Welsh Music Podcast / Podlediad Miwsig Cymreig

26/07/2025

David Owens In 2025 music has become such an escapist pleasure for so many. With the news agenda continuing to resemble the end of days, for many of us music provides sanctuary – a dopamine fix for our mental well-being, a joy-bringing shot-in-the-arm. Never have we needed its transformative and t...

25/07/2025

Happy 1st Birthday to International Velvet: How Wales Conquered the ‘90s Charts!🥳

Launched at Waterstones Cardiff, it’s been all over the country on tour since then and it’s been amazing seeing the book in shops and so many people enjoying it.

Huge thanks to everyone who has a bought a copy or attended the live events including all the special guests and anyone who has arranged media coverage. Massive thanks as ever to Calon / University of Wales Press.

Following great events at Cardiff Central Library and Grinning Soul Records over the last week, the next one will be at Neath Arts Festival on Saturday 18 October. Please drop me a message if you would like to arrange any events, interviews or podcasts.

Lastly, please spread the word about International Velvet and any reviews on Amazon or Goodreads would be much appreciated!

Copies available here: linktr.ee/neilcollins123

23/07/2025

TOMORROW - £5 tickets on the door!👇🏻

After a great chat earlier at Newport Festival of Words, I’ll be joining forces for another International Velvet event with Gary Raymond at at Grinning Soul Records on Thursday 24 July at 7pm.

Based in the beautiful Wye Valley, Gary opened the independent record shop in October 2024 with school friend Graham “The Bear” Taylor of Goldie Lookin Chain - make sure to pop in if you’re in Monmouth!

Tickets are £5 on the door.

15/07/2025

What do you make of this list of the 30 greatest Super Furry Animals, SFA songs?

What be would be in your Top 5? Here are ours:

JAMES:

1. Run Christian Run
2. Y Teimlad
3. Something 4 The Weekend
4. Torra Fy Ngwallt Yn Hir
5. Fire in My Heart

NEIL

1. Ice Hockey Hair
2. The Man Don’t Give a F**k
3. Slow Life
4. ⁠God! Show Me Magic
5. ⁠Do or Die

Leon Barton It’s now thirty years since Wales’ greatest, most unique band released the ‘Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllantysiliogogogochynygofod (In Space)’ EP on the Ankst label. SFA quickly came to the attention of Creation boss Alan McGee after he saw them play live in London, alt...

14/07/2025

Last remaining FREE tickets available for Thursday’s International Velvet event!👇🏻

“Libraries gave us power…”

From the Manics to Melys, Datblygu to The Darling Buds, Ffa Coffi Pawb to Feeder and Stereophonics to Super Furries, I’ll be chatting all things Wales in the 90s next Thursday (17 July) at Cardiff Central Library.

Joining me at this special event at 5.45pm will be God Is In The TV Zine. editor Bill Cummings and music writer Gordon Anderson.

Signed copies of International Velvet will be available.

Tickets are FREE and can be booked below👇🏻

🎟️🎟️🎟️ tinyurl.com/yrcxyc5e

Cardiff Library Service

14/07/2025

Don’t forget to submit your song to be in with a chance of being our new theme tune!

Drop us a message or email [email protected]

NEW THEME TUNE NEEDED!

The Welsh Music Podcast is back with more episodes at long last in the coming weeks - and we’re looking for a new theme tune!

Something catchy and with a good instrumental intro would be ideal.

Please message us with your tune or email [email protected]

We are also looking for song submissions to showcase artists at the end of episodes, so please get in touch with your new music. Pob lwc!

11/07/2025

After a great chat earlier at Newport Festival of Words, I’ll be joining forces for another International Velvet event with Gary Raymond at at Grinning Soul Records on Thursday 24 July at 7pm.

Based in the beautiful Wye Valley, Gary opened the independent record shop in October 2024 with school friend Graham “The Bear” Taylor of Goldie Lookin Chain - make sure to pop in if you’re in Monmouth!

Tickets are £5 on the door.

11/07/2025

NEW THEME TUNE NEEDED!

The Welsh Music Podcast is back with more episodes at long last in the coming weeks - and we’re looking for a new theme tune!

Something catchy and with a good instrumental intro would be ideal.

Please message us with your tune or email [email protected]

We are also looking for song submissions to showcase artists at the end of episodes, so please get in touch with your new music. Pob lwc!

10/07/2025

“Libraries gave us power…”

From the Manics to Melys, Datblygu to The Darling Buds, Ffa Coffi Pawb to Feeder and Stereophonics to Super Furries, I’ll be chatting all things Wales in the 90s next Thursday (17 July) at Cardiff Central Library.

Joining me at this special event at 5.45pm will be God Is In The TV Zine. editor Bill Cummings and music writer Gordon Anderson.

Signed copies of International Velvet will be available.

Tickets are FREE and can be booked below👇🏻

🎟️🎟️🎟️ tinyurl.com/yrcxyc5e

Cardiff Library Service

08/07/2025

Pob lwc to James Cuff who is on the ‘Music, Football, Fanzines’ panel this evening, as part of the ‘Voices of the Fans’ exhibition curated by the British Library and Leeds Libraries.

The panel also features Peter Hooton, Matt Worley and Alice Hoole who will discuss how the earliest football fanzines took inspiration from the punk movement and developed into a scene that saw football become woven into music, magazines, fashion and wider culture.

06/06/2025

On Wednesday 11 June at 7pm, I’ll be presenting ‘Cool Cymru Revisited’ - an online lecture for the Centre for Lifelong Learning at Cardiff University.

Journey back to an unforgettable decade of growth and confidence when Wales came of age in the worlds of music, culture, sport, politics and language.

Spearheaded by the Manics, Catatonia, Stereophonics and the Super Furries, the iconic era culminated with Cerys Matthew singing “Every day when I wake up, I thank the Lord I'm Welsh” on International Velvet.

This is a great opportunity if you missed the talks on the tour, and it’s FREE!

Reserve your space below - ticket link in the comments👇🏻

24/05/2025

On its release in May 2000, Mwng became the biggest-selling Welsh-language album of all time.

Raised in the House of Commons for introducing a “new wave of confidence in the Welsh nation”, it was the first ever Cymraeg album in the UK Top 20 where Super Furry Animals, SFA rubbed shoulders with Britney Spears, Eminem and David Gray.

Mwng remains a masterpiece 25 years later with even a tribute album covering its every note. Here’s an extract from International Velvet for Nation.Cymru celebrating its genius.

Link in the comments👇🏻