Flying Teapot: Radio Gnome Invisible Part I by Gong (CD, Jan-2002, Spalax Music)

The Spalax release of Flying Teapot is, as far as I know, the only way to get the exquisite, original Virgin cover art by Daevid on a CD. This album has a long and strange history, and I will assume that since you are reading this you already know that this is one of the most extraordinary and excellent albums ever committed to vinyl. It is an absolute MUST-HAVE for any collection of progressive 20th century music, and an important milestone for the entire "psychedelic era" or whatever you want to call that thing that happened.

Like all CD releases of this album, it contains an inferior re-mixed and re-edited title track that eliminated some of Daevid's beautiful glissando guitar. You must listen to the vinyl to hear the real thing, the Virgin release, not the BYG, which is where the bad mix seems to have originated.

So how did this unusual package come about? Here is my speculation: "Flying Teapot" was the 2nd release on Virgin Records in 1973 (after "Tubular Bells") and it featured Daevid's exquisite artwork. "Angel's Egg" followed with (I can't use the word 'equally' but it is very nice) similar art. By the time "You" was released the band was in disarray and the cover art was outsourced.

By the late 1970s, BYG had re-emerged in Japan, and there were several later vinyl re-releases of Gong albums at that time (I think some may have also been pressed in Germany?). BYG apparently commissioned new covers for the "trilogy" albums which were cartoonish and, to my eye, utterly dreadful and stupid.

About 10 years ago Spalax put together a Gong Trilogy CD box set, with excellent liner notes by John Platt that flow properly from one disc to the next. Bizarrely, "Teapot" is in a one-piece integral cardboard digipak with the original Virgin exterior cover art, while "Egg" and "You" are in conventional jewel boxes with loose insert booklets, utilizing the horrible 2nd generation artwork! I have never understood why they did something so strange, but the specific liner notes are flowing and consistent and obviously belong together.

So, take this information and do what you want with it. The Japanese high-bit masterings have a slightly better sound (of course) but the cover is practically worth the price, unless you buy the vinyl LP, which is my real recommendation. I hope this is helpful.