The Golden Gonk

The Golden Gonk Is The Musical Project Of UK-Based Multi-Instrumentalist And Composer Jamie Azzopardi. The Name Was First Established In 2003 Though Azzopardi Has Been Making Music Under Various Other Equally Mysterious Monikers Since 1997. Following Two Barely There Home-Recorded Cassettes The Moon Is Heaven 2003 And Who Was I Kidding? 2004 Azzopardi Properly Kick-Started His Golden Gonk Manifesto With A Two Track Single Of Sorts “Cat In A Courtyard”/“A Cloud Imitating A Bush” And The Monster Double Album Songtrees Both 2004 Which Were Briefly Made Available As CD-Rs To Friends Family Lovers And Passing Hobos. 2005 Saw Azzopardi Record The Sister Albums Which Are Offered Here Through Woven Wheat Whispers "Individual Grace- A Pauper's Supper" And "Hye & Hellow." These Albums Are Purely Instrumental In Content And Feature Guitar And Balalaika Contributions From Good Gonk Friend David Sanders. They Were Conceived Together In The Summer Of 2004 Then Coincidentally Recorded Together 9 Months Later In The Spring Of 2005. They Are Two Halves Of A Whole Documenting Everything That Fascinated And/or Worried Me At The Time- A Night In A City A Dying Season A Shop Window An Object Reflecting The Sun On A Hillside Rust Insect Infestation And Flapjacks. Azzopardi's Main Compositional Tool Is A Nylon-Strung Spanish Guitar Though The Golden Gonk Releases To Date Include Piano Gong Organ Indian Hand Drum Marimba The Aforementioned Balalaika Found Sounds Sound Manipulation A Vast Array Of Everyday Items Used As Instruments Radiators House Keys Slamming Doors Knives And The Like And Of Course Plenty Of OTT Ear-Shredding Electric Guitar. Though Much Of The Music Made By The Golden Gonk Has A Reflective And Pastoral Quality Derived From Folk Music Azzopardi Also Takes Influence From Free Improvisation Noise Jazz Ambient Drone Psychedelic Rock Various Eastern Styles Early Music Prog And Tape Collage. Live Performances By The Golden Gonk Are Very Rare With Only One Being Known To Us In Recent Years St. Peter's Arts Centre Preston UK In May 2005 . read less