Welsh Music Podcast / Podlediad Miwsig Cymreig

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👇🏻

29/04/2025

Pete Ham - 50 years gone, but never forgotten.

The iconic singer, lyricist and guitarist was originally a focal part of Swansea group The Iveys before they morphed into rock legends Badfinger after signing to Apple Records in 1968, and releasing the Paul McCartney-penned single Come and Get It.

Yet, Ham would go on to prove himself as a hugely talented songwriter in his own right over the subsequent years with classics like Baby Blue, No Matter What and Day After Day.

Since its original release in 1970, Without You has been covered approximately 200 times including worldwide hits for Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey, and it won an Ivor Novello Award in 1972 for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.

The tragedy of Badfinger’s story is well documented, and Ham took his own life in April 1975, three days shy of his 28th birthday.

A heritage blue plaque was unveiled in his hometown of Swansea in April 2013 honouring his lasting legacy.

29/04/2025

RIP Mike Peters, who has died at the age of 66 after a courageous three-decade battle with cancer.

After cutting his teeth in Hairy Hippie, Quasimodo and The Toilets, Peters founded Rhyl rockers The Alarm in 1981.

Armed with a clutch of power to the people anthems that blended U2 with The Clash, they quickly gained traction on both sides of the Atlantic starting with their classic 1984 debut album, Declaration.

Consolidating their growing reputation with Strength a year later, Peters then built bridges by learning the Welsh language and releasing bilingual albums with Change / Newid in 1989 and Raw / Tân in 1991. Shortly after the latter, he called time on the first iteration of The Alarm after 10 years during an emotional gig at Brixton Academy.

Thankfully that didn’t last, and The Alarm regrouped with Close in 2002 and continued to release records all the way up until their forthcoming album, Transformation.

Renowned as one of the nicest guys in rock, there are few musicians who have established such a rapport with their fans as Mike Peters - from the annual Gathering festivals to countless online gigs during lockdown.

Thanks to tours with Bob Dylan and their Live Aid-esque Spirit of ‘86 show at the University of California, The Alarm remain the most popular Welsh band Stateside with admirers including Bruce Springsteen, Smashing Pumpkins and The Killers.

In 2022, Mike Peters was presented with the Inspiration Award at the Wales Millennium Centre for his outstanding contribution to Welsh music.

Love, hope and strength. Diolch Mike.

20/04/2025