Psychedelic rock has never really gone away, but there’s a palpable sense it is having a bit of a resurgence – or at least a very vivid flashback – at the moment. And right at the centre of that growing musical mandala is Kavus Torabi. A former member of seminal art-pop outfit Cardiacs, he’s been the frontman of Gong for the past eight years, broadening that band’s rich catalogue of lysergic prog with compelling new music. Somewhat improbably, he’s also the musical partner-in-crime of snooker legend Steve Davis, who has found his new métier playing modular synth in an improvisational trio called The Utopia Strong with Kavus and traditional pipes specialist Mike York. We venture out to Glastonbury – still a centre for esoterica of all stripes – to find out how Kavus makes his intrepid vision for guitar work all across this universe of sound.
Your musical partnership with Steve Davis has led to a band based on live improvisation combining guitar with modular synthesis. How did that come about?
“I met Steve at a show that [French prog outfit] Magma was doing. I knew he was a huge Magma fan – I’m a massive fan myself – and I’d seen him at Magma gigs in the UK but was a bit shy to talk to him because, you know, he’s Steve Davis. But I saw him in France and started talking to him because I thought we were probably the only Brits there. And so I started chatting, and, within about 30 seconds of talking to him, he stopped being Steve Davis the snooker player and we really, really got on well.
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Guitarist.
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Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Sonic Shaper
Electro-Harmonix revisits the effect that launched the company with the LPB-3 Linear Power Booster and EQ
Platinum Blonde
PRS has updated its Texas-voiced David Grissom signature amp with more features, lower wattage and a more approachable price tag
TAN LINES
Many of us regard straps as a bit of an afterthought, but to find one that matches the quality of a custom or vintage guitar, Rod Boyes of Pinegrove Leather can help
ELECTRIC STRINGS
Your tone starts with your strings - strike a balance between sound, tuning and durability with six of our favourites
DIFFERENT WINDS
While there's no end to repros of all the classic pickup styles, more and more pickup makers are mixing things up to move forward - Cream T is a good example
Long termers
A few months' gigging, recording and everything that goes with it - welcome to Guitarist's longterm test report
Top Guns
Chapman's new factory move coincides with a bit of a rethink. We track down the key players all around the world
the Wishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Reach For The Star
Earlier this year Guild reorganised its 70s-era Polara range. We spent some time with this mid-range 2024 model: a modern pawn-shop prize or a copy too far?
HIGH FLYER
Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX remembers the flight path - and turbulence behind Chris Buck's Electric Lightning overdrive/boost, named after a fighter jet and packing a bona fide valve
