Described as a “psychedelic polymath”, Gong’s Kavus Torabi lives up to that title on his timely second solo release, The Banishing. Reflecting on the challenges in his personal life and the “heroic dose” of hallucinogens that led to its creation, The Utopia Strong and Mediæval Bæbes member discusses the healing power of music.
For Kavus Torabi – ravenous musical polyglot, Gong frontman, Knifeworld leader, solo artist and one third of The Utopia Strong – lockdown became unbearable. Deprived of his various creative outlets, he found himself at crisis point. “It made me realise that I do all those things because I go mental if I don’t,” he tells Prog. “And that’s exactly what happened. The interesting thing about going mad is you don’t realise you are. Ultimately, I found that making this record became a way out of the madness.”
He’s referring to The Banishing, his second solo album, which covers a lot of …