In 1975, VON LMO and I got back together after our Funeral of Art London recordings which ended with us taking some time off from working together. The word congress has several relevant meanings which motivated the choice – one is “sexual intercourse,” which with a “K” perverted that meaning (not the idea of sexual intercourse), while another definition is a “coming together of people” (as well as bodies). This dealt with the concept that Kongress might be any group of musicians at any time, whether recording or performing. Lots of musicians spent some time in Kongress. The name even survived the time spent with Geofrey Crozier as our Lead Madgician. He had his own band name, Koagula, but he agreed to keep it as Kongress. After VON LMO and Geofrey Crozier both exited the band, Marilyn joined, taking us from extended improvs to shorter songs I had written. She disapproved of a new member who played an electric violin. She said it made her want to climb the walls. I told her it would look great on stage, but she departed in the middle of two sets at Max’s Kansas City when we opened for The Heartbreakers. Between sets, I placed a poster with a quote from Aleister Crowley on the tables of Max’s to explain the situation — 

Kongress Dictum

The Sun moves in space without interference. The

Order of Nature provides an orbit for each star. A 

Clash proves that one or the other has strayed from

Its course. But as to each man that keeps his 

True course, the more firmly he acts, the less likely

Are others to get in his way. His example will