STEVE
HILLAGE: LIVE IN ENGLAND 1979 (CD/DVD)
Steve Hillage: Live in England 1979
Progressive/Psychedelic/Space Rock
4.0/5.0
Gonzo
Multimedia offers us a glimpse into guitarist Steve Hillage's early solo career
with this vintage recording and film Live
in England 1979. The title is more than a little general in it's
description. This CD/DVD recording is actually from the BBC's Rock Goes to
College series with Hillage and band performing at the University of Kent in
Canterbury (where Hillage studied for a short time).
Steve
Hillage: back in the day.
My
first experience with Hillage came with 1976's L,
produced by the legendary Todd Rundgren. (At the time I was collecting most
anything Rundgren was recording or producing). Having little experience with his
previous band Gong, Hillage's psychedelic space prog rock ran rings around my
brain, but it did love his clever guitar work.
Live
in England 1979 gives you both the audio and visual experience of Hillage's
experimentation with aforementioned styles but also working jazz and funk
grooves as found within Unzipping the Zype. It's also an interesting look into
the early use synthesizers in rock music. Those used by long time partner and
collaborator Miquette Giraudy take up a massive amount of stage presence.
The
concert includes some Hillage standards like the popular Salmon Song and the
George Harrison penned It's All Too Much. It also includes Hillage's
interpretation of Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy Man, a song I have never liked no matter
who's playing it. Better is the Hillage-Giraudy Hurdy Gurdy Glissando, which
occurs as a bonus track from a 1977 recording.
Both
the CD and DVD include the Rock Goes to College gig, but differ in bonus
material. The CD also includes Electrick Gypsies, another 1977 recording. The
DVD adds Radio and Light in the Sky from Motivation
Radio, and a 2007 interview with Hillage and Giraudy discussing the band's
career.
CHECK IT OUT AT GONZO
 | Live in England 1979 CD - £9.99 |
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