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Helen Love/John MOuse collaboration - The Doors to The Double Diamond Club are open!
By Ceri Shaw, 2025-01-18
The Double Diamond Club are officially open for business, releasing their self-titled debut single via Alcopop! Records back on New Years Day got 2025 off with a bang with the video previewing on Louder than War and receiving play on BBC Ulster and BBC Wales.
The original Double Diamond Club were a renowned vocal duo that dominated the South Wales club scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Hailed (or maybe that should be mythologised?) as the greatest club singing duo in Caerphilly and surrounding areas, they captivated audiences across the valleys and beyond, playing to sell-out crowds at working men’s and social clubs. Their unique blend of tight harmonies and high-energy performances made them household names in the local club circuit, earning them a loyal fanbase and a reputation for putting on electrifying shows.
After a decade of success and excess, the duo’s remarkable run came to a dramatic end. Personal and artistic differences led to their split, marking the close of a golden era in Welsh club entertainment. Thanks to an unlikely collaboration the legend of ‘the club’ has been revived by Welsh ‘Indie Pop royalty’, Helen Love , and the unofficial ‘voice of the Rhondda Valleys,’ John MOuse . Although according to an anonymous insider their relationship is as rocky as the original duo’s!
Somehow, they have managed to produce a selection of recordings that pay homage and are testament to the remarkable talent that defined that golden era. Fittingly the Video features many great Welsh icons from the 80’s including ITV’s Arfon Haines Davies, the ‘godfathers of modern Welsh comedy’ Ryan Davies and Ronnie Williams, star of stage and screen Margaret Williams along with actress Myfanwy Talog, tenor Trebor Edwards and former Mrs Roger Moore and singer Dorothy Squires.
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AmeriCymru: Care to introduce your novel 'Knight in the Scarlet Cloak' for our readers?'
Dan: Yes…set in late thirteenth-century Pembroke, Knight in the Scarlet Cloak takes an unusual approach for a Welsh novel by centering on an eighteen-year-old squire who is due to become a knight for the English crown. Young Robert, whose Anglo-Welsh family has benefitted from its position in the Welsh Marches, suddenly realizes the injustice of the local government when it expels the family of his close Welsh friend Iolo and his sister Angharad (whom Robert loves) from Pembroke for only a minor infraction.
Infuriated by the event, Robert leaves Pembroke and his pending knighthood behind to start life anew in North Wales, but, through a bizarre sequence of events, ends up joining the biggest Welsh rebellion ever against England until he is eventually captured and brought to Hereford’s Pleshey Castle. From there, Robert must navigate his tricky new role as a highly valued prisoner, even winning the heart of the Lady of the Castle, before making his daring attempt to escape.
The story is based heavily on real events and people, including my own ancestors, among whom is the actual Robert of Pembroke, born in 1275.
AmeriCymru: Care to tell us a little more about Madog ap Llewelyn who figured prominently in the novel'?
Dan: Prince Madog was essentially the Welsh William Wallace, who rebelled against Edward Longshanks’ control of Wales just a couple of years before the Wallace rebellion in Scotland began. Branding himself ‘Prince of Wales,’ Madog united virtually all of Wales against England and was every bit as difficult for King Edward to handle as was Wallace, for Madog ravaged many English-controlled towns and disrupted English supplies before he was finally captured. Unlike Wallace, however, Madog lived out his days in captivity, never being executed. While Madog’s time in the novel itself is brief, the rebellion he started and which Robert joins sets Robert on a path that carries through the rest of the novel.
AmeriCymru: Where can readers buy the book online?
Dan: Currently, Knight in the Scarlet Cloak is available only on Amazon (in Kindle and paperback format), but I hope to make it available on other outlets soon.
AmeriCymru: You are a fluent Welsh speaker. How did you go about learning the language?
Dan: I began by watching skits from the Big Welsh Challenge that were once available on the BBC Wales website. I was obsessive and watched the skits over and over, reading and translating every word of the Welsh subtitles until I could perfectly understand the skits without looking at the subtitles at all. I then went to the same website and listened to the Welsh radio soap opera, Ysbyty Brynaber , which, to its credit, presented Welsh characters of various dialects and who spoke at native speed, forcing me to keep up and truly develop my Welsh. I went over the skits there as well until I understood every word. After spending over a year listening to the episodes, my Welsh was good enough to where I began to listen to shows on BBC Radio Cymru (which I still do today) and try my best to comprehend them, replaying segments that I don’t fully understand and looking up words that are unfamiliar to me. It has paid off tremendously. I now speak only Welsh to my six-year-old son Evan.
AmeriCymru: Care to recommend any resources for other aspiring learners?
Dan: I would gladly recommend the BBC Big Welsh Challenge resources, but they are no longer available. However, I also spent a little time listening to the free items on Say Something in Welsh (which has a website), but as I was financially very poor, I stopped after the free lessons. Nonetheless, I benefited greatly from the lessons that I was able to go through, impressing the people who run the site with how fast I learned them. Anyone who has a little money to buy the remaining lessons would, no doubt, benefit tremendously. If one’s Welsh has advanced enough, regularly listening to BBC Radio Cymru on its podcast, which allows one to pause and replay segments as often as needed, will keep one’s abilities nicely honed.
AmeriCymru: Are there any Welsh authors and/or titles that you particularly admire and would like to recommend?
Dan: I have gotten into reading the Della Arthur mysteries by the lovely and humorous Gwen Parrott, who takes it upon herself to write her own Welsh and English versions of each book, refusing to leave it up to a translator. Her devotion to producing Welsh-language literature is an inspiration. I am in the middle of reading Cyw Melyn y Fall , a Welsh-edition book in Gwen’s Della Arthur series, and I highly recommend her more recent novel Dead White . Reading a Welsh-language novel can be tedious for someone new to Welsh, but the immersion is very helpful for developing one’s grasp of the language.
AmeriCymru: What's next for Dan Rhys? Any new projects in the pipeline?
Dan: In all honesty, it depends on how successful Knight in the Scarlet Cloak turns out to be over the next two years. If it is successful, I would like to do one or two more stories focusing on Robert. If not, I will either try a standalone novel with an entirely new character or continue on my Bob Kelton series, which focuses on a Welsh-American college professor who gets into very bizarre situations. My only published Kelton story reached the semifinals of the Chanticleer Book Review ‘Clue Awards’ in 2018. If I am successful, I do not plan to keep churning out novels. Instead, I would like to give back to the community that helped me and do all I can to bring attention and prosperity to Wales.
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?
Dan: While I applaud and celebrate all efforts to enjoy and preserve every element of Welsh culture, I think if one can learn the language and pass it down to someone, that is perhaps most important of all. A language truly is a window into a culture’s ‘soul’, as they say, and I certainly feel more a part of Welsh culture having learned the Welsh language and passed it down to my son. Welsh almost went out altogether forty years ago, and after all of the efforts by England to erase it and the Welsh to keep it alive, I believe it is our duty to build on the work done to preserve it. I am thankful that I am playing a part in its preservation, and I thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about my novel to your audience. I hope it spurs its own movement towards a more self-governing Wales.
Disclaimer - I would like to add, with regard to the cover of Knight in the Scarlet Cloak , that the individual I hired to create the image chose to add the modern Flag of Wales to it in order to make clear the story’s association with Wales. Since some may find the modern flag asynchronously on medieval attire offensive, I want to clarify that it was an honest oversight by the illustrator and that the novel itself accurately describes the banner that would have been used to represent Wales in the thirteenth century. Diolch yn fawr!
Mae’r arlunydd, cyflwynydd, bardd ac awdur Siôn Tomos Owen yn cyhoeddi ail gyfrol o straeon am fyw yn y Rhondda’r wythnos hon. Mae Y Fawr a’r Fach 2: Mwy o Straeon o’r Rhondda yn rhan o’r gyfres Amdani, ac mae llyfr Siôn yn addas ar gyfer dysgwyr lefel Sylfaen.
Mae Siôn yn wyneb cyfarwydd i wylwyr S4C, diolch i Pobol y Rhondda , cyfres oedd yn mynd ar daith trwy Gwm Rhondda, ac roedd ei gyfrol gyntaf o straeon ffraeth am ei blentyndod a’i arddegau yn boblogaidd iawn.
Meddai Siôn Tomos Owen:
“Pan sgwennes i’r gyfrol gyntaf nôl yn 2018 ges i lawer o hwyl ond ges i drafferth yn dewis pa storïau i’w cynnwys, ac o’n i’n gwybod byse rhaid i mi sgwennu ail lyfr rhywbryd! Ac ar ôl magu fy mhlant yn y cwm hefyd, mae gen i hyd yn oed mwy o straeon doniol i’w rhannu.
“Mae’r ymateb i’r gyfrol gyntaf wedi bod yn wych a dwi wedi siarad a gwneud ffrindiau gyda chymaint o ddysgwyr Cymraeg sydd wedi darllen fy llyfr – pobl o Brighton i Lithuania, Gwlad Pwyl a hyd yn oed Santa Barbara yng Nghaliffornia! Ac mae pawb yn dweud eu bod nhw’n mwynhau’r ffaith bod yna gartwnau yn cyd-fynd gyda’r straeon hefyd, sy’n gwneud i fi wenu.”
Cafodd Siôn Tomos Owen ei eni a’i fagu yn y Rhondda, ac mae e’n byw yno o hyd. Mae’r ail gyfrol yma yn dweud ei hanes yn tyfu’n ddyn a dod yn dad, ac am y lle mae’n ei garu – y Rhondda.
Mae lluniau du a gwyn Siôn yn cyd-fynd â phob un o’r 18 stori fer. Mae geirfa ar bob tudalen a rhestr eirfa yng nghefn y llyfr.
Meddai Siôn Tomos Owen:
“Un o fy hoff bethau am deithio yw cwrdd â phobl newydd ac mae’r niferoedd dwi wedi cwrdd â nhw yn ddiweddar sy’n dysgu Cymraeg mor galonogol. Yn ddiweddar, mae teulu ffrind fy merch wedi newid iaith y tŷ i’r Gymraeg ar ôl dysgu’r iaith – rwy’n sgwrsio gyda’r fam ar y ffordd wrth fynd â fy merch i’r ysgol bob dydd. Mae’r profiad yn gwneud i mi eisiau ysgrifennu mwy o lyfrau i ddysgwyr oherwydd y cynnydd yn y nifer o bobl sy’n dysgu ac mae brwdfrydedd dysgwyr i siarad Cymraeg yn anhygoel!”
Lansiwyd cyfres Amdani yn 2018, prosiect a welodd gweisg Cymru yn cydweithio gyda’r Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Genedlaethol a Chyngor Llyfrau Cymru i ddatblygu a chyhoeddi llyfrau darllen cyffrous yn arbennig at gyfer oedolion sy’n dysgu Cymraeg. Erbyn heddiw mae yna dros 40 o gyfrolau i gyd.
Mae cyfres Amdani eisoes yn boblogaidd ac wedi meithrin darllenwyr brwd. Y gobaith yw y bydd llyfrau fel straeon Siôn Tomos Owen yn annog darllenwyr hen a newydd i ddatblygu eu Cymraeg.
Bydd straeon Y Fawr a’r Fach 2 yn cael eu darllen bob diwrnod ar Faes D yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol am 2 o’r gloch.
Mae Y Fawr a’r Fach 2: Mwy o Straeon o’r Rhondda gan Siôn Tomos Owen ar gael nawr (£6.99, Y Lolfa).
Welsh Born Experimental Drone-Folk Duo 'Peiriant' New 'Can Idris' single Out Friday
By Ceri Shaw, 2024-08-01
BIOGRAPHY
ABOUT
'Peiriant' Online
The Boy From The Coach is a delight to read. If you have ever wondered how life is lived in the innumerable small pubs and Inns which dot the Welsh countryside this book is for you. The author,, J.A.S. ( Tony) Rees, was a frequent visitor to the pub in the late 40's and 50's when he stayed during the school summer holidays. The pub was owned and run by a relative of his mother, May Morgan, who greeted him every summer, "with a Craven A cigarette lodged at the center of her mouth" .The book provides an insight into many of the colorful aspects of rural village life in Wales at the time. The pub's plumbing arrangements are described in the following terms:-
"At the roadside, set against the wall of the Coach and with open access from the road was the 'Gents': a corrugated iron 'privacy' wall was all that sheltered participants from inquisitive eyes and from the weather (there was no roof)."
The village of Llangynidr stands at the confluence of the River Usk and the Afon Crawnon (see map below) . In a later chapter we learn that after heavy rainfall the water would be inundated with brown mud which contained many treats for the fish who would gather there:-
"The locals also took advantage of the opportunity presented. Fishing the Usk proper was only allowed by permit and fee paid, but not so for the Crawnon. So, with thanks for rain and flood, locals...., would crowd the lowest point on the Crawnon, just inches from the Usk , and fish, and fish, for hours. There was jovial local rivalry, and some comments about tangled lines not meant for youthful ears. In all it was a kind of rebellion against the control of fishing waters by the bailiff and the wealthy."
Although short this book offers an invaluable insight into the lighter side of Welsh village life in the post war period. The author's son, Matthew G Rees is a brilliant short story writer ( see linked interviews and reviews below ) and it is evident from the quality of the writing that literary talent runs in the family.
We unreservedly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the area or Welsh rural life in general.
The Coach & Horses, Llangynidr
Skäl release their raucous debut single 'All of The People' on Friday the 30th of August on Snowdonia Records
By Ceri Shaw, 2024-07-27
Skäl release their raucous debut single 'All of The People' on Friday the 30th of August on Snowdonia Records.
‘All Of The People’ is an urgent, infectious and exciting debut track from Skäl , that bursts out of the speakers on a wave of tremulous guitar hooks, grooving bass lines and quickfire drums, while Ev Kirwan's vocals hook you in with a swaggering confidence as the song spirals into a frenetic guitar anthem and a rollicking crescendo with fantastic carousel of guitar solos. It reminds one of the resplendent early sound of The Stone Roses, they call it a "cross between The Verve and The Replacements ". It's a frenetic union of anthemic melodies, floor filling grooves and uproarious rock, with an all for one attitude of all the best fledgling gangs possess. Engineered, produced and mixed by Jono Tringham, was recorded at Allo Sounds in Studio Widnes.
Skäl are an alternative five piece rock band from Winsford in Cheshire and a brand new signing to Snowdonia Records, the North Wales based record label that's home to Holy Coves, Sister Envy, Box of Trash, Subterrania . They are made up of Ev Kirwan on vocals, Jack Enty on guitar, Darcy Smith on guitar and backing vocals, Adam Latham on bass and Tom Giltrow on drums and backing vocals.
They cite bands like Smashing Pumpkins, The Verve, The Las, The Replacements, Pixies, Echo and the Bunnymen, Wunderhorse, High Vis and The Real People as an influences yet they are filtered through young magpie eyes of emerging musicians from their hometown of Winsford, with a knack for melodic shots of rock songs, with a burning ambition to be heard by as many people as possible. With a string of releases and shows in the works their unmissable debut single 'All Of The People' is a statement of intent.
Ev Kirwan - Vocals
Jack Enty - Guitar
Darcy Smith - Guitar / Backing Vox
Adam Latham - Bass
Tom Giltrow - Drums / Backing Vox
Tom Emlyn releases tender new single ‘Double-Crossed’ and video filmed in Cardiff by Sam Ffoto Inbox
By Ceri Shaw, 2024-06-27
Tom Emlyn releases his new single ‘Double-Crossed’ on the 21st June. Accompanied by a video filmed by Sam Ffoto / Pypi Slysh. From his forthcoming new album Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol.2, due for release on August 29th, 2024.
Welsh singer-songwriter Tom Emlyn releases his new single, ‘Double-Crossed’ on the 21st of June. With tender vocals, introspective lyrics caressing a daydreaming guitar motif, and lo-fi percussion it explores the darker side of self-reflection to a stripped back Velvet Underground -inspired groove. Originally written and recorded in lockdown, the song features on his forthcoming album Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol.2 , due for release on August 29th, 2024.
The self-produced record is his fourth solo effort in the space of two years, continuing an impressive streak of creativity and inspiration. The single is accompanied by a video by Sam Ffoto - a series of photographs, taken rapidly enough to give the illusion of film, on a cold January day in Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff.
What is it that pursues our hero through these frigid spaces? Is it a stranger, a friend, or his own shadow? Explore ‘Double-Crossed’ and find out for yourself. A song that explores self-portrayal and small-town paranoia, but not without a sense of warmth and comfort.
Tom Emlyn's fourth album in two years, Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat Vol. 2 is a self-produced, powerful, fully realised creative statement.The album will be released digitally and on cassette, with a launch show at the Moon, Cardiff on August 29th to celebrate.
In summer 2022, Tom released his debut solo album ‘News From Nowhere’, a bittersweet love letter to his hometown of Swansea, described by Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales) as a record of “undoubted brilliance, eloquence and energy”. It has been positively received, with airplay and support from Radio Wales, BBC Horizons, R.E.P.E.A.T. fanzine, God Is In The TV, and Joyzine, among others. Tom’s second album ‘I’ve Seen You In Town’ followed quickly– a more mellow, acoustic affair which was also well received. He also released the ‘Scounger EP’ on Bandcamp last February.
His latest record follows hot on the heels of Return Journey Revisited: Scaredycat Vol 1, which was released in May 2023. In the same vein as the first volume, Rehearsal For The Rain gathers up lost fragments from years of songwriting and making music.
A dreamlike, lo-fi psychedelic bedroom pop journey, with elements of prog, blues, indie and alternative folk.
"Peripatetic musical genius" - Adam Walton
"The songs have true emotional depth, are highly tuneful and melodic with lyrical sharpness and shades of dark, combining the magical ingredients of melancholy and wit" - Cath Holland, God Is In The TV zine
"Tom has an unerring knack of turning up with an unexpectedly vivid phrase or metaphor that will jolt you, and make you think" - Richard Rose, R.E.P.E.A.T. fanzine
Artwork: Keith Bolton
https://linktr.ee/tomemlyn
https://tomemlyn.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/tom_emlyn
https://www.instagram.com/tomemlyn/
Adios release impish dark wave of new single 'They' on the 7th of June FFO: Human League, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode
By Ceri Shaw, 2024-05-22
Adios MF will release the new single ‘They’ on the 7th of June through Dash The Henge Records.
Adios MF is a musical collective spearheaded by Nathan Keeble carving fresh dark wave and electronica sound the underground of Sheffield. Their latest single, "They," was recorded between Brooklyn and Brixton, serves as a sonic manifesto of what's to come. Their music defies categorisation, blending elements of post-punk, electronica, and avant-garde into a sonic tapestry that's uniquely their own.
With sleek production by Nathan Saoudi and Richard Wilson yet coursing with enough detail and character to set it apart, with this impish 80s beat, sinewy guitars, metallic dapping keyboards, and sample loops, it forges a uniquely futuristic sound that’s at once both familiar and yet mirrors the churn of the cityscape.
With a sound that hints at the influence of acts like Human League, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk and Molly Nilsson, the vocals are addictive and almost mechanical, driven with hooky melodic ticks that sink their nails into and won’t let go, and yet the lyrics reside with a disquiet at the creeping gentrification of urban redevelopment “They built a Starbucks on my street” and reference to shadowy figures who might take you away. It hints at a dark underbelly and Sci-fi dystopia where your every action is being watched.
ADIOS MF say “They” is a Kitsch by product of existence amid the constant churn of urban development and the persistent buzz of drilling. It was written as a tonic to the realisation that resistance is futile; you must simply acquiesce to the world of urbanism and let it carry you along on its unpredictable journey, set to a naughty 80s beat.”
Born from the industrial landscape of the north of England. Adios MF was ideated in January 2024, South London's Dash The Henge Records signed them shortly after hearing their demos.
Digital Only
Words & Music by Corey Clifton & Nathan Keeble
Produced by Corey Clifton, Nathan Saoudi & Richard Wilson
Mastered By Richard Wilson
A release by Dash The Henge Records & Cracked Media
