Tim Blake -

Tim Blake (born Feb. 6, 1952) is an English electronic musician from London who played in Gong between 1973 and 1975 under the alias Hi. T. Moonweed, appearing on the albums Flying Teapot, Angel’s Egg, and You. In 1977, he released the album Crystal Machine on Barclay-subsidiary Egg. After a second solo album for the label, he did a brief stint with Hawkwind, appearing on the band’s two 1980 releases Live Seventy Nine and Levitation.

Tim Blake is an English synthesist and keyboardist from west London. He recorded the 1973–74 Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy with Gong under the Hi T. Moonweed name. Blake developed Crystal Machine as an electronic performance with laser projection, then released Crystal Machine (1977) and Blake’s New Jerusalem (1978) on Egg. He later joined Hawkwind for Live Seventy Nine and Levitation during the 1980 Bronze cycle.

Background

Tim Blake was born February 6, 1952, in Hammersmith, west London. He sang as a chorister and studied trumpet and theory with composer Derek Bourgeois. School orchestra work preceded an apprenticeship in film dubbing and post-production, where Blake learned studio electronics and live sound.

During 1969, he ran sound for High Tide at All Saints Hall in Notting Hill and let an unnamed group use the stage after soundcheck. The improvised appearance became the first performance by Hawkwind.

Blake met Daevid Allen at Marquee Studios during work on the 1971 album Banana Moon for French broadcaster Pierre Lattès. Allen invited him to France. Blake acquired an early EMS Synthi A and demonstrated EMS instruments in Paris. Allen brought him into Gong full-time in September 1972.

Under the Hi T. Moonweed name, Blake played synthesizers on the 1973 albums Flying Teapot and Angel’s Egg, followed by the 1974 release You. He left Gong during early 1975 and contributed to albums by Steve Hillage (Fish Rising) and Cyrille Verdeaux (Clearlight Symphony).

Blake developed Crystal Machine in France with light artist Patrice Warrener and projection designer Bernard Szajner. Their performance system synchronized Blake’s electronic equipment with controlled laser projections.

Saratoga Space Messengers

Isadora issued the standalone “Surf” single in France during 1976 under the Saratoga Space Messengers name. Brigitte Perron wrote both sides, while Blake produced the Château d’Hérouville session.

A. “Surf” (3:40)
B. “Saratoga Space Sound” (5:30)

Crystal Machine

Tim Blake released his debut album, Crystal Machine, in 1977 on Egg.

The album collects the solo program Blake developed with Warrener after Gong. Blake wrote all five pieces and performs with EMS Synthi A and Minimoog, plus Elka Rhapsody. Frequency shifting and flanging join a Sony tape-echo system. The album combines three studio pieces with tapes from the 1976 Seasalter Free Festival and Le Palace Théâtre in Paris.

“Midnight” unfurls from a repeating seven-beat bass figure as lead lines and rippling synthesizer layers gather into airy haze. “Metro/Logic” accelerates through an irregular sequencer pattern, with rubbery turns beneath rapid high-register runs. “Last Ride of the Boogie Child” bobs on a syncopated sequence as whispered singing surfaces between swirling effects and bright lead figures.

“Synthese Intemporel” rises from birdsong through broad fanfares, then locks agile runs to a circular sequence that loosens into random tones. “Crystal Presence” hovers in oscillating sweeps and machine-like noise before dissolving into a cold drone.

A1. “Midnight” (6:22)
A2. “Metro Logic” (6:28)
A3. “Last Ride of the Boogie Child” (7:50)
B1. “Synthese Intemporelle” (15:52)
B2. “Crystal Presence” (1:28)

Blake recorded the studio pieces and the Seasalter performance, then produced the album after co-producing side one of Cyrille Verdeaux’s 1975 Clearlight Symphony. Paris sound engineer Jacques Darnys captured “Synthese Intemporelle” at Le Palace Théâtre on February 18, 1977.

Light artist Patrice Warrener operated the Crystal Machine projector. A photograph by Rosa Gauditano shows Blake at his equipment before a large blue projection. Gauditano began newspaper and magazine work in Brazil during the album sessions.

In 1978, Egg divided “Síntesis Intemporal” into Parts I and II for a Spanish 7-inch single.

Esoteric remastered and expanded Crystal Machine in 2017 with “Surf.” The edition also adds “Synthese Intemporelle I” and “Synthese Intemporelle II.”

Blake’s New Jerusalem

Tim Blake released his second album, Blake’s New Jerusalem, in 1978 on Egg through Barclay.

The album replaces the debut’s concert compilation with material recorded across three studios. Blake wrote the music and adds sung text to an expanded synthesizer system. He also plays Ovation and glissando guitar. Jean-Philippe Rykiel plays Minimoog on “Passage sur la Cité (des Révélations)” and the title composition. The latter draws its words from William Blake’s poem “And did those feet in ancient time,” later set as “Jerusalem.”

“A Song for a New Age” glides from acoustic guitar and intimate singing into widening electronic effects, then hardens into a denser final passage. “Lighthouse” simmers beneath a digitized spoken opening while sparse bass notes support slow tonal shifts and swirling effects. “Generator (Laser Beam)” bounces on a constant dance-like beat as emphatic singing answers buoyant major-key phrases.

“Passage sur la Cité (Des Révélations)” careens through irregular percussion as shifting chords drive a fast arpeggiated figure beneath a sustained keyboard solo. “Blake’s New Jerusalem” drifts from spoken text through soft electronic layers before sung passages and extended solo lines settle over a hypnotic arpeggio.

A1. “Song for a New Age” (5:00)
A2. “Lighthouse” (6:45)
A3. “Generator (Laserbeam)” (3:46)
A4. “Passage sur la Cité (des Révélations)” [Passage Over the City (of Revelations)] (7:30)
B1. “Blake’s New Jerusalem” (16:13)

Blake recorded the album during spring and summer 1978 at Ridge Farm in Capel, then at Studio Barclay and L’Aquarium in Paris. He produced and engineered the sessions.

Simon Heyworth, known for co-engineering and co-producing Mike Oldfield’s 1973 Tubular Bells at the Manor, handled Ridge Farm work with engineer Dave Stewart. Dominique Blanc-Francard recorded additional material at L’Aquarium after his 1970–73 engineering tenure at Château d’Hérouville. Barclay chief engineer Gerhard Lehner worked with Pierre Dobler, whose concurrent credits include Les éléments: la Terre by Michel Magne and Adonia by Ose.

Doris Rutzel supplied the sleeve art, and Philippe Denis photographed Blake among a console and electronic equipment. Brigitte Perron supervised the graphics after writing both sides of the Saratoga Space Messengers single.

Barclay issued “Generator Laser Beam” in the UK on September 15, 1978 (b/w “The Woodland Voice”).

Esoteric remastered and expanded Blake’s New Jerusalem in 2017 with “The Woodland Voice.” The edition also adds the extended recordings “From Outer Space” and “Jupiter to Jerusalem.”

1978–90 Activity

During 1978, Blake played synthesizer on Nik Turner’s Sphynx album Xitintoday. He adds sequencer to “Thoth” and Moog bass to “God Rock.” Crystal Machine toured Japan and France, followed by Spanish dates. Blake brought the production to the 1979 Glastonbury Festival.

Blake joined Hawkwind for the September 1979 Futurama festival at Leeds. The lineup paired him with founder Dave Brock and bassist Harvey Bainbridge, alongside guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton and drummer Simon King. The group recorded its December 8 St Albans concert for Live Seventy Nine.

Hawkwind released Live Seventy Nine in July 1980 on Bronze. Blake plays keyboards and sings on a set that includes “Lighthouse” from Blake’s New Jerusalem. Hawkwind and Ashley Howe co-produced the recording; Howe also worked on contemporary albums by Angel Witch (Angel Witch) and Yes (Drama).

Levitation followed in October 1980 on Bronze. Blake plays keyboards and contributes the 88-second “Prelude.” He shared production at Roundhouse Studios with bassist Harvey Bainbridge and guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton. Engineer Ashley Howe, who had co-produced Live Seventy Nine, completed the team.

Keith Hale replaced Blake for the ensuing Hawkwind tour. Blake returned to Brittany and issued no further solo album during the 1981–90 period.