Welsh music

Well until this week I hadn't really heard that much. Obviously I'd heard The Alarm (fab), Stereophonics (OK), Manics (fab), Catatonia (OK), Man (fab), Budgie (fab), Tom Jones (...), Bryn Terfel (fab) and Bonnie Tyler (...). I'd certainly not heard Welsh folk music except for Mabsant and Ar Log many years ago. And of course the wonderful Fernhill featuring Julie Murphy (though I don't quite get the Welsh rap stuff).

I think Crasdant have the same vital energy that Stivell brought to Breton music back in the seventies. It just so happens that Robin Huw Bowen (triple harp) was in Mabsant after I last saw them and Steve Rees (multi-instrumentalist) joined Ar Log when he was 19. Huw Williams (guitar, Camac harp and clogging) most of you will be aware of as he wrote songs for Fairport and also for Simon Nicol's solo albums. Andy Maclauchlin (blowing things), though English, doesn't play like an English folkie and together they have a very different sound from English, Irish or Scottish music. It's definitely Celtic as was Stivell way back then.

We have started the album, to be continued in March, and it's being recorded and released by Sain Records near Caernarfon, who issue Welsh records. Everyone I met there speaks Welsh as a first language and I hope to do more stuff there. They have a huge catalogue so I know I'll be hearing more Welsh music.

Maart