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Mother Gong

Robot Woman Trilogy

Madfish SMABX1097

Strictly limited edition of 1500 newly remastered 4CDs presented in a beautiful deluxe 64-page hardback book with one disc of great, previously unreleased material. No plans for release as individual discs. The hardback volume, heavy with content, features all of the original album artwork and original album inserts including the 15 page comic book companion to the Robot Woman 2 story, originally a large black and white poster, here for the first time in glorious full colour - something desired but beyond the budget in 1980s. The whole project has been lovingly produced and curated by Harry Williamson. It is, without doubt, a definitive Mother Gong release, designed for Gong followers of all altitudes and all latitudes.

Gilli Smyth, co-founder of Gong alongside Daevid Allen, formed Mother Gong with Harry Williamson in 1978. Mother Gong's Robot Woman trilogy is widely accepted as one of the pinnacles of the band's career. Previously only available on 3 vinyl LP releases pressed in small number in the 1980s this long-awaited release heralds the first appearance of Robot Woman 1, 2 and 3 on CD, something devoted Gongsters have been requesting for years. Also included is a fourth disc of fascinating 'Demos and Rarities'; 18 previously un-released unknown and hidden extras, the earliest of which dates from 1976. The audio on all the discs has been carefully re-mastered by Harry Williamson at Spring Studios in Australia from his original master tape archive.

There is an entertaining, highly illuminating history of Mother Gong written by Williamson with many previously unseen photographs and artefacts from his personal collection. And in true detailed Williamson style, Harry has also provided an annotated guide to the entire Robot Woman trilogy. This most complete of deluxe releases is rounded off with an essay by long-time Mother Gong supporter and friend Ric Chafen, plus the full lyrics of the Trilogy.

A gathering of some excellent musicians, Gong's Didier Malherbe, Van Der Graaf Generator's Guy Evans and Soft Machine's Hugh Hopper add their considerable talents to Harry's engaging, intelligent, melodic jazz and even classically tinged rock on these discs.

The themes explored throughout the Robot Woman trilogy are specifically female with a focus on human empowerment in the face of an increasingly technological, potentially alienating (or is it liberating?) world. Striking some timely chords in these internet and device laden days of the #MeToo movement. Some of the intellectual and moral dilemmas posed by the development of Artificial Intelligence, as it begins to gain prominence, are also presciently engaged in the Robot Woman tale. But finally, as with all things Gong, individuality and self-expression in service to a higher, intuited purpose is the guiding principle - and always executed with style and a smile.

tracks

disc 1 : Robot Woman 1

  1. Disco At The End Of The World
  2. Robot Woman
  3. Machine Song
  4. The Sea
  5. Searching The Airwaves
  6. Billi Bunker's Blues
  7. Military Procession
  8. Customs Man-Rapist
  9. Fire
  10. Red Alert
  11. Stars
  12. Australia

disc 2 : Robot Woman 2

  1. Suggestive Station
  2. This Train
  3. I Wanna Be With You
  4. The Moving Walkway
  5. The Upwardly Mobile Song
  6. Tigers Or Elephants
  7. Mirror
  8. You Can Touch The Sky
  9. 1999
  10. Crazy Town
  11. Angry Song
  12. Looking For
  13. Leotards

disc 3 : Robot Woman 3

  1. It's You And Me Baby
  2. Faces Of A Woman
  3. Desire - War
  4. Children's Song
  5. Lady's Song
  6. Woman Of Streams
  7. I'm Sorry
  8. Men Cry
  9. Solutions
  10. Magenta (Part One)

disc 4 : Rarities and Demos

  1. Evidance
  2. Disco At The End Of The World (demo)
  3. Harry - A Future
  4. Robot Woman (Live at KCMO)
  5. Rat Rock Instrumental
  6. Slow Slither
  7. Searching The Airways & Today's Army (demo)
  8. Machine Song (dub remix)
  9. Customs (demo)
  10. Australia (instrumental dub)
  11. War Is Over - Armageddon - Wassillissa Flute
  12. Tigers
  13. Chinese Puzzle
  14. 1999 (dub)
  15. Is It Real Or Am I Dreaming? - Magic Land
  16. Flying Through The Machine
  17. Gliss (with Matthew Arnold)
  18. Magenta - 100 Years Old with Life After Life

pPersonnel

  • Gilli Smyth
  • Harry Williamson
  • Dave Sawyer
  • Guy Evans
  • Didier Malherbe
  • Hugh Hopper
  • Dayne Craneburgh
  • Yan Emerick
  • Mo Vickerage
  • Trevor Darks
  • Eduardo Niebla
  • Giles Perring
  • Paul Sanchez
  • Thom The Poet
  • Bee, Orlando, Clare Jones, and more