Steve Hillage -

Steve Hillage is an English guitarist, composer, and producer from London who first recorded under the pseudonym Simon Sasparella in psych-rockers Arzachel, the starting vehicle of keyboardist Dave Stewart (Egg, Hatfield & the North). The two re-teamed in Khan (with bassist Nicholas Greenwood) for the 1972 Deram release Space Shanty. In 1973, Hillage backed Kevin Ayers on Bananamour and joined Gong for the albums Flying Teapot, Angel’s Egg, and You.

Hillage made his solo debut with the 1975 Virgin release Fish Rising. Todd Rundgren produced his 1976 second album L, which features backing by Utopia. For his 1977 release Motivation Radio, Hillage teamed with electronic technician Malcolm Cecil, once of Tonto’s Expanding Head Band. Six further albums appeared on Virgin between 1978 and 1982, all marked by Steve’s trademark glissando style.

In April 1980, Hillage partook in an all-star concert fill-in for imprisoned Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwall. The two-night event — which also featured appearances by Robert Smith, Robert Fripp, Richard Jobson, Toyah Wilcox, Peter Hammill, John Ellis, and Hazel O’Connor — is documented on the archival Castle Music release The Stranglers and Friends: Live in Concert. During the 1980s, Hillage produced albums for Nash the Slash, Simple Minds, Real Life, Cock Robin, Marc Seberg, and Murray Head.

He was born Stephen Simpson Hillage on August 2, 1951, in Chingford, a town in East London that then belonged to Essex County.

Fish Rising

Steve Hillage released his debut solo album, Fish Rising, on April 11, 1975, on Virgin.

Hillage (presented here as Steve Hillfish) recorded Fish Rising while still a member of Gong, assembling a lineup that included four Gong members: bassist Mike Howlett, drummer Pierre Moerlen, keyboardist Tim Blake (aka Moonweed), and saxophonist Didier Malherbe (Bloomdido Glid de Breeze). Additional contributors include longtime associate Dave Stewart, Henry Cow bassoonist Lindsay Cooper, and personal partner Miquette Giraudy (aka Bambaloni Yoni).

Fish Rising blends jazz-rock, Canterbury-style intricacy, psychedelic space rock, and early ethereal electronica, presenting expansive suites, layered textures, complex rhythms, and exotic instruments (marimba, darbuka, tamboura, Indian flute, and glockenspiel). Hillage composed everything and co-wrote the lyrical passages with Giraudy.

The album opens with the four-part epic “Solar Musick Suite,” which moves through bright, pastoral motifs, free-flowing Canterbury jazz-rock passages, and high-energy psychedelic segments before reprising the opening theme. “Fish” provides a short, playful interlude with spoken-word vocals and aquatic effects. “Meditation of the Snake” emphasizes echo-laden, spacey guitar textures.

Side two begins with “The Salmon Song,” a multi-section suite combining driving rock riffs, jazz-inflected horns, and spacey synthesizer layers. The closing seven-part suite “Aftaglid” alternates between pastoral acoustic passages, polyrhythmic complexity, and Middle Eastern–inflected motifs, culminating in extended guitar improvisations and layered vocal effects.

Side A: Inglid / Involution

A1. “Solar Musick Suite” (16:55) this four-part opener shifts through contoured themes, layered keyboards, and sustained guitar phrasing while the lyrics trace spiritual unity and inner illumination. Saxophone lines and brisk, changing rhythms tighten the pulse before a brief vocal return resolves the journey’s arc.
— a. “Sun Song (I Love its Holy Mystery)” (6:15)
— b. “Canterbury Sunrise” (3:25)
— c. “Hiram Afterglid Meets the Dervish” (4:05)
— d. “Sun Song (reprise)” (3:10)
A2. “Fish” (1:23) Hillage sets fragmented spoken lines against fluttering percussion and terse instrumental figures, framing a playful vignette that nods to Gong-style cosmic humor.
A3. “Meditation of the Snake” (3:10) Hillage guides looping, echo-laden guitar across a slow-moving harmonic bed, implying a trance state that folds cleanly into the album’s broader astral motif.

Side B: Outglid / Evolution

B1. “The Salmon Song” (8:45) Hillage’s lyrics trace an allegorical swim upstream as sharp-turn guitar motifs and restless pacing shift between airy space passages and tightly clustered ensemble strikes; bassoon colors the quieter midsection before a decisive vocal reaffirmation.
— a. “Salmon Pool” (1:17)
— b. “Solomon’s Atlantis Salmon” (2:08)
— c. “Swimming with the Salmon” (1:37)
— d. “King of the Fishes” (3:43)
B2. “Aftaglid” (14:46) Hillage threads seven linked episodes that pass from bell-marked ritualism into delayed guitar cascades, acoustic respite, and mantra-styled vocals; rhythmic density rises and falls as sax and sustained leads carry the suite to a tapering, luminous close.
— a. “Sun Moon Surfing” (1:36)
— b. “The Great Wave and the Boat of Hermes” (1:51)
— c. “The Silver Ladder” (0:40)
— d. “Astral Meadows” (2:01)
— e. “The Lafta Yoga Song” (2:42)
— f. “Glidding” (2:23)
— g. “The Golden Vibe/Outglid” (3:33)

Sessions occurred between September 1974 and January 1975 at The Manor and The Manor Mobile in Shipton-on-Cherwell, England, with Hillage producing and Simon Heyworth engineering.

Fish Rising features cover concept and artwork developed by Steve Hillage, with the imagery reflecting the album’s aquatic and cosmic themes.

The album peaked at No. 33 on the British album charts.

L

Steve Hillage released his second album, L, on September 24, 1976, on Virgin.

L combines space rock guitar textures with Eastern-influenced instrumentation and structured rock passages, blending improvisatory elements with concise rock arrangements.

In addition to guitar, Hillage plays guitar-synthesizer, ARP, and the shenai, an Indian double-reed. He recorded L in New York with the newly constituted four-piece lineup of producer Todd Rundgren’s Utopia: keyboardist Roger Powell (Moog, piano), bassist Kasim Sulton, and drummer John Wilcox. L also features Miquette Giraudy (voice, vibraphone), Miquette Giraudy (voice, vibraphone), and legendary jazz trumpeter Don Cherry, who adds tambura and Tibetan bells.

The material divides into covers that open and close the album and original compositions emphasizing space rock and psychedelic excursions. “Hurdy Gurdy Glissando” extends the Donovan cover into a textured, improvisatory piece. “Electrick Gypsies” combines lyrical wordplay with glistening guitar and subtle trumpet accents. “Om Nama Shivaya” transforms the traditional Hindu mantra into raga-inflected rock with sitar-like textures and chanting. “Lunar Musick Suite” spans multiple sections, alternating driving rhythms, dueling guitar lines, synthesizer motifs, and Don Cherry’s improvisatory trumpet, creating the album’s most expansive work.

A1. “Hurdy Gurdy Man” (6:32) — cover of Donovan, opening track reimagines the 1968 hit with space rock instrumentation and Hillage guitar.
A2. “Hurdy Gurdy Glissando” (8:54) — improvisatory expansion of the previous track with layered guitar, percussion, and atmospheric synths.
A3. “Electrick Gypsies” (6:24) — whimsical psychedelic rock featuring angular guitar lines and trumpet accents.

B1. “Om Nama Shivaya” (3:33) — adapts traditional Hindu mantra with tabla, tambura, chanting, and raga-inspired guitar textures.
B2. “Lunar Music Suite” (11:59) — multi-section suite with shifting tempos, space rock guitar interplay, synthesizer sequences, and Don Cherry trumpet improvisation.
B3. “It’s All Too Much” (6:26) — cover of George Harrison, blending pop structure with Hillage’s space rock approach and synthesizer textures.

Sessions occurred at The Secret Sound, Woodstock, New York, where Todd Rundgren produced and engineered L.

The album features a cover concept integrating psychedelic space imagery, with artwork reflecting astral motifs consistent with Hillage’s astral/space rock aesthetic.

Virgin promoted L with the single “Hurdy Gurdy Man” (b/w “Hurdy Gurdy Glissando”). Later singles included “It’s All Too Much” (b/w “Electrick Gypsies”).

Motivation Radio

Steve Hillage released his third album, Motivation Radio, in September 1977 on Virgin.

Hillage’s third solo album combines funk-driven rhythms with his characteristic glissando guitar and psychedelic textures. The record integrates Automatic Man–inspired cosmic funk, Gong-style space rock, and hints of emerging art-punk dissonance, while synthesist Malcolm Cecil’s involvement preserves the album’s electronic depth. Hillage is supported by drummer Joe Blocker, bassist Reggie McBride, and synthesists Malcolm Cecil and Miquette Giraudy.

Hillage wrote six of the album’s tracks. Bassist Reggie McBride co-wrote “Motivation” and “Hello Dawn” with Hillage. The closing track covers Norman Petty and Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away,” popularized by the Rolling Stones.

Tracks divide into funk-oriented and space-rock excursions. “Hello Dawn” opens with brisk rhythm and expressive vocals, “Light in the Sky” layers glissando guitar with UFO-themed imagery, and “Radio” stretches into a six-minute space narrative.

Side two emphasizes tighter, more structured songs: “Wait One Moment” offers a contemplative ballad with a central guitar solo; “Saucer Surfing” combines cyclical, ethereal textures; “Searching for the Spark” explores hypnotic electronic patterns; “Octave Doctors” fuses dancy rhythmic motifs with bluesy guitar lines; and “Not Fade Away (Glid Forever)” concludes with a funky, blues-inflected rendition of the Holly/Hardin classic.

A1. “Hello Dawn” (2:47)
A2. “Motivation” (4:05)
A3. “Light in the Sky” (4:11)
A4. “Radio” (6:08)

B1. “Wait One Moment” (3:17)
B2. “Saucer Surfing” (4:28)
B3. “Searching for the Spark” (5:30)
B4. “Octave Doctors” (3:31)
B5. “Not Fade Away (Glid Forever)” (3:30) — cover of Norman Petty and Buddy Holly, first recorded as Holly’s B-side in 1957, popularized by the Rolling Stones; Hillage adds spacey and funk-infused textures.

Sessions occurred at Record Plant and Westlake Recording Studios, Los Angeles, with Malcolm Cecil producing and engineering at T.O.N.T.O., Santa Monica.

Green

Steve Hillage released his fourth album, Green, on April 14, 1978, on Virgin.

Hillage expands on the funk-infused space rock of Motivation Radio with extended instrumental passages and layered synthesizer textures. Guitar synthesizers, Moog, and ARP synths intertwine with vocoder effects, creating a mix of astral soundscapes, ethereal passages, and rhythm-driven rock. The album balances abstract explorations with more structured, funk-oriented tracks, culminating in a reprise of his Gong-inspired motifs.

Hillage wrote the majority of the material. He co-wrote tracks with bassist Curtis Robertson Jr., and covers no outside artists.

The album opens with the instrumental “Sea Nature” and the synth-driven “Ether Ships,” followed by the vocally centered “Musik of the Trees.” “Palm Trees (Love Guitar)” emphasizes solo guitar and synth textures, while “Unidentified (Flying Being)” combines funk rhythms with psychedelic effects. The twin instrumental pair “U.F.O. Over Paris” and “Leylines to Glassdom” explores cosmic synth patterns, leading into “Crystal City,” “Activation Meditation,” and the extended “The Glorious Om Riff,” a reworking of Gong’s “Master Builder” riff with updated synthesizer and guitar layers.

A1. “Sea Nature” (6:41) — explores abstract esoteric themes with glissando guitar and vocoder textures.
A2. “Ether Ships” (5:06) — layered synth arpeggios and tape-delay guitar create floating, spacious soundscapes.
A3. “Musik of the Trees” (4:52) — combines acoustic passages, vocals, and spacy synths.
A4. “Palm Trees (Love Guitar)” (5:20) — features rhythmic guitar arpeggios over airy synth textures.

B1. “Unidentified (Flying Being)” (4:29) — funk-influenced bass with psychedelic guitar effects.
B2. “U.F.O. Over Paris” (3:09) — extends the previous track’s motifs into atmospheric synth sequences.
B3. “Leylines to Glassdom” (4:07) — slow-building synth loops with sparse guitar solos.
B4. “Crystal City” (3:35) — denser arrangement with rhythmic bass and layered guitar.
B5. “Activation Meditation” (1:03) — short synth interlude leading into the finale.
B6. “The Glorious Om Riff” (7:46) — reinterprets Gong’s “Master Builder” with extended guitar and synth passages.

Sessions occurred at Ridge Farm Studio, Dorking, Surrey; Matrix Studio and Britannia Row Studios, London, with Hillage and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason producing and engineering.

Green features Hillage on guitar, guitar synthesizer, Moog synthesiser, and vocals; Miquette Giraudy on ARP synthesizer, vocoder, and vocals; Curtis Robertson Jr. on bass; and Joe Blocker on drums and percussion.

Virgin promoted Green with the single “Sea Nature” (b/w “Ether Ships”).

Later space rock and progressive acts, including Ozric Tentacles, have referenced Hillage’s “The Glorious Om Riff” in their extended compositions, drawing on its Gong-inspired riff structures and cosmic synth textures.

Live Herald

On January 26, 1979, Steve Hillage released Live Herald, a double-album comprised of three live sides and a fourth side of new studio material.

The live sides capture Hillage at the peak of his early solo career, blending his signature space-rock guitar work with expansive synthesizer textures and intricate rhythmic interplay. Hillage’s long-time collaborator Miquette Giraudy appears throughout on synthesizer, sequencer, bells, and occasional vocals, complementing his electric guitar.

The performances feature three distinct lineups, each adding a unique character: the first lineup includes Clive Bunker on drums, Phil Hodge on keyboards, Christian Boulé on glissando and rhythm guitar, Basil Brooks on synthesizer and flute, and Colin Bass on bass and vocals; the second lineup features Andy Anderson on drums, John McKenzie on bass and vocals, with Boulé and Giraudy; the third lineup combines elements of both, with Anderson, McKenzie, and Brooks joining Hillage and Giraudy. The fourth side offers studio recordings with Hillage and Giraudy exploring early electronic textures.

Hillage composed nearly all the material, with Giraudy co-writing most tracks. Two covers appear: Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man,” rendered as an extended guitar-driven reinterpretation, and George Harrison’s “It’s All Too Much,” fused with Hillage’s own “The Golden Vibe.”

The album opens with the March 26, 1977, Rainbow Theatre set: “Salmon Song” begins with an abrupt fanfare and develops into Hillage’s swirling guitar and Giraudy’s sequencer effects; “The Dervish Riff” offers angular, jazz-inflected interplay; “Castle in the Clouds / Hurdy Gurdy Man” merges Hillage composition with Donovan’s song, extending the latter into a sprawling, guitar-centric medley.

The May–August 1978 Oxford Polytechnic and Marquee Club recordings follow: “Light in the Sky” adds a lighter, more ethereal texture with female vocal accents; “Searching for the Spark” develops a hypnotic, bass-driven motif reminiscent of Gong’s work; “Electrick Gypsies” presents a more measured, contemplative performance.

The March 26, 1977, Rainbow Theatre medley features “Radiom / Lunar Musick Suite / Meditation of the Dragon,” with “Radiom” opening energetically, “Lunar Musick Suite” extending through multiple sections with intricate synth textures, and “Meditation of the Dragon” providing a reflective close. “It’s All Too Much / The Golden Vibe,” recorded May 25, 1978, fuses Harrison’s song with Hillage’s composition, culminating the live program with layered guitar and synth lines.

A1. “Salmon Song” (7:38) — recorded Rainbow Theatre, March 26, 1977; opens with fanfare, then develops into a multi-layered guitar and synth exploration.
A2. “The Dervish Riff” (4:17) — recorded Rainbow Theatre, March 26, 1977; complex jazz-rock phrasing with angular synth accents.
A3. “Castle in the Clouds / Hurdy Gurdy Man” (7:02) — recorded Rainbow Theatre, March 26, 1977; merges Hillage’s composition with Donovan cover, extending the latter into a guitar-focused medley.

B1. “Light in the Sky” (5:16) — recorded Oxford Polytechnic, May 25, 1978; adds lighter textures and female vocal accompaniment.
B2. “Searching for the Spark” (11:15) — recorded Marquee Club, August 7, 1978; bass-driven space-rock, layered guitar and sequencer lines.
B3. “Electrick Gypsies” (5:55) — recorded Rainbow Theatre, November 3, 1977; slower-paced, atmospheric performance.

C1. “Radiom / Lunar Musick Suite / Meditation of the Dragon” (15:23) — recorded Rainbow Theatre, March 26, 1977; multi-section suite with energetic, complex synth textures and reflective closing.
C2. “It’s All Too Much / The Golden Vibe” (6:47) — recorded Oxford Polytechnic, May 25, 1978; Harrison cover fused with Hillage original, climactic conclusion.

D1. “Talking to the Sun” (5:56)
D2. “1988 Aktivator” (2:31)
D3. “New Age Synthesis (Unzipping the Zype)” (8:46)
D4. “Healing Feeling” (6:11)

Sessions occurred at Rainbow Theatre, London, Marquee Club, London, and Oxford Polytechnic, Oxford, with Hillage and Giraudy overseeing production and various engineers capturing the live sets.

The studio recordings were later removed from Live Herald and appended as bonus tracks to Hillage’s next album, Open, in the 2007 CD reissue.

Record label Virgin promoted the album with no notable charting singles.

Live Herald remains a key historical document of Hillage’s live work in the late 1970s, emphasizing his virtuoso guitar technique, layered synthesizer arrangements, and the evolving space-rock aesthetic he helped define.

Rainbow Dome Musick

Steve Hillage released his fifth studio album, Rainbow Dome Musick, on April 13, 1979, on Virgin.

The album consists of two side-long instrumental pieces recorded with long-time partner Miquette Giraudy. It explores immersive, beatless soundscapes that blend ambient, progressive electronic, and space-oriented textures. Hillage’s glissando guitar and layered synthesizers interact with Giraudy’s tuned percussion, electric piano, and sequenced textures, producing an ethereal, meditative atmosphere suited to the Rainbow Dome performance at the Mind-Body-Spirit Festival, Olympia London.

Steve Hillage composed the majority of the material, with Miquette Giraudy contributing to “Garden of Paradise.” The album contains no covers.

Musically, the album divides into two continuous explorations. “Garden of Paradise” opens with the sound of flowing water, Tibetan bells, and chiming synthesizers, gradually introducing Hillage’s glissando guitar over rippling electric piano and sustained analog synth washes. “Four Ever Rainbow” continues with layered synths, droning textures, and delicate glissando guitar, occasionally punctuated by subtle electronic effects, culminating in expansive, trance-inducing sequences. Both tracks emphasize gradual evolution and deep tonal immersion rather than rhythmic propulsion.

A1. “Garden of Paradise” (22:54) — begins with water and chime textures, adding electric piano and layered synthesizers, gradually incorporating glissando guitar to create a meditative, immersive soundscape.
B1. “Four Ever Rainbow” (20:27) — dominated by droning synths, electronic textures, and glissando guitar, slowly building to an expansive, cosmic ambience with occasional tonal accents.

Sessions occurred at Om in January 1979 with Hillage and Giraudy producing and engineering.

Rainbow Dome Musick features artwork by Rupert Atwill, reflecting the album’s ethereal, celestial textures.

The album was created for performance at the Festival for Mind-Body-Spirit in London, where the Rainbow Dome installation served as a visual complement to the music.

Open

Steve Hillage released his sixth studio album, Open, on October 12, 1979, on Virgin.

The album blends prog-ambient excursions with funk-infused rhythms and occasional punk energy. Hillage’s guitar interacts with Miquette Giraudy’s synthesizers and keyboards, while a young second guitarist, Dave Stewart, and guest keyboardist Dave Stewart (of Uriel/Khan) appear on select tracks, expanding the band’s textural palette.

Hillage wrote the majority of the material, with Giraudy co-writing certain tracks. The album includes a cover of The Beatles’ “Getting in Tune” and an instrumental inspired by Egyptian singer Oum Kalsoum.

The album divides into prog-funk, ambient, and world-tinged tracks. “Day After Day” opens with driving riffs and angular rhythms, while “Getting in Tune” channels punk energy through concise phrasing. The title track and “Don’t Dither Do It” emphasize interlocked rhythms and guitar-synth interplay. “The Fire Inside” combines layered textures with flowing solos, and “Earthrise” incorporates Arabic-inspired patterns beneath expansive synths and glissando guitar lines.

A1. “Day After Day” (6:17)
A2. “Getting in Tune” (3:16)
A3. “Open” (5:16)
A4. “Definite Activity” (4:43)

B1. “Don’t Dither Do It” (5:04)
B2. “The Fire Inside” (6:15) — features guest keyboardist Dave Stewart performing a solo; song builds through layered synths and guitar textures.
B3. “Earthrise” (8:34) — integrates Arabic-influenced patterns with ambient synth washes and glissando guitar.

Sessions occurred at Ridge Farm Studio in August 1979 with Hillage producing and engineering.

Virgin promoted the album with “Day After Day” and “Getting in Tune” as singles.

For to Next and And Not Or

Steve Hillage released the back-to-back albums For to Next and And Not Or in late 1982 on Virgin.

For to Next explores early-80s electronic textures, blending drum machines, sequenced synths, and Hillage’s restrained guitar work. The album features Hillage on guitar and vocals and Miquette Giraudy on keyboards and synthesizers, forming a tightly focused duo that balances electronic atmospheres with occasional guitar statements. And Not Or complements this with extended instrumental tracks emphasizing guitar motifs over synth-driven rhythmic frameworks, featuring guest appearances from Gong members Daevid Allen and Mike Howlett on “Knights Templar.”

Hillage wrote all tracks on For to Next, with Giraudy co-writing select pieces; “Getting in Tune” and covers do not appear here, making it fully original. And Not Or consists entirely of instrumentals written by Hillage, with contributions from Allen and Howlett on one track.

Musically, For to Next fuses hypnotic synth patterns with angular guitar phrases. “These Uncharted Lands” sets the mood with ethereal synth layers and classic Hillage guitar lines. “Alone” features a climactic guitar solo over a pop-oriented synth backdrop. “Anthems for the Blind” emphasizes rhythmic synth sequences, while “Frame by Frame” blends concise guitar motifs with electronic textures. “Kamikaze Eyes” and “Bright Future” highlight uptempo, new wave–inflected beats, and “Glory” closes with expansive synth atmospheres supporting sustained guitar lines.

A1. “These Uncharted Lands” (5:36)
A2. “Kamikaze Eyes” (4:50)
A3. “Alone” (5:19)
A4. “Anthems for the Blind” (4:28)

B1. “Bright Future” (5:08)
B2. “Frame by Frame” (5:52)
B3. “Waiting” (5:23)
B4. “Glory” (6:04)

And Not Or leans into long-form instrumentals: “Before the Storm,” “Red Admiral,” “Serotonin,” and “Still Golden” develop repetitive, echoing guitar motifs over sequenced synth and drum machine backdrops, while the title track and “Knights Templar” explore layered textures with flowing guitar interplay.

A1. “Before the Storm” (7:08)
A2. “Red Admiral” (6:14)
A3. “Serotonin” (5:35)

B1. “And Not Or” (6:25)
B2. “Knights Templar” (4:35) — features Daevid Allen and Mike Howlett; texture and rhythm resemble Gong’s atmospheric style
B3. “Still Golden” (5:52)

Sessions occurred at Hillage’s own studio and various London facilities, with Hillage producing and Giraudy engineering sequenced synths and electronic textures.

For to Next and And Not Or were initially issued separately, later combined on CD. The album artwork emphasizes minimalist geometric forms reflecting the computer-inspired titles derived from the BASIC programming language.

Virgin promoted For to Next with “These Uncharted Lands” as a lead track, though no chart placements are documented.

Discography: