Paragong

This shortlived band, who existed only from February to April 1973, and only played gigs in France, was basically Gong without its leaders, Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth. The couple wanted to take some time off, tired after the recording of the album [url=https://www.discogs.com/master/27681-Gong-Flying-Teapot-Radio-Gnome-Invisible-Part-1]Flying Teapot[/url] in January 1973, and the major line-up changes in the band during the previous months, and had left for vacation in Majorca.
During Allen and Smyth absence however, Gong still had concerts booked in France, so to honor these commitments, the remaining members regrouped around veteran Didier Malherbe, new recruits Steve Hillage and Tim Blake, plus Pierre Moerlen who joined the band a few days before departure of Allen and Smyth. The alternate line-up of the band, christened ParaGong, also included initially bassist Didier Thibault (ex-Moving Gelatine Plates) during February 1973 - he was quickly replaced by Mike Howlett.
In May 1973, Daevid Allen and Gilly Smyth came back, and work on Gong's album [url=https://www.discogs.com/master/27664-Gong-Angels-Egg-Radio-Gnome-Invisible-Part-2]Angel's Egg[/url] started.

This period in Spring 1973 when Gong's musicians, all quite new to the band, were given the opportunity to rehearse together and get familiar with each others' styles proved particularly successful and made a dramatic impact on the band's cohesion and sound. There is even much speculation as to whether these five musicians had actually invented the 'classic' Gong sound of 'Angel's Egg' and 'You' without Allen's participation. With the release or archive live tape recorded on that early 1973 tour, this hypothesis has finally proven both true and exaggerated. Every musician involved in Gong's history, and this particular incarnation for sure, had a great influence of its musical development. Yet without Daevid Allen's impetus, original concepts and humour, it would never have had the impact it had on several generations of listeners.
[Adapted from [a=Aymeric Leroy], Calyx - The Canterbury Music Website]