The Canterbury Scene: An Interview with Steve Hillage & Daevid Allen - BBC South

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One of the Canterbury Scene's main men, Daevid Allen talks about how his travels brought him to Canterbury and being part of the Scene.
Australian born Daevid Allen is one of the Canterbury Scene's leading men. He came to England in the very early sixties, arriving in Canterbury via London. He's best known as the leader of the Canterbury band Gong.
In this interview he talks about how his travels brought him to Canterbury and whether or not he thinks there was ever a 'Canterbury Scene'.
Guitarist and singer Steve Hillage came to Canterbury in 1969 to attend university. Within weeks he'd found his way into the Canterbury Scene.
Steve was studying History and Philosophy but spent a good deal of time jamming with other musicians active on the scene in those years. He was particularly friendly with the members of Caravan, and through them he was able to get a record deal.
Steve Hillage talks about his early days in Canterbury.
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[@keriford54]

That was great hearing Daevid speak so highly of Robert Wyatt

[@MrBlueSky474]

I watched this just to hear Daevid Allen and Steve Hillage speak! I expected an incoherent stoned slur but was presented with two very lucid, normal and polite gentlemen who's superb spacey contribution to the sixties, seventies and beyond have given me so much pleasure. RIP Mr Allen.

[@stationsixtyseven67]

Two undisputable musical innovators and spreaders of LOVE, of good vibes and Positivity! We need more of their ilk! BLESS THEM!

[@markranfone6393]

great comment :)

[@rhurbstafalcon4807]

Remember watching Mr.Hillage on TOGWT as a kid just poking around the music scene...Whispering Bob introduces him and he's got this Hurdy Gurdy or whatever....man I was glued....!!

[@blakecasimir]

Two very gifted, talented and wonderful musicians. Watching Daevid in this is difficult because his lucidity and positivity is infectious, knowing he's no longer with us it's a bittersweet feeling. Steve, I love you forever just for Cyberboogie but I do wish you would bring back more guitar his System 7...

[@AndreaFerlat]

It's almost unbelievable how lucid and energetic he is. A true heart.

[@fcamiola]

Legendary blokes! Canterbury scene is life....

[@malcwhite]

I remember watching the Rock Goes to College with Steve Village when I was 16. Had a profound effect on me.

[@GodzillaGoesGaga]

Both of these guys have had an incredible impact on music. Both incredible people too. RIp Divided Alien !! 😁

[@krisscanlon4051]

Great pair who worked all sides of the biz. Not for mass consumption and that is a blessing as well. NYC Gong and Divided Alien is a hoot... Miss you Sir Allen. Love DA whole presence here...Steve what can you say? Great chap...

[@croiners4166]

Wow!❤ Daevid is spot on about Robert!

[@paulmcdonald4137]

Two iconic legends. I’ve spent many hours,listening to their music. And yes,there was a large amount of psychedelics consumed.Among other things. But the music is still fantastic,whilst completely sober.👍🏼👍🏼

[@andrewforrest108]

Steve Hillage is one of my main musical heroes and influences from the halcyon 70's...Rainbow Dome music and Green particularly...om sweet om:)

[@graxjpg]

Two of my biggest heroes. I never had the opportunity to drink in anything as enriching as Kent, but I am more than content with drinking in the music these gentlemen have made. It’s changed my life!

[@jamesdaviddupre99]

Nice interview. Steve had a unique guitar sound & style, and Daevid was simply unique. I saw him in a small San Fran club years ago, sold out, I watched through the window from the sidewalk. It was great.

[@GreenerHill]

Had no idea Daevid Allen was Australian! Good, lucid interview, especially given the hop content of Kent. :)

[@franciscorebecchi7689]

¡¡Grandísimos Músicos!!!!!!!! Gong es una de mis bandas favoritas, tremendamente talentosos.-

[@xaxabogbart]

I relate to this, in my 20s, and spend many lovely nights down the Warren in Folkestone and across the hills with friends doing acid and exploring ourselves and being creative. I was down there the other night with a friend doing exactly that

[@cpcnw]

I met Robert Wyatt in Superdrug in Louth near the cold cures. He was happy to have a quick chat with me and seemed genuinely chuffed I recognised him. As an aside I love Allen's version of O' Caroline which was written by one of the other band members of Matching Mole.

[@StephenLawrence01]

Nice people, great music, good to see them alive, as so many other musicians aren't. I was there during this period and still love the sound.

[@Syd4510]

Inspirational musicians, both of 'em!

[@noellawton231]

That's why system seven are so good. They are musicians! Most dance acts use other people's music. I love Steve Hillage!!!

[@bemersonbakebarmen]

Gong never sounded too canterbury to me. Hillage has some of that Psychodelic/Jazz vibe of Caravan and Soft Machine, but Gong is more Spacey, closer to the Space Rock of early Pink Floyd and Hawkwind than of other Canterbury bands. Specially in the Planet Gong Trilogy. And I see the Gong influence in many modern Space Rock bands.

[@tobarrr]

I was at that festival they are talking about here in July. It was great.

[@spookedhorse]

Thanks for this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@YouMeMoon]

I adore Daevid Allen ^_^

[@actron]

Steve Hillage is so cool. Kinda wish he left his hair a little longer, though, just for the rock n roll factor.

[@blesseins4658]

Where are you now my friends , ...Now Here and Smile ...!!!

[@nonoiker]

They are great giftet guys in the rock world.

[@MSM4U2POM]

Absolutely smashing guys! Like some of Steve's work, but much of it is a little bit too experimental for me. Doesn't matter, though: I'd go for a pint with them anyday.

[@bfgfhell]

love him

[@DanChad-er9lh]

Two fantastique musicians. I wish captain hill age had collaborated with Robert Wyatt though

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

Fremlins was the very best Kent beer

[@merfynspiralmoonbeam5350]

"Now" really IS the happiest time of your life..... No honestly, it really is.. That thing that you really want to do... You know, the one that makes you nervous or the decision you haven't made that is hoilding you back... Get it done... And have a cup of tea, [have another one] Have a cup up tea ! Happy Breakfast.....!!

[@datura23]

Wonderful! Thanks from Xurba.

[@RoverenderAlligator]

I went to all three of the Canterbury Fayres, shame they finished but they grew very quickly. Daevid was signing autographs with Arthur Brown after Gong's set & was going to sign my Camembert Electrique T-shirt but we couldn't find the girl who had just been there with a magic marker so l remained un-autographed, a pity & l have regretted that ever since. I saw Gong many times, more than anyone else & Daevid seemed a nice chap. This interview would seem to confirm that too. He is missed.

[@canterburied]

2 giants of canterbury

[@jaggass]

I've bought a keyboard that belonged to Steve Hillage. I wonder what he used iton.

[@eubique]

A keyboard stand

[@jaggass]

@@eubique I was thinking that too.

[@pardyhardly]

I used to work at a pharmacy in Hillindale back in 1970. Daevid was a very frequent customer as we sold a shampoo and creme that he liked to use for his crab lice. Daevid suffered from crabs very frequently. He once invited us to his house "for a smoke", and he showed us his collection of clipped pubic hair covered with dead bugs and dried out lice eggs.. He once came in suffering from the crabs so badly that he dropped his pants and applied the creme right there in the store. Unfortunately a group of nuns walked in while this was happening and things became quite "barmy".

[@seethroughhead505]

I remember seeing that! As the nuns left the shop, one of them removed their habit, only to reveal that they were in fact Sue Lawley. She was then joined by a passing Peter Sellers and they climbed into a Zebra costume and galloped off up the road!

[@pardyhardly]

@@seethroughhead505 That was Peter Sellers ?

[@seethroughhead505]

@@pardyhardly No; definitely Sue Lawley.

[@pardyhardly]

@@seethroughhead505 ( rimshot)

[@hopebgood]

There's nothing wrong with trying to be funny Brian. Try harder.

[@mihohobaba]

Fremlins! A sadly missed beer.

[@PeregrineTrousers]

He He... Pleeez say Canterbury again. Iggs in beeer? Must be australian. Truely remarkable musicians. Always fun...just out past Nackington etc... Graham's Cat made songs close to here too.

[@UnhappyMerchant]

Interesting bloke

[@shldnbschmn]

wow... holy shit!! :)

[@ProgressiveRock1970s]

Daevid's Shirt. Lol

[@hermanhelmich]

ProgressiveRock1970s what does it say?

[@Wotsitorlabart]

@@hermanhelmich Nobody knows I'm A Lesbion.

[@andreaprodan5616]

Ot's funny ... coz Hillage now looks like Mick Jones of The Clash!!!

[@octopusmime]

fishman and merlin 🌊😁⭐😂🙃🙏👑

[@CCCP8888]

Hello Steve and Daev all other cosmic eternal peoples, the recent midsummers eve/day Stonehenge free festival gathering 2024, was a cosmicly amazing successful event , I was there and pleased to see all the free natural eternal peoples of the infinite wild natural eternal cosmos enjoying themselves, there WILL DEFINATELY soon be the return of the Stonehenge free festivals FOR ETERNITY , REGULARLY, and ALL other free festivals also FOR ETERNITY , the IMPORTANT thing is, the more the natural wilderness returns back to the northern side/edge of Stonehenge (where the small "barrow hills" and traditional pyramid stage/ main festival site area is), i.e. the tarmac, roads, fences, artificial things e.t.c. being taken up, and the natural mud, turf and other plants growing back,, the sooner the better, and the Stonehenge free festivals Will DEFINATELY return even MORE sooner it is PRIMARILY NECESSARY for the northern plains tundra/fields ( i.e. where the main free festival, pyramid stage , small" barrow hills" usually is) to become completely natural wilderness again , there will still be a route to the south of Stonehenge for traffic travelling east to west/ west to east, and yet that route will eventually have the tarmac removed e.t.c. also , and then just become a flat dry smooth natural mud route that vehicles can STILL use 100% safely o.k. at the same speeds as before, (that southern only (east to west/west to east) road re-naturalisation (eventually back to a vehicle safe flat dry mud road) is in the more distant future, but to the sides and northern edges all around Stonehenge ,re-naturalisation back to completely natural tundra is VERY DEFINATELY IMMINENT and IMPORTANTLY it is better NOT to actually scorch/burn the actual turf/grass soils e.t,c. in any way , we are elf minimalist-tech eco-friendly(primarily) peoples, Stonehenge is here for ETERNITY , and so are we ALL, and so is all our eco friendly cosmic eternal music equipment e.t.c. any planes, helicopters, U.F.O. , other craft e.t.c. e.t.c. in the sky and space is ONLY Soviet Union Russian, so rest assured EVERYTHING is o.k. and 100% ECOFRIENDLY, see you soon and a DEFINIATE eco friendly free festival ETERNITY ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED

[@astrophonix]

OMG! The Hillfish is looking like Frankie Howard?!

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

Here Steve pass that joint will ya

[@pressureworks]

Steve Hillfish !

[@allenwagley6956]

What a nice alien

[@simonagree4070]

Steve Hillage, bad advertisement for British Health, teeth department.

[@Sputeen]

Is it me or is Hillage struggling to hear what the interviewer is saying? Looks like years of playing load has damaged his hearing. No surprise there really. Occupational hazard.

[@jwardbass4452]

I never suspected Daevid to be such a normal guy, I always expected an eccentric weirdo who spoke in grunts instead of syllables lol

[@cameronpatrickscott]

Rascals

[@judemunkey360]

1st