Blogs
Our fibber whose art is craven
furloughed be thy fame
thy Brexit done
broke times to come
in Neath as it is in Devon
give us this day our daily dread
and forgive us our trust issues
as we forgive them that are classist against us
and lead us not into inflation
but deliver us from shortage
for thine is the kidding
the poorer and the gory
together or severed
Amen
'Holy Coves announce new 'Druids And Bards' UK Tour + New 'Desert Storm' single out Friday
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-04-26
North Wales Psychedelic rock band 'Holy Coves' announce brand new 'Druids And Bards' 24 Date UK Tour and are set to release brand new 'Desert Storm' single which on Friday 29th of April via prolific North Wales Label 'Yr Wyddfa Records'.
Dropping swiftly into the slip-stream and following on from the successful 'The Hurt Within' which was released last month, 'Desert Storm' sets the psych mood with droney riffs, hazy vocals on an epic musical landscape.
Lead by Welsh Singer-Songwriter Scott Marsden , 'Holy Coves' find themselves crossing an unseen threshold on a fantastical new journey where new psych-hazed material spells an exciting new era for the collective.
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.
Our felon who has paid his fine
allowed is thy shame
the playing dumb
your japes undone
unearth untruths so uneven
give us this day your daily lie
and forgive us our press passes
as we forgive those that press pass against us
and lead us not into Trump nation
but deliver us from Priti
for thine is the comedown
the sour and the sorry
never so clever
amen
The Holy Coves: An interview with Scott Marsden + 'The Hurt Within' , new video
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-04-23
Americymru: Hi Scott and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. How did the band come by its name?
Scott: Hey Ceri, thanks for having me. I grew up on the Holy Island of Anglesey. We have some of the best beaches here. Coves just really fit with Holy. Coves happens to be an old cockney slang word for geezers or criminals! We liked the idea of Holy before the Coves. The irony!!
Americymru: How would you characterise your sound?
Scott: People call us psych, grunge, garage, indie. I just call us a rock band.
Americymru: Where in Wales is the band based?
Scott: In Anglesey, North Wales
Americymru: What can you tell us about your new single - 'The Hurt Within'?
Scott: It's a song about the scars of love. They never really leave you, you just learn to move on in time.
Americymru: When will the single be available and where will people be able to buy online?
Scott: It's out now on all streaming platforms via my label Yr Wyddfa Records.
Americymru: What can you tell us about your record label - 'Yr Wyddfa Records'?
Scott: It's a new label I set up last year. I just want to be able to release music the way I want it to sound, no compromise whatsoever. Yr Wyddfa is my home, I'm surrounded by these mountains.
Americymru: What's next for 'Holy Coves'? Any new releases / gigs in the pipeline?
Scott: We have another new single dropping at the end of this month. It's called 'Desert Storm.'
Americymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?
Look after yourselves. X
nnn
Here's the new #MusicVideo for our single 'The Hurt Within' directed by acclaimed Ukrainian
Animator and Filmmaker Taras Merenkov. It emphasises how art and creativity can still thrive and maintain a positive from a negative situation. 
North Wales Psychedelic rock band 'Holy Coves' released their brand new single 'The Hurt Within' on Friday 25th of March via 'Yr Wyddfa Records' .
Lead by Welsh Singer-Songwriter Scott Marsden , 'Holy Coves' find themselves crossing an unseen threshold on a fantastical new journey where new psych-hazed material spells an exciting new era for the collective.
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.
South Wales based Americana/Folk singer-songwriter AhGeeBe returns today with his second single Adain Ystlum (Batwing) released via Clwb Music. Relying heavily on instrumentation rather than lyrics, the single is still finessed with a beautifully soft Welsh language poem dedicated to a Bat soaring in the early evening sky.
"Oh that is very filmic isn't it?"
Huw Stephens, BBC Radio Wales
Adain Ystlum (Batwing) offers something a little different compared to AhGeeBe's debut, while first outing Cocoona offered the opportunity to sing-along, this second single allows listeners to truly fixate on the short story. Even for those that don't speak the Welsh language, AhGeeBe's breathy tones cut through and land perfectly between each chord harking back to a time of traditional Welsh tales told around campfires.
"A few years ago I bought a guitar from a second hand shop in Roath. I’d seen it there a few times and had always been drawn to it, and was surprised it had never sold. Finally, during my monthly visit to look at the guitar, I bought it (after a slightly awkward haggling process. I got £20 off)" Explains AhGeeBe
He continues; "The guitar is an old ‘Burns’ guitar, the same sort that ’The Shadows’ used for their instrumental surf tunes (as well as backing Cliff Richard...). As soon as I plugged it in at home, the riff that became this song just fell out of me straight away."
Although softer and more mysterious, Adain Ystlum (Batwing) is brave and still just as bold. There is no mistaking the AhGeeBe 60's cop show theme, slide guitar laden style that continues to solidify him as one to watch within Wales' music community and beyond.
"On the guitar headstock is the name of the model of the guitar. It is… BATWING. This is also half the reason I bought the guitar. It’s such a funny name for a guitar, I love it. So with the main riff and music written, I went on to write a poem for Batwing about its flight in the early evening. I wanted to recite it sort of in the style of Serge Gainsburg’s Melody Nelson album. Deep vocals and a little bit mysterious."
Adain Ystlum (Batwing) has already received support from ex-BBC Radio 1 DJ and current Radio Wales / BBC 6 Music DJ Huw Stephens. AhGeeBe has also seen previous support from BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru (including a full 30 minute interview with Georgia Ruth on Radio Cymru). AhGeeBe continues to prove that Wales is brimming with absolute talent ready to be discovered.
More about AhGeeBe
Multi-instrumentalist AhGeeBe (AKA Rhodri Gwyn Brooks) honed his craft in the South Wales quarry village of Creigiau, spending his time chiselling and sculpting away at the piano and guitar from an early age.
Finally finding his groove, which he describes as “somewhere between old-time country and 60’s cop show theme tunes", AhGeeBe is the shining result of years of session work for musicians across the globe, demoing, recording, and songwriting.
“A lovely gentle vibe, it’s beautiful. AhGeeBe’s Cocoona, just reminds me of George Harrison”
- Adam Walton, BBC Radio Wales
- Bethan Elfyn, BBC Radio Wales
Woodooman announces driving new 'Long Time Ago' single out 2nd May via Dewin Records
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-04-19
‘Long Time Ago’ is the driving new single by ‘Woodooman’, Cardiff Multi-Instrumentalist and Artist, Iwan Ap Huw Morgan.
The second single to be taken from forthcoming Album 'Y Nos', which is due for release on 24th June; 'Long Time Ago' follows in the wake of the fantastic Welsh Language track 'Y Nos Mewn Cariad' that was released last month to a very warm reception including praise from BBC Dj's Huw Stephens, Adam Walton, God Is In The TV Blog, Golwg Magazine, Lisa Gwilym and Rhys Mwyn.
'Long Time Ago' will be released on the 2nd of May via Recordiau Dewin Records
‘Long Time Ago’ yw sengl newydd gyrrwol ‘Woodooman’, yr artist aml-offerynnol o Gaerdydd, sef Iwan Ap Huw Morgan.
Yr Ail sengl i'w chymryd o Albwm 'Y Nos', syn cael ei rhyddhau ar 24ain o Fehefin; mae 'Long Time Ago' yn dilyn llwyddiant 'Y Nos Mewn Cariad' a rhyddhawyd mis dwetha i dderbyniad cynnes gan gynnwys camoliaeth gan Dj's BBC Huw Stephens, Adam Walton, Lisa Gwilym, Rhys Mwyn, a God Is In The TV Blog, Cylchgrawn Golwg.
Bydd 'Long Time Ago' yn cael ei rhyddhau ar yr 2ail of Fai drwy Recordiau Dewin.
'Excellent!' - Huw Stephens, BBC
'Expansive And Fasinating!' - Adam Walton, BBC Introducing
"Uplifting And Haunting" - Music Blog Wales
"Haunting and epic!" - God Is In The TV
What is Laverbread?
Laverbread, known in Welsh as bara lawr is an edible seaweed commonly found on the Welsh coast. It has been gathered and consumed in Wales since the 17th century (possibly earlier) and has become a part of the traditional local cuisine. A red algae, the Porphyra umbilicalis, is brownish in color until cooked. To prepare laverbread it is washed and boiled down to a dark green pulp. It is sometimes rolled in oatmeal prior to frying and traditionally it is served with bacon and/or cockles as a breakfast dish.
Laverbread is extremely nutritious (a superfood?) and contains protein, carbohydrates and a wide range of vitamins and minerals. It is particularly rich in iron and iodine.
Sir Richard Burton described Laverbread as, 'Welshman's Caviar'.
What is National Laverbread Day?
April 14th has been adopted as National Laverbread Day by the Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company. You can read their announcement below. Their website ( Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company ) features many interesting and delicious laverbread products and recipes.
Where Can I Buy It?
There are two suggestions below. It should also be borne in mind that Welsh laverbread is similar to Japanese Nori which may be more readily available in the United States.
Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company
Parson's Pickles
Sample Recipe
Why not try our delicious recipe for Bara Lawr Bagees ? Delicious and quick and easy to prepare.
The Ingredients (Serves 3)
- 3 tins of Bara Lawr (available on line with Parsons pickles)
- 2 medium chopped onions
- 2 cloves of diced garlic, or of you prefer, mince
- 1 tin cockles
- Mixed chopped peppers
- 7 table spoons of Porridge oats depending on thickness required.
- Sprinkling of crushed chillie
- Sprinkling of curry powder
- Pepper and salt to taste
Method (Preparation time: 45 mins approx)
- Fry the onions and garlic until cooked.
- Add chopped peppers then the cockles and Bara Lawr.
- Cook for about 5 minutes and add chillie, curry and salt and pepper.
- After about a minute of mixing well, add porridge oats, stirring until nice and thick.
- Leave mixture to cool.
- Form into bite size balls ( or bigger to own preference), I've got a big bite!, and place on greased or non stick baking tray.
- Bake at 180C until slightly crusty on the outside. This takes me about 20-25 minutes.
N.B. Bara Lawr Bagees can be made in a slab, then sliced into squares and frozen. To serve from frozen warm up in a microwave. Lardons may be substituted for cockles in this recipe.
Jimmy Jangles would have liked
to have been a highly-decorated warrior
relaxing in a highly-decorated lounge
but this was not to be
instead he obsesses over his fetish
for Dalek-like killing machines
and how he is obliged to hand over
money to bankroll violent regimes
he doesn’t support
by governments
he did not help elect
he tries not to get too hung up about about demarcation
he has a door a gate a fence
a scripture of passwords
and a clear understanding of where his personal space ends
he admits that he has at times fallen foul of the Trades Description Act
existing on a small island
in the middle of a tarn of sodium hypochlorite
just like in the legends
afraid to venture out because of the risk of corrosion of his disambulation
he deplores TV programmes like Britain’s Got Talent
the exaggerated melodrama of slightly delaying the announcement
of which hopefuls have been voted in or out of this week’s show
that pantomime pause
a menopause
by the men of pause
perhaps it could be improved by replacing it
with a different format such as
Britain’s Got Tory Parties
Britain’s Got Tax Avoiding Superstars
or at a push Britain’s Got Tommy Robinson
these would be much more sincere and entertaining
especially if the same selection method is used
closer to the current democratic process than he could ever imagine
television as the new Tower of Babel
that moved like a demented crab
into boxes then flat screens
and into our gibberish conversations
he buys gin goblets from a budget foreign supermarket
and is enchanted by the bell sound they make
when brought together in a gentle semi pendular action
he fills them up
throws in some handy botanicals
like consuming a boozy salad from a globe
representing a swirling world without continents
it’s nearly Christmas though it has in effect been since the last one
for the last four decades or so
at least he can forget for a short while
that many worthy companies
feel motivated to make modern slavery statements
each Thursday he attends a workshop for those debilitated
by post traumatic retail stress disorder
the hours in shops waiting
his hands glued to his pockets
ignoring the signs
the smells
the sounds
the eyes
unnerved by showroom dummies
sometimes feeling that they could be moving
when just out of sight
some of them appearing to have been posed
grotesquely in unrealistic human biological positions
still it beats working
although it is in its way a form of occupation
another usage of jangling useless time
in the name of the market
in an age of continuous austerity
when he gets the shakes he closes his eyes
until he is taken far from where he is
back to the early 1960s
the bars of a cot surround him
the first feeling of imprisonment
of containment
of being too safe
he's sleepy in this place too
riggings of snow grace the corners of a sash window
a draught making him shudder with cold
his first encounter with winter
though he doesn't yet know what it is
and what it can do
his unseen mother sings quietly to him
something old
something of that location
before the rest of the world
and its non stop jukebox
would roar into the family life
he gardens industriously and ironically
now that the UN has given the soil sixty years
he could cry and allow his tears to water his parcel of land
at least he'll be long in the ground by then
but he feels for the kids
the birds the beasts
the fish the insects
the trees the flowers the forests
the wind the sea the streams
the rivers the lakes
the lovers and the possibilities
this morning his web photo provider sent Jimmy an image
to remind him of this date one year ago
a shot of an area of dampness on a ceiling
the reminiscing of an algorithm
the inhumanity of technology
there's no contest
even if the robots will take over as it appears they will
he chuckles and recalls the word clusterfuck
that crops up in his news feed rather often these days
tonight he waits for a meteorite shower to arrive
he knows this is an honour but he's a little impatient
fretting that he's looking at the wrong patch of sky
he need not worry for this has been done before
and is still a thing of wonder
'Holy Coves' release new 'The Hurt Within' single this Friday via 'Yr Wyddfa Records'
By Ceri Shaw, 2022-03-24
North Wales Psychedelic rock band 'Holy Coves' are poised to release their brand new single 'The Hurt Within' on Friday 25th of March via 'Yr Wyddfa Records' .
Lead by Welsh Singer-Songwriter Scott Marsden , 'Holy Coves' find themselves crossing an unseen threshold on a fantastical new journey where new psych-hazed material spells an exciting new era for the collective.
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.
Chapel and Rugby. The lodestars of Welsh cultural life in the twentieth century. One proclaiming peace and love and the promise of everlasting paradise. The other a brutal release of pent-up aggression.
What happens when the two come into conflict?
Last Match by debut novelist Martin Rhys answers that question in what early reviews label ‘an authentic and compelling story’.
Colin Lewis looks set to become Wales’s next rugby superstar. International fame can only be a matter of time. But the time is 1939, and off the field, Colin is a different person. For a start, he is a pacifist, and World War 2 looms large.
When he declares himself a conscientious objector, Colin plummets from local hero to social pariah. A conchie who needs to be punished for his cowardice. His girlfriend, Martha, understands the bravery it takes to stand up against the herd for something you believe in. A warrior to the core, she won’t stand by and watch her man be persecuted by the bullies. Even when the biggest bully is her own father.
But as the war runs on, and the casualties mount up, can even Martha withstand the pressure? When the war ends, Colin yearns to get back to the rugby field, the only place he feels comfortable. But although the war has ended, cruelty and persecution have not. How much punishment and humiliation can a proud man take?
Because a pacifist cannot fight back. Can he?
Available in paperback and e-book on Amazon.com .
