2006

 Gilli Smyth first started performing with Soft Machine in the

sixties when the band played their mixture of poetry/music

gigs. Gilli became more active as a performer following the

formation of Gong with her partner Daevid Allen following

his departure from the aforementioned Soft Machine in 1968.

Following her departure with Allen from Paris following the

Paris riots of late 1968 Gilli along with Allen decamped to

Spain although the duo once again returned to France in 1969

where the second edition of Gong became a reality. Gilli was

the only female in the band originally and developed her

"Space Whisper" which became an integral part of the Gong

sound.

Gilli and Daevid Allen left Gong in 1974 and moved to Spain

and spent her time writing material that would find its way

onto her debut solo album Mother in 1978. It is with this

album the story of Mother Gong begins. From here Gilli began

performing concerts as Mother Gong and played many high

profile concerts including Glastonbury Festival in 1979 and

again in 1981.

The band has been through a number of personnel changes

over the years with Gilli at the helm of all the various

incarnations of the band. Gilli has also managed to resume

working alongside Daevid Allen in various incarnations of

Gong including but not limited to Planet Gong, Gongmaison

and more recently the Gong Acid mothers line up.

Gilli also continues to perform as a solo artist and alongside

others notably Daevid Allen and her son Orlando Allen.

There have been a number of releases from Mother Gong

and Gilli Smyth over the last twelve months all of which have

sold well. The latest of these releases is 2006. Recorded

spontaneously at the Gong Uncon in Glastonbury in 2005.

The album consists of live tracks recorded at the Uncon

meeting and also two new studio tracks recorded by Gilli in

2006 during the mixing of the album. Interest in Mother Gong

and the extended Gong family has never been higher and

the album will be released in time for the forthcoming Gong

Convention to be held in Amsterdam in November 2006.

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