Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, composer, producer, filmmaker and author. He performs solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008 Nationwide Mercury Prize. He won the 2011 Welsh Music Prize for his album Hotel Shampoo, which was followed up by American Interior in 2014, accompanied by a film, a book and a mobile app. His most recent albums Babelsberg and Pang were released in 2018 and 2019, respectively. He is considered a figurehead of the era known as Cool Cymru.
Fishbone is an American rock band formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, which plays a fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal, reggae, and soul. AllMusic has described the group as "one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late '80s. With their hyperactive, self-conscious diversity, goofy sense of humor, and sharp social commentary, the group gained a sizable cult following yet they were never able to earn a mainstream audience."
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, Wales. Once a mining town in the historic county of Merionethshire, today the town relies heavily on tourists, who come for the Ffestiniog Railway and the Llechwedd Slate Caverns. Blaenau Ffestiniog was at one time the second largest town in North Wales, behind only Wrexham. After reaching 12,000 at the peak development of the slate industry, the population fell with the decline in the demand for its slate. The population of the community of Ffestiniog, including the nearby village Llan Ffestiniog, was 4,875 according to the 2011 census: the fourth most populous community in Gwynedd after Bangor, Caernarfon and Llandeiniolen. Llan Ffestiniog's population of 864 puts the population of Blaenau itself at around 4,000.
Truth and Soul is the second album by American funk-rock and ska band Fishbone. It was released on September 13, 1988. As is typical of the band's history of music the album features a wide array of genres including punk, ska, reggae, soul, funk, and blues. Additionally, Truth and Soul includes the band's earliest foray into hard rock and heavy metal music. The album begins with a cover version of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead", originally from the soundtrack to the film Super Fly.
Llwybr Llaethog are an experimental Welsh language band that effectively mix such varied musical genres as rap, dub, reggae, hip hop, and punk in their music.
Blue Orchids are an English post-punk band formed in Manchester in 1979, when Martin Bramah decided to quit The Fall having recorded that band's debut album Live at the Witch Trials. Christened by Salford-based punk poet John Cooper Clarke the band recorded for Rough Trade and acted as backing band for the Velvet Underground's Nico before a 25-year period of intermittent activity and alternative identities.
In Your Face is the debut studio album by American ska and funk metal band Fishbone, released on November 30, 1986. The record is the band's second major label release for Columbia Records following their self-titled EP from the previous year.
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1998 to Wales and its people.
King Prawn are a prominent band of the UK ska punk scene during the 1990s to the current day.
The Piranhas were a British ska-influenced punk band from Brighton. They are best known for their cover version of the song "Tom Hark".
Crys are a Welsh heavy rock/metal band from Resolven, South Wales. The band was formed in 1976 by the brothers Liam Forde Scott Forde ; and Alun Morgan while attending boarding school in Hereford, England. They were originally named 'Salic Law' and performed at numerous pubs and clubs in the South Wales area.
"Ysbeidiau Heulog" is the twelfth single by Super Furry Animals. It was the only single to be taken from the album Mwng and was released as a limited edition 7" vinyl on the band's own Placid Casual label on 1 May 2000. It was the band's first single to chart outside the UK Singles Top 75 peaking at number 89. The Welsh language song has been described by singer Gruff Rhys as "throwaway pop" and likened to the music of ELO, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band and Os Mutantes.
BOB were an indie pop band from North London, England, formed in 1985.
Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog are a folk band consisting of three brothers from Rhos Botwnnog, between the villages of Botwnnog and Llaniestyn on the Llyn Peninsula, Gwynedd, Wales and accompanying musicians and singers. They experiment with country, folk and rock music. Most of their lyrics are in Welsh.
Yr Anhrefn, also known simply as Anhrefn, were an influential Welsh punk rock group of the 1980s and 1990s.
Gareth 'Gai' J Thomas 'Toms' is a Welsh singer-songwriter, musician, producer and actor. In 1992 he co-formed the popular Welsh ska-rock band Anweledig, which developed into one of Wales' top live party bands. From 1997 to 2007 he created an 'off the road' Welsh folk outfit Mim Twm Llai, releasing three albums on Recordiau Sain. Since 2008, he dropped the Mim Twm Llai pseudonym for his own lifelong nickname Gai Toms, performing solo on guitar or with his backing band. His latest album titled 'Orig', based on the life of Welsh wrestling legend Orig Williams, gave us Gai Toms a'r Banditos.
Y Bandana Are a Welsh language alternative rock band that formed in Caernarfon in 2007. The band is composed of brothers Tomos Owens (keyboard) and Siôn Owens, their cousin Gwilym Bowen Rhys and Robin Jones (percussion). They are known for combining humorous lyrics with catchy melodies.
Caryl Parry Jones is a Welsh singer-songwriter, broadcaster, actress, author and composer. She was born in the Flintshire village of Ffynnongroyw and attended Ysgol Glan Clwyd in St. Asaph, but now lives in Cowbridge, in the Vale of Glamorgan.
