Welsh music discussion thread.

[Talk Wrench]

A colleague and myself ( both English) got into a long discussion about the origins and conditions that havbe created Britain's music scene last night over a few beers. One thing that we both hit on, is how outstanding the contribution by Welsh bands has been over the last twenty years or so.

I remember seeing the Manics for the first itime on SNUB TV back in 1989 and didn't really think much of their first televised performance. They played "Motown Junk" and initially, I wrote them off in favour of the popular Manchester Scene of the time. Obviously, the Manics have outlived the Manchester scene 10 times over and have got to be one of the best bands of modern times to come out of Wales and the UK itself.

Now, another "most known" band has to be Stereophonics. Who would have thought that their edgy, rocky, indie sound is still better than ever more than 14 years since they first appeared on the scene. Their first release was in 1996 with The Local Boy In The Photograph. It didn't do so well but later helped put the Stereophonics brand of music to a wider audience in 1998 when it was re-released on the back of the success of single "Thousand Trees" in 1997.

Dig a little deeper and there are lesser knowns such as the Super Furry Animals and going back to the early 1990's, more political bands such as U Thant ( A favourite of NME at the time).

So why has Wales been able to belt out such good music? Which bands are up and coming and which bands of old should we be searching out?

Which bands should have made it but didn't and which bands made it but shouldn't have.

This is a serious discussion thread so no Anti Welsh stuff thanks.



TW

 

[Dave-exfairy]

Are you talking about exclusively welsh bands, or ones with at least one welsh member?

All Welsh:
Lost Prophets
Feeder
Goldie Lookin Chain
Catatonia
Here Be Dragons (Folk Rock), some of their songs take the mick, Skull Attack and Catrin's Sister, some are their interpretation of classic folk songs, Sospan Fach and Calon Lan.

Link to Welsh Bands Site, lots of links to signed and un-signed bands.

 

[MeRlIn HaTeR]

The Automatic
Bullet for my Valentine
60ft Dolls
Kids in Glass Houses
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci

Spotify is good for this kind of thing!

 

[Triple SA]

I remember reading in Spin magazine in around 96 that Newport was the new Seattle! There was a good compilation album of Welsh Indie bands called Dial M for Merthyr out around the same time, now selling for a tenner on eBay. The 60ft Dolls album The Big 3 is excellent which I highly recommend.; I remember seeing them in TJs in Newport on a Monday before Christmas. Left work at Bentley Priory, got the train back, met the boys in the Murrenger (which had an outstanding jukebox) saw an amazing gig then got the 0200 Milk train back to London - top night out!

Also anything by SFA & the Neon Neon album was tops. Elastica guitarist Donna Matthews was from Caldicot. The next big thing in around 99 was due to be a band called Terris, according to the NME, but failed to live up to the hype.

Wales also spawned Budgie who were apparently one of the first heavy metal bands & a big influence on Metallica. Also don't forget shakie & Duffy!

 

[Dave-exfairy]

Also don't forget shakie & Duffy!

How could I forget Duffy, saw her in Llandudno last year and even though she was 90 mins late getting on stage she was amazing, one of the best live acts i've seen.

 

[Talk Wrench]

Are you talking about exclusively welsh bands, or ones with at least one welsh member?

Well, I suppose we could expand on the original post and include Welsh individuals in non Welsh bands. It's the quality and depth of the music that should be discussesd and it's origins, the political and social influences that form the basis of the songs of many bands and the reason behind many artists coming together to form a band..

Basically, how has the music that comes out of Wales been shaped over the last 40 years leading to the quality of bands from the last 20 years?

I remember reading in Spin magazine in around 96 that Newport was the new Seattle! There was a good compilation album of Welsh Indie bands called Dial M for Merthyr out around the same time, now selling for a tenner on eBay. The 60ft Dolls album The Big 3 is excellent which I highly recommend.; I remember seeing them in TJs in Newport on a Monday before Christmas. Left work at Bentley Priory, got the train back, met the boys in the Murrenger (which had an outstanding jukebox) saw an amazing gig then got the 0200 Milk train back to London - top night out!

Also anything by SFA & the Neon Neon album was tops. Elastica guitarist Donna Matthews was from Caldicot. The next big thing in around 99 was due to be a band called Terris, according to the NME, but failed to live up to the hype.

Wales also spawned Budgie who were apparently one of the first heavy metal bands & a big influence on Metallica. Also don't forget shakie & Duffy!

That's a good post and seems to reflect the buzz that Welsh music has. It's a buzz, but seems to be overshadowed by the popular mainstream. English Indie seems to be able to cross into the mainstream but Welsh indie still seems to lagging behind. With so many good bands, why is that???



TW

 

[Triple SA]

English Indie seems to be able to cross into the mainstream but Welsh indie still seems to lagging behind. With so many good bands, why is that???

One possible reason may be a reluctance to move to London where most of the journos are based, in order to create and sustain a buzz. Whereas the Liverpool/Manchester & Glasgow/Edinburh areas (sorry to lump them together) are big enough to for bands to make it/survive without moving down south. Oasis did move to London, though can hardly be described as a Manc band any more - Indie Cabaret is one term I heard to describe them recently. As far as I know the Manics and SFA have always maintained Wales as their home base.

The location of Rockfield Studios in Monmouth could also be an influence on Welsh bands, as the likes of Stone Roses, Oasis, Charlatans etc made albums there in the early-mid 90s, and Newport/Cardiff was only 30 minutes away. & you don't spend 5 years making an album (Second Coming apparently - also has the Newport City crest on the CD) because you're too focussed in the studio, it's partly because you're ****ing it up/getting stoned in the local area.

 

[8:15fromOdium]

What a coincidence, reading this thread with a great Welsh band playing in the background. Now I am a massive Manics fan, got all the early singles on vinyl, saw them live pre Richies disappearance etc etc; but I do not think they are the best Welsh band of the last few decades, I think that accolade should go to the band I am listening to at the moment - The Alarm.

Yes I know they are legendarily unfasionable, but before you rush to your keyboards to condemn my view have a quick listen to 'Absolute Reality', 'Blaze of Glory' and 'Where were you hiding...', and as a live act they were awesome, up their with The Smiths, Neil Young and the Manics. It gets no better than this.

 

[Scaley brat]

I love the Phonics, they are an almost permanent fixture on my i-pod in the car.
Have any of you listened to the superb Bridgend band "Funeral for a friend" > Have a listen. They have some solid offerings, especially on "Tales don't tell themselves" DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[Talk Wrench]

@SB.


I first heard of Funeral for a Friend on a Kerrang!! album back in 2002.

The album itself is still a favourite of mine.


But FfaF do not seem to have cracked the UK market although I believe they have a good following in America.

Phonics? I agree with SB. They are a permie fxture on the MP3 player.

I still think that the pivotal moment for Stereophonics was the release of Dakota in 2005. A brilliant song.


TW