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Mike Howlett (Gong/Sentient)


Raslee
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I had the pleasure of watching Mike perform in Steffi Sharpstrings band 'Sentient' last night in a cosy pub venue in Glastonbury. He played along side the amazing Joey Hinton (Ex Ozric Tentacles), Steffi Sharpstrings on guitar (pure genius to say the least) and the formidable Steve Cassidy on drums. What a night! Pure superb indulgent funky space rock and Mike was on top form.

He has such an amazing unique groove and is a really nice chap too, really great to watch. He plays a pretty interesting, albeit totally battered, 60's P into an old Orange valve head and it looked like a Trace 4x10" - he really sounded great :)

Viva le Gong!

[attachment=231144:IMG_3247.JPG]

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I really wanted to be at that gig, but we had our own booked. Last time I saw Mike H. play was around 1974 with Gong. Steff I saw many times with Here & Now. Mike's playing has always been beautiful. Isle of Everywhere on You was and is perfect in everywhere.

Rather bizarrely, I was recently approached to replace Mike in a festival band. Never felt so flattered!

(I think I saw him play with Nik Turner's Sphinx at Deeply Vale in 77 or 78, bit hazy about that period!)

Edited by FinnDave
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Not only Gong ...check out his monstrous bass lines on Steve Hillages's ' Fish Rising ' all bumm

Some fine fat string tubbing on Aftaglid, for example. Listen to the whole track as it keeps changing

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC1ZqVAA7VM[/media]

Edited by fleabag
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[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1477962400' post='3165617']
Not only Gong ...check out his monstrous bass lines on Steve Hillages's ' Fish Rising ' all bumm

[/quote]

I remember buying Fish Rising the day it came out from Virgin Records in Manchester, using the voucher from a recent Gong gig for a substantial discount. My guitarist friend and myself were absolute fanatics about Gong and all its offshoots, we used to jam on the various riffs in Fish Rising for hours.

There was some good Mike H bass on Nik Turner's 'Xitintoday' album as well (also some dodgy lyrics from NT, rhyming 'Fantasy' with 'Atlantis-y'!)

Edited by FinnDave
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[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1477962400' post='3165617']
Not only Gong ...check out his monstrous bass lines on Steve Hillages's ' Fish Rising ' all bumm
[/quote]

Now there's a tune to start the day, I might just pop out to the shed for a quick...something... ;)


Superb bass playing on both Gong and Mr. Hillage's outings, what a player.

Edited by ahpook
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[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1477991981' post='3165711']
Now there's a tune to start the day, I might just pop out to the shed for a quick...something... ;)


Superb bass playing on both Gong and Mr. Hillage's outings, what a player.
[/quote]

Easy there tiger :gas:

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[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1477992128' post='3165713']
Blimey guv , Nik Turner ....thats a name from my sordid youth The Hawkwind era of course, Dave
[/quote]

I've seen Hawkwind this year, missed out on the Christmas gig in London with Steve Hillage as was stuck in hospital after my accident. Still got the ticket :(

Nik Turner is a local lad, from Headington. Last time I saw him I was chatting with him before his set at Deeply Vale, probably 1978. Has a bad rep with a lot of Hawkwind fans, but he was an integral part of it all once.

Edited by FinnDave
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