Gilli Smyth

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Gilli Smyth and Daevid Allen (1974)
Gilli Smyth (2009)

Gillian Mary "Gilli" Smyth (born June 1, 1933 in London ; † August 22, 2016 in Byron Bay , Australia ) was a British musician (spoken word) and author. With Daevid Allen she founded the band Gong , later she had her own bands Mother Gong and Mother Matrices . She published several books and produced several albums for her bands. During her time at Gong , she sometimes used the pseudonym Shakti Yoni .

biography

After college in London, a first book in 1966, and a brief marriage that resulted in a child, Smyth moved to Paris . She met Daevid Allen , who was on tour in France with the band Soft Machine in 1967 . When everyone was refused to return to England because of visa problems, the two formed the band Gong . Smyth wrote lyrics for the band, which they performed in a manner of speaking called "Space Whisper". The group's first album was released in 1969.

In 1974, Smyth, now a mother of two, left the band and began working on a solo career. In 1978 her first solo album Mother came out, produced by Daevid Allen. The band with which she then went on tour was named Mother Gong . The group, temporarily based in Australia, was active until 1991.

In the early 1990s, Gilli Smyth performed often solo. She also worked again with the band Gong , which appeared again under this name since 1991. In 1995 she formed the duo GLO ("Goddesses Love Oranges") with Stephan Lewry . In 1996 she recorded with the band Goddess T . The band Mother Matrices was formed in 1999 .

In addition to her musical activities, Gilli Smyth has published several books, some with her song texts, poems and thoughts, and some with reviews of her musical work.

Smyth died on August 22, 2016 in her adopted home Australia of complications from pneumonia .

Discography (selection)

With gong:

  • 1971: Camembert Electrique
  • 1973: Angel's Egg
  • 1973: Flying Teapot
  • 1974: You

Solo:

  • 1978: Mother
  • 1990: Stroking the Tail of the Bird (with Harry Williamson and Daevid Allen)
  • 1993: Every Witches Way
  • 2001: It's All a Dream
  • 2005: Short Tales & Tall (with Daevid Allen)
  • 2012: Paradise

With Acid Mothers Gong:

  • 2006: Live Tokyo

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "History" on Gilli Smyth's website, see web links.
  2. a b c d Gilli Smyth ( Memento from January 11, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) on "Calyx - The Canterbury Music Website" (English, archive)
  3. Obituary on planet gong News