Blogs
"Here in Wales, we’re about to do something incredible, thanks to Plaid Cymru’s influence on government policy. From this month, free meals will be rolled out across all primary schools in Wales, starting with reception classes, as part of the Co-operation Agreement between Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru." Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on social justice and equalities
Read more at Nation Cymru - https://nation.cymru/opinion/hungry-children-cannot-learn-and-wales-has-a-plan-to-tackle-this/
"Lake Vyrnwy -- a reservoir in Powys, Wales -- has evaporated enough to expose the vestiges of the village Llanwddyn."
Read more at - https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/lake-vyrnwy-powys-wales-scli-intl-gbr/index.html
Good news from Wales! "Farmers and landowners in Wales to get £32m in grants to plant 86 million trees"
By gaabi, 2022-09-03
"86 million trees are set to be planted in Wales by the end of the decade as part of a pledge by the Welsh Government to combat the climate emergency. Farmers and landowners will receive around £32m worth of grants, Minister for Climate Change Julie James has announced."
Read the full article here on the UK Daily Post - https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/farmers-landowners-wales-32m-grants-24913512
Alt-Country Maverick 'Colenso Jones' emerges from the shadows with 'Biscuit Tin' debut single
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-09-01
West Wales Alt-Country Maverick 'Colenso Jones' emerges from the shadows with the exceptional debut single ‘Biscuit Tin’. Hailing from Pontypridd, South Wales and a stalwart of the Cymru-Cana movement Colenso offers a very strong debut which is an intriguingly refreshing blend of Alt-Country, Americana and Folk. ‘Biscuit Tin’ will be released independently on the 2nd of September.
As well as many festival appearances, including Greenman Festival, Colenso has also performed and recorded at Maida Vale Studios and Abbey Road. His first solo album is due for release early 2023. The album will be a fusion of folk, country, indie and electronica.
“I’ve always enjoyed creating music. After picking up the guitar at 10 and learning songs that others have written you get to a point where you know enough chords to write something completely new and I’ve always loved that feeling. I’ve carried that feeling through my life and it’s taken me to some great places, Maida Vale, Abbey Road and New York are just a few of the places music has given me the opportunity to visit so I think I’ll keep going and see where I end up next.”
‘Biscuit Tin’ single released independently on September 2nd.
'Quilty Pleasures' release new 'Four Posters' Single out this Friday 26th August via Surk Records
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-08-23
'I'd never heard the notion of a concept album purely devoted to bedding and sleep - But now i have".
The second single - '4 posters' from Cardiff collective Quilty Pleasures taken from the forthcoming album 'Quilty Pleasures' is a tale of two brothers still living in the same room as adults and having the same posters adorning their walls and the occasional tiffs that occur.
The track has a building anthemic feel with a psychedelic edge.
Quilty pleasures is a collaboration based on the concept of bedding and sleep between producer - Frank Naughton and Wayne mcauliffe, Gid Goundrey, Jessica Ball, Paul Battenbough and Andy Fung.
'Quilty Pleasures' the album will be released on Friday 2nd September
Produced by Frank Naughton, Wayne Mcauliffe, Andy Fung, Paul Battenbough, Gid Goundrey, Iwan Ap Huw Morgan.
Recorded at Ty Drwg Studios, Grangetown, Cardiff.
Engineered by Frank Naughton.
Frank Naughton - Keys, Guitars, Bass, Vocals & Classical Arrangements.
Wayne Mcauliffe - Concept and Vocals.
Iwan Ap Huw Morgan - Guitars.
Gid Goundrey - Bass & Guitars.
Andy Fung - Drums, Bass, Guitars & Vocals.
Paul Battenbough - Guitars & Vocals.
Jessica Ball - Vocals.
Mastered by Gaz Williams at Fliskin Manor.
Here's an extract from a blog post I wrote earlier this summer, which can be viewed in full via the link at the bottom of this post:
As the media and music scenes converge on the Somerset Levels this month for the Glastonbury Music Festival, bringing with them legions of revellers that leave a trail of discarded wellies and broken tents in their wake, attention inevitably returns to the town’s connections with Arthurian Legend, and the quest for the Holy Grail. Whilst there is something undeniably legendary about the way that the town has cultivated its mystical and spiritual status for centuries, what is less than certain is whether it has any basis in fact. What is more interesting is that a Twelfth Century Welsh historian may have conspired to create the Glastonbury myth, possibly to conceal the truth that St Joseph of Arimathea, who allegedly brought the Cup of Christ to the British Isles, may in fact have found his final resting place in Wales rather than England.
An early convert to the Jesus movement, Joseph of Arimathea is sometimes claimed to be Jesus’ uncle. A rich merchant from the Judean Hills bordering Samaria, it was in his tomb that Jesus of Nazareth was interred following the Crucifixion. It was Joseph of Arimathea who was said to have held the cup that collected the blood of Christ on the cross, a vessel also identified as the cup used during the Last Supper as recorded in the New Testament. The conventional narrative then has Joseph visiting Britain in the years after the Resurrection, tasked by Philip the Apostle with spreading the Gospel in the Northern provinces of the Roman Empire. Joseph is believed to have settled in the vicinity of Glastonbury, planted his staff on nearby Wearyall Hill, where it took root as the Holy Thorn that remains in the town to this day. He is also believed to have founded the first Christianity community in the town, which grew to become Glastonbury Abbey.
The renowned scribe Gerald of Wales (the subject of a cartoon film narrated by Max Boyce, which itself achieved legendary status among Welsh schoolchildren of the late Eighties and early Nineties) wrote at the end of the Twelfth Century that he personally witnessed the discovery and exhumation of the remains of the legendary King Arthur and Queen Guinevere at Glastonbury Abbey. Much has been said about the convenience of the discovery following a fire at the Abbey that required expensive repairs. That announcement identified Glastonbury with the mythical Island of Avalon, named for the Welsh word afal (apple) and the area instantly became associated with the Arthurian quest for the Holy Grail, birthing a tourist tradition that has become a micro-industry all of its own.
Read in full here:
https://daniellyddon.wordpress.com/2022/06/20/is-joseph-of-arimathea-buried-in-south-wales/
Los Blancos New Double 'A' Side Single / Sengl Ddwbl 'A' Newydd 'Chwaraewr Gorau (Yr Ail Dim) / Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Libertino Records
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-08-18
Rydych chi'n gwybod y bydd hi'n haf bythgofiadwy, diddiwedd pan fydd sŵn digamsyniol Los Blancos yn llenwi'r awyr boeth ganol nos, gan gicio'i ffordd allan o'r speakers gyda'r un mesur o agwedd a swyn di-ben-draw.
Chwaraewr Gorau (Yr Ail Dim)
He sat down, it was a pleasure to have his company,
His mind so cunnig, he was the best player in the second team,
But he pulled out, before it too cold,
Well thats it, remember to chew before you spit
Yee come on, no need to fall, if you have something to say about the lad
Talking rubbish, thats all he could master,
With plenty of ability, its an easy thing to validate,
He had itchy feet, like a Cuzak 50/50,
Like combing without hair, its an easy thing to over interpret.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
A man so tall, and yet so mobile
Controlling the court with magic johnson
He leaps so easily
And the ball flies through the net
Kareeeeem abdul jabbar
Every word and every letter is poetry
And he can fly a plane
he leaps so easily
And the balls flies through the net
Kareeem abdul jabbar
What you gonna do when he hits you with a skyhook?
Theres nothing you can do, he just hits you and he wont look back
Holy Coves share new 'Away We Go' single taken from the forthcoming 'Druids And Bards' Album via Yr Wyddfa Records
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-08-17
Championed by Gary Crowley on BBC Radio London and Playlisted on Amazing Radio's A List, with BBC Radio Wales support from Huw Stephens and Adam Walton , North Wales Indie-Psych Band Holy Coves have had quite a year so far. They share a brand new single called 'Away We Go' before their highly anticipated new 'Druids And Bards' album is released via Yr Wyddfa Records on the 14th of October.
Through long time friend and Producer David Wrench , 'Holy Coves' were put in touch with Texan Producer Erik Wofford (The Black Angels / Explosions In The Sky) and have built quite a magical working relationship, one where Wofford found himself on Mixing and Mastering duties for the material and certainly contributes to their new sound.
HOLY COVES UK TOUR DATES 2022
AUGUST
19th August - The Parish, Wrexham
26th August - Front Room, Rhyl
SEPTEMBER
1st September - Cluny 2, Newcastle
9th September - Audio, Glasgow
10th September - Pressure, Kilmarnock
11th September - Bannermans, Edinburgh
15th September - The Bullingdon, Oxford
16th September - Rascals, Bangor
17th September - Queens Hall, Narberth
23rd September - Satan's Hallow, Manchester
24th September - The Brickyard, Carlisle
30th September - Boom, Leeds
OCTOBER
1st October - Salty Dog, Northwich
2nd October - Portland Arms, Cambridge
3rd November - Underworld, Camden
4th November - The Loft, Southampton
11th November - Y Llew Goch, Machynlleth
12th November - Doldrum Escape Project, Dolgellau
25th November - Clwb Ifor Back, Cardiff
26th November - Cwrw - Camarthen
DECEMBER
2nd December - Ucheldre, Holyhead
3rd December - Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda
'Colenso Jones' announces brand new debut single ‘Biscuit Tin’ out on the 2nd September
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-08-05
West Wales Alt-Country Maverick 'Colenso Jones' emerges from the shadows with the exceptional debut single ‘Biscuit Tin’. Hailing from Pontypridd, South Wales and a stalwart of the Cymru-Cana movement Colenso offers a very strong debut which is an intriguingly refreshing blend of Alt-Country, Americana and Folk. ‘Biscuit Tin’ will be released independently on the 2nd of September.
As well as many festival appearances, including Greenman Festival, Colenso has also performed and recorded at Maida Vale Studios and Abbey Road.
His first solo album is due for release early 2023. The album will be a fusion of folk, country, indie and electronica.
“I’ve always enjoyed creating music. After picking up the guitar at 10 and learning songs that others have written you get to a point where you know enough chords to write something completely new and I’ve always loved that feeling. I’ve carried that feeling through my life and it’s taken me to some great places, Maida Vale, Abbey Road and New York are just a few of the places music has given me the opportunity to visit so I think I’ll keep going and see where I end up next.”
‘Biscuit Tin’ single released independently on September 2nd.
Pixy Jones brand new 'Maureen Dreams No More' single out soon on Strangetown
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-08-05
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.