"You" is the fifth studio album by the progressive rock band Gong, released by Virgin Records in October 1974. It marks the last album by Daevid Allen's iteration of the group until 1992's Shapeshifter. Recorded at Virgin's Manor Studios in Oxfordshire, England, side 1 was mixed at Pye Studios, Marble Arch, London, while side 2 was mixed at The Manor. The album was produced by Simon Heyworth and Gong, under the universal influence of C.O.I.T., the Compagnie d'Opera Invisible de Thibet, and engineered by Heyworth.
You is the third part of the "Radio Gnome Invisible" trilogy, following Flying Teapot and Angel's Egg. This trilogy is a central element of Gong's mythology, featuring a mix of short narrative pieces and lengthy, jazzy instrumentals such as "Master Builder," "A Sprinkling of Clouds," and "Isle of Everywhere." The album culminates with "You Never Blow Yr Trip Forever."
The band undertook a rigorous tour from October 1973 to May 1974, performing in Britain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. As they toured, they composed and improvised new themes for the album, with all pieces credited to the band under the pseudonym COIT. Allen described their collaborative process as creating geometrically and mathematically perfect pieces of music that seemed to be totally improvised.
In June 1974, they entered Virgin Records' Manor Studios to record You. On June 29, they performed a free concert in Hyde Park, London. During the sessions, they recorded the non-album single "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", which was unissued at the time but later included in the Gong Live Etc. collection.
The group toured extensively starting August 7, 1974, visiting multiple countries and finishing on September 10, 1975, at The Marquee. The band experienced significant personnel changes during this time. Gilli Smyth (vocals) left before the tour, replaced by Miquette Giraudy, while Pierre Moerlen (drums) also departed, leading to a series of drummers filling in.
Tim Blake (synthesisers) was forced out in March 1975 due to Daevid Allen's concerns over Blake's behavior. Allen himself left in April after feeling an "invisible force" preventing him from performing. Dave Stewart (keyboards) played at some concerts before being replaced by Patrice Lemoine.
In September, the group began work on their next album, Shamal, with Steve Hillage signaling his departure by taking a guest role. Throughout this tumultuous year, Didier Malherbe (saxophone) and Mike Howlett (bass) remained constant members.
You was first released by Virgin on October 4, 1974 (catalogue V2019). It saw further re-pressings, including a re-issue in 1981 (catalogue OVED16). The first CD version was released in 1990 (catalogue CDV2019), which included a bonus track. A re-mastered CD was compiled in 2019 by Howlett and Hillage, featuring additional bonus tracks and live performances from the Hyde Park concert.
Jean-Luc Young, a former BYG founder, began releasing the album on Charly Records in 1982, followed by various releases on related labels.
