Name: The Golden Vibe
Brand: Steve Hillage

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

SMALP1155

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "SMALP1155"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2019-08-09

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Proper

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

0636551815512

{"blocks": [{"data": {"text": "0636551815512"}, "type": "paragraph"}]}

Total Cap

2 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

Artist

Steve Hillage

Genre GB

Prog Rock

Label GB

Madfish

Madfish is an alternative label established in 2009, specializing in Rock & Progressive genre. It is a division of Snapper Music plc and is also known as Mad Fish and Madfish. With its focus on these genres, Madfish has become a go-to destination for music lovers looking for unique and cutting-edge sounds. As part of the Snapper Music family, Madfish brings together a diverse range of artists and releases that are sure to captivate fans of rock and progressive music.

Steve Hillage is a UK-based guitarist born on August 2, 1951, in London, England. He first gained recognition as a member of the prog-rock act Gong and later became half of the ambient/techno duo System 7. Throughout his career, Hillage has collaborated with various artists including The Orb.

Hillage's musical journey began with the band Uriel before he left for college. The remaining members continued as Egg while Hillage reunited with them under the pseudonym Arzachel. He then joined forces with Kevin Ayers before finding his place in Gong, where he honed his skills in glissando guitar techniques inspired by Daevid Allen's innovative style.

Becoming a virtuoso guitarist, Hillage's sound evolved to incorporate echoes and reverb blending with synthesizers. After leaving Gong, he formed his own solo band and also engaged in session work. Notably, he played a pivotal role in pioneering new age ambient music and took a break from recording to become a prominent producer during the early 1980s. His notable contributions include working on albums by Simple Minds.

In later years, Hillage discovered that The Orb had sampled his music at a club and subsequently teamed up with them. This led to the formation of System 7 (also known as *777* due to concerns over Apple's operating system). Alongside his longtime partner, Hillage resurfaced and continued creating

Previously unreleased recordings from psychedelic pioneer and guitar great Steve Hillage. 70 minutes of Hillage surfing the golden vibe in 1973. The recordings are part of a series of archived tapes liberated from deep storage by Hillage for the box set, and this tape was labelled ‘Wata Trip 1973’. It was recorded when Hillage was 21, living in the Gong communal house in Sens, France with Miquette Giraudy, as the band began to develop the music that would form the core of Gong’s ‘Angel’s Egg’. The tape contained 3 hours and 12 minutes of engaging sonic wonderment, full of gorgeous crackle and hum, utilising tape echo, fuzz and sometimes also Wem copycat with every single note, guitar body bang, buzz, harmonic and bit of audio echoing into infinity and beyond. It seemed to encapsulate a vibrant moment in Steve’s life and was like an organic, fully formed, almost naturally occurring psychedelic ambient album. These selected recordings represent a bubbling, rich cauldron of motifs, sounds and themes within which can be recognised younger forms, glittering shards and even complete deep elements of future songs, some still years from conception. These are the preparatory sketches and watercolours, an appreciation of which can only enhance one’s enjoyment of the of the completed ‘masterwork’, and which even have a beautiful coherent integrity of their own.

The CD edition of The Golden Vibe is in a Digipack packaging complete with an 8-page booklet featuring liner notes by Jonny Greene of GAS and photos of Hillage from the time. The vinyl edition is a black double LP in a gatefold sleeve featuring liner notes from Jonny Greene of GAS and photos of Hillage from the time.

The Golden Vibe

Music GB