Delighted to meet a hero who has inspired so many...

Apr 25 2008 by Huw Stephens, Western Mail

THERE are some bands who form, play some gigs, release some records and go on to rather unglamorously disband.

Some, however, go on to inspire many more bands to create music, such as Datblygu.

In English, the name means “develop” and band members David R Edwards and Pat Morgan are now back with a new single on the ankstmusik label, some 13 years after their fans thought they weren’t going to record anymore.

Can y Mynach Modern (The Modern Monk’s Song) is a new single that will be out soon. It is preceded with a collection of John Peel session tracks which the band recorded for their biggest and most famous fan, who was intrigued and excited by the music they created.

Peel might not have understand the lyrics, but he understood the importance and the impact of the music.

The collection of five Maida Vale sessions Datblygu recorded is a good an introduction as any to the band who, thanks to Peel and the ankst label, gained fans around the world.

Recently I interviewed Dave in his home in Aberteifi for S4C’s Bandit, which will be aired on next week’s show. As a fan, it was great to meet him. He remains a fan of music old and new and he enthused about his favourite bands of all time, from The Fall and Joy Division to new Welsh bands who still see Datblygu as the most uncompromising, trend-ignoring band in Wales.

The truth is they were, and are, a one-off. When Super Furry Animals recorded their own version of one of Datblygu’s earliest songs, Y Teimlad, for their Mwng album, they introduced a new audience to this cult band. That’s what this collection of Peel sessions will do too. There’s a special event tonight at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth when films made about Datblygu, past and present, will be shown.

There are a lot of interesting gigs coming soon. Acid Mother’s Temple headline a night of new music from Japan at The Point in Cardiff next Monday and The Automatic are at the same venue on Tuesday.

The wonderful Radio Luxembourg play Hendre Hall in Talybont, Bangor tomorrow night, while the dynamic duo Dan le Sac vs Scroobious Pip play the Barfly in Cardiff next Tuesday.