Gong came into being almost by accident in the late sixties when Daevid Allen was refused entry back into Britain following European dates with Soft Machine. Deciding to stay in Paris Allen began working alongside Gilli Smyth and various musicians on what would eventually be recognised as Gong. The first recognised recordings from the band were Magick Brother, Mystic Sister in 1970. Followed by albums such as Camembert Electrique, Flying Teapot, Angels Egg and You. These last three albums followed the fortunes of Zero The Hero and told the tale of the pothead pixies and was told over the course of the next three albums and became the Radio Gnome Invisible Trilogy. This mythological story was extremely popular and the resultant albums sold exceptionally well however following the departure of core members Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and Steve Hillage citing the age old musical differences reason for leaving the band Gong moved in a more jazz oriented direction with the addition of Allan Holdsworth alongside Pierre Moerlen and Didier Malherbe. Allen, Smyth and Hillage have all recorded as solo artists and Smyth subsequently formed the offshoot Mother Gong. Occasionally the three have re united as was seen by the release of the live Gong album recorded in 1977.

Various permutations of Gong have worked together over the years under various names including Mother Gong, Expresso Gong, Gongmaison, Planet Gong and so on and so forth and also included an amazing array of musical talent moving through the ranks. Some versions of the band have Daevid Allen on board and others do not however over recent years Daevid has once again become the leading light and inspiration behind the very fluid Gong concept that began over thirty years ago.

Gongmaison was the first album to be recorded following Daevid Allen's self-imposed exile to Australia between 1981 and 1988. It also saw the reunion between Daevid Allen and former Gong Sax player Didier Malherbe. The album was recorded during the night of the Summer Solstice in 1989.

In addition to Daevid Allen and Didier Malherbe the album features performances from Shyamal Maitra, Graham Clark, Wandana, Conrad Henderson, Rob Calvert, Jenni Rodger and Harry Williamson who also produced the album. The feel is definitely Gong with a few of the then newer influences such as jazz house, which is reflected in the name Gongmaison, which literally translated, means Gong House. The album has been remastered for release and contains newly written sleeve notes from Daevid Allen.