Gorky's Zygotic Mynci

Biography

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci () were a psychedelic folk and alternative rock band which formed in Carmarthen, Wales, in 1991. The group performed music in both Welsh and English, and they had eight Top 75 singles on the UK Singles Chart during their career. They were prominent during the era known as Cool Cymru. The group disbanded in May 2006.

Biography

The group was formed by Euros Childs (vocals and keyboards), John Lawrence (vocals and guitar) and Richard James (bass guitar) whilst still at Bro Myrddin Welsh Comprehensive School in Carmarthen. Beyond their main roles in the band, all three were multi-instrumentalists and often swapped around instruments both in the studio and onstage. With Sion Lane (keyboards) and Steffan Cravos (violin) added to the lineup, Gorky's recorded the self-released cassette Allumette (1991). Sion and Steffan left shortly afterwards (the latter going on to form Welsh language rap group Tystion) and drummer Osian Evans was recruited for second cassette Peiriant Pleser (1992).
Euros Childs' sister Megan Childs (violin) subsequently joined the group and the band signed to the Welsh record label Ankst. The band's first release for the label was Patio (1992), a 10" collection of various live, home and studio recordings (this was later expanded for the 1995 CD version) which John Cale once proclaimed to be his 'favourite album ever'. Gorky's also released a number of singles and EPs on Ankst, demonstrating a taste for psychedelia and playfulness evidently inspired by the Canterbury scene of the 1960s and 1970s (Kevin Ayers' album Shooting at the Moon is cited in the notes to Tatay×TatayMarch 1994 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Thema O Gartref1:432Beth Sy'n Digwydd I'r Buwch5:053Tatay1:404Y Ffordd Oren2:395Gwres Prynhawn2:446Amsermaemaiyndod / Cinema2:547O, Caroline2:488Naw. E. Pimp2:489Kevin Ayers1:4310When You Hear the Captain Sing1:2911O, Caroline2:1612Tatay (Moog Mix)1:5013Anna Apera4:0214Gegin Nos3:3315Silff Ffenest3:0416Backward Dog0:38 as "the best LP of all time", and the record also includes a version of Robert Wyatt's "O, Caroline"). The band began to be championed by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel (other than that, it was extremely rare to hear Welsh-language music on such a station).
In 1994 Gorky's released their first full studio album, Tatay. By 1995, Euros Rowlands had replaced Osian Evans on drums in time to record a second album – Bwyd Time×Bwyd Time17 July 1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Bwyd Time0:472Miss Trudy2:433Paid Cheto Ar Pam2:104Oraphis yn Delphie2:415Eating Salt Is Easy2:486Gewn Ni Gorffen3:227Iechyd Da4:348Ymwelwyr a Gwrachod3:249The Telescope and the Bonfire2:3810The Man With Salt Hair5:4211The Game of Eyes2:1712Blood Chant4:5713Ffarm-Wr10:46 – which featured a wide range of instrumentation (such as the parts for the celesta and sitar credited on "Iechyd Da"). Both albums were produced by Alan Holmes who also provided their colourful artwork. These early releases show a huge range of influences and styles: "Thema o Cartref", the opening track of Tatay, for example, is a relatively gentle harmonium-backed song, while "When You Hear the Captain Sing" appears to be a tribute of sorts to Captain Beefheart and "Amsermaemaiyndod/cinema" presents one song in the right channel and a completely different one in the left. The 1996 compilation Introducing Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (the band's first release in America) compiled material from the Ankst album and singles and summed up this phase of Gorky's career.
Now attracting the interest of larger record labels, Gorky's left Ankst and signed to Fontana Records. Their next album, Barafundle×Barafundle7 April 1997 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Diamond Dew2:512The Barafundle Bumbler1:533Starmoonsun3:044Patio Song2:435Better Rooms...3:476Heywood Lane2:527Pen Gwag Glas4:008Bola Bola1:539Cursed, Coined and Crucified2:2710Sometimes the Father Is the Son3:2211Meirion Wyllt2:4912The Wizard and the Lizard1:5813Miniature Kingdoms4:1814Dark Night4:4915Hwyl Fawr I Pawb1:4916Wordless Song3:21 (1997), was produced by Gorwel Owen who had also worked with the Super Furry Animals. The wide-ranging instrumentation remained ("Diamond Dew×Diamond Dew17 March 1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Diamond Dew2:542The Queen of Georgia2:413Tears in Disguise2:41" has a prominent part for the jaw harp) and there were still psychedelic touches, but the album as a whole was more laid back than their earlier work, tending more towards folk music. This gentler direction was largely maintained and refined in their later records, though the occasional poppier and rockier number, such as "Poodle Rockin'×Poodle Rockin'23 August 1999 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Poodle Rockin'2:562Flu Music4:123The Girl I've Always Known2:28" from Spanish Dance Troupe or "Mow the Lawn×Mow The Lawn29 September 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Mow The Lawn3:072Hot Surface (Part 2)7:063Old Fanny Mahoney5:27" from Sleep/Holiday, continued to crop up.
Following their fifth album – 1998's appropriately-titled Gorky 5×Gorky 531 August 1998 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The Tidal Wave3:042Dyle Fi3:003Let’s Get Together (In Our Minds)3:164Tsunami3:425Not Yet3:416Only the Sea Makes Sense2:467Softly6:008Frozen Smile1:249Sweet Johnny4:4210Theme From Gorky 5 (Russian Song)4:0711Hush the Warmth3:2812Catrin3:06, which was released on Fontana's sister label Mercury Records – the band were dropped by Fontana. They quickly signed to Mantra Recordings (a division of the Beggars' Banquet label). In 1999, Gorky's released their first album for Mantra, Spanish Dance Troupe×Spanish Dance Troupe4 October 1999 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Hallway3:072Poodle Rockin’2:563She Lives on a Mountain2:284Drws1:125Over & Out2:446Don’t You Worry0:597Faraway Eyes3:038The Fool1:379Hair Like Monkey Teeth Like Dog0:5110Spanish Dance Troupe3:1611Desolation Blues2:3312Murder Ballad2:4213Freckles3:1414Christmas Eve1:5115The Humming Song4:48. This would be the last Gorky's album to feature input from founder member John Lawrence, who left the group during the recording sessions. Richard James took on Lawrence's former role of main guitarist, and Gorky's also recruited former Ffa Coffi Pawb member Rhodri Puw as a sideman to play guitar and bass guitar on tour. In 2000, Gorky's appeared with John Cale in a movie called Beautiful Mistake, in which they performed 1994 album track "O Caroline II". In the same year, the band released an acoustic mini-album called The Blue Trees×The Blue Trees30 October 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1The Blue Trees2:082This Summer's Been Good From the Start2:393Lady Fair3:494Foot and Mouth '682:235Wrong Turnings4:296Fresher Than the Sweetness in Water2:257Face Like Summer2:588Sbia Ar Y Seren2:37 in 2000, after which drummer Euros Rowlands left Gorky's to take up a career in teaching.
Rowlands was replaced by former Topper drummer Peter Richardson, and at around the same time Rhodri Puw was confirmed as being a full member of the band. This lineup of Gorky's recorded and toured two more albums – How I Long to Feel That Summer in My Heart×How I Long to Feel That Summer in My Heart24 September 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Where Does Yer Go Now?3:562Honeymoon With You2:163Stood on Gold2:544Dead-Aid3:235Cân Megan3:186Christina5:197Easy Love2:208Let Those Blue Skies3:029These Winds Are in My Heart4:2510How I Long4:0911Her Hair Hangs Long5:0112Hodgeston's Hallelujah2:37 (2001) and Sleep/Holiday×Sleep/Holiday25 August 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Waking for Winter3:262Happiness3:223Mow the Lawn3:064Single to Fairwater4:595Shore Light3:326Country1:467Eyes of Green, Green, Green3:248The South of France2:519Leave My Dreaming4:0810Only Takes a Night6:3711Pretty as a Bee9:2912Red Rocks4:45 (2003, on the Sanctuary Music label). The latter would prove to be the final Gorky's Zygotic Mynci album. Although Euros Childs and Richard James would spend time working on separate projects for a while, the band did not announce their formal split until May 2006.
In 2010 Richard James and Euros Childs performed at Dan Rebellato's wedding, with him later telling Lauren Laverne via Twitter, "We somehow got Gorky's Zygotic Mynci to reform and play our wedding last year, so it was wall-to-wall musical awesomeness". They've also collaborated on other short-term occasions, such as the online music video series "Outside My House" (2014). James and the Childs siblings also performed at the Charlotte Greig memorial concert in Cardiff in 2014.
Wales Online's David Owens called the band "one of the most original and unique bands in the history of Welsh music.”

Origin of the band name

While in the band, Childs said that one of the most frequent questions he was asked was about the origin of the band's name. After struggling to come up with one, they decided "we might as well stick with the most ridiculous crap name we could think of."
Gorky's came from the word "gawky"; Lawrence says that "gork" was school slang for a dimwit.
Zygotic was "hijacked from GCSE biology"; it refers to the state of being like a zygote – a fertilized egg cell.
Mynci is a spelling of the word "monkey" using Welsh spelling rules, rather than a direct Welsh translation (the actual Welsh word is "mwnci") and is pronounced like "monkey".

Albums

Allumette (self-released), May 1991, cassette only
Peirant Pleser (self-released), June 1992, cassette only
Patio (Ankst, June 1992 as 10", expanded CD version in 1995)
Tatay (Ankst, March 1994)
Bwyd Time (Ankst, June 1995, UK No. 150)
Barafundle (Fontana, April 1997, UK No. 46)
Gorky 5 (Mercury Records, August 1998, UK No. 67)
Spanish Dance Troupe (Mantra, November 1999, UK No. 88)
The Blue Trees (Mantra, October 2000, UK No. 126)
How I Long to Feel That Summer in My Heart (Mantra, September 2001, UK No. 76)
Sleep/Holiday (Sanctuary, August 2003, UK No. 132)
20: Singles & EP's '94–'96 (2003)

Singles

The band have the distinction of being the only group with eight UK Top 75 singles without ever making the Top 40. They have, however, had singles peaking at 41, 42 and 43.

"Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd×Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd20 June 1994 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd2:582Bocs Angelica1:583When You Laugh at Your Own Garden in a Blazer2:254Mewn7:08" (Ankst, June 1994)
"The Game Of Eyes" (Ankst, November 1994)
"Llanfwrog×Llanfwrog20 March 1995 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Miss Trudy2:442Eira2:333Methu Aros Tan Haf2:334Why Are We Sleeping?6:17" EP (Ankst, 1994)
"Gewn Ni Gorffen×Gewn Ni Gorffen26 June 1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracksAGewn Ni Gorffen4:45B1A Careful Lake, Pt. 1B2Finnish HatB3Dance of the GeeseB4The Hair of the Beautiful Pond GirlB5Attack of the Mechanical MayfliesB6Scottish PhotosB7Empty Champagne Bottle BluesB8Was That? YeahB9The Geese Dance Once MoreB10PickapocketB11Facts, Figures And LogikB12A Careful Lake, Pt. 2" (Ankst, July 1995)
"If Fingers Were Xylophones×If Fingers Were Xylophones13 November 1995 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1If Fingers Were Xylophones3:132Moon Beats Yellow2:423Pethau2:53" (Ankst, November 1995, UK No. 91)
"Amber Gambler (EP)" (Ankst, June 1996, UK No. 91)
"Patio Song×Patio SongOctober 1996 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Patio Song2:452No One Looked Around1:523Morwyr o Hyd yn Lladd eu Hun ar y Tir3:52" (Fontana, October 1996, UK No. 41)
"Diamond Dew×Diamond Dew17 March 1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Diamond Dew2:542The Queen of Georgia2:413Tears in Disguise2:41" (Fontana, March 1997, UK No. 42)
"Young Girls & Happy Endings/Dark Nights" (Fontana, June 1997, UK No. 49)
"Sweet Johnny×Sweet Johnny25 May 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Sweet Johnny4:472Un Hogyn Trist, Un Hogan Drist3:113Mifi Mihafan3:38" (Fontana, May 1998, UK No. 60)
"Let's Get Together (In Our Minds)×Let's Get Together (In Our Minds)17 August 1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Let's Get Together (In Our Minds)3:162Billy and the Sugarloaf Mountain3:153Hwiangerdd Mair3:09" (Fontana, August 1998, UK No. 43)
"Spanish Dance Troupe×Spanish Dance Troupe4 October 1999 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Hallway3:072Poodle Rockin’2:563She Lives on a Mountain2:284Drws1:125Over & Out2:446Don’t You Worry0:597Faraway Eyes3:038The Fool1:379Hair Like Monkey Teeth Like Dog0:5110Spanish Dance Troupe3:1611Desolation Blues2:3312Murder Ballad2:4213Freckles3:1414Christmas Eve1:5115The Humming Song4:48" (Mantra, September 1999, UK No. 47)
"Poodle Rockin'×Poodle Rockin'23 August 1999 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Poodle Rockin'2:562Flu Music4:123The Girl I've Always Known2:28" (Mantra, February 2000, UK No. 52)
"Stood On Gold×Stood on Gold3 September 2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Stood on Gold2:542My Honey1:353Out on the Side3:25" (Mantra, September 2001, UK No. 65)
"Mow The Lawn×Mow The Lawn29 September 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Mow The Lawn3:072Hot Surface (Part 2)7:063Old Fanny Mahoney5:27" (Sanctuary, October 2003, UK No. 110)

Final lineup

Euros Childs – vocals, keyboards (1991–2006)
Megan Childs – violin, vocals (1992–2006)
Richard James – guitar, vocals (1991–2006), bass guitar (1991–1999)
Rhodri Puw – bass guitar (1999–2006)
Peter Richardson – drums (2000–2006)

Previous members

John Lawrence – vocals, guitar (1991–1999)
Euros Rowlands – drums (1995–2001)
Osian Evans – drums (1991–1995)
Sion Lane – keyboards (1991)
Cenwyn Brain – guitar (1991)
Sammy Davies – keyboards (1991–1992)
Steffan Cravos – violin (1991–1992)
Damian Hern – bass (1991–1993)