Pierre Moerlens Gong
What organization or association or team did Pierre Moerlen join in 1978?
Pierre Moerlen Pierre Moerlen ( 23 October 1952 , Colmar , Haut-Rhin – 3 May 2005 , Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines , near Strasbourg ) was a French drummer and percussionist , best known for his work with Gong and Mike Oldfield and as Pierre Moerlens Gong . Biography . Pierre Moerlen was born in Colmar ( Haut-Rhin ) on 23 October 1952 , third of five children . His father was an organist and his mother was a music teacher . All five siblings learned music with their parents and all became musicians . Pierres younger brother , Benoît Moerlen , is also a percussionist ( he also worked with Gong and Mike Oldfield ) . Pierre left Colmar for Strasbourg to learn percussion with Jean Batigne , founder of Les Percussions de Strasbourg . He was also a member of two rock and rock-jazz bands , including Hasm Congélateur ( with included future Magma guitarist Gabriel Federow ) , whose most notable performance was the opening slot at the Seloncourt Festival in September 1972 , headlined by Ange , Genesis and Robert Wyatts Matching Mole . In January 1973 , Moerlen joined Daevid Allens Gong , debuting on the Angels Egg ( 1973 ) album . In June 1973 he was asked by Virgin Recordss boss Richard Branson to play percussion with Mike Oldfield for the premiere of Tubular Bells ( 1973 ) , to replace the incapacitated Robert Wyatt . Steve Hillage , guitar player of Gong , also took part . Between 1975-87 , beginning with Ommadawn ( 1975 ) , Moerlen would be Oldfields percussionist of choice for his albums and his tours . Moerlen left and returned to Gong several times to tour with Les Percussions de Strasbourg ( he created with them Musik im Bauch by Karlheinz Stockhausen and Hiérophonie V by Yoshihisa Taïra at Festival international dart contemporain de Royan , 1975 ) , and although he recorded You ( 1974 ) he left just before the tour promoting that album began . In the summer of 1975 , by which time band founder , Daevid Allen , had left , he was asked to return to co-lead the band with Didier Malherbe and Steve Hillage , who himself left shortly thereafter , only appearing on a couple of tracks on the next album Shamal ( 1976 ) . Another series of line-up changes resulted in the Gazeuse ! ( 1976 ) album ( released as Expresso in the US ) with Allan Holdsworth on guitar , following which Malherbe left , leaving Moerlen as the only link with the classic Gong line-up . He retained the name for the next album , Expresso II ( 1978 ) , but to avoid confusion the bands concerts were often announced as Gong-Expresso . Since this wasnt clear enough , the name Pierre Moerlens Gong ( PMG ) was used from 1978 onwards . At this point the band – which included American musicians Bon Lozaga ( guitar ) and Hansford Rowe ( bass ) – were playing jazz fusion rather than the Canterbury scene-influenced psychedelia of old . In 1978 , PMG were released from the Virgin contract , and signed with Arista , releasing Downwind ( 1979 ) , Time is the Key ( 1979 ) , Pierre Moerlens Gong Live ( 1980 ) and Leave It Open ( 1980 ) . During this period , Moerlen regularly toured internationally with Mike Oldfield . PMG ceased operations in 1981 following tours of North America and Europe in late 1980 . Later that year , Moerlen briefly joined Magma as second drummer . Following Mike Oldfields 10th Anniversary tour in 1983 , he joined the Swedish progressive/symphonic band Tribute ( 1985–87 ) . PMG reformed for two albums and tours in the late 1980s . After spending several years as orchestra pit musician for various musicals , he returned to active service in 1997 when he joined the British jazz-rock outfit Brand X for international touring in 1997 . Later that year , he was asked to rejoin Gong , and toured with the band until 1999 . He then concentrated on putting together a new PMG line-up and repertoire , which resulted in the live album Pentanine ( 2004 ) , recorded in Moscow in 2002 . Death . Pierre Moerlen died unexpectedly on 3 May 2005 , aged 52 , of natural causes . At the time of his death he was rehearsing with a new incarnation of Pierre Moerlens Gong . Discography . With Gong . - 1973 : Angels Egg ( Radio Gnome trilogy , part 2 ) - 1974 : You ( Radio Gnome trilogy , part 3 ) - 1976 : Shamal - 1977 : Gong est Mort , Vive Gong ( French live album ) - 1977 : Gong Live Etc ( UK live album ) With Pierre Moerlens Gong . - 1976 : Gazeuse ! ( Expresso in North America ) - 1978 : Expresso II - 1979 : Downwind - 1979 : Time is the Key - 1980 : Pierre Moerlens Gong Live - 1981 : Leave It Open - 1986 : Breakthrough - 1988 : Second Wind - 1998 : Full Circle Live 88 - 2004 : Pentanine With Mike Oldfield . - 1975 : Ommadawn - 1978 : Incantations - 1979 : Exposed - 1979 : Platinum - 1983 : Crises - 1985 : The Complete Mike Oldfield - 1987 : Islands In November 1973 , Moerlen participated in a live-in-the-studio performance of Mike Oldfields Tubular Bells for the BBC. [ Dead link ] It is available on Oldfields Elements DVD . With others . - 1975 : Steve Hillage – Fish Rising - 1975 : Slapp Happy – Desperate Straights - 1977 : Pekka Pohjola – Mathematicians Air Display - 1979 : Mick Taylor – Mick Taylor - 1980 : Sally Oldfield – Celebration - 1982 : Philip Lynott – The Philip Lynott Album - 1983 : Sally Oldfield – Strange Day in Berlin - 1983 : Jean-Yves Lievaux – Transformances - 1985 : Tribute – Breaking Barriers - 1988 : Biréli Lagrène – Inferno - 1995 : Project Lo – Dabblings in the Darkness External links . - Pierre Moerlen biography at Calyx , the Canterbury Website - Pierre Moerlen interview at Calyx - Pierre Moerlens Gong discography and album reviews , credits & releases at AllMusic.com - Pierre Moerlens chronologic appearances & credits on different albums at Discogs.com - Pierre Moerlens Gong biography , discography , album credits & user reviews at ProgArchives.com