid Allen - lead guitar, vocals
Featuring:
- Archie Legget - bass
- Robert Wyatt - drums, lead guitar and vocals (2), backing vocals (3)
- Christian Tritsch - bass and rhythm guitar (1)
- Pip Pyle - drums (1)
- Gary Wright - piano (2, 5)
- Gerry Fields - violin (4)
- Gilli Smyth - "Space Whisper" (7-9)
- Nick Evans - trombone (9)
- Barry St. John - backing vocals (5)
- Maggie Bell - backing vocals (5)
