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.
Escalator
Sam Gopal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the things I want to be
When I open wide my eyes
They tell me no lies
And I can feel it
The spring unwinding in my head
And if you think you like me living, baby
If you could search there, you would find
Screaming chaos in my mind
All the thoughts I've thought before
Behind the closing door
Give me a reason
Why I should be in any doubt
All the doubts are fading, baby
The walls are down, I'm breaking out
Alright!
Lightning tears apart the sky
Burning warriors fight and die
Volcanoes roaring, spewing fire
Time is spinning sideways
Only one way to explain what's come to pass
I've been looking in the mirror, baby
And now I'm living in the black
The lyrics of Sam Gopal's song "Escalator" present themes of self-awareness, liberation, and transformation. The singer reflects on their journey of self-discovery and growth, expressing a newfound clarity and determination.
The opening lines, "Time goes by and I can see, all the things I want to be," suggest that time has brought the singer a deeper understanding of their desires and aspirations. They have gained insight through their experiences and are now able to see their true potential. The singer emphasizes the importance of honesty and truth in their self-discovery journey with the line "When I open wide my eyes, they tell me no lies." This suggests that they have developed a keen intuition and can discern what is genuine from what is false.
The next verse delves into the inner turmoil the singer has faced, as they reveal the existence of "screaming chaos in my mind." This chaos represents the multitude of thoughts and emotions they have encountered, which have been hidden behind a "closing door" of their consciousness. However, the doubts and uncertainties that once plagued them are now fading away, and they are breaking free from the walls that confined them.
The final lines of the song evoke a powerful image of transformation and rebirth. The singer describes witnessing lightning tearing apart the sky, burning warriors fighting and dying, and volcanoes spewing fire. These natural phenomena symbolize the intense and tumultuous process of change that the singer has undergone. The mention of living in the black suggests that they have embraced their true self, even if it requires dwelling in the unknown or unconventional.
Overall, "Escalator" conveys a message of self-discovery, inner strength, and the courage to live authentically. The lyrics encourage listeners to embrace their true selves without fear of judgment or doubt.
Line by Line Meaning
Time goes by and I can see
As time passes, I gain clarity and understanding
All the things I want to be
I have aspirations and dreams for my future
When I open wide my eyes
When I become fully aware and observant
They tell me no lies
I receive honest and truthful information
And I can feel it
I have a strong sense or intuition
The spring unwinding in my head
My mind is filled with creative energy and ideas
And if you think you like me living, baby
If you enjoy my current state of existence
You're gonna love me when I'm dead
You will appreciate my true potential and legacy
If you could search there, you would find
If you could explore my inner thoughts and emotions
Screaming chaos in my mind
There is intense turmoil and confusion within me
All the thoughts I've thought before
All the ideas and reflections I've had previously
Behind the closing door
Hidden away or kept secret
Give me a reason
Provide justification or explanation
Why I should be in any doubt
Why I should question or hesitate
All the doubts are fading, baby
All uncertainties are disappearing
The walls are down, I'm breaking out
Barriers are crumbling, and I'm liberating myself
Lightning tears apart the sky
A dramatic and fierce event is occurring
Burning warriors fight and die
Courageous individuals engage in a deadly battle
Volcanoes roaring, spewing fire
Violent eruptions of power and passion
Time is spinning sideways
The perception of time is distorted or unconventional
Only one way to explain what's come to pass
There is a definitive explanation for what has happened
I've been looking in the mirror, baby
I have been reflecting on myself and my identity
And now I'm living in the black
Now I dwell in darkness or the unknown
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MazNour II
"Cold Embrace" 00:00
"The Dark Lord" 03:19
"The Sky is Burning" (Ian Willis) 07:00
"You're Alone Now" 09:31
"Grass" (Ian Willis) 13:13
"It's Only Love" (Ian Willis) 17:16
"Escalator" (Ian Willis) 21:34
"Angry Faces" (Leo Davidson) 24:24
"Midsummer Night's Dream" 28:28
"Season of the Witch" (Donovan) 30:42
"Yesterlove" (Ian Willis) 35:10
Sam Gopal: [5] tabla, percussion; drums in "Season of the Witch" and "Midsummer Night's Dream"
Ian Willis (Lemmy Kilmister): vocals, lead & rhythm guitar
Roger D'Elia: lead & rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar in "Yesterlove"
Phil Duke: bass guitar
But, apart from the Lemmy /
Motorhead connection, what has
made this album such a collectable
item is the fact that it is a superior
collection of acid-drenched hard rock
that stands up as a worthy [if minor]
curio three decades down the line.
The original Sam Gopal Dream
formed in the midst of London’s
underground scene in 1967.
Alongside Sam Gopal himself, the
band featured Andy Clark [previously
of The Fenmen, which at one stage
featured future Pretty Things Wally
Allen and .John Povey] on keyboards
and vocals, Mick Hutchinson
[previously of Sons Of Fred] on guitar
and Pete Sears on bass. Regular
performers at Middle Earth, UFO an:
other London clubs, they split up in
mid-1988. Minus Gopal, they
continued as Vamp, after which Clarl
, and Hutchinson formed Clark—
‘ Hutchinson. Pete Sears worked in
several groups and as a session
‘ musician [most notably with Rod
Stewart], before finding fame and
fortune as a member of Jefferson
Starship.
Lemmy’s hand first band of note
were Blackpool combo the Rockin’
Vickers. The Vickers had been
managed by Kinks/ Who producer
Shel Talmy, who had out two singles
with the band on which Lemmy
featured [they were ’lt’s Alright’ /
‘Stay By Me’ and ‘Dandy’ / ‘I Don’t
Need Your Kind’]. Inevitably, with the
breathless pace of the times, the
band fell apart, and Lemmy drifted to
London, where he became a gear
humper for .Jimi Hendrix, on the
legendary Hendrix / Move / Pink
Floyd / Nice / Amen Corner package
tour of late 1987. As he remarked in
Pete Frame’s ‘Rock Family Trees’: ”l
was able to see Jimi play twice a night
for two weeks!”
Now naming his band simply Sam
Gopal, Gopal recruited Lemmy along
with Phil Duke and Roger D’Elia in late
summer 1988, in time to record this
album in the late autumn of that year.
Originally released on the small UK
indie imprint Stable in 1969, and
sporadically available as a bootleg
since then, this release marks the
first time that ‘Escalatcr’ has enjoyed
a legitimate CD issue, One thing that
a study of the sleeve will reveal is that
the band doesn’t have a drummer as
such. Sam Gopal himself provides
table and percussion as the driving
rhythmic force behind the band, along
with Phil Duke's bass guitar pulse.
Lemmy, known as Ian Willis at the
time, plays guitar, with Roger D’Elia.
By this time, Lemmy had served his
ten-month apprenticeship as a roadie
for Jimi Hendrix, and such proximity
to the ‘Wild Man of Pop’ can't help but
have left an impression on the
relatively callow Motorhead main man.
This is clearly in evidence on tracks
such as the opener, ‘Cold Embrace’,
and other items such as ‘You’re Alone
Now’, which features such mode-ish
devices as fade-outs / ins. Tracks
such as 'The Dark Lord' anticipate the
portentous doominess of Black
Sabbath and more obscure acts such
as Black Widow.
MazNour II
"Cold Embrace" 00:00
"The Dark Lord" 03:19
"The Sky is Burning" (Ian Willis) 07:00
"You're Alone Now" 09:31
"Grass" (Ian Willis) 13:13
"It's Only Love" (Ian Willis) 17:16
"Escalator" (Ian Willis) 21:34
"Angry Faces" (Leo Davidson) 24:24
"Midsummer Night's Dream" 28:28
"Season of the Witch" (Donovan) 30:42
"Yesterlove" (Ian Willis) 35:10
Sam Gopal: [5] tabla, percussion; drums in "Season of the Witch" and "Midsummer Night's Dream"
Ian Willis (Lemmy Kilmister): vocals, lead & rhythm guitar
Roger D'Elia: lead & rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar in "Yesterlove"
Phil Duke: bass guitar
But, apart from the Lemmy /
Motorhead connection, what has
made this album such a collectable
item is the fact that it is a superior
collection of acid-drenched hard rock
that stands up as a worthy [if minor]
curio three decades down the line.
The original Sam Gopal Dream
formed in the midst of London’s
underground scene in 1967.
Alongside Sam Gopal himself, the
band featured Andy Clark [previously
of The Fenmen, which at one stage
featured future Pretty Things Wally
Allen and .John Povey] on keyboards
and vocals, Mick Hutchinson
[previously of Sons Of Fred] on guitar
and Pete Sears on bass. Regular
performers at Middle Earth, UFO an:
other London clubs, they split up in
mid-1988. Minus Gopal, they
continued as Vamp, after which Clarl
, and Hutchinson formed Clark—
‘ Hutchinson. Pete Sears worked in
several groups and as a session
‘ musician [most notably with Rod
Stewart], before finding fame and
fortune as a member of Jefferson
Starship.
Lemmy’s hand first band of note
were Blackpool combo the Rockin’
Vickers. The Vickers had been
managed by Kinks/ Who producer
Shel Talmy, who had out two singles
with the band on which Lemmy
featured [they were ’lt’s Alright’ /
‘Stay By Me’ and ‘Dandy’ / ‘I Don’t
Need Your Kind’]. Inevitably, with the
breathless pace of the times, the
band fell apart, and Lemmy drifted to
London, where he became a gear
humper for .Jimi Hendrix, on the
legendary Hendrix / Move / Pink
Floyd / Nice / Amen Corner package
tour of late 1987. As he remarked in
Pete Frame’s ‘Rock Family Trees’: ”l
was able to see Jimi play twice a night
for two weeks!”
Now naming his band simply Sam
Gopal, Gopal recruited Lemmy along
with Phil Duke and Roger D’Elia in late
summer 1988, in time to record this
album in the late autumn of that year.
Originally released on the small UK
indie imprint Stable in 1969, and
sporadically available as a bootleg
since then, this release marks the
first time that ‘Escalatcr’ has enjoyed
a legitimate CD issue, One thing that
a study of the sleeve will reveal is that
the band doesn’t have a drummer as
such. Sam Gopal himself provides
table and percussion as the driving
rhythmic force behind the band, along
with Phil Duke's bass guitar pulse.
Lemmy, known as Ian Willis at the
time, plays guitar, with Roger D’Elia.
By this time, Lemmy had served his
ten-month apprenticeship as a roadie
for Jimi Hendrix, and such proximity
to the ‘Wild Man of Pop’ can't help but
have left an impression on the
relatively callow Motorhead main man.
This is clearly in evidence on tracks
such as the opener, ‘Cold Embrace’,
and other items such as ‘You’re Alone
Now’, which features such mode-ish
devices as fade-outs / ins. Tracks
such as 'The Dark Lord' anticipate the
portentous doominess of Black
Sabbath and more obscure acts such
as Black Widow.
Peter Edward
Gopal matcha yenna dei..
siva patham
Hahaha.. maz....I'm from Malaysia.. So is Sam Gopal ...a place called Klang..20km from my place. What a retrorock blast.You have a great channel bro.
Daitarn 3
Pura psychedelia cristallina al 100%.Quanti cannoni mi sono risparmiato con quest album!!!!
esalidog
Lemmy is a great composer, and this album is awsome....
Thomas SMITH
Acid-dtenched hard rock. ♥️ it !
England was a smorgasbord of psychedelic rock. Savor the flavor of Sam Gopal. Indulge.
Maria Catena Ingria
Nice singing & harmonious sound,syntony among guitars and tabla creates a steady rhythm, It reminds me of Hot tuna's acid sound!Thanks MazNour II for up!
tom KIFER /
Спасибо! Очень сильный альбом!!! Где-то даже хочется его назвать психоделическим арт-роком!
Didier Schein
Да. согласен,
Allan Wagar
the 60's and 70's were the two best decades of good rock music groovy man.