Brân -

Brân was a Welsh-language rock group active from 1974 through 1979. The group issued a four-song EP on Gwawr, then recorded three albums for Sain with guitarist and singer John Gwyn as the sole constant member.

Members: John Gwyn (guitar, vocals), Nest Howells (vocals, keyboards), Gwyndaf Roberts (guitar), Dafydd Meirion (drums, flute), Louis Thomas (bass, guitar), Paul Westwell (drums), Keith Snelgrove

Background

Brân (Crow) emerged after a 1974 Yr Atgyfodiad performance at Swansea University’s Great Hall. Guitarist and singer John Gwyn had worked in Yr Atgyfodiad with bassist Gwyndaf Roberts and drummer Keith Snelgrove. The earlier group also included Arfon Wyn.

BBC sound technicians Eurof Williams and Eric Dafydd established the Gwawr label and arranged Brân’s first release. The label booked T.W. Studio in London for the group’s initial session.

Brân (Gwynant EP)

Brân issued a self-titled four-song EP in 1974 on Gwawr (GWAWR 104). The release is commonly identified as Gwynant after its first track.

The original trio arranged all four songs. Gwyn composed each piece with texts by Dafydd Mei, Gareth W. Jones, Gwyndaf Roberts, or Nest Howells.

A1. “Gwynant” [Whiten] (3:37) – John Gwyn, Dafydd Mei
A2. “Colled” [Loss] (3:10) – Gwyn, Gareth W. Jones

B1. “Tocyn” [Ticket] (2:32) – Gwyn, Gwyndaf Roberts
B2. “Yr Alltud” [The Exile] (3:56) – Gwyn, Nest Howells

Brân recorded the EP at T.W. Studio in London with Eurof Williams producing. Williams, a BBC sound technician who co-founded Gwawr with Eric Dafydd, also recorded for the label as half of Bili with Ronw Protheroe. The picture sleeve used a magenta-tinted group photograph beneath the Brân name.

Rise Above Relics restored all four tracks on the 2018 three-CD set A Box of Brân.

During the move toward a first album, Snelgrove left to concentrate on DJ work and equipment hire. Nest Howells assumed lead singing and keyboards. Gwyndaf Roberts’s brother Dafydd Meirion Roberts joined on drums with flute and Celtic harp.

Ail Ddechra

Brân released their debut album, Ail Ddechra (A Fresh Start), in 1975 on Sain (SAIN 1038M).

The album established Howells as principal singer beside Gwyn. Dafydd Roberts added flute and Celtic harp to his drum role. Gwyn and Howells shared the principal composition credits, while Gwyndaf Roberts supplied four songs. Gareth W. Jones wrote the text for “Rhodiaf Hen Lwybrau.”

“Breuddwyd” moves from classical-styled Fender Rhodes phrases into a broken-beat passage while lean fuzz roughens its denser sections.

A1. “Y Ddôr Ddig” [The Angry Door] (3:30) – John Gwyn, Gwyndaf Roberts
A2. “F’Annwyl Un” [My Dear One] (3:01) – Gwyn, Nest Howells
A3. “Y Gwylwyr” [The Watchers] (3:00) – Gwyn, Howells
A4. “Wrth y Ffynnon” [By the Well] (4:19) – Gwyndaf Roberts
A5. “Ynys Gudd” [Hidden Island] (2:27) – Gwyn, Howells
A6. “Myfyrdod” [Meditation] (2:19) – Gwyndaf Roberts

B1. “Rhodiaf Hen Lwybrau” [I Walk Old Paths] (2:44) – Gwyn, Gareth W. Jones
B2. “Mor Braf” [So Lovely] (2:54) – Gwyn
B3. “Caledfwlch” [Excalibur] (3:04) – Gwyndaf Roberts
B4. “Blodyn” [Flower] (3:45) – Gwyndaf Roberts
B5. “Y Crëwr” [The Creator] (3:36) – Gwyn, Howells
B6. “Breuddwyd” [Dream] (4:04) – Howells

Brân recorded Ail Ddechra from September through October 1975 at Sain’s new eight-track Gwernafalau studio in Llandwrog. John Gwyn and Nest Howells co-produced the sessions. Sain co-founder Huw Jones handled the studio’s initial engineering work; Gwernafalau’s other early projects included Mynediad am Ddim (Wa Macsbredar) and Sidan (Teulu Yncl Sam).

Brân won the 1975 Cân i Gymru competition with Gwyndaf Roberts’s “Caledfwlch.” The group subsequently won the Pan-Celtic Festival in Killarney with the same song.

Big Pink reissued the album on CD in 2017. Rise Above Relics followed with a 2018 vinyl edition and included the album in A Box of Brân.

Early in 1976, Gwyndaf and Dafydd Roberts left to form Ar Log. Multi-instrumentalist Dafydd Pierce joined with drummer Paul Westwell.

Hedfan

Brân released their second album, Hedfan (Flying), in 1976 on Sain (SAIN 1070M).

Howells and Gwyn remained as singers and keyboardists. Pierce divided guitar and bass duties with Gwyn, while Westwell handled drums and percussion. Gwyn and Howells retained the principal song partnership. Pierce added four compositions, including two with Howells.

“Nodau Hud” lurches through abrupt tempo and mood changes as slide guitar howls above each turn.

A1. “Nodau Hud” [Magical Notes] (4:46) – John Gwyn, Nest Howells
A2. “Rhosyn Gwyllt” [Wild Rose] (3:56) – Dafydd Pierce, Howells
A3. “Egwyl” [Interlude] (2:48) – Pierce
A4. “Mae’r Mynydd Acw” [The Mountain Over There] (3:15) – Pierce, Iestyn Garlick
A5. “Dyddiau Dwys” [Intense Days] (5:30) – Howells

B1. “Ar Glem” [Starving] (3:48) – Pierce
B2. “Hapus Awr” [Happy Hour] (5:18) – Gwyn, Howells
B3. “Dewch Ynghyd” [Come Together] (3:11) – Gwyn, Howells
B4. “Hon Yw Dy Gân” [This Is Your Song] (3:13) – Pierce, Howells
B5. “Hiraeth” [Longing] (3:37) – Gwyn, Howells

Band guitarists John Gwyn and Dafydd Pierce co-produced Hedfan at Sain Studios in Llandwrog. Selwyn Davies engineered the sessions during a 1976 run that also included Dafydd Iwan’s Mae’r Darnau Yn Disgyn I’w Lle.

Big Pink issued a CD edition in 2017. Rise Above Relics included the album in the 2018 set A Box of Brân.

Before the third album, Howells left alongside Pierce and Westwell. Gwyn recruited bassist-singer Louis Thomas and guitarist-singer Len Jones. Drummer Bryan Griffiths completed the quartet.

Gwrach Y Nos

Brân released their third and final album, Gwrach Y Nos, in 1978 on Sain (SAIN 1120M).

Gwyn expanded his keyboard role and shared lead singing with Thomas. Jones added guitar and supporting vocals. Thomas supplied three songs, while Gwyn composed five with lyricist Ronw Protheroe or alone. Jones co-wrote “Mena” with Protheroe.

A1. “Colli Ar Fy Hun” [Losing on My Own] (3:12) – Louis Thomas
A2. “Dilyn Yr Haul” [Following the Sun] (3:20) – John Gwyn, Ronw Protheroe
A3. “Mae’r Byd Yn Rhydd” [The World Is Free] (4:18) – Thomas
A4. “Angel, Ble Wyt Ti?” [Angel, Where Are You?] (4:07) – Gwyn, Protheroe
A5. “Gwrach Y Nos” [Witch of the Night] (6:22) – Gwyn, Protheroe

B1. “Ar Y Gorwel” [On the Horizon] (3:10) – Gwyn
B2. “Scync Roc” [Rock Skunk] (2:18) – Thomas
B3. “Tramp” (7:00) – Thomas
B4. “Mena” (4:16) – Len Jones, Protheroe
B5. “Breuddwyd Hud” [Magic Dream] (4:46) – Gwyn, Protheroe

Brân recorded Gwrach Y Nos in London in spring 1978 with BBC producer Anthony Pugh. The sessions took place at the BBC studios in Maida Vale. Pugh’s subsequent BBC work included the Sound’s 1980 Mike Read session and 1981 John Peel session, later compiled on The BBC Recordings. Robert Eames designed the outer sleeve and black-and-white inner credit sheet.

Delwyn Sion and Brân won the 1978 Cân i Gymru competition with “Angel, Ble Wyt Ti?,” composed by Gwyn to words by Protheroe.

Big Pink reissued Gwrach Y Nos on CD in 2017. Rise Above Relics included the album in A Box of Brân the following year.

Later Activity

Brân ended after Gwyn moved to Cardiff for television work. The remaining trio continued in Welsh groups including Maggs and Louis a’r Rocyrs. Gwyn later worked as a television producer, including assignments for The Tube. Howells joined Pererin, while the Roberts brothers established Ar Log.

Discography: