Blogs

AmeriCymru spoke with David, singer/guitarist of Weird Naked Indian (easily one of our favorite bands at the moment)

AmeriCymru: Hi David and many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru.....care to tell us a little about your band Weird Naked Indian? When were you formed and how did you come by your name?

David: Weird Naked Indian consists of myself (everything but the drums) and Conor (nothing but the drums). Our name was taken from a character in the film Waynes World one of Conors favourite films but there's also a big link to the band The Doors of which I am a massive fan! Jim Morrison of The Doors was visited by a Native American in his dreams/trances who is kind of looking over him throughout his life. Also it was a fun sounding name and that's what we're all about. Our songs contain a fair bit of humour so we wanted the band name to do so as well. We've been gigging for 3 years now all over Britain but mostly in Port Talbot, Swansea and Cardiff (South Wales) where we're from.

AmeriCymru: Your music has been described as Punk folk-rock. How do you feel about that label? Do you think it is accurate or misleading?

David: Punk folk rock! Well to be honest we're a tricky outfit to label especially with our latest EP throwing a spanner in the works, you see when we play live there's only Conor on drums and myself on acoustic guitar and vocals and so Id say the punk folk rock description is quite apt as our songs have a range picking style folky little numbers that quickly mutate into a driving acoustic rhythmic type affair with solid beats to back it all up and so we do delve into a range of different genres throughout our set.

Now our latest EP blows all that out of the water. We went into the studio looking to create a bigger sound and give the songs more depth as a kind of experiment really to see what we could make of them and so now Id say they'd fit into the indie/rock genre.

AmeriCymru: Your track 'Grass' was recently selected by the BBC for the Wales 'Demo of the Week' program. Care to tell us what inspired it?

David: Grass is pretty much inspired by people who always want what they haven't got i.e. the job, the cash, women, nice cars etc. but then there's other people that would love to be in their shoes! Basically the grass is always greener on the other side. Achieving demo of the week on the BBC was reward for the experiment I mentioned earlier, we wanted to create a big enough sound that would appeal to the radio and did so. As well as winning that title it's getting regular play on Nation Radio , Wales's fastest growing station.

Grass is free to download for a limited time on our SoundCloud page just click on the little arrow above the sound wave.

AmeriCymru: My personal fave on your SoundCloud page is Believe . Care to tell us a little about the background to the track?

David: Yeah we've always had a good response to Believe, first live and now with many saying it's their favourite track on the EP. I wrote the song after our first year of gigging. We gigged pretty hard for the first year and attracted a lot of attention from people who were in the music business who were full of promises and ideas on how to take Weird Naked Indian to the top. However 99.9% of the time these people could barely stand due to over consumption of alcohol! It's amazing how many people turn into record label execs after 5 pints of beer haha. I won't deny it's flattering mind even if they are a bit pissed.

AmeriCymru: Where online can people go to hear/purchase your music?

David: iTunes is probably the easiest place to find our music.

AmeriCymru: What's next for Weird Naked Indian?

David: Next for Weird Naked Indian... First and foremost we are looking to gig some bigger venues hopefully get on some festival line-ups for the summer. We have a project lined up with actor Michael Sheen and National Theatre Wales where we will be providing sound tracks to a passion play that is to take place in Port Talbot over the Easter weekend! We're looking to get back into the studio to record some new material and also get a few music videos done! We have loads of ideas flying around so we just have to nail them down and get cracking. Generally though Weird Naked Indian are feeling positive about 2011 and are looking to keep as busy and productive as possible.

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

David: You can join Weird Naked Indian on Facebook or Myspace to receive updates or get in touch with us.

Duw bendithio America a Gymru

God bless America and Wales

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the West Coast Eisteddfod Poetry Competition ( English language category ) will be featured in the prestigious international poetry magazine - "The Seventh Quarry". Peter Thabit Jones , the editor of the magazine which is based in Swansea, will feature the winning submission together with an appreciation and a picture of the author. The winner will also receive a free annual subscription to the magazine for one year plus a cash prize of $150 ( 100 GBP approx ).

The thirteenth issue features work from Wales, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Serbia, India, Korea, Belarus, and America. It also includes a POET PROFILE of American poet Robin Metz, three interviews, and an article by Vince Clemente. The second part of an article by John Edwin Cowen, which is entitled The Anchored Angel and the Dylan Thomas/Jos Garcia Villa Connection, is also published. It is accompanied by a sketch of Dylan Thomas by Garcia Villa, which was unpublished until its appearance in this issue.

Annual subscription:7 for Summer and Winter issues; or buy a single issue for 3.50. USA subscription $20for Summer and Winter issues;or buy a single issue for $10. Further information at www.peterthabitjones.com

Peter Thabit Jones reads from his latest anthology The Lizard Catchers

Jimmy:

Yep--too cold and snowy for our local groundhog! Read the story here: http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=32094

The View from Richmond Park - home to Carmarthen Town AFC -

Carmarthen Town AFC has elected a new club President to succeed Anthony Jenkins.

Jeff Thomas, the former chairman of the club, was elected by an unanimous vote at the clubs Extraordinary General Meeting at the clubhouse.

The fund-raising work carried out by Mr Thomas proved crucial during his 14 years as chairman.

His achievements as club chairman are notable

Welsh Cup: three Welsh Cup Finals, winning once

League Cup Final twice winning once

Consistently finishing in top six of League

10 European Cup appearances.

Ground brought up to UEFA European standard with European games held at Richmond Park. Capacity of 2,500 including 1056 seats in their Grandstand

State of the art Community Centre, completed at a cost of 400,000 incorporating Social Club, Match Hospitality Suites with conference facilities and meeting rooms available for hire.

An innovative Carmarthen Town community programme backed by EMC Electrical Services and the ever-supportive Neil Alexander.

A debt-free club, with a high level of credibility within Welsh football and the local community.

Mr Thomas was unable to attend Friday nights meeting of the football club as he was being honoured with the Unsung Hero award at the annual Carmarthen Town Council Sports Personality awards night at the Carmarthen Quins Club.

The EGM of Carmarthen Town AFC members also receive favourable reports on the work of the clubs Community Programme, the clubs finances and efforts to secure new sponsorship. Members of the executive committee were also able to give club members an insight into their individual roles and tasks on the committee.

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Tote draw January 25, winning numbers 42 and 44. The prize was 400, but there was no winner. The weekly draw (for a prize of 500) was taking place on Tuesday evening.

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Fans will be interested to know the club has a web shop under the Buy At banner.

When you shop online from the Buy At website, youll help raise funds for the club with no extra cost to yourself. You can find online bargains, gifts, cheaper gas and electricity services and even book a holiday through the web shop.

You can find it at - http://www.buy.at/carmarthentownafc

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Weve got new stock in the Club Shop at Richmond Park, including the following:

Rain jackets, 30; shower jackets, 18; childrens shower jackets, 13; black polo shirts, 15; childrens black polo shirts, 12; hoodies, 18; childrens hoodies, 15.

Theres also the all the normal stock, including home and away replica shirts; fleeces; scarves; hats etc. All prices include second class postage and packing to a UK address. Please e-mail your requirements to: celiakirkby@ic24.net

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Carmarthen Town Supporters Club is again running the successful sponsor a win for this season. Already 17 Carmarthen Town supporters have committed for the season.

Paul Ashley-Jones, of the Carmarthen Town Supporters Club, said: This provides the club with vital revenue by donating 5 for every league and/or cup win this season. On behalf of the club, I would appeal to you to consider joining them and help us raise vital funds. Anyone wanting to join should give me a ring on 07775 820864 or call in at the Club Shop and pick up a form from Ron or Celia Kirkby.

Once again, thank you to those supporters who have already registered to help.

Theres a tale of great community spirit behind Cor Meibions appearance for a charity concert at Capel Adulam in Felinfoel, Llanelli, later this month (February 18).

Its a story which has very poignant moments and very uplifting moments, said chapel Minister Rev Alan Jones.

Basically, it is about a communitys shared experience and how we come through the good times and the bad times.

Cor Meibion Llanelli will be performing at the chapel in Adulam on Friday, February 18, and will be sharing the stage with the pupils from Ysgol y Felin, the new school in Felinfoel which has been formed by Ysgol y Babanod and the Primary school.

It promises to be an excellent evenings entertainment and I would hope everyone turns out to support a worthy cause because we will be raising money for the West Wales Hospital in Glangwili in Carmarthen.

The Minister explained: We have chosen Glangwili because it seems to feature very heavily in the lives of our chapel-goers.

Many have benefited from treatment and major surgery at Glangwili Hospital and are with us today to pay testament to the hard work of our doctors and nurses. For others, it has sadly been the end of a journey. Take, for example, one of Felinfoels true gentlemen, Gerald Phillips, who was for many years the Llanelli Stars local correspondent and who died at Glangwili.

The work of the hospital seems to have touched the lives of so many of us, including those at my other chapel in Salem in Llangennech.

And, in fact, I have personal experience as I suffered meningitis and a thrombosis in the head. Without the care and dedication of our doctors and nurses, I would not be here today.

Rev Jones added: It was while I was out walking, recuperating from my illness, that I bumped in to Cor Meibion Llanellis musical director Eifion Thomas. Without any prompting from me, he suggested the choir do a charity concert.

It was literally music to my ears as the choir had been very kind to me during my ministry at Ebenezer Chapel in Aberavon. After the terrible blast furnace tragedy at the Port Talbot steelworks in 2001, Cor Meibion rallied to the cause with a fund-raising concert which the people of the steel town found very moving indeed.

As a chapel at Adulam, we have already raised more than 700 through a charity curry night at the Masala restaurant in West End, Llanelli. We have high hopes that this charity concert can do better than that!

The concert starts at 7pm and tickets are available from Gerwyn Richards at Adulam Chapel, other chapel members and through Ysgol y Felin.

Cor Meibion Llanelli welcomed some special visitors to their rehearsals last week.

The choir staged a master class for more than 40 pupils from the Queen Elizabeth High School in Carmarthen.

The session was the idea of Cor Meibions new assistant accompanist Sarah Thomas (who teaches at QE High) and musical director Eifion Thomas.

Mr Thomas explained: Sarah is thrilled that so many boys at QE High are interested in singing and joining choirs.

So we thought it would be a good idea to stage a master-class at one of our rehearsal sessions at Furnace Community Hall.

The boys went along with the idea and more than 40 of them took part in rehearsals and we were able to put them through their paces with a variety of different songs.

It was a hugely rewarding experience for the choir and I hope the youngsters enjoyed the experience and that they will go on to enjoy their singing for many years to come. Who knows? Perhaps some will now be joining Cor Meibion Llanelli?

Meanwhile, Cor Meibion Llanellis most recent public performance was at the British Confectioners Association conference at the Stradey Park Hotel, when they showed off their new waistcoats, supplied by the ladies committee and manufactured by Manhattan Marketing, of Thomas Street, Llanelli.

The choirs next big Llanelli date will be the St Davids Day concert to be staged at Theatr Elli, Llanelli, on Tuesday, March 1. Choir rehearsals are held every Monday and Thursday (7pm) at Furnace Community Hall. New members and visitors are welcome.

For more information, see Cor Meibion Llanellis website on www.llanellimalechoir.co.uk

Cor Meibion assistant accompanist Sarah Thomas with pupils from QE High School in Carmarthen.

For more photos see https://picasaweb.google.com/robertapvincent/CorMeibionLlanelli2010#

Style is something that comes easy to the world-famous Cor Meibion Llanelli.

There is always a touch of class to their musical arrangements.

And now Llanellis male voice choir is able to boast some extra sartorial style for their stage appearances.

The 90-strong choir has been kitted out in brand spanking new tailored waistcoats. The waistcoats have been produced by the Cor Meibion Llanellis Ladies Committee.

Obviously, they thought that we needed a little extra something for our stage appearances, smiled choir chairman Mel Harries.

Followers of the choir will know that we normally take the stage in blue jackets or dinner jackets or tuxedos.

But it is always nice to present things less formally and the ladies came up with the idea of kitting us out in waistcoats a mammoth task, as you can imagine, as our choristers are all shapes and sizes!

Mr Harries added: We are, of course, very grateful to the ladies committee for making such a splendid effort and I am sure they will be very proud of the finished result when they see the choir take the stage in their waistcoats.

The choir performed last week at the British Confectioners Association conference at the Stradey Park Hotel.

Their next big Llanelli date will be the St Davids Day concert to be staged at Theatr Elli, Llanelli, on Tuesday, March 1.

After the disappointment of having to cancel the Christmas concert because of bad weather, the choir members are eager to get back on the Theatr Elli stage, said chairman Mr Harries.

Our annual St Davids Day concert is always a treat and I would advise people to book tickets early. Who knows? You may even get a chance to see the new waistcoats!

For more information, see Cor Meibion Llanellis website on www.llanellimalechoir.co.uk

Pictured in their new waistcoats are choir chairman Mel Harries, Ken Collins and Peter Thomas.

The importance of training the bakers of the future was highlighted during a two-day bakery and confectionery industry conference staged in Llanelli.

The British Confectioners Association (the body recognised as the torch-bearers for craft baking in the UK) picked Llanelli as the venue for their conference in honour of Jenkins the Bakers.

The Jenkins business is celebrating its 90 ^th anniversary this year.

Operations Director Russell Jenkins said the two-day visit by the BCA included business workshops, tours of the Jenkins Bakery main HQ in Trostre and visits to many Jenkins shops in the area.

Mr Jenkins added: They really do pack in as much as they can into BCA meetings. The BCA is highly regarded for preserving the craft element of what we do in the bakery industry. But it is also highly focused on innovation and the future and helping to improve the industry.

The conference is always known for its healthy exchange of ideas and best practice in the craft baking industry and this spirit of enterprise, partnership and cooperation was well to the fore in the Llanelli meetings.

Here at Jenkins, we pride ourselves on being very concerned with training our workers and we were delighted to have visitors from The Bakery School, a not-for-profit company based in Leigh in Lancashire which offers online tutorials for our staff.

Jean Grieves, of The Bakery School, joined her colleague Albert Waterfield in touring the Jenkins Bakery HQ.

She said: It was a very interesting visit and lovely to meet the enthusiastic and happy staff. We offer modules and programmes which the new generation of bakers can follow online and at their own speed. Its an innovative programme and I am delighted to see it is paying dividends for Jenkins Bakery.

The Jenkins bakery employs 300 people, full and part-time, across 25 different stores in South Wales.

The company has the Gold Standard Welsh Food Hygiene Award and the Investors in People award.

Company secretary Mr David Jenkins added: We are very proud to continue to be a family business and I think that shines through in everything we do.

The business employs 70 people at its Trostre HQ, while the Jenkins shop network stretches from Carmarthen to Bridgend. There are 13 shops in Carmarthenshire and even one as far afield as Powys.

Facts and figures . . .

Jenkins the Bakers produce 50,000 corned beef pasties a week.

The company serves 60,000 customers per week

7,500 custard slices are produced in a week.

The business uses 15 tons of flour a week

The flour silo at the Trostre HQ sees an 18-ton delivery every 10 days.

Picture: Russell Jenkins, director Jenkins Bakery, Albert Waterfield, The Bakery School. Front row - cake decorator Natasha Fuge and Jean Grieves of The Bakery School.

Other pictures available for download from