Fay Ray were a Welsh New Wave/post-punk band that released the album Contact You on WEA in 1982. Members: Sheila McCartney [Sheila Brook] (vocals, guitar), John Lovering (guitar), Owen Hughes (drums), Tony Travis (bass, backing vocals), Jeff Taylor (saxophone, accordion, flute, backing vocals) Fay Ray’s roots trace to the Bangor post-punk combo Hot Water, which […]
Quicksand were a Welsh symphonic/hard-rock band that released a 1970 single on Pye-subsidiary Carnaby, followed in 1973 by the album Home Is Where I Belong on Dawn. Guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Davies would reappear in Rockfield one-off Alkatraz. Members: Jimmy Davies (guitar, vocals), Anthony Stone (drums, vocals), Will Youatt (bass, 1969-?), Phil Davies (bass, vocals), Robert Collins […]
Weekend were a London-based art-pop trio that issued the album La Varieté in 1982 on Rough Trade. The band was led by Welsh bassist/vocalist Alison Statton, who earlier fronted the Cardiff combo Young Marble Giants. Guitarist Simon Booth would subsequently form Working Week. Members: Alison Statton (bass, vocals), Simon Booth (guitar), Spike (guitar, viola) Weekend […]
Alkatraz were a Welsh funk-rock band of the mid-1970s fronted by ex-Quicksand guitarist Jimmy Davies alongside erstwhile Neutrons members. The band’s singular album, Doing a Moonlight, was released in 1976 on Rockfield Records. Members: Jimmy Davies (vocals, guitar), Stuart Halliday (drums), Jeff Singer (bass), Will Youatt (guitar, vocals) Discography: Doing a Moonlight (1976)
Bonnie Tyler (born June 8, 1951) is a Welsh pop/blue-eyed soul vocalist who has been active since the late 1970s. In 1977, she released her debut album The World Starts Tonight, which featured the U.K.-charting ballad “Lost in France.” The following year, “It’s a Heartache” from her sophomore effort Natural Force broke her in the […]
The Alarm are a Welsh anthem-rock band that was initially active for 10 years, starting in 1981. The band debuted with an eponymous EP on I.R.S. in 1983, followed by four albums for that label between 1984 and 1989. Guitarist/vocalist Mike Peters reactivated the nameplate in the 21st century. Members: Mike Peters (lead vocals, guitar), […]
Aquila were a Welsh sax-rock band that issued a self-titled album on RCA Victor in 1970. The band included several players with documented beat and psych backgrounds, most notably guitarist/vocalist Ralph Denyer, who played with Blonde on Blonde on their 1969 album Contrasts. Members: Ralph Denyer (vocals, guitar), Phil Childs (bass, piano), George Lee (flute, […]
Brân were a Welsh art-rock/folk combo that was active during the mid-to-late 1970s. The band debuted with a 1974 EP on their self-press Gwawr, followed by three albums between 1975 and 1978 on Sain. Members: John Gwyn (guitar, vocals), Nest Howells (vocals, keyboards), Gwyndaf Roberts (guitar), Dafydd Meirion (drums, flute), Louis Thomas (bass, guitar), Paul […]
Budgie were a Welsh hard-rock band that released 10 albums between 1971 and 1982 on MCA, A&M, and RCA Victor. The one constant member throughout that time was bassist/vocalist Burke Shelley, who resurrected the nameplate in the 21st century. Members: Burke Shelley (lead vocals, bass), Tony Bourge (guitar, 1967-78), Ray Phillips (drums, 1967-73), Pete Boot […]
Julian Cope (Oct. 21, 1957) is a Welsh vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter who first emerged as the frontman of Liverpudlian NuRo-psychsters The Teardrop Explodes. The band released two albums and assorted shortplayers between 1979 and 1982. Cope launched his solo career with the 1983 EP Sunshine Playroom on Mercury. Four albums would follow between 1984 […]
