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Howard Marks discovers his roots and embraces Wales and Welsh culture in new book
Immortalised for his criminal activities, Howard Marks public life story is a heady mix of fact and fiction that begins and ends with his career as one of the most sophisticated drug barons of all times.In his new book Two Dragons , Howard Marks pulls together, for the first time, the stories from his life that show the private quest he embarked upon following a chance conversation with a black American in prison for murder. It's an account of a personal journey that took him back to his Welsh roots and around the globe to discover his family history, including links with none other than the equally notorious outlaw, Billy the Kid, as well as an account of the making of the film Mr Nice and the role of the film in the wider Two Dragons story.
This warm, humorous and personal account uncovers a family history that is stranger than fiction. He learns of a distant relative, William Owen, a famous Welsh smuggler whose chronicle of scams, acquittals, and debauchery would put any modern-day smuggler or playboy to shame. He also discovers that his fathers family were part of Jesse Jamess gang and that his great- great grandfather was half-brother of Billy the Kid.
Howard Marks speaks of two Wales' in his experience, one he couldn't wait to get as far away from as possible and the other he is now warmly embracing once again. Throughout his journey into his past, and from one Wales into the other, Howard Marks makes new and firm friends with some of Wales biggest names in the acting and music industry including Rhys Ifans, Super Furry Animals and the Stereophonics. His search leads him to a past and present inextricably linked to his sense of identity and nationality and ultimately pride in being Welsh. In Two Dragons, we once again get to enjoy some of the well known stories associated with Howard over the years, as well as plenty of brand new ones, and all in a new, fascinating context.
Another chance conversation, this time in a pub in Laugharne, led to Howard collaborating with author Alun Gibbard in putting the story of his quest together. Two Dragons also includes new photographs especially commissioned for the book by photographer Emyr Young. The images include a literary festival in Caernarfon, a Goldie Looking Chain golf event, the Welsh Premiere of the film Mr Nice, and portraits taken of Howard in his home village of Kenfig Hill. It also includes photographs that Howard took when he visited the set of Mr Nice during filming, as well as his visits to South America and the Caribbean.
Two Dragons will be launched at the Grant Theatre, Swansea during An Evening with Mr Nice 7.30, Sunday 28th November. To contact Howard Marks call Alun Gibbard on 07747 694 643 or email agibbard@btinternet.com.
Terry Mostyn on MySpace
You were brought up in a musical family. Can you describe your early musical influences? I'm still waiting LOL ... being able to write, sing and perform is the big break in my opinion, I get to mingle with the crowd and when someone says " I like a certain song, it makes it all worth while.
You played in a great many bands in the 60's and 70's. Care to tell us about them?
The late 60's thru the 80's rock and roll was the thing to do, traditional music fell off as the loss of elders in the family caused people to stray apart. Bands came and went as did styles of music,Yes , Kansas, Jethro Tull, Beatles, Deep Purple, Zepp all where the whirl and I enjoyed covering these bands but the second I hear pipes or some old traditional tune I"m back at "The Table". Funny how it all comes back to full Circle.
At what point in your career did you decide that your ambition was to become a singer-songwriter?
At a very early age I was writing trying to tell stories, but how I hated English class. I wrote a song in my mid-teens that's on my Circles CD { Remembering, } I forgot about the song till my son Patrick heard it on a terrible cassette tape. I was in my Tull era then and it does have that blend to it.
How important are traditional and contemporary Celtic influences in your music?
For the last 15 years or so I've gone back to more of a folk rock feel to my writing and music. I love the old songs there the stones I walk on to write today.
What inspired the title of "Circles"?
I was playing and writing in a rock band trying to be Celtic and was going nowhere. I started going to Celtic concerts, festivals and realized I should go back to my roots, I like where I am now, it works for me. My Circle!
Who do you like to listen to?
That's a good question: Tull, The McKrells, Dougie, Flogging Molly, Hair of the Dog, The Elders, Donal , I could go on for a bit and yes even opera. An uncle always listened to it and turned me on to some great singers, couldn't understand a damn thing but the power in the vocals blew me away. I saw Mike Bolton sing opera on TV he was great from rock to opera .....whoa!
Where would you most like to perform?
Carnegie Hall , anywhere in Wales, maybe in Mostyn, I played in Ireland last April did a pub gig in Dingle, sat in between sets with Kevin McKrell of the McKrells at Clifton Station,Galway and the Hotel D in Dreagha, my mom's a Brennan there from Galway, so that was pretty special to me.
Any plans to visit the West Coast?
Yes, I 'd love to play at the 2009 Left Coast Eisteddfod in August .
Is there any particular song or performance or piece of art that you're most proud of?
Yes," Way Of The World " the words to this song came very easy, it tells of world problems and an easy solution This song is close to my heart and I have an acoustic version I play live that might go on my second CD even thought my 1st cd has a big production style to it of the song, we'll see.
Do you have any particular musical or artistic goals or creations that you really want to achieve in your life?
Waking up and playing music everyday is my goal, there were some good players and singers I knew that have passed before there time, to me each day is another blessing.
What's next for you?
To record my next CD with my youngest son Patrick at his new studio in Pittsburgh Pa Mostyn Studios He'll engineer... we'll both produce, we worked together on my 1st CD and I enjoyed it . Being told cut let's take that over or "You can do that better, Dad" kinda makes me think back to how many times I've told him that (100's ). We work well together and I look forward to working with him. We might even take in a hockey game and a few pints.
Iechyd Da!!!
This is a new (and probably the first-ever) novel based on the French invasion of Pembrokeshire in 1797 to be aimed at older children and young adults. This important historical event is one of the most dramatic events in Welsh history and provides an ideal setting for this tale of adventure, treachery and teenage love.
The author William Vaughan, being a former teacher of History and English, has the experience to know what inspires the imagination of youngsters. He says: I deliberately wrote the novel in a light, fast-paced style with the aim of transforming a brief chapter in school text-books into a vivid and gripping reality.
The Black Legion will be an ideal introduction to the subject of the French invasion for schoolchildren. William Vaughan says he does not accept that todays teenagers are uninterested in Welsh history. The last invasion of Britain is an exciting period which deserves to be remembered and I trust this adventure novel will help to serve the purpose.
The central characters in the novel are Tom, a young servant, and Megan, a Majors daughter. They have feelings for each other but are constrained in declaring their emotions by the class divide. However, they witness the invasion together and are soon caught up in dramatic events which will change their lives forever.
The author has interwoven historical details into the action-laden plot in order to portray the period accurately. Scenes of brutality on board convict ships and rat-infested gaols are contrasted with shimmering, candlelit ballrooms and portrait-lined castles. The Black Legion will delight older children and young adults who enjoy a well-written, swashbuckling tale.
The author was born in Cardiff and studied History and English at Leicester University, obtaining BA and MA degrees. He gained a PGCE from University College, Cardiff and taught History and English in Leicestershire and at the Cathedral School, Llandaff, before becoming a writer of fiction. He has also written The Midnight Ghost, a novel for children, which was published by Gwasg y Bwthyn in 2004.
Gwasg y Bwthyn in 2004.
Teitl / Title
The Black Legion
Dyddiad cyhoeddi / Publication date
14.11.08
Pris / Price
5.95
Awdur / Author
William Vaughan
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Celt Experience Brewery, Ogham Willow 8.8% ABV
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A guide to over 100 pubs in Wales with historic interiors of real national significance, many of them stretching back a century or more.
