Bong II — Reunited lineup

Bong II reunites Dawn Terry with drummer Mike Smith and adds guitarist Daniel Foggin to the lineup. The project began after a chance meeting in Newcastle’s experimental music scene around four years ago, following a period in which the original Bong lineup had been dormant. The band are preparing for a performance at this year’s Supersonic Festival. New material shows the influence of Terry’s solo experimentation with vocal loops.

Foggin joins Bong II while remaining active with Smote, and his involvement is presented as a continuation of the band’s sound. Terry has described the new formation as the original Bong minus one member and framed the name as a nod to Amon Düül II that introduces a layer of absurdity to the band’s identity. The inclusion of vocal loops in recent tracks derives from Terry’s solo work and features throughout the new song ‘Some Brief Triumph Emboldens The People Of The Ducts’. The group balances rehearsals and performances with individual commitments including Terry’s 9–5 job and family responsibilities.

Bong II reunites Dawn Terry with drummer Mike Smith and adds guitarist Daniel Foggin, who joined the project after meeting the band following a Smote performance in Newcastle. Foggin remains a member of Smote while contributing to Bong II, and band members describe his role in the new lineup as complementary to his work with Smote. The arrangement allows Foggin to play with Bong II without carrying the full pressures he has in Smote, enabling him to enjoy playing guitar in both contexts. The lineup emerged after a chance meeting in Newcastle’s experimental music scene about four years ago, following a dormant period for the original Bong lineup.

Dawn Terry balances a 9–5 job and family responsibilities alongside participation in Bong II, and the band arranges rehearsals and shows around those commitments. Members characterise coordinating dates as no more awkward than other people having busy lives, and they report finding time for focused sessions and weekend getaways to convene. This scheduling approach has enabled the group to rehearse new material and prepare for performances, including festival appearances. The band uses short, concentrated blocks of time together to maintain activity while members continue with individual projects.

Bong II released a new song ‘Some Brief Triumph Emboldens The People Of The Ducts’, which was premiered by Lisa Meyer on Stuart Maconie’s Freak Zone earlier this month. The track features a vocal loop throughout, which Dawn Terry adds to in various parts. Those vocal loop elements stem from Terry’s solo experimentation with accordion and vocal loops.

The band is gearing up for a performance at this year’s Supersonic Festival. Dawn Terry balances a 9–5 job and family responsibilities, and the band has said they still find time to reunite for performances. Members have characterised the logistical demands as no more awkward than people having busy lives, and have cited scheduling weekend getaways and performances together as part of their approach.

Dawn Terry provides insights into Bong II’s identity, origin, and sound connected to her solo work. She says, “I very much wanted it to be a continuation – being the original Bong but minus one member, it’s not far off.” This statement expresses her intent to carry forward the essence of the original band.

Terry also reflects on the choice of the band’s name, saying, “I really love what Amon Düül did with Amon Düül II, so it’s a little bit of a nod to them. There’s a certain absurdity already to the name of the band, Bong, and to add the II on the end, it adds a whole new layer of ridiculousness to it which I really enjoy.” This reveals the inspiration behind the name and its intended humor.

She also shares how her solo experimentation has influenced Bong II’s sound: “Maybe not the accordion, but the vocal loops thing has definitely bled through from my solo experimentation.” She elaborates on this impact in describing their recent music: “That’s got a vocal loop all the way through it, that I add to in various parts, and that very much comes from my solo experimentation.” These quotes highlight how Terry’s individual artistic activities have blended into the band’s music, especially through the use of vocal loops.

Dawn Terry met Daniel Foggin after attending a Newcastle show where she had gone to see Smote perform, and the encounter took place within Newcastle’s experimental music scene around four years ago. The meeting included backstage conversation following the set, and Foggin’s expressed appreciation for Bong’s music preceded his involvement with the project. That encounter led to Foggin joining the band on guitar, and his addition formed part of a reunion that also brought drummer Mike Smith back into the fold. The new formation was presented under the name Bong II.

Before the reassembly, the original Bong lineup had been dormant for a period of years, and the regrouping was framed as a deliberate continuation of the band’s sound. Terry described the new formation as the original Bong “minus one member,” indicating an intent to preserve the core direction while acknowledging change. The choice of the name Bong II was made in part as a nod to Amon Düül II and was noted for adding an extra layer of absurdity to the band’s identity. The arrival of Foggin and the reunion with Smith together signalled the revival of the project as Bong II.

Concept image of Bong II performing live at Supersonic Festival, visually featuring Dawn Terry with vocal loops, Mike Smith on drums and Daniel Foggin on guitar. The composition should use intimate framing and layered textures to evoke the experimental music scene and Newcastle’s DIY atmosphere, focusing on the trio’s interaction onstage. The concept avoids including readable text or specific stage details and centres the visual storytelling on the performers and the experimental ambience. The image should present the band as a cohesive unit preparing and performing together.

Visual treatment can employ abstract lighting, a muted or limited colour palette, and overlapping translucent forms to imply vocal loop elements without depicting particular equipment. The setting should suggest a compact, intense performance space rather than a large arena, using close camera angles and textured foreground elements to create atmosphere. No logos, banners or promotional text should be included in the frame, and the depiction should not assert specific stage infrastructure. This description is a conceptual proposal only and does not represent an actual photograph or artwork.

CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION