Gorky's Zygotic Mynci

Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (pronounced 'monkey') were formed in Ysgol Bro Myrddin, Carmarthen in 1991 while the members were still in school and sang songs in English and Welsh. allmusic describe them as "sounding like a bizarrely sweet and whimsical cross between progressive rock, psychedelia, and pure pop." They have stated that their main influences are the Kinks, Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Robert Wyatt, which chimes well with JP's own likes. Their first LP, a 10" called Patio, was released on the Welsh label Ankst in 1992, but the band stubbornly resisted success and remained a cult favourite throughout their career, despite consistent Peel airplay, eight sessions and a slew of albums and singles. The latter included Patio Song, which was virtually the only one of their tunes to be regularly played on daytime radio (and it still didn't chart). However, they can claim the distinction of being the first act to play a session tune live down the line from Maida vale (on 21 April 1996): this experiment was repeated during their fourth session. Members of the band were also part of the scratch choir that sang in the 20 December 2001 Christmas show. They split up in May 2006.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 'If Fingers Were Xylophones (7")' (Ankst) (1995 Festive Fifty #19)
 * 'Patio Song (CDS)' (Fontana) (1996 Festive Fifty #08)
 * 'Hush The Warmth (CD-Gorky 5)' (Mercury) (1998 Festive Fifty #36)
 * 'Sweet Johnny (CDS)' (Mercury) (1998 Festive Fifty #35)
 * 'Spanish Dance Troupe (CD-Spanish Dance Troupe)' (Mantra Recordings) (1999 Festive Fifty #05)
 * 'Fresher Than The Sweetness In Water (CD-The Blue Trees)' (Mantra Recordings) (2000 Festive Fifty #36)

Live

 * 28 April 1997: The Garage, Islington for London Music Week
 * 1) Meirion Wyllt
 * 2) Lucy's Hamper
 * 3) The Barafundle Bumbler
 * 4) Gegin Nos
 * 5) Starmoonsun
 * 6) Young Girls And Happy Endings
 * 7) Patio Song
 * 8) Blood Chant
 * 9) Diamond Dew
 * 10) Heart Of Kentucky
 * 26 October 1998: Newcastle Sound City
 * One track, 'Hush The Warmth,' available on Radio 1 Sound City Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (New Musical Express)


 * 1) Instrumental
 * 2) Tidal Wave
 * 3) Diamond Dew
 * 4) Mongrels
 * 5) Let's Get Together
 * 6) Poor Ditching Boy
 * 7) Sweet Johnny
 * 8) Hush The Warmth
 * 24 October 2000: Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, for Radio 1 Live (acoustic set)
 * 1) The Blue Trees
 * 2) The Girl I've Always Known
 * 3) This Summer's Been Good From The Start
 * 4) Sbia Ar Y Seren
 * 5) Dead Aid
 * 6) Lady Fair Easy Love
 * 7) Tough Jazz
 * 8) Her Hair Hangs Long
 * 9) My Honey
 * 29 October 2003: Live from One Live in The Old Market, Brighton
 * 1) Channels
 * 2) Waking For Winter
 * 3) Mow The Lawn
 * 4) Eyes Of Green
 * 5) Single To Fairwater
 * 6) Meiron Wylit
 * 7) Poodle Rockin'
 * 8) Christina
 * 9) Country
 * 10) Sweet Johnny
 * 11) Spanish Dance
 * 12) Iechyd Da
 * 1) Iechyd Da

Sessions

 * Eight sessions, none released commercially.

1. Recorded: 1993-12-19. First broadcast: 29 January 1994. No repeats. 2. Recorded: 1995-02-12. First broadcast: 11 March 1995. No repeats. 3. Recorded: 1996-04-21. First broadcast: 11 May 1996. Repeated: 02 November 1996. 4. Recorded: 1998-07-21. First broadcast: 25 August 1998. No repeats. 5. Recorded: 2000-02-27. First broadcast: 05 April 2000. No repeats. 6. Live from Peel Acres. First broadcast: 20 September 2001. No repeats. (JP: 'Gorky's for a bit of a change of pace are going to be doing a death metal set tonight here at Peel Acres.') 7. Recorded: 2003-07-30. First broadcast: 28 August 2003. No repeats. 8. Live from Maida Vale 4 (Keeping It Peel night). First broadcast: 16 December 2004. No repeats.
 * Y Fford Oren / Bocs  Angelica / Merched Yn Neud Gwalt Ei Gilydd / Gewn I Gorffen
 * Paid Cheto Ar Pam / If Fingers Were Xylophones / Pethau / Mynwes Kentucky
 * Young Girls Happy Endings / Diam Atsain (Patio Song) / Meirion Wylit / Pen Gwag Glas
 * The Tidal Wave / Freckles / Spanish Dance Troupe / Catrin
 * Honeymoon With You / The Lady And The Travelling Man / Out On The Side / How I Long To
 * These Winds Are In My Heart / Let Those Blue Skies / Instrumental 2 / My Honey / This Summer's Been Good From The Start
 * Monica / Old Fanny Mahoney / Eyes Of Green, Green, Green / The Film That Changed My Wife
 * Y Teimlad / Ladyfair / Y Fford Oren

Other Shows Played

 * 23 July 1993: 'Diamonds O Monte Carlo (Compilation LP-Ap Elvis)' (Ankst)
 * 21 August 1993: 'Peanut Dispenser (10"-Patio)' (Ankst)
 * 03 September 1993: 'Barbed Wire (10"-Patio)' (Ankst)
 * 03 September 1993 (BFBS): 'Peanut Dispenser (10"-Patio)' (Ankst)
 * 10 September 1993 (BFBS): 'Barbed Wire (10"-Patio)' (Ankst)
 * 11 September 1993: 'Llad Eich Gwraig (Craig Killed His Wife) (10"-Patio)' (Ankst)
 * 04 March 1994: 'Y Fford Oren (LP-Tatay)' (Ankst)
 * 11 March 1994: 'Tatay (LP-Tatay)' (Ankst)
 * 19 March 1994: 'Gwres Prynhawn (Afternoon Heat) (LP-Tatay)' (Ankst)
 * 25 March 1994: 'Naw.E.Pimp (LP-Tatay)' (Ankst)
 * 08 April 1994: 'Kevin Ayers (LP-Tatay)' (Ankst)
 * 09 April 1994 (BFBS): 'Naw.E.Pimp (LP-Tatay)' (Ankst)
 * 16 April 1994: 'O Caroline (LP-Tatay)' (Ankst)
 * 17 June 1994: 'Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd (Girls Doing Each Others' Hair) (7")' (Ankst)
 * 24 June 1994: 'Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd (7")' (Ankst)
 * 25 June 1994 (BBC World Service): 'Merched Yn Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd (7")' (Ankst)
 * 25 June 1994 (BFBS): 'Merched Yn Neud Gwalt Eu Gilydd (7")' (Ankst)
 * 04 November 1994: 'Pentref Wrth Y Môr (The Garden By The Sea) (7") ' (Ankst)
 * 10 March 1995: 'Miss Trudy (10"-Llanfwrog EP)' (Ankst)
 * 18 April 1995 (Radio Mafia): 'Naw.E.Pimp (LP-Tatay)' (Ankst)
 * 21 July 1995: 'Oraphjis Yn Delphie (CD-Bwyd Time)' (Ankst)
 * 11 August 1995: 'The Telescope And The Bonfire (CD-Bwyd Time)' (Ankst)
 * 10 November 1995: 'If Fingers Were Xylophones (7")' (Ankst)
 * 18 November 1995 (BFBS): 'If Fingers Were Xylophones (7")' (Ankst)
 * 30 December 1995: 'If Fingers Were Xylophones (7")' (Ankst) (1995 Festive Fifty #19)
 * 26 May 1996: 'Lucy's Hamper (10"-Ambler Gambler)' (Ankst)
 * 08 June 1996: 'Lucy's Hamper (10"-Ambler Gambler)' (Ankst)
 * 16 June 1996: 'Lucy's Hamper (10"-Ambler Gambler)' (Ankst)
 * 13 October 1996 (BBC World Service): 'Patio Song (CDS)' (Fontana)
 * 29 December 1996: 'Patio Song (CDS)' (Fontana) (1996 Festive Fifty #08)
 * 26 February 1997: 'Diamond Dew (7")' (Fontana)
 * 25 March 1997: 'Diamond Dew (7")' (Fontana)
 * 09 April 1997: 'Pen Gwlag Glas (Empty Headed Blues) (LP-Barafundle)' (Fontana)
 * 10 April 1997: 'Bola Bola (CD-Barafundle)' (Fontana)
 * 24 April 1997 (BFBS): 'Cursed, Coined & Crucified (CD-Barafundle)' (Fontana)
 * 20 August 1998: 'Hwiangerdd Mair (Mair Lullaby) (EP-Let's Get Together (In Our Minds)' (Fontana)
 * 23 August 1998 (BFBS): 'Hwiangerdd Mair (EP-Let's Get Together (In Our Minds)' (Fontana)
 * 01 September 1998: 'The Tidal Wave (CD-Gorky 5)' (Mercury)
 * 06 September 1998 (BFBS): 'The Tidal Wave (CD-Gorky 5)' (Mercury)
 * 22 December 1998: 'Hush The Warmth (CD-Gorky 5)' (Mercury) (1998 Festive Fifty #36)
 * 22 December 1998: 'Sweet Johnny (radio edit) (CDS)' (Mercury) (1998 Festive Fifty #35)
 * 04 August 1999: 'Spanish Dance Troupe (CDS)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 19 August 1999 (Radio Eins): 'Spanish Dance Troupe (CDS)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 02 September 1999: 'Spanish Dance Troupe (CD-Spanish Dance Troupe)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 29 September 1999: 'Hallway (CD-Spanish Dance Troupe)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 06 October 1999: 'She Lives On A Mountain (CD-Spanish Dance Troupe)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 12 October 1999: 'Over And Out (CD-Spanish Dance Troupe)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 18 November 1999: 'Faraway Eyes (CD-Spanish Dance Troupe)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 29 December 1999: 'Spanish Dance Troupe (CD-Spanish Dance Troupe)' (Mantra Recordings) (1999 Festive Fifty #05)
 * 07 February 2000 (BFBS): 'The Girl I've Always Known (CDS-Poodle Rockin')' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 09 February 2000: 'Poodle Rockin' (7")' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 13 February 2000 (BFBS): 'Poodle Rockin' (7")' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 29 February 2000: 'Poodle Rockin' (7")' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 04 October 2000: 'Fresher Than The Sweetness In Water (CD-The Blue Trees)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 18 October 2000: 'This Summer's Been Good From The Start' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 31 October 2000: 'Fresher Than The Sweetness In Water (CD-The Blue Trees)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 07 December 2000: 'Hwiangerdd Mair (Compilation LP-It's A Cool, Cool Christmas)' (Jeepster)
 * 21 December 2000: 'Hwiangerdd Mair (Compilation LP-It's A Cool, Cool Christmas)' (Jeepster)
 * 26 December 2000: 'Fresher Than The Sweetness In Water (CD-The Blue Trees)' (Mantra Recordings) (2000 Festive Fifty #36)
 * 25 July 2001: 'Stood On Gold (LP-How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 02 August 2001: 'Can Megan (LP-How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 09 August 2001: 'Where Does Yer Go Now? (LP-How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 30 August 2001: 'Hodgeston's Hallelujah (LP-How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 05 September 2001: 'Let Those Blue Skies (LP-How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 19 September 2001: 'Out On the Side (EP-Stood On Gold)' (Mantra)
 * 26 September 2001: 'Where Does Yer Go Now? (LP-How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 27 September 2001 (Radio Eins): 'How I Long (LP-How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 09 October 2001: 'Let Those Blue Skies (LP-How I Long To Feel That Summer In My Heart)' (Mantra Recordings)
 * 19 December 2001: 'Hwiangerdd Mair (Compilation LP-It's A Cool, Cool Christmas)' (Jeepster)
 * 13 February 2003: 'Merched Ya Neud Gwallt Eu Gilydd'
 * 12 March 2003: 'Pentref Wrth Y Môr (LP-20)' (Fierce Panda)
 * 13 March 2003 (Radio Eins): 'Pentref Wrth Y Môr (LP-20)' (Fierce Panda)
 * 25 March 2003: 'Cwpwrdd Sadwrn (Saturday Cupboard) (LP-20)' (Castle Music)
 * 27 August 2003: 'Shore Light (LP-Sleep/Holiday)' (Sanctuary)
 * 04 September 2003: 'Waking For Winter (LP-Sleep/Holiday)' (Sanctuary)
 * Peel September 1993: 'Llad Eich Gwraig (Craig Killed His Wife) (10"-Patio)' (Ankst)
 * Peel March 1994: 'Tatay (LP-Tatay)' (Ankst)