GONG - - - STARS IN HEAVEN

From GlassOnyonPR

Legendary psych outfit Gong are back today their new single ‘Stars In Heaven’ alongside a brand new music video created by Drain Hope. The band have also teased the release of their new album which fans will see in 2026 and shared the album’s name – Bright Spirit.

“It’s such an eclectic record,” says singer and guitarist Kavus Torabi. “This is the most colourful and kaleidoscopic album so far from this incarnation of the band. There are Eastern-infused epics, long instrumental jazz-inspired sections, meditative and cosmic detours and blistering, incendiary psychedelic rock. When picking the first song to be released, it has felt as if there’s an extra weight on the choice, as if the song somehow has to represent the whole album.”

UK TOUR DATES 2025/26

GONG – UK
Nov 08 - Bedford Esquires, Bedford
Nov 14 - Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis
Nov 15 - The Boileroom, Guildford
Nov 16 - The Piper, St Leonards
Nov 25 - Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich
Nov 29 - Club 85, Hitchin

GONG & HENGE - UK
Nov 05 - The 1865, Southampton
Nov 06 - Trinity Centre, Bristol
Nov 07 - Dreamland, Margate
Nov 09 - Colchester Arts Centre, Colchester
Nov 11 - The Globe, Cardiff
Nov 12 - Exeter Phoenix, Exeter
Nov 13 - Princess Pavilion, Falmouth
Nov 19 - Crookes Social Club, Sheffield
Nov 20 - The Leeds Irish Centre Leeds
Nov 21 - Northumbria Students' Union, Newcastle
Nov 22 - Kanteena, Lancaster
Nov 23 - St Luke's Glasgow, Glasgow
Nov 26 - Cambridge Junction, Cambridge
Nov 27 - The Robin, Bilston
Nov 28 - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
Nov 30 - Earth Hall, London

Mar 19 - Chalk, Brighton
Mar 20 - Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury
Mar 21 - Hangar 18, Swansea
Mar 26 - The Drill, Lincoln
Mar 27 - New Century Hall, Manchester
Mar 28 - Hangar 34, Liverpool

THE PLASTIC PEOPLE OF THE UNIVERSE - LIVE 1972

Brand-new release that takes us back to 1972: a concert by The Plastic People Of The Universe.
CD and 2 LP.
Out on the Czech Guerilla Records label.

Both include some Zappa compositions. The 2 LP's side 4 is an almost entirely Zappa set.

-

JOE JACKSON

Joe Jackson has a new album and tour coming up in 2026.

Here's a clip from 2007, where he performed Frank Zappa's 'Dirty Love', in a church in Berlin.

-- info: Mark

CLINKADELIC

L33K5P1N's series of AI generated P-Funk albums have been finding their outlet in CLINKADELIC.
All of L33K5P1N's production are available from Bandcamp or as beautifully crafted CDR albums (limited to 10 copies, jewel case with an added obi !)

Some the CLINKADLIC albums use Frank Zappa lyrics (and music) as inspiration.
Just to give you a more obvious example: 'Parrot In Restraints' took 'Penguin In Bondage' as a source.

The funk is amazing and the lyrics are hilarious.
I'm a fan.

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• Clinkadelic: Soul Leakage Live Stage Report - Broadcasted From The Melt Zone
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp / l33k5p1n 84574rd5)
      (2025, cdr, Germany, l33k5p1n 84574rd5 538)

Put your copy of "Roxy & Elsewhere" next to it :-)

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• Clinkadelic: The Trade We’re Tangled In
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp / l33k5p1n 84574rd5)
      (2025, cdr, Germany, l33k5p1n 84574rd5 548)

Think of "Zoot Allures"...

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• Clinkadelic: Flippin’ The Mojo Switch
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp / l33k5p1n 84574rd5)
      (2025, cdr, Germany, l33k5p1n 84574rd5 557)

With "Uncle Meat" references.

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• Clinkadelic: Live At The Mojave Wormhole
      (2025, download / streaming, --, bandcamp / l33k5p1n 84574rd5)
      (2025, 2cdr, Germany, l33k5p1n 84574rd5 562)

Enough material here for a 2 CDR set.
Would you call a 'Dancin' Fool' a 'Wiggle-Prince' ?

HANS ANNELLSSON - LOUISIANA

In recent months, Hans Annellson has released several re-arrangements of Frank Zappa's music on his Bandcamp page.
It thought it hard to imagine that he still has time to write and work on his own, original music, but this latest release proves me wrong.

"Lousiana".

BRENDA R. THOMPSON - FRANK ZAPPA

• Brenda R. Thompson: Frank Zappa
      (2025, book, --, private release)

Hardcover, 92-page neat-looking book. And that's all that's positive about it.

A strange picture / drawing on the cover... Horrendous.

Ten chapters / topics. Could have been fitted into 20 pages if the lay-out had been done in a normal way.

I'm not impressed.

CAIUS D. MERROW - FRANK ZAPPA - SHUT UP 'N PLAY YER GUITAR

• Caius D. Merrow: Frank Zappa - Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar
      (2025, book, --, black static publishing)

146-page pocket sized book with lots of biographical notes / anecdotes.
Nice.

NEW ALBUM BY DISHWASHER_

Dishwasher has a new album out !

Dishwasher_
"Anemoia"
Out on Dox Records

• WEREND VAN DEN BOSSCHE: saxophones, flute, whistles, synths, piano
• LOUISE VAN DEN HEUVEL electric bass, guitar, piano, voice & chompi
• ARNO GROOTAERS: drums, percussion, drum computer

CORRIE VAN BINSBERGEN - - - WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

https://www.bimhuis.nl/agenda/corrie-van-binsbergen-what-the-world-needs-now

"What The World Needs Now"
Corrie van Binsbergen

Nov 28, 2025 at Het Bimhuis in Amsterdam, NL

This year, the BIMHUIS Composition Commission has been awarded to Corrie van Binsbergen. Fragments of text, lines of poetry, sentences from interviews with artists, film dialogues and more form the libretto that forms the basis of her new composition. It will be performed by a special septet of mostly young musicians with whom Van Binsbergen has not worked before. She herself will control the text samples on stage and play the guitar.

Corrie van Binsbergen is a composer, guitarist and leader of the Brokken Foundation, with which she has initiated countless cross-border projects. She became known with her group Corrie en de (Grote) Brokken. She developed a unique and surprising combination of music and literature, which she calls films for the ears. She has collaborated with many writers, including Remco Campert, Manon Uphoff, Josse De Pauw and Toon Tellegen. She has received important awards, including the Boy Edgar Prize and the Buma Classical Award 2024.

UNIVERS ZERO - UZED

• Univers Zero: Uzed (Remastered)
      (2025, cd, Belgium, sub rosa)

Univers Zero's "Uzed" album got a remastered re-release on the Belgian Sub Rosa record label.

Originally released in 1984 !
I have to admit that, at the time, the early eighties Rock In Opposition / Chamber Rock / Avant-Prog movement passed me by. I had too much Zappa & Mothers music that needed all of my attention.
That being said, it's nice that some of these older albums are being re-issued. It's a great way to catch up.

Complex, dissonant, adding influences and sounds from classical music, minimalism, and even some oriental flavour, "Uzed" sounds great.
I love the overall classical sound.

AND, this remastered version comes with a bonus track !!

Here's the original album: