The first line-up was Sam Gopal on tabla, Mick Hutchinson on guitar, Pete Sears (ex-Les Fleur de Lys) on bass guitar and keys, and later towards the end, Andy Clark on organ and vocals. On 28 April 1967, the band performed at The 14 Hour Technicolor Dream, a UK Underground event organised by the International Times at Alexandra Palace. Other performing bands included Pink Floyd, The Pretty Things, Savoy Brown, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Soft Machine and The Move. The band (then called Sam Gopal's Dream) played at the UFO Club (their first headline show), The Electric Garden in Covent Garden (later to become Middle Earth), The Roundhouse, and Happening 44. They later played the Christmas on Earth Show at Olympia in London with Traffic, Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd. Jimi Hendrix later sat in with them at London's Speakeasy Club. At some point in 1967 the band recorded a few tracks for Screen Gems with Gus Dudgeon as engineer.
Andy Clark later joined on organ and keyboards and they soon changed their name to Vamp with the addition of Viv Prince on drums, and released a single called, "Floatin", on Atlantic. After the original band broke up in 1968, Sears went on to session work and formed his own band Giant, while Hutchinson and Clark recorded three albums as Clark-Hutchinson.
Gopal formed a new line-up with vocalist-guitarist 'Ian Willis' (better known as Lemmy), Roger D'Elia and Phil Duke. The album "Escalator" was recorded in late 1968 and released in March 1969. Managed by Robert Stigwood, the band released a single "Horse" / "Back Door Man". Lemmy went on to be the bassist of Hawkwind and, in 1975, the founder, singer and bassist of Motörhead. Roger D’Elia (the grandson of the actress Mary Clare) later turned up in a mid-1970s band called Glider, which included Twink (ex-Pink Fairies), Andy Colquhoun and Chas McKay. A further line-up of the band featured Alan Mark, Mox Gowland, Mickey Waller (also known as Mickey Finn) and Freddie Gandy (ex-Pink Fairies).
In 1969 a new line-up with Alan Mark (vocals), Mox Gowland (harmonica & flutes), Micky Finn Waller (guitar), and Freddie Gandy (bass) recorded a few tracks for Stable including "Somebody stole the Sun".
Following this, Gopal spent some time in Amsterdam and changed the name of the band from to "Cosmosis". Managed by R.Cole/Peter Grant, and brought in Bernie Holland (guitar). Recorded a few tracks for the Led Zep people. Around this time in '71, Gopal had a bad motor accident and sidelined for a couple of years. During this period, recorded an album "Building B".
In 1976 went to Paris, and there recorded for Radio France "Feedback" and "Backfeed" with Didier Malherbe (sax) and Patrice Lemoine (piano).
From 1981 to 1988, Gopal spent time in Nepal where he had been studying Tablas the previous years, and to continue further, and also allowing his own music to come through.
In 1988, Gopal moved to Berlin and started in 1989 his next "one off" band "SANGIT" with a live recording at the Berlin/Philharmonie /Kammermusiksaal. "SANGIT" recorded the soundtrack for "The Great Moghuls", six documentary films for Channel Four.
In 1990 Gopal recorded an album "Soap Opera" with Andy Clark (Keyboards & vocals) in Berlin. In 1991, he recorded the next album "Not For Sale" (working title) with Andy Clark (Keyboards & vocals) and studio musicians, also in Berlin.
In the 90s Gopal extended his music into the 12-tone Tabla direction.
Gopal self-released another album Father Mucker in 1999 (GPS CD 001, Munchen, Germany). Songs from that album were recorded in 1990 (many with Andy Clark) but not mixed and overdubbed until 1999, in which year he recorded one more song for the album. There are as many as six albums recorded with professional musicians and mastered that remain unreleased.
Other recordings:
In 1980 recorded in Olympic Studios London, few tracks including "Sell out Joe" (Vocals), "Falling In" and "Showdown".
In 1989 recorded an album "Largo" in Zurich.
In 1992, a Live Recording of Sam Gopal's one-off Band "Brain Tonic", also called Brain Tonic.
In 1993, recorded an album "Blind Man's Movie" in Munich.
Angry Faces
Sam Gopal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some friends go but so few stay
Reminding you that it's only time
Before you lose them all but one
That was me before you ran
That was me before you sang for loneliness
How hard it was to find a friend
To lean upon when you find you're brave
To the pain that springs
From your heart today
For the time when your eyes were young
And you needed somewhere to belong
Loneliness
The waters of time will wash away
Most of the tears that you cry today
But keep one to love for sorrow
So you can feel it's woe tomorrow
So when you find the night is cold
And the time from love makes you feel so old
For loneliness
Then you'll cry for loneliness
For loneliness
The lyrics of Sam Gopal's song "Angry Faces" delve into themes of loneliness, friendship, and the transient nature of relationships. The song begins by expressing how people can easily become disinterested or distant, with angry faces turning away and friends coming and going, leaving only a select few who will stay. This realization serves as a reminder that eventually, everyone may be lost except for one solitary person.
The singer reflects on their own experiences before the listener arrived in their life, highlighting that they were already feeling abandoned and alone. The line "That was me before you sang for loneliness" suggests that the listener's presence and support helped alleviate the singer's sense of isolation. The act of singing for loneliness serves as a metaphor for finding solace or connection in shared experiences or expressions.
The second paragraph explores the difficulty of finding true friendship, emphasizing how challenging it can be to discover someone who is willing to lend a shoulder to lean on during times of bravery or when facing the pain that arises from one's heart. It implies that the search for belonging and understanding can be overwhelming and isolating.
The mention of the time when one's eyes were young signifies the innocence and vulnerability of youth, emphasizing the need for a place to belong during those formative years. Additionally, the refrain of "loneliness" further underscores the feelings of isolation and the longing to find companionship.
The final verse introduces the idea that time has the power to heal and lessen the pain experienced in the present. It suggests that most of the tears shed today will be washed away by the passage of time. However, the lyrics advise holding onto one tear to remember and appreciate sorrow, as it allows for a deeper understanding of empathy and the ability to relate to others' pain in the future.
The song then concludes by acknowledging that there will still be moments when the night feels cold, and the absence of love will make one feel old and isolated. In these moments, the singer encourages listeners to cry for loneliness, acknowledging its presence and the longing for connection it represents. The repetition of "For loneliness" further solidifies this sentiment and emphasizes the significance of acknowledging and expressing those feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
Angry faces turn away
People with angry expressions avoid you
Some friends go but so few stay
Only a few friends remain while others leave
Reminding you that it's only time
Suggesting that time is the factor for losing friends
Before you lose them all but one
Before you end up with only one friend remaining
That was me before you ran
I was like that before you left
That was me before you sang for loneliness
I was lonely before you expressed your loneliness through song
Little did you know it then
You were not aware of it at that time
How hard it was to find a friend
Finding a friend was a difficult task
To lean upon when you find you're brave
Someone to support you when you feel courageous
To the pain that springs
To the emotional suffering that arises
From your heart today
Originating from your emotions now
For the time when your eyes were young
During the period when you were innocent and inexperienced
And you needed somewhere to belong
When you were seeking a place to fit in
Loneliness
The state of being alone and feeling isolated
The waters of time will wash away
As time passes, it will alleviate your pain
Most of the tears that you cry today
The majority of the tears you shed presently
But keep one to love for sorrow
But keep one tear to cherish for sadness
So you can feel it's woe tomorrow
So you can experience its grief in the future
So when you find the night is cold
When you realize the night feels lonely and cold
And the time from love makes you feel so old
And the passage of time without love makes you feel aged
For loneliness
For the feeling of being alone
Then you'll cry for loneliness
At that moment, you will weep due to loneliness
For loneliness
For the state of being alone
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind