Tim Blake - Lighthouse: An Anthology 1973-2012 (2018)

A NEW RE-MASTERED 4CD CLAMSHELL BOX ANTHOLOGY FEATURING THE BEST OF TIM BLAKE .INCLUDING TRACKS BY GONG, SARATOGA SPACE MESSENGERS & HAWKWIND ALONG WITH SOLO TRACKS.FEATURING 8 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACKS INCLUDING "THE BIRTH OF CRYSTAL MACHINE" DEMOS.ALSO INCLUDES A DVD (NTSC - REGION FREE) OF A PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED FRENCH TV PERFORMANCE FROM APRIL '79. NEWLY REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES. BOOKLET INCLUDES A NEW ESSAY. Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of a new re-mastered 3CD and DVD clamshell boxed set anthology celebrating the career of celebrated synthesiser and electronic ambient music pioneer TIM BLAKE. Tim first came to prominence as a member of Gong where his synthesiser experimentation and mastery was demonstrated on albums such as "Flying Teapot", "Angel's Egg" and "You". He would also join Hawkwind from 1979 - 1980 and from November 2007. After departing Gong in 1975 he teamed up with French lighting designer Patrice Warrener to form Crystal Machine, pioneering the use of lasers and synthesisers in a live setting.Blake's debut album, "Crystal Machine", was originally released in 1977 on the French experimental label Egg and featured two pieces recorded live in the UK and in France. This work was followed by arguably his finest work, "Blake's New Jerusalem" in 1978. Unlike his previous work, the album featured songs and the lengthy title-track would dominate the album's second side. "New Jerusalem" also featured the guest appearance of Jean-Philippe Rykiel on mini-moog. Tim Blake would later perform both "Lighthouse" and "New Jerusalem" as a member of Hawkwind when he joined the band the following year. He remained with the group for just over a year before returning to France and moving away from music. Tim returned to the music scene with the album "Magick" in 1991, recorded at his home studio in a windmill.