Canterbury Scene

Australian born Daevid Allen is one of the Canterbury Scene's leading men. He came to England in the very early sixties, arriving in Canterbury via London. He's best known as the leader of the Canterbury band Gong.

In this interview he talks about how his travels brought him to Canterbury and whether or not he thinks there was ever a 'Canterbury Scene':

In this second exclusive clip, Daevid Allen talks about the early days of the Canterbury Scene, forming Soft Machine with Robert Wyatt and playing at the Establishment Club on the same bill as Dudley Moore:

Gong

Gong were formed when Allen left the band Sort Machine which he'd played in alongside other Canterbury luminaries Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayres and Mike Ratledge. All four men founded or found their way into other bands on the Canterbury Scene, a tactic that defined the music of Canterbury. Gong, Caravan, Soft Machine and Hatfield & The North had differing line-ups over the years, with musicians coming and going from one band to another.

Daevid Allen performing

Daevid Allen's first LP with Gong was called Magick Brother and was released in 1969. It was followed in 1971 by Camembert Electrique and the Radio Gnome Trilogy of Flying Teapot, Angel's Egg and You. These albums provided the spine running through Gongs rather mystical philosophy of Allen's take on music, art and life.

Allen left Gong after these albums and recorded his own solo work as well as reincarnating the band in various forms, Planet Gong being one, New York Gong being another. Today, Daevid Allen and many of the 1970s Gong line-up are back on the road. They're playing this year's Glastonbury and bringing the Canterbury sound back home with a performance at the Lounge on the Farm festival on Friday 10th July.