Blogs

Pixy Jones  announces brand new single  'Maureen Dreams No More'  which is the 2nd single to be taken from anticipated debut album  'Bits n Bobs'  released via Strangetown Records on the 16th September.

'Maureen Dreams No More'  will be released digitally on the 5th of August.

Pixy Jones brand new Debut Album 'Bits n Bobs'

El Goodo guitarist and songwriter 'Pixy Jones' has announced that his debut album entitled 'Bits n Bobs' is due for release on 16th of September via Strangetown Records.

Branching away from the familiar El Goodo platform, Welsh psych scene stalwart Pixy Jones has himself compiled a truly remarkable collection of tracks that fluctuate from 60's harmony-rich psych pop, to Alt-Country with ringing tremelo guitar.

The swaggering 'I'm Not There' is the first single to be taken from 'Bits n Bobs' accompanied by a magical version of Beatles track 'And Your Bird Can Sing' as it's B SIde, which will be released digitally on Friday 1st of July.

Pixy had this to say about the release:

The album was originally intended as a solo project under the pseudonym of “Wallace Russell”. I recorded it alongside the recording of Zombie (El Goodo) whenever I could get in the studio. There are some really old songs that have always been overlooked for 'El Goodo' albums for one reason or another, a few new ones which I wrote specifically for this, and a couple that would have probably ended up on the intended double album version of Zombie if we’d kept going with the double album idea. I’ve since ditched the 'Wallace Russell' name and gone back to 'Pixy Jones' as I figured there’s no need to have a pseudonym if nobody knows who you are in the first place. Even though I dropped the name I’ve kept the walrus mask for now as it is more photogenic than my actual face.

I had no recording budget so I had to fund it by quitting smoking and saving the money up to pay for studio time. It took, I think, two and a half years to record, which is by far the quickest I’ve ever recorded an album. Would have been quicker too if it wasn’t for Covid!

Originally I wanted it to just be a quickly recorded slap dash and get it out sort of thing but I had a year and a half during Covid to think about it a bit more and ended up taking more care to get it done properly. It was just me there so I played most of it myself apart from  Stephen Black (Sweet Baboo)  who played brass and woodwind on one song and  Rhodri Brooks (AhGeeBe)  plays some pedal steel on a couple.

Elliott and Canny from 'El Goodo' played drums and bass on Wind Street during the Zombie recording sessions.

The album was recorded and mixed in  Aerial Studios  with  Tim Lewis  aka  Thighpaulsandra (Coil/Hawkwind/Spiritulized) , a couple of songs were finished in the house during the lockdowns.

It’ll be released on  Strangetown Records.

Ysbrydoliaeth - Curiosity Shop / Magasin de curiosités is now open and features gifts from Wales and the world.

St. Johnsbury, VT, 8/3/2022 - Robert Jones, a long-time active member of the Welsh-American community has recently opened a gift and import store in downtown St. Johnsbury, VT inspired by both his Welsh and Pennsylvania German roots with the aim of offering unique and bespoke gifts that emphasize quality and conscience.

Jones opened in the store in the newly renovated Calderwood building on Eastern Avenue in the downtown. Along with the New Avenue Building at corner of Eastern and Railroad, new tenants have been flocking to the town center which is experiencing a renaissance in the post-Covid world. Ysbrydoliaeth, which means "inspiration" in Welsh, is a store that features one-of-a-kind and quality gifts ideal for the person who's "hard to buy for" or simply enjoys some of the finer things in life. The product lines include items only available in North American through Ysbrydoliaeth such as lovespoons from Crefft Patagonia, luxury toiletries from Myddfai, Welsh blankets from Melin y Graig, Teifi Coffee and Chantler Teas from Wales. Product lines also include other well known merchandise from national and international, as well as specifically New England and New York makers. Shoppers can currently browse in person Thursday through Saturday from 10am-6pm and Sunday from 12pm-5pm, but Jones expects to extend the hours in the future. Shoppers can also make purchases 24/7 via the store's online shop linked at www.curiosityshop.us with free shipping included on most orders over $50 delivered to the continental US and Canada.

For more information, contact:

Robert Jones Ysbrydoliaeth - Curiosity Shop / Magasin de curiosités 71 Eastern Ave.
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819

802-424-0007
robert@curiosityshop.us
www.curiosityshop.us
Instagram: ysbrydoliaeth71
Facebook: ysbrydoliaeth

The Nanteos Grail

 
Photos: 3

AmeriCymru: Hi Ian and John and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. Care to introduce your book 'The Nanteos Grail' for our readers?

Ian: The Nanteos Grail is the first full length, detailed study of a remarkable relic, which probably originated in the Middle Ages and which took its name from Nanteos mansion near Aberystwyth. We have done our best to correct a number of misconceptions about the history of the vessel, and to produce the first detailed account of its history – it covers the whole period from mediaeval times right up to the present day.

AmeriCymru: What is the Nanteos Grail?

Ian: The Nanteos Grail is a relic almost certainly dating from the Middle Ages,and kept in the guardianship of several generations of certain families –notably the Stedmans of Strata Florida and The Powells of Nanteos. For many years it was kept at Nanteos mansion but following the dramatic events of 2014 it has been moved to a secure display in the National Library of Wales. Its history is complex and has been frequently misrepresented in more recent times. We have researched all the surviving original sources and uncovered the most accurate history of the relic to date. Until such time as new evidence comes to light, we have assembled everything we can to give as complete a picture as possible of its history.

AmeriCymru: It was stolen in 2014. How did this happen?

Ian: Back in 1967 the then owners of Nanteos mansion sold up and left for anew home in Herefordshire, taking the Cup with them. It passed to the daughter when her mother died but remained in Herefordshire. The Cup was taken from the owner’s home during a burglary while the owner was in hospital.

AmeriCymru: Where is the 'Grail' now? Can it be viewed by the public?

Ian: The Cup was recovered by the police in 2015 under circumstances which were – and still are – baffling. Obviously the Cup needed to be kept in a more secure location and a decision was made to allow the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth to display the vessel in a specially built exhibition area on the top floor of the National Library. The exhibit was formally opened in the summer of 2016 and the Cup can be viewed by the public during opening hours. You can view a 3D model of the Cup online.

Here is the link: https://www.library.wales/visit/things-to-do/exhibitions/nanteos-cup

AmeriCymru: What first interested you in the story of the Grail? What inspired thebook?

John’s Answer: I've been studying the Arthurian legends and especially those of the Grail for the last 40 years. This brought me into contact with the wonderful Fred Stedman-Jones, sadly now deceased. He was the one who first got me interested in the Nanteos Cup and from there on I allied with his researches. When Fred passed on in 2016 he asked me to complete his work if possible. I was also fortunate enough to meet up with Ian Pegler, who had also researched the subject and was familiar with the site of Nanteos itself and various other places in the area. Once we put our heads together, we decided to collaborate to complete the work begun by Fred. It took us a few years to do it, but I hope that in the end we managed to uncover most of the secrets connected with this remarkable relic.

Ian’s answer: I had family links to both mid-Wales and Somerset and as a child I was familiar with traditional Welsh legends (which I learned about in school) and I read books on Arthurian legends and mythology. My dad was very well read and it was probably he who introduced me to the Holy Grail legend. I was born and brought up in Aberystwyth and in 1977 the Nanteos Cup was displayed in the National Library for a few months in the summer and I think I may have seen it back then. Back in 2012/13 I had been writing a book on the Holy Grail and Welsh legends when I first encountered John Matthews and Fred Stedman-Jones both of whom I already knew by reputation and I had been reading John’s books for years.I decided to shelve the book I had been working on in favour of this new book because it became evident that it was bound to be much better than anything I could do on my own. I was given a golden opportunity and so I grasped it with both hands. Through my own research, principally at the National Library, I was able to make some discoveries of my own and push back the recorded history of the Cup back in time.

AmeriCymru: What healing powers is the 'Grail' reputed to possess?

John’s answer: According to the traditions kept alive locally and particularly by the families occupying Nanteos House, the cup itself is well attested to have brought about a number of seemingly miraculous healings. We noticed in our research that this particularly focused around women's medical circumstances. Certainly the notes that have come down through the generations seemed to indicate that the vessel does have healing properties.

Ian’s answer: In the 19th Century the claims seem to have been fairly limited but over time they grew and once the Cup became identified with the Holy Grail they grew even more. In time and thanks to the influence of certain individuals the reputation of the Cup became distorted to well beyond what one might reasonably expect the Cup to be capable of.

AmeriCymru: Where can readers purchase 'The Nanteos Grail'?

Ian: The book is available from most book shops and of course from online suppliers. For those wishing to purchase a copy signed by one of the authors, you may order it from the website of John and Caitlin Matthews http://www.hallowquest.org.uk. But please be aware that postage is extremely high when shipping items from the UK to the USA. Unless you're desperate for a signed copy we suggest you buy from a supplier in the United States.

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

Ian: The real story of the Nanteos Grail is astonishing and full of remarkable and colourful characters. We hope that readers and members of AmeriCymru will read the book and if they get the chance will make their way to the National Library of Wales to look for themselves at the Nanteos Cup and perhaps feel for themselves something of its remarkable energy.

Heddlu is the new musical project by Rhodri Daniel. The Ceredigion native was a founding member of renowned Welsh band Estrons who had a major impact on the industry having gained rave reviews from the likes of  NME,   Vice,   DIY  and  Clash  to  BBC Radio ,  Radio X ,  Ultimate Guitar,   The Guardian  and  Independent .

After finishing the band in 2019, Rhodri became aware that his hearing was severely damaged. Years of touring the live circuit had taken their toll, Rhodri ultimately being diagnosed with hearing loss, tinnitus and severe sensitivity to noise. The effects were so acute, Rhodri was unable to be in the same room as other people, leave the house or play music for almost a year.

A chance encounter with a retired record producer, who's old forgotten studio on the slopes of the Cambrian Mountains was filled with antique synthesisers, inspired Rhodri to consider music once more. Advised to get outdoors to aid recovery, he embarked on a three-month hike spanning 900 miles of the entire Welsh coastline, where he conceived the new project and was inspired to write the music in his head, to be recorded upon his return. Serendipity led Rhodri back to music, and Heddlu was born. Meaning ‘Police’ in Welsh, from the words ‘peace-force’, Heddlu's music has been true to its’ name, offering a force of peace to the songwriter.

“Cantref”, Heddlu’s debut album, is a concept album of sorts, based on a central character who finds themselves washed down river and castaway at sea, only to descend to the depths of Cambrian Bay to 'Cantref Gwaelod', a mythological sunken celtic city, populated with malevolent long-forgotten spirits. Initially, the protagonist struggles to accept reality, before eventually coming to terms with their fate, and learning to float amongst the ghosts.

'Cantref', is a bilingual electronic rock album, full of volatile sonics, soaring melodies and unexpected turns, inspired by wild places, trauma and beauty.

“Cantref” is out now via 'Zawn Records'

Back in 2014 many were shocked when it was reported that the priceless religious artefact known as the Nanteos Cup had been stolen from its owner’s home in Herefordshire.

The Nanteos Cup is an ancient wooden bowl which for many years was kept at the Mid Wales mansion called Nanteos, whence the vessel derived its name. It is believed to have originated from the medieval Cistercian abbey of Strata Florida.

In 2015 the Cup was recovered by police and in 2016 it was given a new home in the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth where it remains on permanent display.

Many traditions and legends grew around the Cup including the belief that it had healing powers and was made from the wood of the True Cross or may even have been the Holy Grail used by Christ at the Last Supper and may have come from Glastonbury.

Now three authors have written the first dedicated, in-depth history of the Nanteos Cup, chronicling its history from medieval times to the present day. A treasure trove of previously unknown information has been uncovered which goes a long way to identifying, for the first time, the origins and history of the relic. The book examines the way in which the stories and practices around the Cup have evolved over the years and introduces the many colourful characters who have been drawn to the vessel.

The Nanteos Grail is written by John Matthews, Ian Pegler and Fred Stedman-Jones. John Matthews has been a writer for more than 40 years on myth, folklore and ancient traditions. He was awarded a BAFTA for his work as an historical advisor on the movie King Arthur (2004) and his book Pirates (Carlton/Athenaeum) was a number one New York Times bestseller for 22 weeks in 2005. Ian Pegler is a regular reader at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth and has researched Welsh history and legends for many years. Fred Stedman-Jones was chairman of the Pendragon Society and an acknowledged expert on the Nanteos Cup; he was the consultant behind the scenes for a number of documentaries on the Holy Grail which he researched for over 30 years.

The Nanteos Grail was published in March 2022 by Amberley and is widely available from online sellers.

The Nanteos Grail on Wikipedia

Buy 'The Nanteos Grail' here

Ddydd Sadwrn yma bydd y cofiant cyntaf llawn i Dic Penderyn yn cael ei lansio. Gellir prynu Dic Penderyn: The Man and the Martyr gan Sally Roberts Jones yn www.ylolfa.com  ac mewn siopau llyfrau am £9.99. Dilynwch y ddolen  yma  am wybodaeth lawn.

This Saturday the first full biography of Dic Penderyn will be launched. Dic Penderyn: The Man and the Martyr, by Sally Roberts Jones is available in bookshops and  www.ylolfa.com  for £9.99. Follow this  link  for more details.

Dic Penderyn: The Man and the Martyr  will be launched at 10:30am on Saturday, 30 ^th  July at Aberafan Library (1 ^st  Floor, Aberafan Shopping Centre, Port Talbot, SA13 1PB). The event is free but spaces are limited, so booking is required. Please contact the Library (01639 763490).

The free concert will be held at the Grand Hotel, Port Talbot, starting at 7pm on Saturday, 30 ^th  July. Excerpts from  Iniquity / Camwedd  and a performance by singer-songwriter Martyn Joseph. There will also be a book signing with Sally Roberts Jones. To ensure a seat, contact Eirwen Hopkins:  eirwenhopkins@aol.com  / 07873 985527.

REVIEW HERE