On This Day 15/02/1973 Hawkwind

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On this day, 15 February 1973, space rock band Hawkwind played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre.

Formed in 1969 Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard rock, progressive rock and psychedelic rock.

They are also regarded as an influential band with theit lyrics favouring urban and science fiction themes.

Hawkwind are best known for the song "Silver Machine which became a number-three UK hit single in 1972, but they scored further hit singles with "Urban Guerrilla, another Top 40 and "Shot Down in the Night.”

The band had a run of twenty-two of their albums charting in the UK from 1971 to 1993.

Hard rock musician Lemmy of the band Motörhead gained a lot from his tenure in Hawkwind. He remarked, "I really found myself as an instrumentalist in Hawkwind. Before that I was just a guitar player who was pretending to be good, when actually I was no good at all. In Hawkwind I became a good bass player. It was where I learned I was good at something."

Members

Dik Mik

Dave Brock

Del Dettmar

Lemmy Kilmister

Simon King

Nik Turner

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On This Day 13/02/1970 Deep Purple

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On this day, 13 February 1970, heavy rock band Deep Purple played Cardiff University as part of their European Tour.

The Deep Purple European Tour was a year-long successful concert tour lasting from July 1969 until June 1970. The band played mostly United Kingdom shows, also covering West Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium. It was the first tour to feature the classic Deep Purple line-up: Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord and Ian Paice. It is considered to be the pre-tour for the In Rock album, as the band mostly played songs from the upcoming album.

In 1969, cofounders Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Lord decided to replace vocalist Rod Evans with Ian Gillan. Gillan declined to join Purple without his former bandmate Roger Glover. Lord and Blackmore accepted and, in 1969, Gillan and Glover, replaced Evans and bassist Nick Simper. This new line-up, known as MKII, immediately went on tour throughout Europe and the United Kingdom.

"I remember back in 1969 when Roger and I did our first show with Purple at the Speakeasy," recalled Gillan. "There were only twelve people there; well, twenty if you counted Keith Moon. But I looked at Roger and said, 'Oh man, this is it.' It was the kind of band we had both been dreaming of."

On This Day 10/02/1970 Badfinger

On this day, 10 February 1970, Welsh rock band Badfinger played Cardiff University with support provided by Rainbow People.

The story of Badfinger is a sad one, with band leaders Pete Ham and Tommy Evans disillusioned by the sheer difficulty and stress of turning their musical talents into hard cash.

Originally signed to the Beatles' Apple Records as the Iveys, Pete Ham, vocals, Mike Gibbins, drums, Tommy Evans, guitar, and Ron Griffiths, changed their name following the release of two unsuccessful singles.

Swansea-born Griffiths left in September 1969 and was replaced by Joe Molland of Liverpool.

The new line-up had a transatlantic hit with Come And Get It, written by their famous label boss Paul McCartney.

Their song No Matter What was another Top 10 hit, followed by critically acclaimed albums No Dice and Straight Up.

By the beginning of the 1970s, Badfinger was something of an Apple house band and even appeared on three solo Beatle recordings (All Things Must Pass, It Don't Come Easy and Imagine) as well as appearing at George Harrison's Bangla Desh benefit concert.

In 1972 Harry Nilsson enjoyed a huge transatlantic chart topper with Without You.

But Pete Ham found it difficult to penetrate the financial jungle which surrounded the music business.

He found himself working in a factory to make ends meet, hearing his song Without You playing on the radio as he toiled away.


In 1975 personal and financial troubles got too much for him and Ham hanged himself.

In November 1983, history repeated itself in the most bizarre fashion when Tom Evans committed suicide by hanging at his Surrey home.

Like Pete Ham, he had been suffering from depression and financial worries.

Following the discovery of some home-recorded tapes, these were finally issued as two complete albums of Ham's songs in the late 1990s.

Although the quality of the tapes was poor, they indicated a great songwriter with a marvellous grasp of pop melody and compounded the tragedy of his early death.

Badfinger ( line-up)

• Tom Evans

• Mike Gibbins

• Pete Ham

• Joey Molland

Burt Bacharach tribute - review: What the world needs now is more more of this man, his tunes and his stories

The legend that is Burt Bacharach played the Wales Millennium Centre in July 2015, his last visit to Cardiff in a show that was filled with hits and anecdotes

The word legend is mentioned all too often in music and sadly it rarely seems justified.

But in the case of Burt Bacharach it is a perfect description of a genius of a man who in his 87 years has written probably the greatest body of work popular music has, and will even see.

There are very few who come close – maybe a McCartney in his prime – because what Bacharach brings to the table is a quality that has endeared him to music lovers throughout the world, with artists clamouring to cover his songs.

Quite simply, people may not know Bacharach, but everyone will have a favourite song of his whether it’s sung by Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield or Tom Jones, to name but a few.

We’ve been very fortunate in Wales as this was Bacharach’s second visit in a year following his performance at the Brecon Jazz Festival last August where he dazzled a small audience.

This time he upped the stakes somewhat by adding a full orchestra to the mix which complemented his music beautifully and gave his songs an extra dimension that a keyboard alone fails to deliver.

Walking out to a wonderful ovation at the Wales Millennium Centre, Bacharach charmed his audience with delightful anecdotes about songs he was proud of and those he liked to forget.

How many, for example, knew that he had a hand in writing the popular children’s Saturday morning Junior Choice favourite Three Wheels On My Wagon, a flop for Dick Van Dyke or his first-ever hit The Story Of My Life, a hit for Marty Robbins back in 1957

Talking about What’s New Pussycat, Bacharach recalled that when he met Tom Jones to talk about it, the Welsh legend said he didn’t like it and wasn’t fussed on covering it, coming just after breaking into the big time with It’s Not Unusual.

It took some convincing from Tom’s then manager Gordon Mills, described by Bacharach as ‘a very smart guy’. And the rest, as they say, is pop history.

But whilst the chat was fascinating it was the music that we all came to hear and as classic tune followed classic tune, it was jaw-dropping to witness Bacharach’s wonderful arrangements and beautiful orchestration aided by three highly-talented vocalists, each taking turns to step up with their take on such songs as Walk On By, I Say A Little Prayer, This Guy’s In Love With You and Anyone Who Had A Heart.

It was a heady mix and with Bacharach throwing in a newish tune Hush, written for a musical Some Lovers, it showed the master still had the touch and the enthusiasm to create something new.

Leaving two plus hours later with his audience singing Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, there was a fully deserved standing ovation in honour of an amazing man and an incredible evening.

Tony Woolway

Immersed 2023

Immersed! 2023 will take place 17-19th February in partnership with Orchard Live and Libertino Records to raise awareness and funds for Music Declares Emergency, the industry’s climate change charity.

The fifth Immersed! Festival returns to Tramshed Cardiff on Saturday 18th February for another year of exciting musical talent, showcasing South Wales’s ever-evolving, diverse music scene over four stages and accompanied by a unique narrative experience and important sustainability message. 

For our main stage headliner, Immersed! unleashes Lady Leshurr, the MOBO award-winning rapper who brings her explosive live show to Cardiff for the first time in five years.  Well known for her charitable work, Lady Leshurr was awarded the British Empire Medal by the Queen in 2020 after she donated all the proceeds for her “Quarantine Speech” to the NHS.  Lady Leshurr will be supported by Sage Todz, whose “O Hyd” became the unofficial anthem of the Welsh football team in Qatar, alongside the mighty Minas, who will be performing tracks from his outstanding new album “All My Love Has Failed Me”. Completing the mainstage line up are Cardiff punk titans Terrapins, hard-hitting hip hop duo DiffJaxx and the explosive trio Shlug.  Curated by University of South Wales students, the four stages feature over forty artists and bands.  Expect an eclectic music mix, DJs, street food, live theatre, workshops, a tattoo parlour and an upcycled fashion market. 

The festival weekend kicks off on Friday 17th February with the Immersed! 5th Birthday Awards Event at the Cardiff Atrium in collaboration with Libertino Records, a celebration of the artists and key players that have made Immersed! so vibrant and special over the last five years.   The event will feature live performances from participants of Skills Competition Wales, and a music industry careers fair.  After the main event at the Tramshed on Saturday, the festival concludes on Sunday 19th February with Immersed TV, an online live broadcast featuring highlights from the main stage, exclusive artist interviews and “5 Years”, an Immersed! legacy documentary. 

We are partnering with climate change charity Music Declares Emergency to highlight the effects of climate breakdown and help promote change towards a greener and more sustainable future.   For the first time in its four-year history, the festival will feature a compelling narrative experience. Each of the stages will embody one of the four elements: Fire, Earth, Air and Water cohering to the festival’s theme of climate change. USW Drama students will be cast as “Wizards”, alongside a wide range of absorbing characters that will engage with audiences and encourage them to participate in the festival’s narrative.

Since the festival was founded four years ago, it continues to collaborate with a wide array of musicians, promoters, labels and organisations across South Wales to support its vibrant music scene. For 2023, Immersed! aspires to build upon previous years and create an exciting new experience for audiences through its compelling narrative experience, fringe events and fifth birthday awards ceremony.  Are you ready to be Immersed?

Email immersedfest2023@gmail.com

Website http://immersedfestival.co.uk/

LinkTree https://linktr.ee/immersed2023

On This Day 18/01/1968 I’m Backing Britain Campaign

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On this day 18 January 1968, it was reported that the government’s I’m Backing Britain was getting support from the country’s movers and shakers amongst the country’s musical fraternity including comments from two Welsh pop exports, Spencer Davis and Amen Corners Andy Fairweather Low.

A group of Surbiton typists began it all in December 1967 when they agreed to stay and work an extra half hour a day for free at a firm called Colt Heating. Within days they had become front-page news and many thousands followed their lead – in the face of great opposition from Trade Unions.

The media and establishment picked up their idea. Robert Maxwell took out “Buy British” ads in the papers and people were encouraged to sport T-shirts and badges emblazoned with “I’m Backing Britain” over a union jack.

The Duke of Edinburgh even lent his support saying it was “the most heartening news I’ve heard in 1967”. The campaign was made that much easier because – post devaluation – the pound now bought less overseas.

When asked about whether they’d be Backing Britain, Spencer Davis replied, “I’ve been backing Britain for a long time. I think the pop scene can definitely help the economy. All the groups could play a mammoth charity show for ten years to help the trade gap. Quite frankly the trade gap is being helped by The Beatles and the Stones selling so many records abroad. A lot of people don’t realise that when they put down groups because of their long hair and clothes. Anyway think how much long hair helps the shampoo manufacturers!

Andy Fairweather Low replied, “One can’t distinguish whether this is an intensified campaign boost the government’s sagging image, correction… Harold Wilson’s sagging image or, if it is genuine, and a few misguided people feel they can help. It’s been proved ants can’t move rubber tree plants. If everyone owned up, the truth would be that each individual puts his interests first. I would sympathise if the movement was backing Wales Home Rule.

The 1975 - 16/1/2023 - Cardiff International Arena

The 1975 At Their Very Best

Watching an intoxicated man stumble around a stage eating raw steak for two hours was certainly a different way to spend a cold Monday evening in the middle of January. Cardiff International Arena was buzzing with The 1975 fans ready to see the band on the first of their two night stint in Cardiff. 

At 8:30 on the dot, the band opened their set with the self-titled track from their latest album 'Being Funny In A Foreign Language', and frontman Matty Healy appears in a brown suit, equipped with a bottle of wine and cigarette in hand. The first half of the show tells a story of the life of an arrogant rockstar, with the set designed to look like the inside of a house.

Healy mumbles incoherently between songs, staggering back and forth from a sofa to the front of stage as he performs a number of tracks from the latest album; the crowd singing along to every word. He takes a pause at his piano to ponder about method acting, changing the lighting on stage, and bringing out a group of people in white coats who replace the band members and stay 'frozen in time' during 'Be My Mistake', while Matty snaps into a more human tone, demonstrating that the 'drunk' persona was all an act, it's like watching two different shows at once.

The end of the first act saw an instrumental section, with television screens flashing through images of notable and controversial figures like former prime minister Liz Truss, Prince Andrew, and Andrew Tate. Healy has always been vocal about his political stance and reflects this in many of his lyrics.

Before climbing through a TV, signifying that the first act is over, one of the more unusual parts of the show takes place. Matty is seen kneeling on the floor in his drunken state whilst a raw steak is brought in front of him. He proceeds to take bites out of it, the crowd screaming with a mixture of excitement and horror.

After a minute or two, the band return to stage, Matty is his true self again, and they open with the energetic 'If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)', which brings the crowd to life. The second act of the show focuses on the band being 'At Their Very Best', performing an hour of back-to-back bangers from previous albums.

2023 marks a decade since the release of their debut self-titled album, and to honour this the band perform 'Chocolate', transporting the crowd back to 2013 for four minutes, bringing back memories of their early teen years. 

The crowd erupted into screams when the band performed 'their biggest hit' as Matty described; 'Somebody Else'. "I know you were all singing this in your bedrooms" he says before the synths filled the arena and 5000 voices chant the opening lyrics.

The band concluded the 2-hour 15-minute set with pop-punk hit 'Give Yourself a Try', before departing the stage, displaying end credits on the screens, almost like you just watched a movie, which is entirely what it felt like. The show took the crowd on a rollercoaster of emotions, immersing us into an alternate reality before sending us back into the real world.

The 1975 are no doubt one of the most entertaining, refreshing, and original bands around at the moment, and this tour definitely showcases them 'At Their Very Best'.

Chloe Mullis

On This Day 06/01/1968 Tom Jones/ South Africa

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On this day, 6 January 1968, the music press announced that Welsh singer Tom Jones was to perform in South Africa in front of segregated audiences.

Jones manager Gordon Mills said he had received a “tremendous offer” for Tom to tour South Africa for three weeks in early summer and had flown to Johannesburg on Boxing Day to discuss the offer.

If the tour scheduled to last 21 days is agreed, Tom Jones would have to play to segregated audiences as South Africa’s apartheid policy prevents white and coloured people from attending concerts in the same auditorium.

Asked whether he would sing under these conditions, Tom commented : “I’ll sing to white people, and I’ll sing to coloured people. The fact that they cannot be in the building at the same time is not my fault and no amount of preaching from me will change that, as some other singers have already proved.

“Everyone knows that I hate colour prejudice but would rather sing to them this way than not at all.”

Gordon Mills said : “Until I get to South Africa I don’t know fully what the situation is, but my first reaction is that Tom will obey the laws of the country in the exact same way as we would expect any foreigner coming here to obey our laws.”

If Tom, currently no 3 in the singles chart with “I’m Coming Home” makes the trip, it would be his first visit to South Africa.

The tour didn’t take place, largely due to Tom’s loathing of apartheid and the harm it would have done to his image at the time, though he did controversially perform in South Africa later, in 1976.

Jones was quick to point out that he would not have toured if his audiences weren’t mixed and that back home he avoided a British Musicians Union ban by showing press- clippings illustrating that his audiences were apparently multi-racial.