Tim Blake, who participated in both Gong and Hawkwind, has showcased his characteristically deliberate keyboard approach just as strongly through his independent releases. During the middle and latter portions of the 1970s, his Crystal Machine endeavor ranked among the earliest touring ensembles to incorporate substantial laser illumination displays. Frequently likened to Tangerine Dream, he has sustained his output well into the 2000s, most recently extending his innovative keyboard explorations on Tide of the Century.
Born February 6, 1952, in Hammersmith, West London, Blake developed a fascination with sound engineering while attending drama school. His association with the experimental psychedelic ensemble Gong began in 1971, initially with the expectation that he would serve as their sound engineer—an assignment that was revoked. He briefly handled keyboard duties for the group, yet Gong drummer Pip Pyle found the results unsatisfactory, leading to Blake’s dismissal. Undeterred, he established the Crystal Machine studio in the south of France, where he produced a demo cassette featuring his EMS synthesizer work. In 1972 he rejoined Gong as keyboardist, adopting the pseudonym Hi T. Moonweed, and stayed until the band’s dissolution in 1976. Concurrently, alongside Patrice Warrener, he launched Crystal Machine, which performed across the late 1970s accompanied by impressive light productions. The 1977 album Crystal Machine compiles selections drawn from multiple live performances, whereas Blake’s New Jerusalem, issued in 1978, marked his debut solo studio effort.
Following a collaboration with Hawkwind’s Nik Turner, Blake entered Hawkwind in 1979. The group dismissed him abruptly the following year, after which he maintained a minimal performance schedule for nearly ten years. His return came via the 1991 release Magick; apart from occasional Gong reunion appearances, he stayed largely inactive until Tide of the Century appeared in 2000.
