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.
Season of the Witch
Sam Gopal Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I look out of my window
So many sights to see
When I look into my window
So many different people to be
And it's strange
Sure is strange
You got to pick up every stitch
You got to pick up every stitch
You got to pick up every stitch
Yeah, must be the season of the witch
Must be the season of the witch, yeah
Must be the season of the witch
[Verse Two]
When I look over my shoulder
What do you think I see?
Some other cat looking over
His shoulder at me
And he's strange
So strange
[Chorus]
You got to pick up every stitch
You got to pick up every stitch
Beatniks are out to make it rich
Alright, must be the season of the witch
Must be the season of the witch, yeah
Yeah, must be the season of the witch
[Verse Three]
Yeah, when I look in my window
There's so many things I could be
When I look out my window
So many different people to see
And they're all strange
Every single one of them is so strange
[Chorus]
You got to pick up every stitch
You got to pick up every stitch
Two rabbits rutting in a ditch
Alright, must be the season of the witch
Yeah, must be the season of the witch
Ah-ah, must be the season of the witch
The song "Season of the Witch" by Sam Gopal captures a sense of bewilderment and disorientation. In the first verse, the singer looks out of his window and sees many sights, and then looks into his window and sees many different people that he could become. This suggests a deep uncertainty about identity and purpose. The chorus repeats the line "You got to pick up every stitch," which may mean that the singer needs to pay close attention to everything around him and be careful in his actions. The repetition of the phrase "must be the season of the witch" implies that some sort of dark magic or strange energy is infusing the world and causing these feelings of disorientation.
The second verse adds to this sense of uncertainty by introducing another person looking over the singer's shoulder. This person is described as strange, suggesting that he too is grappling with identity and purpose. The chorus reinforces the idea of paying close attention to one's surroundings, and also references beatniks who are "out to make it rich." This could be a commentary on the counterculture movement of the time, which was known for its pursuit of unconventional lifestyles and values.
The third verse echoes the themes of the first, as the singer again looks out and sees many things he could be, and then looks back in and sees many strange people. The final line of the song, "two rabbits rutting in a ditch," is a bizarre image that reinforces the overall sense of disorientation and lack of control.
Overall, "Season of the Witch" is a song that captures the confusion and uncertainty of its time. With its repeated references to strange and unusual people and events, it suggests a world in which anything could happen and the singer is struggling to find his place in it.
Line by Line Meaning
When I look out of my window
Observing the different views from my window
So many sights to see
So much diversity and uniqueness in the world
When I look into my window
Reflecting on oneself
So many different people to be
The potential to be whoever one wants to be
And it's strange
The oddness and peculiarity of life
You got to pick up every stitch
Paying attention to every small detail in life
You got to pick up every stitch
Focusing on every little thing that matters
You got to pick up every stitch
Being aware and conscious of everything around us
Yeah, must be the season of the witch
The unusual and mysterious nature of our surroundings
Must be the season of the witch, yeah
The time of year when everything is inexplicable and supernatural
When I look over my shoulder
Being aware of one's environment
What do you think I see?
Questioning what is seen and perceived
Some other cat looking over
Other individuals also observing the world
His shoulder at me
Sharing a connection through observation
And he's strange
Expressing the unusualness of each other and their environment
Beatniks are out to make it rich
The various ways individuals try to find success and wealth
Alright, must be the season of the witch
Acknowledging the strange and unexplainable ways the world works
Yeah, must be the season of the witch
The time of year when magic and mysticism are present
Yeah, when I look in my window
Reflecting on oneself once again
There's so many things I could be
The possibilities and opportunities available in life
When I look out my window
Observing the world around us
So many different people to see
The diversity and uniqueness of individuals
And they're all strange
Highlighting the peculiarity and differences of individuals
Every single one of them is so strange
Expressing the idea that everyone is unique and different
Two rabbits rutting in a ditch
The natural and primal nature of animals and humans
Alright, must be the season of the witch
Reaffirming the mysterious and unexplainable nature of life
Yeah, must be the season of the witch
The time of year when anything is possible and magic can happen
Contributed by Andrew V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.