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Patrick Jones | |
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 Patrick Jones | |
| Born | 1965 (age 58–59) Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Poet, playwright, filmmaker |
| Period | 1986–present |
| Website | |
| patrick-jones | |
Patrick Jones (born 1965) is a Welsh poet, playwright, and elder brother of Nicky Wire from Manic Street Preachers.
Born in Tredegar in 1965, Patrick Jones was educated at Oakdale Comprehensive, Crosskeys College (a campus of Coleg Gwent), and then at the University of Wales, Swansea from 1983 to 1987. He was awarded Bsc. (Hons) in Sociology and American Studies. Jones has been employed in youth work, nursing aid, as a Literacy Officer and a Lecturer. He has lived much of his life in Blackwood but has also lived in Herne Bay, Swansea, in Germany, and spent four years in Chicago, Illinois.
Jones set up the Blackwood Young Writers Group based at the Blackwood Miners Institute in 1993. He taught Adult Literacy at Blackwood Community College and the Ebbw Vale Institute. Jones is also active in setting up various reading and writing workshops throughout Wales from schools to youth centres. He has also served as the Creative Literacy Worker for the Cynon Project and in 1988 was writer in residence at Swansea College. He has worked in collaboration with Hafan Cymru, Ty Hapus, Literature Wales and The Welsh National Opera.
[1] He participated in a week-long intensive writing masterclass with Arnold Wesker at Hay on Wye Literature Festival in 1997. Jones participated in the 1998 Dysfluency Tour. In April 1999, he staged a Kosovo benefit at Blackwood Miner's Institute involving Max Boyce, James Dean Bradfield and other artists. Later that year he read from and discussed sections of his play Everything Must Go at Marxism '99. 1999 also saw Ioan Gruffydd, Matthew Rhys and other Welsh celebrities performing his poem "The Guerrilla Tapestry" at the opening of the Welsh Assembly 'Voices of a Nation' concert. In 2004, he returned to the Hay Festival for a discussion with James Dean Bradfield on music, politics and writing.
Jones has worked with St David's Foundation Hospice Care, The Samaritans, Hope and Aid Direct and Learning through Growth in the Cynon Valley.. Has been involved in many protests including Save St David's Woods, and Justice for Fathers. In 2007 he performed a reading at a fundraising concert for Stop The War, during which he also collaborated with Newport band New State Radio.
Jones' play, Revelation, spoke out on behalf of victims of female domestic violence. Jones spent some time researching the play and it is based on over forty interviews with men who have experienced domestic violence.
It was supported by the Dyn Project Cardiff, Mankind UK, Chapter Arts Centre and the Welsh Arts Council. It was directed by Chris Durnall with Nathan Sussex and Stacey Daly and featured a soundtrack by Jones' friend and collaborator, James Dean Bradfield. It was performed at Chapter Arts Centre in July 2008 before transferring to a three-week run at the Courtyard Theatre in London as well as other, non-theatre venues.
In November 2008, Waterstone's cancelled an appearance from Jones at one of their stores, where he was expected to sign autographs and promote his new work, because of a planned protest by a religious pressure group over alleged blasphemy. [2] In an effort to ensure that he was not gagged, Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Peter Black then asked Jones to read from his book, Darkness Is Where The Stars Are, at the Welsh Assembly, and the reading went ahead on 11 December despite protests. [3]
A CD Tongues for a Stammering Time, with spoken word in collaboration with many musicians including Nicky Wire, James Dean Bradfield, Billy Bragg, Amy Wadge, Martyn Joseph and others, was released on Anhrefn Records in May 2009.
In 2014 The Forgotten, a Chartist musical co written with Drama lecturer Vanessa Dodd was performed at The Riverfront and other venues in the South Wales are to mark the 175th anniversary of The Chartist Rising. In March 2015 it was announced that Jones' play Before I leave would be part of the National Theatre of Wales' 5th Year programme. The play was inspired by The Cwm Taf Choir based in Merthyr Tydfil which is supported by The Alzheimer's Society.
Jones worked with Rhiannon White Co Artistic Director of Common Wealth Theatre Company Summer 2015 in and around Blackwood, researching and developing his first play Everything Must Go which was resurrected for the second Velvet Coalmine festival. 2016 saw the premiere of his new play Before I Leave produced by The National Theatre Wales. Based on research Jones undertook with various Dementia choirs and supported by The Alzheimer's Society Cymru, the play tells the story of a choir made up of members who live with dementia. It is currently being developed into a film.
Rough Trade Books published a new collection of poetry 'My Bright Shadow' in May 2019. Written during his mother's battle with Leukaemia and after her death the work deals with grief, loss, healing and the power of words to bear witness to a life.
A new album, Renegade Psalms was released in 2019. It is a collaboration with Jones and The Membranes singer and bassist John Robb, and featured eleven brand new tracks. A state of the nation address focusing on such issues as Brexit, austerity, the bedroom taxlins, housing inequality alongside hope, protest and love. In 2020 Jones developed the concept and wrote the lyrics for James Dean Bradfield's solo album Even in Exile composed of songs about the life and tragic death of Chilean activist and songwriter Victor Jara. It reached Number 6 in the UK charts.
Jones had attended Welsh independence marches. [4]
'Fuse/Fracture' Parthian Books 2021
All music videos are for Manic Street Preachers, using 'Crash Editing' facilities.
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Judge Yr'self | Lipstick Traces (A Secret History of Manic Street Preachers) |
| 2004 | 1985 | Lifeblood |
| A Song For Departure | ||
| Cardiff Afterlife | ||
| Emily | ||
| Fragments | ||
| Solitude Sometimes Is | ||
| Quarantine (In My Place Of) – Short Film | B-side to the single The Love of Richard Nixon | |
| Yes (New Film) | The Holy Bible (Tenth Anniversary Edition) | |
| 2005 | Firefight | God Save The Manics EP |
| 2006 | Further Away | Everything Must Go (Tenth Anniversary Edition) |
| Home Movie (footage, not music) | ||
| 2007 | Indian Summer | Send Away The Tigers |
| 2008 | Send Away The Tigers |
Plays
| Short films
Other publications
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Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, in 1986. The band consists of Nicky Wire and cousins James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore. They form a key part of the 1990s Welsh Cool Cymru cultural movement.
Everything Must Go is the fourth studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 20 May 1996, through Epic Records, and was the first record released by the band following the disappearance of lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards.
James Dean Bradfield is a Welsh singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. He is known for being the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. His cousin Sean Moore is also a member.
"If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 24 August 1998, through Epic Records as the first single from their fifth studio album, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours (1998). The track sold 156,000 copies in its first week and reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in August 1998. Outside the United Kingdom, the song reached number one in Iceland and the top 20 in Norway and Sweden. It became the band's only song to chart in North America, peaking at number 19 on the Canadian RPM Alternative 30 chart.
"You Stole the Sun from My Heart" is a song by Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 8 March 1999 as the third single from their fifth studio album, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours (1998). All three members of the band—James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire—share the writing credits. The song reached number five on the UK Singles Chart.
Nicholas Allen Jones, known as Nicky Wire, is a Welsh musician and songwriter, best known as lyricist, bassist and secondary vocalist of the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers.
Richard James Edwards, also known as Richey James or Richey Manic, was a Welsh musician who was the lyricist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. He was known for his dark, politicised and intellectual songwriting which, combined with an enigmatic and eloquent character, has assured him cult status. He has been cited as a leading lyricist of his generation, leading the Cool Cymru movement.
Sean Anthony Moore is a Welsh musician, who is the drummer and percussionist and occasional trumpet player of the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. He is cousin to bandmate James Dean Bradfield.
"Let Robeson Sing" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released in September 2001 by record label Epic as the fourth and final single from their sixth studio album, Know Your Enemy. It reached number 19 in the UK Singles Chart.
"Kevin Carter" is a song by Manic Street Preachers, released as the third single from their album Everything Must Go in 1996. The song peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart.
"A Design for Life" is a single by Welsh band Manic Street Preachers from their fourth studio album, Everything Must Go (1996). It was written by James Dean Bradfield, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire, and produced by Dave Eringa and Mike Hedges. Released on 15 April 1996 by Epic Records, the song debuted and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. The accompanying music video was directed by Pedro Romhanyi.
"Revol" is a song by the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released in August 1994 by the Epic record label as the second single from their third studio album, The Holy Bible, which was released later in the month. The song reached number 22 in the UK Singles Chart on 13 August 1994.
"Love's Sweet Exile" is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 28 October 1991 by record label Columbia as the second single from their debut album, Generation Terrorists (1992). The B-side, "Repeat (UK)", appears on the same album.
Blackwood is a town, community and an electoral ward on the Sirhowy River in the South Wales Valleys administered as part of Caerphilly County Borough. It is located within the historic county of Monmouthshire.
Oakdale Comprehensive School was a comprehensive school located in the village of Oakdale, Caerphilly Oakdale in Caerphilly county, Wales. The total enrollment was about 660 pupils aged 11 to 16. Sixth-form provision was at Coleg Gwent in Crosskeys and Ystrad Mynach College.
The Holy Bible is the third studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 30 August 1994 by record label Epic. While the album was being written and recorded, lyricist and rhythm guitarist Richey Edwards was struggling with severe depression, alcohol abuse, self-harm and anorexia nervosa, and its contents are considered by many sources to reflect his mental state. The songs focus on themes relating to politics and human suffering. The Holy Bible was the band's last album released before Edwards' disappearance on 1 February 1995.
Some Kind of Nothingness is a song by Manic Street Preachers and the second single from their tenth album Postcards from a Young Man. It features Echo & the Bunnymen frontman Ian McCulloch.
Rewind the Film is the eleventh studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was recorded in 2013 and released on 16 September 2013 by record label Columbia. The sound is very different from previous records and is more acoustic-driven. It features guests Lucy Rose, Cate Le Bon and Richard Hawley.
Cool Cymru was a Welsh cultural movement in music and independent film in the 1990s and 2000s, led by the popularity of bands such as Catatonia, Stereophonics and Manic Street Preachers.
Even in Exile is the second solo studio album by the Manic Street Preachers vocalist and guitarist James Dean Bradfield. The album is a concept album based on the life and death of the Chilean activist, singer and poet Víctor Jara, with lyrics by poet and playwright Patrick Jones. It was released on 14 August 2020 by record label MontyRay, and reached number 6 on the UK Albums Chart.
4. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/may/20/gold-for-the-soul-my-play-about-dementia-choirs-with-music-by-the-manics 5. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/16/james-dean-bradfield-even-in-exile-review-victor-jara-tribute-manic-street-preachers 6. https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/james-dean-bradfield-even-in-exile-review-a4524861.html
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