Green Man Interview: Funk-infused indie rock band CVC discuss what defines their chaos ahead of their festival performance

Amelia Jones  

Six-piece CVC, short for Church Village Collective, carry a rich musical heritage straight out of south Wales. Hailing directly from Church Village near Pontypridd, the group brings a distinct sense of pride, close-knit community, and effortless showmanship to everything they create.

Through buoyant songwriting, multi-part vocal hooks, and irresistible grooves, CVC transform their local roots into infectious, feel-good anthems. Their ability to fuse vintage pop sensibilities with modern live energy continues to solidify their status as one of the most vibrant acts in contemporary Welsh music.

Francesco Orsi (lead vocals), David Bassey (vocals and guitar) and Elliot Bradfield (vocals and guitar) spoke to Nation.Cymru after their Green Man performance on Thursday.

Just as chaotic off stage as they are on it, they discussed the band’s blend of sun-drenched nostalgia and high-energy live performance.

You can listen to the band here.

So you grew up in Church Village, why did you want to name the band CVC?

David: It was spray-painted in Church Village. It was spray-painted in various different places. Don’t know who did it.
Don’t know why. Don’t know when. But just named the band after it.

Did you all meet because you grew up in the same place?

David: Well we started in Church Village, but we recruited a Valleys power house farmer (Elliot), and we’ve got a couple of Cardiff boys as well. With seven of us it is very intense all the time.

We shout at each other a lot, because of card games and stuff like that. It’s not like malicious hatred. Sometimes there is. It’s a  love-hate relationship.

Mostly love. No one’s been punched yet.

Francesco: Haven’t they?

David: Yeah, but not like serious punches.

For anyone in the crowd who has never heard of you, what can they expect from your performance? 

Francesco: A lot of energy, harmonies, a couple of guitar solos to be fair, a lot of couples. Good vibes, good songs. Party, big choruses.

Who would you say your main influences are?

Francesco: A lot of 70s, 60s, 80s influence to be honest, like the older stuff. But I think the new album is branching into the new slightly, innit? Any specific artists? I don’t know, what have you got?

David: Wings, Holy Notes, Steely Dan, Marvin Gaye, Earth, Wind & Fire.

You recorded your album Get Real at home – what’s the biggest adjustment you have to make playing them live?

Francesco: We kind of played the songs live for years before we recorded the album. So it wasn’t really much rejigging.

It was just trying to make the new parts we put on the record part of the live sound. We’ve got six people in the band.

What’s that, twelve arms? We got to lay out as many vocal tracks and then live we had to strip them back.

Elliot: Vocals was the only thing. It was a pretty simple process, wasn’t it?

David: The new album’s been a bit more of a jiggery-joggery

You’ve described your band as a collective that anyone can join, is there an invitation process?

David: Oh yeah, definitely. You’ve got to be able to be really good at cards and not mind losing loads of money at cards. That’s it, to be honest.

Francesco: No musicianship required.

David: These boys haven’t quite got there yet.

Francesco: What, in terms of musicianship?

David: No, money and cards.

Elliot: I’m like £1000 down.

What’s your favourite song to play live?

David: It’s probably different for all of us, I imagine. Everybody’s favourite is everybody else’s least favourite.

Francesco: I mean, Sophie is obviously great because the crowd interaction is like mega usually on there. Which is always nice to have somebody singing.

Elliot: I think my rogue shout is Docking The Pay. We always never want to play it, and then we go off stage and when they’re saying one more song, we always play that one. It’s always the peak of the night, I think. For me.

Francesco: I’m gonna go with Music Stuff.

David: Cause you like the limelight?

Francesco: Yeah I love it

You’ve said that the terrible Welsh weather has shaped your sound. Does that mean you’re hoping for rain this weekend? 

Francesco: No, no we’re not hoping that at all!

David: The songs are all about us actually wanting sun. We did have some real Welsh rain in the first record, but this is a new year so it’s all about sunshine and rainbows. Which I think we’re going to have today.

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