Mother Gong was an offshot band of Gong, first imagined by Gilli Smyth in 1978 to promote Mother. In 1979, Gilli Smyth met Harry Williamson, and Mother Gong became the vehicle for musical projects together, with several distinct line-ups of musicians over the next 15 years. In 1994 Harry left and Gilli continued to use the name until 2006.
There were 6 periods :
proto-Mother Gong #1 -1978 - band assembled to promote the Mother album
Members : Gilli Smyth, Jerry C. Hart (drums), George Bishop (sax), Paul Sanchez (bass), François Bessac (guitar), Jean-Paul Vivini (synth), Janno (percussion), Patrick Meadows (keyboards) and Ax Genrich (guitar).
They briefly toured in Spain and UK in the second half of 1978.
Mother Gong #2 -1978-79 in USA.
Members: Gilli Smyth, Harry Williamson, George Bishop, Bill Laswell, Bill Bacon, Kramer.
Participated to the first New-York Manifestival in Oct.1978 and toured the US in Spring 1979. This was really Gilli and Harry backed by members of New York Gong. Period documented on Live In Usa 79.
Mother Gong #3 -1979-80
Members : Gilli Smyth, Harry Williamson, Didier Malherbe, Trevor Darks, Mo Vicarage, Ermano Ghisio Erba and Eduardo Niebla.
Recorded the album Fairy Tales, and played at Glastonbury festival 1979 on the new Pyramid Stage.
Mother Gong #4 - 1981-83
Members : Gilli Smyth, Harry Williamson, Didier Malherbe, undefined, undefined and Guy Evans.
This is the Robot Woman Trilogy period. Played festivals in Norway and UK, and headlined at Glastonbury 81, where Robot Woman was partly recorded. Harry and Gilli emigrated to Australia in 1982. The last part of the Robot Woman trilogy was recorded in Australia, with different (local) musicians.
Mother Gong #5 - 1986-1992 in Australia and UK
Members : Gilli Smyth, Harry Williamson, Robert Calvert, Conrad Henderson and undefined.
This period ended when Harry and Gilli parted ways. Concerts in Australia and a stripped down tour of USA in '91.
Mother Gong #6 - 2005-2006
Members : Gilli Smyth, Didier Malherbe, undefined, Orlando Allen, undefined and Graham Clark.
Final resurrection of the band at the occasion of Gong's conventions in 2005 and 2006. They did also a few other gigs in UK and Norway.
If you like Mother Gong, check out these artists:
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
Mother Gong
November 3, 2006
The Max
Amsterdam, North Holland, NetherlandsOctober 10, 1999
Hush Hush Lounge
San Francisco, California, United StatesOctober 8, 1994
The Forum
London, England, United KingdomNovember 11, 1991
Brave New World
San Francisco, California, United StatesNovember 7, 1991
The I-Beam
San Francisco, California, United StatesOctober 28, 1991
Old Cambridge Baptist Church
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United StatesOctober 23, 1991
Wetlands Preserve
New York, New York, United StatesSeptember 21, 1991
The Citadel
St Helens, England, United KingdomMay 4, 1991
21 South Street
Reading, England, United KingdomSeptember 30, 1989
Angel Centre
Tonbridge, England, United KingdomJune 21, 1981
Worthy Farm
Pilton, England, United Kingdom1. Evidance
2. Disco at the End of the World / Woman's Place
3. Robot Woman
4. Machine Song
5. The Sea
6. Searching the Airwaves
7. Military Procession
8. Customs Man - Rapist
9. Fire
10. Chinese Puzzle
11. Red Alert
12. Stars
13. Australia
14. What's Going On
January 15, 1981
The Damn Shame
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United Statesincomplete setlist
1. Robot Woman
2. Machine Song
3. Military Procession
4. 1999
5. Billy Bunker
6. Red Alert
1. Blue Jay Way(The Beatles cover)
January 11, 1981
Parody Hall
Kansas City, Missouri, United States1. Computer Class
2. Tarka
Third Movement3. Robot Woman
4. The Sea
5. Dreaming It
6. Machine Song
7. Searching the Airwaves
8. Fire
9. Military Procession
10. Customs Man - Rapist
11. Customs Man (reprise)
12. Prostitute Poem(Gong cover)
13. 1999
14. Billy Bunker
15. Red Alert
16. Stars
17. Flying
18. Tarka
Third Movement19. I Am Your Fantasy(Gong cover)
20. The Pied Piper
21. A Love Poem
1. Blue Jay Way(The Beatles cover)
January 6, 1981
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
Santa Cruz, California, United States1. Computer Class
2. Tarka
Third Movement3. Robot Woman
4. Machine Song
5. Searching the Airwaves
6. Fire
7. Military Procession
8. Customs Man - Rapist
9. 1999
10. Prostitute Poem(Gong cover)
Street Version11. Billy Bunker
12. Red Alert
13. Stars
14. Flying
15. Nuclear Waste
16. Disco at the End of the World
17. Tarka
Third Movement18. I Am Your Fantasy(Gong cover)
19. The Pied Piper
1. Machine Song
2. Searching the Airwaves
May 12, 1979
Embassy Concert Hall
Los Angeles, California, United States1. Beautiful Country
2. Fire
3. Jamimji
4. I Wish You No Harm
5. Dogs
6. Prostitute Poem(Gong cover)
Street Version7. Robot Woman
8. Nuclear Waste
9. Rapist
10. Brothasista Invocation
11. I Am Your Fantasy(Gong cover)
12. Witch's Song / I Am Your Pussy(Gong cover)
April 21, 1979
Modern Theatre
Boston, Massachusetts, United States1.
2.
7:433.
15:194. Beautiful Country
5. Fire
6. I Wish You No Harm / Dogs
7. Prostitute Poem(Gong cover)
8. Rapist
9. Brothasista Invocation
10. I Am Your Fantasy(Gong cover)
11. Jamimji
12. Witch's Song / I Am Your Pussy(Gong cover)
October 8, 1978
Entermedia Theatre
New York, New York, United StatesMother Gong has released 16+ albums. Some of their notable releases include Robot Woman 2, Robot Woman, Robot Woman 3. Explore their complete discography on this page.
Some of Mother Gong's most popular tracks include The Beach Is Hot, Man/Woman, Lament, Space Tango, Between Us. Listen to these songs and discover more from their extensive catalog.
Mother Gong was an offshot band of Gong, first imagined by Gilli Smyth in 1978 to promote Mother. In 1979, Gilli Smyth met Harry Williamson, and Mother Gong became the vehicle for musical projects tog... Read the full biography on this page.
You can find Mother Gong vinyl records and merchandise on eBay. We feature a curated selection of vinyl releases and collectibles available for purchase.
Follow Mother Gong
