Cyfarwydd

Tarw Dur interview with Steve of Cyfarwydd, June 2001

Tell us a little about the Cyfarwydd collective!

We are 4 guys from Port Talbot, West Glamorgan and 1 from Kettering, North Hants.
A bit of a mixed bunch from different musical backgrounds but most of the electronic influence has come from me and Andy. We mostly do DrumNbass, Trance, Triphop and Ambient music but we also record a lot of stuff that you can't really bracket in any genre and that is what we mainly aim for.

What's the Welsh Underground all about?

There has always been a good underground scene where I live and it just keeps getting better every year. The Electronic scene is really taking off at the moment as more people are writing music on their computers. But there are also a lot of people who are writing electronic music but playing it in a band situation like ourselves. It freaks people out to see a band playing DrumNbass live and not a sampler in sight!!! I don't think many people understand how big the underground scene is in Wales and a lot of them don't have the energy to keep up with it.

When did you first get interested in electronic music and more importantly, what got you interested?

I have been playing in bands with Nigel for nearly 15 years. We used to be in a band called the Gingerbreadmen which did very well at the time and we had a very big following. But everybody sort of just drifted away from the band thing in to a more relaxed living room on a wednesday night kind of thing. Which was alright for a while but I got bored about four years ago and managed to get a set of decks and a mixer cheap.

Where's Welsh music heading?

There is a new sound evolving in Welsh electronic music that hasn't been picked up anywhere else yet, It is very laid back and spacious with not to much going on but still enough to keep your interest. Very minimal beats and melodies. I think people are fed up of tunes that are too heavy and thumping and are listening more to chilled vibes, funk tunes and that kind of thing.

Favourite DJ?

It has to be David Holmes.The guy is a maniac!! Anyone who can string such an extreme mixture of songs together in a mix just has to be in league with the devil.

Is it possible for dance music to be political?

If you mean political in the way that indie music or punk was political I don't think it can as it is more about music for music's sake than about trying to influence the way people think about someone or something. But if you mean political in the way that the dance scene always gets politicians ranting and passing new laws stopping parties when there is any new drugs scandals going on, then yes. I think that the drug/dance scene will always hinder other types of electronic music until this connection is broken and people stop putting all electronic music under the same label.

Favourite records at the moment?

Red Snapper - Making Bones
Hooverphonic - A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular
Saafi Brothers - Midnight's Children
Nightmares on Wax - Smokers Delight

Any future plans we should know about?

We are hoping to have a CD out by the end of August with some really cool mellow lounge type Triphop tunes. Should be good for chilling out after clubbing.