Preview

A native of Solva in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, Meic Stevens has been an integral part of the Welsh music scene since the beginning of the 1960s. Although he began performing in English, he was spotted as a Welsh performer at an early age when he appeared on an early TV pop programme.

He is a gifted singer/songwriter and guitarist, and performs as a soloist as brilliantly as with his band. He was a member of a group called Y Bara Menyn (Bread And Butter) with Geraint Jarman and Heather Jones, and also sang with a backing band called The Cadillacs.

When Sain Recordings was formed in 1969, Meic produced their first ever EP - Dwr by one of the label's founders, Huw Jones. Meic also went to London to produce another EP for Huw, which included Paid Digalonni (Dont Despair), a song written for Dafydd Iwan whilst in Cardiff prison.

Soon after, Meic recorded his first EP with Sain, although he had previously recorded in English on other labels. His first single was released in 1972, and included the irresistably catchy Y Brawd Houdini (The Brother Houdini), which later became a live favourite for Super Furry Animals. Meic's second single followed some months later, and included the old time favourite Diolch Yn Fawr.

Over the years he's recorded many albums, most notably on Sain and its sister label Crai. For a time he lived in Britanny, influenced by the lifestyle, music, food and wine of the region. But he returned to Wales, and now lives with his children in Cardiff.

In 2002, coinciding with Meic's 60th birthday, Sain released Disgwyl Rhywbeth Gwell I Ddod, a triple CD anthology of his songs recorded between 1968 and 1979. There is also a forthcoming album featuring Welsh artists singing his classic songs. Artists contributing include Big Leaves, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. Anhrefn and Dafydd Iwan. To cap a great year for Meic, his new album, Solva, was released to great acclaim.

Meic Stevens: the Welsh Bob Dylan? Many wouldn't disagree.

Review

A Meic Stevens gig departs from the norm in a number of ways - not least culturally and sociologically. It was plain that, a handfull of adventurous Cambria Arts members aside, the vast majority of the gratifyingly substantial audience were regular followers of Meic, many from as far afield as North Wales, for whom a pilgrimage to an evening with the great veteran Welsh folk/rock legend is as much to do with the crack (old meaning) as the music. That means, you stick close to the bar, get what's commonly known as 'tidy', and converse at high volume, breaking off occasionally to applaud the opening bars of an old familiar song before resuming the thrust and parry of verbal intercourse (Oo-er, missus). Nothing wrong with that, but it meant that those for whom the music takes priority occupied the front and side of the room, absorbing what was by common consent an evening of the notoriously mercurial Meic on near-top form.

Stevens is supported by a band that also breaches convention. Long-term drummer Marc Williams and recent bass recruit Marc (surname mislaid) don't have an easy task: set-lists are unknown to Meic, and it's only when the boss, seated four-square centre-stage, hunched in shades and hat, strums or picks the opening of a song on his acoustic guitar that its identity becomes known. Heather Jones, Meic's favourite collaborator of over 30 years' standing, hovers stage-left in her cosy leather overcoat (April can be treacherous ...), and adds crystalline vocal harmonies and obbligatos to Meic's weathered tones. Instrumental interest derives mainly from the manic Billy Thompson, whose exuberance and virtuosity on electric violin echoes the mighty David Lindley, or It's A Beautiful Day's David La Flamme, all shredded bows and flying tresses - a stunning player, by any standards.

For the aficionados, all the Stevens classics were featured in two lengthy sets, from the political polemic of 'Bobby Sands' to the pastoral 'Dreams of Solva', the deftly picked 'Dic Penderyn' to the hook-laden 'Rue St Michel' and 'Dwi Eisiau Dawnsio'. By the second set, and with a couple of bottles of wine down the hatch, Meic was ready to rock, and served up a chaotic medley, including 'Great Balls of Fire', 'What'd I Say', the Welsh national anthem, something called 'Mashed Bananas and Carrots', and a thrash reprise of 'Dic Penderyn', to bring matters to an exuberant conclusion.

Meic's reputation as 'a hell of a boy' precedes him always, but we found him to be unfailingly charming and affable. He and his cohorts clearly had a great time at the Talbot, which continued later at the New Inn in Llandewi, where they stayed the night ... Meic picked exemplary blues tunes in return for countless port'n'brandies, while the bass-player somehow survived a spectacular life-threatening fall from the height of his bar-stool, and the good times rolled until 4.30 a.m., at which point Meic opted for an early night. The stuff of legend.