{"id":2353545,"date":"2026-03-31T21:51:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T21:51:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2353545"},"modified":"2026-03-31T21:51:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T21:51:10","slug":"gongs-tavus-corabi-interview-bright-spirit-and-daevid-allen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/gongs-tavus-corabi-interview-bright-spirit-and-daevid-allen\/","title":{"rendered":"Gong&#8217;s Tavus Corabi interview: Bright Spirit and Daevid Allen"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"elk-1d8ccb26-e59f-48ac-b9cb-9844d94c197c\">As <em>Classic Rock<\/em>\u2019s Zoom window opens, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/gong-psychedelic-band-interview-daevid-allen-2004\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/gong-psychedelic-band-interview-daevid-allen-2004\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/gong-psychedelic-band-interview-daevid-allen-2004\">Gong<\/a>\u2019s psychedelic skipper <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/my-record-collection-kavus-torabi\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/my-record-collection-kavus-torabi\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/my-record-collection-kavus-torabi\">Kavus Torabi<\/a> is framed in the window of his <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/tag\/glastonbury-festival\" data-auto-tag-linker=\"true\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/tag\/glastonbury-festival\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/tag\/glastonbury-festival\">Glastonbury<\/a> home, vigorously strumming his guitar. \u201cYou\u2019re hearing the coda for my next solo album!\u201d the band-hopping frontman and solo artist shouts gleefully.<\/p>\n<p>Hang on, Kavus, there\u2019s the upcoming new Gong album, <em>Bright Spirit<\/em>, to talk about first\u2026<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\" id=\"elk-0898878e-13e2-45af-b71f-ac90def08dae\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:600px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:5.67%;\"> <picture data-new-v2-image=\"true\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/9NEqLC5NR7NbqTgbAwFLMk-600-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/9NEqLC5NR7NbqTgbAwFLMk-600-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/9NEqLC5NR7NbqTgbAwFLMk-600-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/9NEqLC5NR7NbqTgbAwFLMk-600-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/9NEqLC5NR7NbqTgbAwFLMk-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/9NEqLC5NR7NbqTgbAwFLMk-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"><br \/>\n<\/source><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-cd6a4ae3-36b3-4ff3-8281-297e811980f5\"><strong>What\u2019s the story behind Bright Spirit?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"inline-block w-2.5 h-2.5 ml-2\" fill=\"currentColor\" preserveaspectratio=\"xMidYMid meet\" viewbox=\"0 0 1000 1000\"><path d=\"M1000 100L500 900 0 100h1000z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"elk-cd6a4ae3-36b3-4ff3-8281-297e811980f5-1\">There wasn\u2019t a story, but an intent that this would close a trilogy that started with <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/reviews\/gong-the-universe-also-collapses-review\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/reviews\/gong-the-universe-also-collapses-review\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/reviews\/gong-the-universe-also-collapses-review\"><em>The Universe Also Collapses<\/em><\/a> [2019], the second album with this line-up of Dave [Sturt, bass], Ian [East, winds], Cheb [Nettles, drums] and Fabio [Golfetti, guitar], and the beginning of this version of Gong proper.<\/p>\n<p>In the middle was <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/reviews\/gong-unending-ascending\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/reviews\/gong-unending-ascending\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/reviews\/gong-unending-ascending\"><em>Unending Ascending<\/em><\/a> [2023], made of songs that had been rigorously road-tested. Bright Spirit is songs we worked on in the studio with ideas that repeat from all three records. Our process is collaborative, with a lot of push and pull. Lots of ideas are great but get rejected.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The album is varied in styles, with some interesting electronica popping up<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>A couple of years ago I got given a little monophonic synth, which I love, so it\u2019s all over the last Utopia Strong album, all over <em>Bright Spirit<\/em>, and all over my forthcoming solo record. I decided I was going to rinse everything I could out of it for this period.<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-aCeqmPssPWJXeRujy3m4H4\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-aCeqmPssPWJXeRujy3m4H4 slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>And you\u2019ve written your first love song, <\/strong><em><strong>Fragrance Of Paradise<\/strong><\/em><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve written about heartbreak and unrequited love before. I can only write from where I\u2019m at and I\u2019m in love\u2026 My lyrics have become really florid because of it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-video youtube-facade\" data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"elk-vNTpa5dtB90\">\n<div class=\"video-aspect-box\">\n<div class=\"watch-on-iframe-vNTpa5dtB90\" data-yt-video-token=\"vNTpa5dtB90\" title=\"Gong - The Wonderment - Official Music Video (Taken from 'Bright Spirit') - YouTube\">\n<span class=\"youtube-video-title\">Gong &#8211; The Wonderment &#8211; Official Music Video (Taken from &#8216;Bright Spirit&#8217;) &#8211; YouTube<\/span><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/vNTpa5dtB90\/maxresdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Gong - The Wonderment - Official Music Video (Taken from 'Bright Spirit') - YouTube\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" loading=\"lazy\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"play-button\" viewbox=\"0 0 234.67 165.33\"><path fill=\"red\" d=\"M229.763 25.817c-2.699-10.162-10.65-18.165-20.748-20.881C190.716 0 117.333 0 117.333 0S43.951 0 25.651 4.936C15.553 7.652 7.6 15.655 4.903 25.817 0 44.236 0 82.667 0 82.667s0 38.429 4.903 56.85C7.6 149.68 15.553 157.681 25.65 160.4c18.3 4.934 91.682 4.934 91.682 4.934s73.383 0 91.682-4.934c10.098-2.718 18.049-10.72 20.748-20.882 4.904-18.421 4.904-56.85 4.904-56.85s0-38.431-4.904-56.85\"\/><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"m93.333 117.559 61.333-34.89-61.333-34.894z\"\/><\/svg><br \/>\n<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"watch-on-youtube-vNTpa5dtB90\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/vNTpa5dtB90\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/vNTpa5dtB90\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\">Watch On <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"youtube-logo\" viewbox=\"0 0 507.9 113.39\"><g fill=\"#fff\"><path d=\"M64.792 80.99V32.396l42.082 24.297zm93.803-63.285a20.285 20.285 0 0 0-14.32-14.32C131.642 0 80.99 0 80.99 0S30.337 0 17.705 3.385a20.286 20.286 0 0 0-14.32 14.32C0 30.338 0 56.693 0 56.693S0 83.049 3.385 95.68A20.285 20.285 0 0 0 17.705 110c12.632 3.386 63.285 3.386 63.285 3.386s50.652 0 63.285-3.386a20.284 20.284 0 0 0 14.32-14.32c3.385-12.632 3.385-38.988 3.385-38.988s0-26.355-3.385-38.988m94.473 74.326c.887-2.314 1.332-6.098 1.332-11.35V58.556c0-5.097-.445-8.822-1.332-11.178-.888-2.355-2.452-3.533-4.69-3.533-2.163 0-3.69 1.178-4.577 3.533-.888 2.356-1.332 6.081-1.332 11.178V80.68c0 5.25.424 9.035 1.275 11.35.848 2.318 2.392 3.475 4.633 3.475 2.239 0 3.803-1.157 4.691-3.475zm-17.953 11.122c-3.207-2.16-5.486-5.52-6.835-10.079-1.352-4.554-2.027-10.617-2.027-18.185v-10.31c0-7.644.771-13.784 2.316-18.417 1.544-4.633 3.956-8.011 7.24-10.135 3.282-2.123 7.587-3.186 12.916-3.186 5.251 0 9.459 1.082 12.626 3.243 3.165 2.162 5.482 5.542 6.95 10.136 1.466 4.595 2.2 10.715 2.2 18.36v10.31c0 7.567-.714 13.65-2.142 18.243-1.43 4.595-3.747 7.955-6.951 10.077-3.205 2.124-7.548 3.186-13.03 3.186-5.64 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34.23v71.007h-12.511l-1.39-8.688h-.347c-3.399 6.564-8.496 9.845-15.291 9.845-4.71 0-8.185-1.543-10.425-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.359-7.915-3.359-14.48V34.23h15.985v52.126c0 3.168.348 5.426 1.043 6.776.695 1.353 1.853 2.027 3.475 2.027 1.39 0 2.722-.423 3.996-1.275 1.274-.849 2.22-1.928 2.838-3.241V34.229h15.986m81.995.001v71.007h-12.511l-1.391-8.688h-.345c-3.402 6.564-8.498 9.845-15.292 9.845-4.711 0-8.186-1.543-10.426-4.633-2.24-3.087-3.358-7.915-3.358-14.48V34.23h15.985v52.126c0 3.168.347 5.426 1.041 6.776.696 1.353 1.855 2.027 3.476 2.027 1.391 0 2.723-.423 3.996-1.275 1.275-.849 2.22-1.928 2.839-3.241V34.229h15.985\"\/><path d=\"M365.552 20.908h-15.87v84.329h-15.637v-84.33h-15.869V8.05h47.376v12.858m76.811 53.636c0 5.174-.215 9.229-.639 12.162-.424 2.937-1.139 5.021-2.143 6.255-1.004 1.236-2.357 1.854-4.053 1.854a7.404 7.404 0 0 1-3.65-.927c-1.12-.618-2.026-1.544-2.722-2.78V50.796c.54-1.93 1.467-3.513 2.78-4.749 1.313-1.234 2.74-1.853 4.285-1.853 1.623 0 2.876.637 3.766 1.91.886 1.275 1.505 3.418 1.853 6.43.348 3.011.523 7.297.523 12.857zm14.652-28.964c-.967-4.478-2.531-7.721-4.692-9.73-2.163-2.007-5.136-3.011-8.919-3.011-2.935 0-5.676.83-8.224 2.49a16.926 16.926 0 0 0-5.908 6.545h-.117l.001-37.416h-15.405v100.777h13.204l1.622-6.717h.347c1.235 2.393 3.088 4.285 5.56 5.675 2.47 1.39 5.213 2.085 8.225 2.085 5.404 0 9.382-2.491 11.931-7.471 2.548-4.982 3.823-12.76 3.823-23.341V64.23c0-7.953-.484-14.17-1.448-18.65\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-83bc8e42-2756-4e2b-abb5-3044977da67f\"><strong>So as well as taking care of Gong, you\u2019ve got your experimental band the Utopia Strong (with former snooker star and DJ partner-in-crime Steve Davis), your solo work, and you\u2019re also in the revived Cardiacs. Does the material cross over at all?<\/strong><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-t-[#ccc]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-bold&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>No, I keep these separate. With Gong I\u2019m sort of the gatekeeper.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Because Gong founder Daevid Allen \u2018bequeathed\u2019 the band to you when he passed away in 2015?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. And it\u2019s a strange position to be in, almost like necromancy. Sometimes, after gigs, people will say: \u201cYou were channelling Daevid up there.\u201d I\u2019m not, I\u2019m being myself within the parameters of Gong. There\u2019s no denying that Gong has changed me. I was never a navel-gazing shrinking violet, but when you\u2019re fronting a band with this much history, and with a character as large as Daevid, I\u2019m not trying to fill his shoes, but I have to bring out something bigger.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How do you keep Daevid in the music?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I only knew Daevid for a short period. We did a few shows, hung out a bit, talked a lot on email and Zoom. With the exception of Cheb, everyone played with David much longer than I did, and he\u2019d picked everybody to be in the later version of Gong, so they\u2019re bringing their voices. Daevid and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/steve-hillage-the-best-albums\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/steve-hillage-the-best-albums\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.loudersound.com\/features\/steve-hillage-the-best-albums\">Steve Hillage<\/a> said Fabio is the best glissando guitar player that they\u2019d ever heard, and I concur. Ian\u2019s playing is so innately Gong with the Balkan and African stuff. Dave plays fretless bass, which Gong had never had before. He\u2019s incredible. The one thing we don\u2019t write so much of is on the whimsical side, that\u2019s not really me.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Bright Spirit is out now via Kscope<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n<hr id=\"elk-986956b5-b95f-42cf-aec2-0a2aa185ade4\"\/><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-680fd928-c17e-4811-8198-95a47795bcf5\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-model-name=\"Gong: Bright Spirit\" data-widget-title=\"Gong: Bright Spirit - Today's Best Prices - Today's Best Prices\" data-widget-type=\"review\" data-render-type=\"editorial\" class=\"hawk-root\">\n<div class=\"hawk-main-editorial-container\">\n<p>Gong: Bright Spirit &#8211; Today&#8217;s Best Prices &#8211; Today&#8217;s Best Prices<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.loudersound.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As Classic Rock\u2019s Zoom window opens, Gong\u2019s psychedelic skipper Kavus Torabi is framed in the window of his Glastonbury home, vigorously strumming his guitar. \u201cYou\u2019re hearing the coda for my next solo album!\u201d the band-hopping frontman and solo artist shouts gleefully. Hang on, Kavus, there\u2019s the upcoming new Gong album, Bright Spirit, to talk about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2207735,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2353545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Holly-Golightly-interview-Jack-White-and-the-black-tongue-hex.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2353545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2353545"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2353545\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2353546,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2353545\/revisions\/2353546"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2207735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2353545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2353545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2353545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}