Datblygu30

7th April 2012

The influential band Datblygu is 30 years old. To celebrate this anniversary the Waffle Coffee Shop (63 Clive Road in Canton, Cardiff) has put up an exhibition of personal memorabilia donated by the band's two main members, Pat Morgan and David R. Edwards.

Victoria Morgan of the Waffle Shop, and sister to Pat, said "It's a bit of a 'home made' exhibition, but then that's what Datblygu were all about".

A Welsh language band, who took to a microphone and tape recorder in the bedroom back in 1982, Datblygu were played on John Peel's Radio 1 show before they were played on Radio Cymru. Appreciation of their music has always had an international following alongside the 'homegrown' Welsh fans. Sarah Datblygu from New York, for instance, has had her name officially changed in honour of the band. Other bands have covered the work of Datblygu too; a particularly good version of 'Y Teimlad' (The Feeling) appears on the Super Furry Animals album, Mwng.

Datblygu first appeared on the Recordiau Anhrefn compilation albums, releasing the e.p. 'Caserol Efeilliad' on the Anhrefn label too. Later Datblygu released the albums Pyst, Wyau and Libertino on the Ankst label. Often sublime, sometimes difficult to listen to, but always right, Datblygu made beautiful music, they also made ugly music, they looked at life and told it how it is. All in all a truly timeless (and very important) body of work.

Let's all go and have a waffle and appreciate 30 years of a very good thing! Datblygu are a phenomenon to develop from a small nation, as brilliant as Wales producing fantastic Grand Slam rugby teams. Datblygu demonstrates that we can achieve originality in a creative medium and they make you proud to be Welsh.

"Waffles, Clive Rd, Cardiff serves great waffles but also small exhibition re Datblygu - seminal Welsh rock act - like The Fall but better". Recent tweet from author and broadcaster Jon Gower.

See the last time Dave and Pat were in the studio by clicking HERE

Photograph of David R. Edwards picnicking in Cardigan Cemetery and at Rhyw Dydd, Un Dydd back in the day by Pete Telfer.

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