Racing Cars were a Welsh roots rock band that released three albums on Chrysalis between 1976 and 1978: Downtown Tonight, Weekend Rendezvous, and Bring On the Night. They scored a 1977 UK Top 20 hit with the rustic ballad “They Shoot Horses Don’t They?” The band was led by ex-Ancient Grease frontman Gareth “Morty” Mortimer. […]
Eyes of Blue were a Welsh psych-rock-soul band that released two singles as “The Eyes of Blue” on Deram, followed by the 1968/69 Mercury albums Crossroads of Time and In Fields of Ardath. A name-change to Big Sleep produced the 1971 Pegasus release Bluebell Wood. Keyboardist Phil Ryan became an on/off member of Man and its […]
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 was a Welsh symphonic/hard-rock band that issued a 1970 standalone single and the 1973 Dawn release Home Is Where I Belong. Guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Davies reappeared in the Rockfield one-off Alkatraz. Members: Jimmy Davies (guitar, vocals), Anthony Stone (drums, vocals), Will Youatt (bass, 1969-?), Phil Davies (bass, vocals), Robert Collins (keyboards, vocals) Background Quicksand formed […]
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 […]
