Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 in Carmarthen, Wales |
| Defunct | May 2006 |
| Headquarters | Carmarthen , Wales, United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci () was a Welsh band known for their blend of psychedelic folk and alternative rock, originating in Carmarthen in 1991. Singing in both Welsh and English, they secured eight entries within the Top 75 of the UK Singles Chart and gained recognition during the Cool Cymru movement. The group officially ended their activities in May 2006.
Biography
The band was initiated by Euros Childs (vocals, keyboards), John Lawrence (vocals, guitar), and Richard James (bass) while attending Bro Myrddin Welsh Comprehensive School. Each member was versatile with multiple instruments and frequently exchanged musical roles. Early members also included Sion Lane (keyboards) and Steffan Cravos (violin). Their first self-released cassette, Allumette (1991), came before Lane and Cravos exited the lineup. Drummer Osian Evans joined for their second cassette release, Peiriant Pleser (1992).
With the addition of Euros Childs' sister Megan Childs on violin, the band signed with the Welsh label Ankst. Their debut release on Ankst was Patio (1992), a mix of live and studio tracks that was expanded in 1995. John Cale famously called it his "favourite album ever." Under Ankst, Gorky's issued several singles and EPs that fused psychedelic sounds with influences from the 1960s-70s Canterbury scene. BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel notably supported their Welsh-language material.
Their first full-length studio album, Tatay, appeared in 1994. By 1995, drummer Euros Rowlands had replaced Evans for the follow-up album Bwyd Time, which incorporated varied instruments such as celesta and sitar. Both records were produced by Alan Holmes, who also crafted their distinctive visual artwork. The band’s early releases demonstrated a wide-ranging style—from harmonium-accompanied songs to experimental stereo effects. The 1996 compilation Introducing Gorky's Zygotic Mynci served as their introduction to the American audience.
As interest from major labels grew, Gorky's transitioned from Ankst to Fontana Records. Their 1997 album Barafundle, produced by Gorwel Owen (also associated with Super Furry Animals), preserved their psychedelic roots while embracing broader folk influences and diverse instrumentation like jaw harp on "Diamond Dew." This softer folk style persisted in subsequent albums but was occasionally balanced with pop and rock numbers such as "Poodle Rockin'" and "Mow the Lawn."
Following their fifth album, Gorky 5 (1998) released via Mercury Records, Fontana dropped the band. They then signed with Mantra Recordings, releasing Spanish Dance Troupe in 1999. During these sessions, founding member John Lawrence departed; Richard James took over lead guitar responsibilities, supported live by Rhodri Puw, formerly of Ffa Coffi Pawb. In 2000, Gorky's appeared alongside John Cale in the film Beautiful Mistake, performing "O Caroline II". That year also saw the release of an acoustic mini-album titled The Blue Trees, after which drummer Euros Rowlands left to pursue a career in teaching.
Peter Richardson succeeded Rowlands on drums while Rhodri Puw became a permanent member. This lineup recorded two more albums: How I Long to Feel That Summer in My Heart (2001) and Sleep/Holiday (2003) under Sanctuary Music—the band's final record. Members embarked on solo ventures until officially disbanding in 2006.
In 2010, Richard James and Euros Childs briefly reunited to perform at Dan Rebellato's wedding and collaborated on projects including the 2014 online series "Outside My House." They also took part in the Charlotte Greig memorial concert.
David Owens of Wales Online characterized Gorky's Zygotic Mynci as "one of the most original and unique bands in the history of Welsh music.”
Origin of the band name
Childs revealed that inquiries about how the band’s name came to be were among the most frequent. After much deliberation, they opted to settle on what they described as "the most absurd and silly name imaginable."
The term Gorky's stems from the word "gawky"; according to Lawrence, "gork" was a slang term used in school to label someone as a fool.
The word Zygotic was taken from GCSE biology terminology, where it denotes a fertilized egg cell.
Mynci is a Welsh variant spelling of "monkey," pronounced identically to the English version, although the authentic Welsh word is "mwnci."
Albums
- Allumette (independently released), May 1991, available only on cassette
- Peirant Pleser (independently released), June 1992, cassette format only
- Patio (Ankst, June 1992 as 10", reissued as expanded CD in 1995)
- Tatay (Ankst, March 1994)
- Bwyd Time (Ankst, June 1995, reached UK No. 150)
- Barafundle (Fontana Records, April 1997, UK No. 46)
- Gorky 5 (Mercury Records, August 1998, UK No. 67)
- Spanish Dance Troupe (Mantra Records, 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 Records Group, August 2003, UK No. 132)
- 20: Singles & EP's '94–'96 (2003)
Singles
The group uniquely secured eight singles within the UK Top 75 without ever breaking into the Top 40, with peak positions at numbers 41, 42, and 43. Key singles include:
- "Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd" (Ankst, June 1994)
- "The Game Of Eyes" (Ankst, November 1994)
- "Llanfwrog" EP (Ankst, 1994)
- "Gewn Ni Gorffen" (Ankst, July 1995)
- "If Fingers Were Xylophones" (Ankst, November 1995, UK No. 91)
- "Amber Gambler (EP)" (Ankst, June 1996, UK No. 91)
- "Patio Song" (Fontana, October 1996, UK No. 41)
- "Diamond Dew" (Fontana, March 1997, UK No. 42)
- "Young Girls & Happy Endings/Dark Nights" (Fontana, June 1997, UK No. 49)
- "Sweet Johnny" (Fontana, May 1998, UK No. 60)
- "Let's Get Together (In Our Minds)" (Fontana, August 1998, UK No. 43)
- "Spanish Dance Troupe" (Mantra, September 1999, UK No. 47)
- "Poodle Rockin'" (Mantra, February 2000, UK No. 52)
- "Stood On Gold" (Mantra, September 2001, UK No. 65)
- "Mow The Lawn" (Sanctuary, October 2003, UK No. 110)
Final lineup
- Euros Childs – lead vocals and keyboards (1991–2006)
- Megan Childs – violin and vocals (1992–2006)
- Richard James – guitar and vocals from 1991 to 2006; bass guitar from 1991 until 1999
- Rhodri Puw – bass guitar (1999–2006)
- Peter Richardson – drums (2000–2006)
Former members
- John Lawrence – vocals and guitar (1991–1999)
- Euros Rowlands – drums between 1995 and 2001
- Osian Evans – drums from 1991 through 1995
- Sion Lane – keyboards in 1991
- Cenwyn Brain – guitar in 1991
- Sammy Davies – keyboards during 1991–1992
- Steffan Cravos – violin from 1991 to 1992
- Damian Hern – bass guitar between 1991 and 1993