Book review: International Velvet by Neil Collins

Rhys Mwyn

Perhaps it’s appropriate to start with a Disclaimer. I have written the Foreword for this book. I was also a participant. But, as a pundit, critic, and writer let me step outside my involvement with the music scene in Wales during the 1980s and 90s and attempt a balanced, objective review of what is arguably a very important book.

Subtitled How Wales Conquered the 90’s Charts, this comprehensive volume by Neil Collins looks at the development of the Welsh Scene during the 80’s and how much of this activity led directly, or indirectly, to ‘Cool Cymru’ when you had Sterephonics, Manic Street Preachers, Super Furry Animals and Catatonia appearing regularly on Top of the Pops and gracing the front covers of the music press – something had definitely changed. This is what Collins attempts (successfully) to make sense of in International Velvet.

Backwater

The journey begins with Wales as a ‘musical backwater’. This is patently untrue, a false statement but it’s one we all inherited – or a narrative that was thrust down our throats by a London-centric music industry and willing participants and doom-mongers in Wales who lacked the confidence just to tell London to just shu the f*** up!

I sympathise with Collins here. How do you deal with Wales and the 1960s, 1970s without the cliched references to Tom and Shirley. Tom and Shirley are great but they did become a bit of a cliché along with all the stuff about Male Voice Choirs and during the discussion in the first chapter we are alerted to something like this:

“One of Rockfield’s earliest recording artists were Amen Corner. The Cardiff group were the first all-Welsh group to achieve a No. 1 hit with ‘(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice’ in 1969”.

In other words, there was always something (Welsh) to shout about, it’s just maybe the focus was always elsewhere. By addressing Wales as a ‘backwater’ does Collins manage to confront the cliches or to challenge things head on? He does challenge things and easily rattles off examples of great Welsh bands who stood proud above any Harry Seacombe nonsense

“Alternative acts that did break through, like Badfinger, Budgie, Amen Corner and The Alarm, were still anomalies across two decades, and outside of Wales, who actually cared that The Velvet Underground included a Welshman”.

Barricades

Chapter 2 is possibly a more important chapter in terms of context because it’s here (I would argue) that the activities of bands like Datblygu, Cyrff and Ffa Coffi Pawb begin to pave the way, to knock down the doors, to storm the barricades. After all, the future members of Catatonia and Super Furry Animals had all learnt their craft playing in these ‘Welsh language bands’ (sic). Add U Thant, Gwefrau. Crumblowers to the list – they all split up, reformed, sang in English. Got on Top of the Pops.

Collins credits Datblygu, possibly the most un-compromising Welsh band of all time. Without Datblygu, there would probably not have been a Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci. Super Furry Animals went on to cover Datblygu’s ‘Y Teimlad’ on their Mwng LP. Serious music heads who followed the John Peel Show on Radio 1 would probably know of Datblygu but in reality, they are a cult / underground band and just maybe a re-balance is happening here as Collins gives the band pride of place and considered and thoughtful credit.

Interestingly there is a Peel disclaimer:

“John Peel is mentioned frequently throughout this book. During his life and since his death in 2004, he has been the subject of sexual misconduct allegations (although he was never charged with any offences). References to Peel throughout are in his capacity as a BBC Radio 1 DJ, who was very influential in raising the profile of Welsh bands and especially for his broadcasting of Welsh-language music to a UK audience”.

Collins refers to the Welsh language (bands) revolution as Year Zero. He does cover things well and there may well be a case for suggesting that this is one of the first books to deal with the whole context. David Owens has touched on this previously in his book Cerys, Catatonia and the Ris of Welsh Pop (2000) and to a certain extent similar ground was covered by Richard King in Brittle With Relics: A History of Wales, 1962-1997 although it’s politics rather than pop music that is the focus of King’s book.

The bridge from the ‘backwater’ to the giddy heights of the 90’s Charts is probably summed by a Richie Edwards quote:

“Richey was paranoid about ever coming across as Welsh,’ said Nicky Wire to Melody Maker. ‘He always called it the Neil Kinnock Factor: “Turn out the lights.”’68 In 1992, Manic Street Preachers were suffering similarly antiWelsh treatment. While the country was merged in the ‘Madchester’, shoegaze and baggy scenes, this altogether different beast burst out of Blackwood”

Gear changes

Things were to change. From 1996 onwards the gear changes were in acceleration. Confidence grew. The ‘Welsh language bands’ were becoming real popstars. Super Furry Animals even had a blue tank playing techno music as a cultural assault weapon (if not for a bit of added protection against patronising comments by the NME). Someone came up with ‘Cool Cymru’ or as we used to say in Welsh ‘Cŵl Cymru’.

And on the subject of media constructs and media descriptions/definitions and putting things in (convenient) boxes – the other classic was ‘The New Seattle’ to describe Newport, Gwent. The importance of TJ’s as a venue should not be underestimated. Newport bands like the 60ft Dolls and Dub War kept their distance from ‘Cool Cymru’ intentionally or unintentionally but if you are writing about music from Wales, they are important bands. Newport is an important full stop. Catatonia were paid £40 for their first gig in TJs. I know- it was me who picked up the cash on behalf of the band. Collins is right to give Newport full credit:

“Located on Clarence Place and named after its owners, partners Trilby Tucker and John Sicolo, TJ’s was the opposite of glamour. A dingy, cave-like dive with masses of dog-eared gig posters and an endlessly sticky floor that could suck your soles off, TJ’s revelled in its grittiness”.

The following chapters go on to discuss selling over a million records. Stereophonics became a stadium rock band. Manic Street Preachers kept their cool and still make great records. Super Furry Animals splintered but remain as cult as you get. Catatonia made the best Pop records and Cerys morphed into the Renaissance Lady (as I always knew she would – her radio shows are the best!)

Dealing with such a vast subject and such a long period of time was never going to be easy but Collins has done the whole thing justice. I’ll finish as I started – this is a valuable book!

International Velvet: How Wales Conquered the 90’s Charts by Neil Collins is published by Calon and is available from all good bookshops.