´óÏó´«Ã½

Cardiff's Jonathan Powell, boyfriend and songwriting collaborator of Charlotte Church, has his new single The Love Song (I Never Wrote You) A-listed at Radio Wales this week.

Jonathan Powell

You can catch Powell performing live on The Evening Show with Alan Thompson tonight from 7.30pm.

Powell, 23, released his début album, Forgive This Day, in 2009 on Still Small Voice Records. While his solo work attracted some fans, it was his burgeoning relationship with Church that has brought him to the public's attention. He co-wrote and recorded some of the tracks on Church's latest solo album, Back To Scratch.

Powell's music is an amalgam of modern folk, country, punk, jazz and pop. He also has a strong classical background, having studied the viola at the Royal Academy of Music, London from the age of 16. He has performed at festivals including Beach Break Live, Green Man, Midem and he will perform at later this year where he will be promoting his second album The Flight & Other Stories.

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For one week, the very special Radio 2 Manic Street Preachers live Blackwood hometown gig is available to listen again.

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Despite playing an absolute blinder at last night's Radio 2 Homecoming show from Blackwood, Manic Street Preachers' Nicky Wire has talked of his nerves as they took to the stage.

Bassist Wire described the moments before going on stage wearing his old school tie as "sheer terror. Hometown gigs are always really fraught but this one in particular was kind of emotional and kind of resonated deeply in us all," he said.

Listen to fans talk about the gig:

And you can also browse pictures of the day.

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This Sunday (30 January) Tom Jones is interviewed and performs live tracks for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Scotland's Celtic Connections programme.

Watch Tom Jones performing Didn't It Rain live at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, a taster for the programme which airs at 11pm:

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North Wales' beach sports and music festival Wakestock has announced its first raft of artists, with Biffy Clyro, The Wombats, Ellie Goulding and Example taking centre stage.

Biffy Clyro

Wakestock is held each year at Abersoch near Pwllheli in Gwynedd. First held in 2000 in an overflow car park in Abersoch for 650 people, it has grown to a 25,000-capacity music and watersports festival that's able attract some of the UK's highest-profile acts.

Event Director Stuart Galbraith said: "We are really pleased with how the line up is coming together and are sure that it will be the strongest yet with Brit award nominees and previous Brit winners. The Wombats are a great addition to headline the Sunday night."

Other artists known so far are Danny Bird, DJ Fresh and Jaguar Skills. More line up details will be published as they become available on the

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This chat is now closed. Many thanks to everyone who joined us.

Join us from 7.30pm tonight for a livechat to discuss Manic Street Preachers' special homecoming show from Blackwood. Watch the live stream from 9pm.

• The live stream is only available in the UK for bandwidth reasons. You will be able to watch the whole programme on iPlayer later
• This livechat is moderated according to ´óÏó´«Ã½ Terms
• Please note that due to the number of contributions, we may not be able to publish every comment we receive
• You need Javascript and Flash enabled to watch the live stream. If the live stream stops, or is slow, try refreshing your browser window. If you cannot see the live stream, or are experiencing problems please refer to the pages

This stream is now finished. Radio 2 has a range of highlights from the day.You can also join us for an exclusive livechat before and during the gig from 7.30pm.

• This live stream is only available in the UK for bandwidth reasons. You will be able to watch the whole programme on ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPlayer later
• The livechat is moderated according to ´óÏó´«Ã½ Terms
• You need Javascript and Flash enabled to watch the live stream. If the live stream stops, or is slow, try refreshing your browser window. If you cannot see the live stream, or are experiencing problems please refer to the pages

Highlights from the concert, plus behind-the-scenes footage of the band (on the walkabout with Jo Whiley around Blackwood and doing a question and answer session about their song-writing and career to date) can be watched by pressing the red button from any ´óÏó´«Ã½ TV channel from 10pm on Friday evening.

The incredibly influential American magazine has made The Joy Formidable its .

The magazine says of the north Wales trio: "Loud, tuneful Nineties alt-rock. Though [singer Ritzy] Bryan says the group draw their inspiration from a wide range of music, the songs on their debut album The Big Roar (released yesterday in the U.K.; out March 15 in the U.S.) mostly recall that time in the mid-Nineties when female-fronted bands such as Hole, PJ Harvey, Veruca Salt and Elastica had a major presence on rock radio."

You can watch a video with Ritzy and Rhydian on this blog now.

This week's spiel will be brief, because it's all about the music, innit? So, here is three hours of amazing music; if you hear better, please send it to me:

Adam Walton
´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Wales
Library and Arts Centre
Rhosddu Road
Wrxham
LL11 1AU

Or, mp3s/download links to: themysterytour@gmail.com

Many thanks/diolch yn fawr,

Adam x

(Rossett) Living

IFAN DAFYDD (Llanrug) Treehouse

(Cardiff) The Rapture

GOODTIME BOYS (Cardiff) Sabretooth, Mammoth

(Pembrokeshire) Wich Is Wich

(Llanfair P.G.) Miracle Girl

(Wrexham/L.A.) Psyche Or Like Scope

(Wrexham) Gusto

CAMERA (Wrexham) Hurt (7")

MONEYMAKING BROTHERS (Cardiff) Smile

(Cardiff) Loophole

(Cardiff) Enguelades

(Bethesda/Cardiff) Follow The Sunflower Trail (theme Tune For A National Strike)

(Pembrokeshire) Hung, Drawn And Quartered

(Milford Haven) My First Love

(Cardiff) One Of You Again

(Deeside) Death In Disco Shoes

BURNHAM BURNHAM (Bangor) Spirepoint

(Caernarfon) Bored Of Depression (kim De Bills Remix)

(Mold) The Magnifying Glass (radio Edit)

(Llanberis) Resonate

(Llanwrtyd) Headnoizz

(Port Talbot) Cat Burglar

(Aberystwyth) Ocean

(London) Georgia

(Bethesda/Cardiff) Sensations In The Dark

(Congo) Kioo Cha Nyumba

(Llyn Peninsula) Nansi

PALAROC (Ruthin) Gynnai Ofn

(Cardiff) Boomzoom (place Your Hands)

(Swansea) You Always Start It

(Cardiff) Whatever Makes You Feel Happy

(Pembrokeshire) I Love The Living You

13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS (Austin) Reverberation (doubt)

(Swansea) Blood (album Version)

(Milford Haven) Come

(Holyhead) Monkey

(Bridgend) Scenery

(Wrexham) The Master

MARION I Go To Sleep

(Milford Haven) Days We Made

IFAN DAFYDD (Llanrug) Chop In Out

(Swansea) Maybe Someday

The Warwick Hall Of Sound studio in Cardiff, home of FF Vinyl and Probation Management in the last decade, is being revamped and relaunched by two long-standing local music personalities.

When it became clear that the facility could no longer be kept afloat by its former management, photographer Jon Pountney and marketing expert Kevin Jackson, who had been tenants above the studio, decided to take it over.

This Friday the pair will reopen the studio as a creative hub called Cardiff Music Studios, with an atmosphere inspired by the Factory facility run by in the 1960s.

Talking to , Jackson said: "The place was left like a tomb - you could see great things had happened here, but it had been left in a stasis. I knew it existed but didn't know the extent to which it had been neglected.

"The people at Warwick Hall said they started with enthusiasm and drive, but it had fallen by the wayside over time. We are feeling that same energy now and motivation but we are very realistic about the task ahead and the resources we've put into it.

"We wanted to return to how it was in its heyday. Hit records have been made here."

The pair have been joined by local musician John Davies who will be the on-site sound engineer.

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The Blackout's latest single, Ambition Is Critical, was given its premiere last night on Daniel P Carter's Radio 1 Rock Show and was immediately made available as a free download on the .

The Blackout

The anthemic tune is the first single to be taken from Hope, The Blackout's third album. Hope is being self-released following the band's one-album deal with the Epitaph label, and has been part-funded through the scheme of revenue generation.

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A few months ago I was at a gig in London and picked up free mag, Loud And Quiet. While reading it I nearly fell off my chair when a familiar face was beaming back at me. Anika, a friend from Cardiff, was looking fabulous and mysterious, and had made the jump from promoter to singer. I thought I'd find out a bit more about it from her, and see what plans she has with the music this year.

Anika, tell me how this whole project started. Why did you decide to start recording music?

I've been writing lyrics since I was about 14. During my time as a promoter in Cardiff I began to teach myself guitar, in an attempt to put some kind of structure to the poetical ramblings. I used to work very long and unsociable hours and so writing was the only way for me to unwind a little and retain any scrap of sanity. I don't think I really slept in that entire year.

It was around this time that I decided to quit the music industry for good. Then I got a call from a friend in Bristol saying that his mate's band were looking for a singer. This bloke phoned but I was in a meeting so told him to ring back. Luckily he did.

I left work early one day, took a train to Bristol and walked into a room full of bearded men. We didn't really say much to each other and then they started playing. I fished out a stack of crumpled political ramblings and murder mystery stories. Desperately trying not to sound like a mock Patti Smith, I over-pronounced every word, resulting in a curious amalgam of Welsh and Freudian German. I subsequently quit my job and moved to Bristol...

We first met when you were promoting at the Buffalo Bar in Cardiff. You've done quite a few colourful jobs in the past before launching this musical career - did they help you get an idea about the industry?

Definitely. I've worked quite a number of the grimy music industry back-alleys over the years, which has given me a pretty good insight to how it works. I'm more of a behind-the-scenes type and so at first it was odd doing something where I'd be fronting it. I dealt with it by not really thinking about it.

My first ever performance was a cameo at 's Release The Bats show at the Forum [London, 30 October 2010] with Liquid Liquid. Not a bad debut. I just tend to snap out of reality and enter where I go when I write songs. I think DJing in Cardiff helped me combat any form of stage nerves too.

I noticed that you've confirmed for the ATP with Portishead in May. Are any other summer festivals confirmed?

Yes we're playing quite a few all over Europe, the US and in the process of confirming UK ones. Check the for updates, as I can't reveal things yet...

How have the gigs gone so far? Where have you played, and what's been memorable?

They've been really enjoyable actually. I find it a really satisfying release and it's good doing something that will challenge people. One thing that used to annoy me when I booked bands was how little risks people take these days. Crowds like bands to stick to a formula and so do the agents, labels and press, so I decided to confuse people.

It's had some interesting responses. Some people really passionately hate it, which is equally rewarding. It's better than people saying "oh that's nice", while doing the washing up. It's nice to remind people that music can be political and have different uses too.

Memorable-wise, I'd say the fact that in July I will play with PJ Harvey, Beth Gibbons and Nick Cave. Still can't quite get my head around that one.

When will you be playing your first show in Wales?

I'm not sure yet. When somebody emails me to. It would be nice seeing as I wrote a lot of the stuff while living in Cardiff.

What's the release schedule? Do you have an album ready to go?

Well the album was released at the end of last year but because it came out of nowhere, a lot of press are only reviewing it now, like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. We're planning a single release in April.

What's been the most scary/exhilarating thing about becoming a pop star?

Scary is the fact that I had to put the politics on hold for a bit longer. I moved to Berlin after getting a job as a political journalist and was planning on a move to Brussels to work in policy development. Then the album started to get a bit of attention and I had to make a serious decision as to whether to give it a chance or not, which is what I ended up doing. Politics needs more people with life experience, so hopefully they will let me back in in a few years.

Are you still Berlin-based? I've heard the city has such a vibrant music scene. Who are the other artists from Berlin we should check out?

I've just moved back to Bristol for rehearsals but will be moving back to London next month. I miss Berlin so much though and would move back if I got a chance to. The news network I worked for there offered me an amazing job/promotion a few weeks ago and I had to turn it down. I felt like banging my head against a wall.

The scene there is mental. The place is just so liberating and people find any excuse to put on music anywhere and often for free. Vans will just screech past, slam on the breaks, two guys will jump out and remove some decks from the boot and start DJing in the middle of wherever. I mainly listened to punk, hip-hop and techno. A good combination!

Next month sees the long-awaited live return to London of one the UK indie scene's best-kept secrets. Eighteen years after they last played in the capital, The Pooh Sticks will play the Bush Hall on the opening night of .

Hue Pooh

Singer Hue Pooh told us: "Thinking about it now, London was always important to us as a live band as we were never a prolific touring outfit. We preferred to record and release material be it in Wales or Holland.

"Consequently we played more shows in London than any other city. We only ever played one official headline show in Wales and never played a public gig in our hometown of Swansea. Not only will this be our first London gig in 18 years but also our first club show in 18 years and our first club show with Amelia Fletcher since New York in '92. In March we are off to Berlin for our first ever concert in mainland Europe. I hope Norris McWhirter can keep up with us."

The Pooh Sticks were one of the leading of the and 'tweecore' scenes in the late '80s and early '90s. Their three albums, On Tape, The Great White Wonder and Million Seller, made them highly influential in the international indie music scene.

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As north Wales' superb indie trio The Joy Formidable release their début album, The Big Roar, here's a round-up of what the ´óÏó´«Ã½ has to offer.

The Joy Formidable

Firstly, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Music journeyed to the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s legendary Maida Vale studios in London to interview Ritzy and Rhydian. They were in the middle of a busy day recording sessions for various ´óÏó´«Ã½ radio presenters who have fallen head-over-heels for the band's epic but hard-rocking psych-indie.

Watch our interview with Ritzy and Rhydian as they talk about the album and what makes them tick:

Until this Wednesday (26 January) you can listen to Zane Lowe's live session with The Joy Formidable.

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One of the biggest names in the operatic world, New Zealand soprano Dame Kiri te Kanawa, becomes the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cardiff Singer of the World competition's second patron following the death of Dame Joan Sutherland last year.

She will also serve on the jury for the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cardiff Singer of the World competition in June 2011.

Dame Kiri te Kanawa

Dame Kiri's passion for nurturing new operatic talent is well known, with her own foundation and as artistic director of the Solti te Kanawa Accademia di Bel Canto.

She said: "The event is of great significance to the opera world, giving young talented singers the opportunity to perform in the beautiful St David's Hall in Cardiff, where they will be heard on ´óÏó´«Ã½ radio as well as viewed by millions on television.

"From my own early experiences of studying at the London Opera Centre, now the National Opera Studio, I understand how essential it is to be given such a unique opportunity as this at the outset of one's career.

"It is an occasion which will reveal the finest quality of singers and I am very pleased to be a part of this extraordinary competition."

Dame Kiri sits on the jury for the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cardiff Singer of the World for the first time, alongside tenor Dennis O'Neill and baritone HÃ¥kan HagegÃ¥rd, who have each served once before. Also joining them is the legendary mezzo, Marilyn Horne, making her fifth visit.

Marilyn Horne and Håkan Hagegård will also serve on the jury for the Song Prize, where they will be joined by the distinguished accompanist Bengt Forsberg.

Full details of the two juries, along with the names of the 20 singers competing in Cardiff, will follow in March.

Rachel Elias, the sister of Richey Edwards, the missing Manic Street Preachers lyricist and guitarist, spoke this week to Radio Wales' Jamie and Louise.

Richey Edwards. Photo: Dave Hardacre

In a very honest and open interview, she talked about her brother's disappearance, the feelings it engendered and the charity.

Listen again to Rachel's interview:

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Meic Stevens, the legendary Welsh folk singer and songwriter, has disclosed in an interview with ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Cymru that he is moving to Canada with a new partner he last saw 47 years ago.

Meic Stevens

He said he and the Canadian woman rekindled their relationship on the meal out, with the result that he is moving to Vancouver. ´óÏó´«Ã½ South West Wales reports that he is hoping to pursue his writing in Canada, with a novel about his Welsh childhood.

"Life changes when you live with somebody new and that's bound to create ideas - that's how I get ideas, by living.

"I don't sit down and think 'I'll write a song about this' - ideas come to me naturally. I can't put the guitar down, my love is still there."

Of his move to Canada he added: "I will always be Welsh and that will never be lost."

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Today we can confirm that ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Music is working with ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 2 on the Manic Street Preachers' homecoming show at Blackwood Miners Institute this coming Thursday (27 January).

Manic Street Preachers

The gig is going out live from the historic venue on Radio 2, but you can watch a live stream on this blog or the Radio 2 website.

If you're inclined to interact even further, we're running a live chat during the gig - so keep your eyes peeled for more information as to how to get involved. We'll be publishing regular updates on this blog over the next week.

• Gig details
• Programme details
• Manic Street Preachers on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Music
• Radio 2 website
• Radio 2 in concert series

This week's show features an incredible session from Cardiff's Saturday's Kids. Recorded live, it's the best representation yet of their organic power, somewhere at the bleeding edge of hardcore.

All of the songs ooze into each other and they haven't been separated for the sake of convenient airplay. We get one seething thirteen minute whole of their live set. It's massively impressive. It certainly whets the appetite for their forthcoming split 10" (with Kids Return) on Art For Blind/SNCL & Time As A Colour Records. They will be touring to support this release, all of the dates are listed on .

We're also joined by Huw (Pooh Stick) Williams, reminding us of the righteous, rock n' roll ire of Newport's Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers.

Lara Catrin translates some (beautiful) Trwbador. Ben Hayes is - literally - the Cream at the top of the programme. And 40+ pieces of the finest Welsh music it was possible for me to get your ears on.

Please send demos (as high quality .mp3s or download links) to: themysterytour@gmail.com

Or post CDs/vinyl to: Adam Walton, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Wales, Library & Arts Centre, Rhosddu Road, Wrexham LL11 1AU

Many thanks/diolch yn fawr iawn!

Adam

(Swansea label)
Ordinary Things

(Pembrokeshire)
Waiting Around For You

(Leicester/Barry)
Sakura Sakura

(Leicester/Mold)
Hey Hey Hot Legs

(Cardiff)
Mike?lowry

(Bridgend)
Be (featuring Jonas)

(Caernarfon)
Mad Hatter

(Gwynedd)
Undegsaith

(Cardiff)
Montgolfier

(Cardiff)
My Head Is A Vessel

(Cardiff)
And It Was You

CRAZY CAVAN & THE RHYTHM ROCKERS (Newport)
Bop Little Baby

(Cardiff)
Pangaea [ep]

(Llanfairfechan)
Preparez-vous

GARDENING (Llanfairfechan)
Space Driving

Come On Let's Go

(Cardiff)
To Whom It May Concern (tara Busch Remix)

(Cardiff)
Summer's Here

(Camarthen)
Hit The Bricks (radio edit)

(Wrexham)
M

(Cardiff)
Take You Higher

(Cardiff)
Grey On White (session version)

SATURDAY'S KIDS (Cardiff)
Unattainable (session version)

SATURDAY'S KIDS (Cardiff)
Theorem (session version)

(Wrexham)
Simplicity

(Bethesda)
Sensations In The Dark

(Newport)
Never Been In A Riot

(Newport)
Getting Used To Uselessness

(Newport)
Aids Rackets

(Aberystwyth)
Goodies And Baddies

(Mold)
Stephen Does Not Accept Union Berlin Ultras

(Mold)
Austere (single)

(Cardiff)
Bang Those Drums

(Newport)
Rip It Up

(Gwynedd)
Nid Teledu Oedd Y Bai

TRWBADOR (Camarthen)
Daw'r Nos Daw'r Haf

(Pembrokeshire)
Bread

(Swansea)
May He Who Is Without Shit Stars Wars Tattoos Cast The First Stone (radio Edit)

CREAM
Anyone For Tennis (the Savage Seven Theme)

(Gwynedd)
Undegchwech

(Cardiff/Bangor)
Quiescent Winds

Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Bradfield has told that the band were nervous approaching their "heroes" for turns on their latest album.

Manic Street Preachers

Of working with Ian McCulloch (Echo And The Bunnymen), Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses) and John Cale, James Dean Bradfield said: "It felt natural to get heroes on the record. We were so surprised those people agreed. It was like asking a girl at the school dance to get up with you.

"Ian McCulloch was the first person I saw live in 1985... John Cale was a massive inspiration when I was young. Back then we felt south Wales was a bit isolated but to see a Welshman go to New York and communicate to the world in the coolest band in the world was special. When I realised he was Welsh it made me realise it could be done. I had met John a few times and loved his solo work so I bit the bullet and rang him up, But we made sure they were musically relevant and not just used as names.

We very rarely cover battle-of-the-band type things on this blog, as by and large they're pointless endeavours with no lasting impact. However, there's a north Wales singer up for an award this weekend who may buck the trend.

Katie Benbow

The final takes place this Saturday at one of the venues at the O2 arena in London. Dyserth's Katie Benbow, 17, is in the running after making it through a series of regional and area heats.

Lori Foster, Press and Development Manager for Open Mic UK said: "It's a fantastic achievement to make it to the Grand Final and the best unsigned acts in the country are now getting set to perform at one of the best live music venues in the world - the O2 in London.

"They'll be showcasing their music to lots of industry representatives and the media which isn't something you get to do every day. There are some fantastic judges on board and a vast prize pool so it really is all to play for. I'm excited to see what the acts can do on the day."

Benbow and the other finalists are in the running for various prizes including a recording contract, national tours, studio time, master classes and a music video. The judges include Radio 1's Ras Kwame, soul singer Shola Ama, BMG's Michael King and none other than Another Level's Dane Bowers.

Pop singer Benbow said; "My song is called Possessed and it's about the peer pressure of drug taking, weight issues, drinking, sex and all the things teenagers are under pressure to do. I'm really excited about this weekend and feel really lucky to have got this far. I just hope I do well."

Talking to the 's Angela Brooks, she said: "[This] could be life-changing for me.

"My dancer Jordan is amazing and has helped to make my performance more dramatic. He produced the music for the song Possessed, which got me into the final.

This week's show is blessed by an exclusive three-song session from John Lawrence. John was a founder member of one of Wales' finest bands of all time, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. Now by any measure that's a fine legacy to have following you around but it's one that shouldn't obscure John's significant musical achievements since he left Gorky's in 1999.

Perhaps the best album he has ever been involved in was his last, the critically lauded (in the likes of The Guardian and Mojo) Rainy Night, an album of great heart, defiant spirit and questing musicality. Ensconced in his Snowdonia home John has surrounded himself with a range of instruments with which to paint himself a whole new album of beauty and heartache.

This session is an insight into that work in progress. I've no idea whether these songs will appear on his next album. They're bruised by some unnamed emotional upheaval, more naked and affecting in their hurt than anything on Bob Dylan or Richard Thompson's post-breakup albums.

The final song, She Chose, in particular, is brave and transcendent in equal measure - hauled along by the creaking sound of John's heart and his presence over the piano. Since the show went out on Sunday night I've received a truckload of emails and messages from people moved and bewitched by these recordings. Check them out while you still can.

Elsewhere, Gorky's former producer and sleeve artist Alan Holmes reminds us of Spoonidols, Ben Hayes does similarly for Tom Wilson, and I have a impressive range of new Welsh music to treat you to: from White Noise Sound's swirling, narcotic psychedelia to Chuggin Petrol's minimal but brilliant dubstep.

Demos / new releases / gig info and any other manner of communication should be sent to themysterytour@gmail.com or posted to:
Adam Walton,
´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Wales,
Library & Arts Centre,
Rhosddu Road,
Wrexham,
LL11 1AU

This coming Sunday night Saturday's Kids are in session. It's raw and phenomenal. Hopefully see you there.

(Monmouth / Camarthen)
Birds In Berlin

(Swansea)
Sunset (radio Edit)

(Gywnedd)
Deg

(Carmarthen)
City Surf

(Mold)
Austere (single)

(Snowdonia)
Hurt Me (session Track)

(Penpedairheol)
World Of Sex

(Cardiff)
Bad Vibrations

(Tonteg)
Mutation

(Prestatyn)
Faint

(Port Talbot)
Barry Island

(Barry)
No Drama Featuring Ralph Rip Shit

AND MR PHORMULA (Mold / Llanfrothen)
Standing

(Pembrokeshire)
Older

(Penarth)
Fell Into The River

(Cardiff)
O.l.l.

(Cardiff / Resolven)
Bitten By Wolves

(Cardiff)
Bitten By Wolves

(Cardiff / Bangor)
Beaster

(Cardiff)
Halfway House

(Deeside)
Death In Disco Shoes

(Snowdonia)
Painted Ladies (session Track)

(Pembrokeshire)
Candyfloss

SPOONIDOLS (Caernarfon)
The Kaleidoscope Man

(Newport label)
Strange (radio edit)

(Cardiff)
Stop It

(Caerphilly)
Winter Sun And Summer Snow

(Merthyr Rhymney)
Sucking Life Dry

(Bangor)
Token

(Rhyl)
The Waltzer Song

(Cardiff)
Here Come The Robots

FEATURING TOM WILLIAMS & OSIAN JONES (Llanberis)
Freefall

(Wrexham)
The Race

(Rhyl label)
Daydreamer

(Swansea)
Don't Tread On Us

(Pembrokeshire)
... And There You Go

(Barry)
Bevan

(Llangefni / Bala)
Tone

(Caerphilly)
Teeth Rattling Bone Shaker

(Snowdonia)
She Chose (session Track)

(Swansea)
Y Fwynlan O Serch

The Blackout have announced the name of their forthcoming third album.

The Blackout

Hope is the title, and according to the band, it will feature a darker flavour than We Are The Dynamite! and The Best In Town. Speaking to magazine, vocalist Sean Smith said: "The album title is a bit of a double entendre. There's the wide-eyed hope and the negative, almost desperate meaning of the word, too.

"The word [Hope] appeared a lot in the lyrics. [The songs] are a little darker than the ones on The Best In Town.

"Since we released that album, we've gone through lots of things that have shaped us. It's about our relationships and us growing up."

Meanwhile, co-vocalist Gavin Butler told : "We've made these songs as big as possible and with The Blackout that's always been our main focus.

"There's a lot of lyrical content about not caring what other people think and about doing what we love. There wasn't ever a part when we thought, 'We can't put that in!' because fans would think it was too pop or it would be too heavy for radio; you've got to keep the Bon Jovi vibe up but it's still got that Slipknot streak in it somewhere!"

The album has been produced by ex-A man Jason Perry and is released in April. It was part-funded by fans' donations through the scheme, like fellow Welsh rockers Funeral For A Friend whose own forthcoming record is out in March.

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Despite a warmly-received début album, Marina And The Diamonds' Marina Diamandis has described herself a "a failure" and lambasted her American record label in an interview with Australian radio station .

Marina And The Diamonds

Of 2010, she said: "It has been a big year but I feel more like a failure than a success. I haven't done anything I wanted to. For someone who wants to be one of the best artists of her generation I've done [nothing].

"The Americans, I absolutely adore my fanbase there, but it has been built purely on me and my online presence," she said. "The label [Chop Shop] haven't really promoted me I'm afraid. It's very difficult. It's not really the label's fault. The pop landscape there is so difficult to penetrate and as you go into this dance world now; dance music was quite underground for a long time in America but now because of [Lady] Gaga and people like that it has been brought back. You need to be in that pumping beats area and I am certainly not.

"I feel pissed off I'm not bigger."

Marina is currently working on the follow-up to The Family Jewels.

Veteran bands from the 1950s, 60s and 70s are being asked to reform by organisers of an arts festival, to recreate the sights and sounds of time past.

The Gwanwyn Festival, held across Wales throughout May, is run by the charity. Organiser Phil Thomas told ´óÏó´«Ã½ News: "We're not necessarily talking about the big names, but perhaps the less well-known bands that were so much a part of the way our older people grew up in Wales.

"We want these bands to blow the dust off those old instruments and show the world they've still got what it takes.

"We need music fans from across Wales to encourage some of the groups and bands from the early days of rock 'n' roll to get together again for one night only."

If you are a music fan or musician and would like to be a part of Together Again - For One Night Only, contact the Gwanwyn Festival team on 02920 431555 before 28 February 2011.

This morning I have read two separate articles bemoaning the lack of rock success in 2010, with one in The Guardian analysing in the charts and in sales, and one in the NME asking .

A lot of facts and figures are bandied about: looking at the 100 best-selling singles of 2010, The Guardian tells us that just three of them are 'rock' - down from 13 in 2009, and far behind the likes of hip hop, R&B and pop.

Paul Gambaccini, broadcasting veteran and music nerd, has declared rock to be dead, consigned to the musical mausoleum alongside jazz. He points to short-termist profit-chasing in the X Factor world, with a lack of investment from labels.

Also, there's the worry that big-ticket rock draws are all heading towards retirement age, with a report by Deloitte saying that eight of the 20 highest-grossing live acts in the US in 2010 will have frontmen over 60 next year. All of which has promoters and labels in a tizz as their cash cows begin to look frail.

Meanwhile, the NME puts readers' questions to the head of Radio 1, George Ergatoudis, and of course its self-selecting audience probed him about the lack of rock and indie on the station's schedules. In an answer to a question asking why rock and indie is 'banished' to the small hours of the morning, Ergatoudis replied: "Alternative music is very much part of the daytime Radio 1 mix and it always will be, but... there is a music cycle and right now the appeal of guitar driven indie/alternative music is at a low point amongst young audiences in the UK. But don't worry, in time the cycle will shift again."

Ergatoudis is right, and he's backed up by the Martin Talbot of the Official Charts Company who said to The Guardian: "Most interesting and challenging rock music comes out of periods of austerity. Maybe Tory governments make for more challenging rock music - and now we have one."

It would be a nonsense to suggest that there aren't challenges ahead for the world of rock, indie and alternative music, not least from falling record sales, filesharing and so on, but teeth-gnashing as to the paucity of great, new bands is short-sighted.

I remember in the late-1990s that rock was declared dead and that dance music was the big thing, crushing all before it. When sales of record decks outstripped sales of guitars, the press went nuts and declared that the end of the world was nigh, everyone would be popping pills before work and wearing day-glo clothes to the office. Of course, it didn't, and the cycle of music churned around again, driven by the likes of The Strokes, Queens Of The Stone Age and Muse. Sales of guitars rose once more and the culture commentators of broadsheet newspapers were happy again.

Martin Talbot has a point: in the 1980s pop massively outstripped rock sales, at least in terms of singles. With Stock, Aitken and Waterman spitting out pop cheese for Kylie, Rick Astley and Bananrama. Lest we forget, 1989's biggest-selling album was SAW's Jason Donovan with Ten Good Reasons. Then along came Madchester, baggie, grunge and eventually Britpop. Indie music made the 6 O'Clock News.

Fifteen years earlier, the charts were dominated by disco and cheese. There were some classics, but most of it was awful. Most would say that punk lit the fuse, but the sales for rock music really started racking up in the first few years of Thatcher's government, with The Clash, The Police and Blondie. Then of course the 1980s got all shiny and things got a lot more 'pop' again.

If great, angry alternative music is borne out economic hardship, as Talbot suggests, maybe we won't have that long to wait. The demographic waiting for something new and exciting, with something intelligent to say, never goes away, as the questions to Ergatoudis in the NME show. No, bands will never sell as much as they did in the 1990s, not with the digital world as it is, but things will swing back again as they always do.

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Singer Charlotte Church has issued a contrite apology after calling the Queen "an old woman [who] has no idea what's going on".

Charlotte Church

In an interview with Esquire magazine, Church - promoting her second pop album Back To Scratch - said: "I've met [the Queen] about seven times and she never remembers me. When you get close to her you realise she's an old woman ... I feel really sorry for her. She probably doesn't want to be wheeled out at every Royal Variety Performance to watch scantily clad dancers and shitty comedians."

After an outcry from media and even Cardiff North MP Jonathan Evans, Church released a statement saying "I am deeply sorry if my comments about Her Majesty the Queen caused offence. I am honoured to have met her and have an enormous amount of respect for her and what she does.

"After seeing those words in print, I realised how foolish I was to make such flippant remarks to a journalist," she said.

Manic Street Preachers' frontman James Dean Bradfield has launched a broadside into the current state of indie music in the UK, characterising new bands as "gap year music".

James Dean Bradfield

In an interview with Scotland's , Bradfield said that he thought of most new indie music as being something people do as a hobby break before returning to conventional jobs.

"I think it is still easy to fall in love with a record but it's not so easy to fall in love with a band," he said. "I don't look at a band now and think that it is going to be amazing... I don't see a story unfolding with bands because it is gap year music. It seems like somebody has said, 'I think I'll do an album then my dad will give me a job in the accountancy firm'.

"I was looking at the Top 40 and it's like the indie wars never happened. It's as if Manchester, Seattle and Britpop never existed. Britpop meant guitar bands were in the top five every week. For a guitar band to be in the Top 40 now is a rare thing. It's all pop music. It is really depressing."

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Welsh musical stars Katherine Jenkins and Paul Potts are named in a list of top charity fundraisers by the website.

Katherine Jenkins

Potts raised over £13,000 for , while Jenkins raised more than £5,000 for , of which she is patron.

JustGiving.com's managing director Anne-Marie Huby said: "Over the past 10 years, our fundraising community has done some amazing and even crazy things in the name of charity. We're delighted to support their efforts."

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After 10 years presenting Radio 1's Introducing In Wales, Bethan Elfyn has now handed the reins to Jen Long, whose first show is this Monday at midnight.

Jen Long

On the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Introducing blog, Jen expresses her excitement at taking over from Bethan, who formed part of her own musical education: "It feels strange, to say the least. I've been working on Bethan's show for the last three years making notes, tea, and suggesting hilarious features - Beth From Above, Beth Becomes Her - that strangely never made it to fruition. I was pretty chuffed when I first got that job; I used to listen to Bethan and Huw back in the old days, dancing around my tiny student bedroom."

She also talks about her top tips for 2011 and her musical milestones. Concluding, she says in answer to the question as to what her first album was: "I don't remember. I remember trying to buy Take That and Party but it was £8 on cassette in Woolworths and my mum said it was too much and I wasn't allowed. I suppose my entire career is just an effort to recover from that particular childhood atrocity."

Get to know Jen better on Radio 1 from midnight this coming Monday.

Abergavenny singer came into Radio Wales this morning to talk to Jamie and Louise on the eve of her appearance at the .

Sara Kempe

She'll be singing the Welsh National Anthem at Wales' premier horse race. But it wasn't just that subject that Jamie Owen wanted to know about as he fished for gossip about Aled Jones. Meanwhile, Louise tried Sara's vocal exercises to loosen the larynx.

Listen to the interview here:

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In part two of my guide to what's happening in the year ahead, I asked a whole bunch of friends and music industry colleagues for their predictions, tips and any music they were particularly excited about this year.

Here's what they said.

Huw Stephens, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio One

A Happy New Year to you! I'm looking forward to hearing what Carmarthen band will be doing in 2011. They're a duo who I saw play at the Swn Festival and they have something special going on; an intricate, downbeat melodious sound which reminds me of earl-90's lo-fi bands like Gorky's. From Neath, I hope continue to make good music. Their recent single was a belter, and I think they, along with , should be tickling the right spots when it comes to dance-influenced rock. The Welsh electronic scene is on it; listen out for drum'n'bass genius Rockwell and electro whizz-kid

, music plugger and blogger

"For pure party power, Cardiff's should make a break through beyond Wales - loved every song they did in 2010. 's second album was one of the best and heaviest releases of 2010, so looking forward to hearing more. I would be shocked if 's debut album didn't have lots of great songs on it in 2011. Hip hop wise, Mudmowth And Metabeats new EP will be awesome if the lead track Maad Tight is anything to go by and are due to release their next album.

"Finally, I expect and/or Tiger Please to probably be the next big bands out of Wales."

Kaptin, DJ and Blogger on

"Astroid Boys have got alot of people talking this year and with a tight live show and a fresh sound that mixes up the dubstep and grime but with a straight up old Skool hip-hop party mentality I think we're going to see some great things from them this year.

" finished the year with a single on Starkey's Slit Jockey label and I know he has more releases lined up for them as well as an album dropping on Rag & Bone, plus more tracks with artists like Basnectar. So think we're going to see him go from strength to strength. His long term partner in crime Monky has to get his dues this year because he is making some seriously exciting music.

"It will be interesting to see how the line up change of CRST from Rodski to Raj Clart (aka Don Leisure aka Jamal) goes down. I've got no doubt those boys are going to lock down the whole game this year. In the meantime Rodski in his new guise of Ratcatcher has already started to make waves on a solo tip and has some stunning house releases lined up. 2010 saw 'Cardiff' nights in Amsterdam and Manchester and I think more cities will start to recognise that there's a great scene brewing here in south Wales generally.

" had a great year and although he seemed to go rather quiet near the end, his 10 Thousand Yen label releases continued to fly off the record shop shelves. Last year felt like everybody in Cardiff was marking out the territory and showing what we can do, this year it's time to go into battle and make sure the world can't help but acknowledge it. Lots of new faces popped up too such as Esoterra, Exotope and STD, I think we'll definitely hear a lot more from them this year."

Romesh Dodangoda, producer, Longwave studios

"Well, without being biased [he is a little interested - Beth], I am sensing great things for . The industry is really loving them and it seems the shows are getting busier and busier. Their launch show in Cardiff was sold out which was great, this year for them is going to be good I think. Tiger Please - fingers crossed they step it up a notch as well and build on the success what they've created in 2010.

"I have a good feeling will do well this year. They write amazing songs and again, another band whose shows just keep getting busier. I think they'll have a great year."

And with the wider world view, here's Welsh boy Mike Williams, Features Editor at

"If 2010 was the year of shouty placard waving, then 2011 looks like being the year of gloomy boo-hoos. Well at least January does, anyway.

Before the first month is out, the new White Lies record and the debut LP from moody newbies Chapel Club will have been released. Personally, I'm much more excited about , a trio of bummed out doom-bringers from Brighton whose dark and droney debut, Violent Cries, comes out on the ace Matador Records on the 31st.

"Sticking with drone, 's debut album should be out in the first half of the year too. If you've seen them live recently, you'll have clocked that the jingly-jangly Cure-a-like indie swing of their early tunes has been ditched in favour of a more -sounding heavy throb. You'll also have noticed that EHH are the glummest looking, couldn't-give-a-monkeys-est, contrariest folk around, so by the time the record comes out, they might be making thug-step, or some other rubbish. However it works out, these guys rule, so it's bound to be awesome.

Canada always seems to donate an amazing band or two each year, and my favourite so far are the mighty . I don't know much about them at the moment, other than their debut comes out on Secretly Canadian on 10 January. If you're into your music skipping between stabby synths, hands-in-the-air metal and -style menace within the space of one song, check them out.

My last two tips for 2011 are both causing a massive buzz, but for different reasons. Surf rocking North Walians - featuring Welsh rock royalty Pete from Gorky's and Sion Glyn - are a band too good to ignore, which must be why everyone from Huw Stephens to Marc Riley to the Sunday Times has been banging on about them recently. Along with Islet, Y Niwl will be the main men of Welsh music this year.

Wu Lyf's buzz comes from the fact that no-one knows too much about them. The Wu stands for 'World Unite', the Lyf for 'Lucifer Youth Foundation'. They're from Manchester, they make shouty drone-pop, and you don't really need to know any more than that at the moment. For now, just check out and then tell me they're not ace."

, editor of

"I'm very active online and I could name scores of blogs I love. But I'll keep it to two that will be tickling my feed reader in 2011, both from Wales. is dedicated to unearthing the most surprising nuggets from Wales' cultural underground - books, films, art, music, that sort of thing - to shock and delight in (un)equal measure.

is not even a year old but always surprises me with its cross section of YouTube gold, from music to bloopers. My favourite post so far was the story of Branwen, a LEGO animation made by schoolchildren in Pwllheli. I have a feeling my favourite music podcasts will include the diverse joys of Jazzfync a Gemau Fideo, and ."

Noel Gardner,

"My tips for 2011 from Wales include (who will release a single this year all being well); 33 (who were supposed to have a single out already), Baronic Wall (this guy lives in Portland right now, but is a South Walian who makes crazy cassettes); (who just put out a mini-album); (also just put out an album); (Chris from 's cross-Atlantic metal band - it says here there is an EP being mixed) and Doc Daneeka ('future garage' dudes already luv him).

Tips for 2011 from other places: The Love Triangle, Mob Rules, Liturgy, Bone Awl, Thou, Crazy Spirit, Turquoise Jeep Records, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, Uzala. Some of those are newer than others but I expect all of them to release good music in 2011; they are also 'tips' in the sense of 'I think you should hear them' rather than 'I think they will be big and well known'. Just so's you know."

Thanks to all my friends and contributors, its good to see what everyone's excited about. Feel free to share your comments below with us too. Happy new year!

I've been scouring blogs, websites and some of Wales' busiest bands for a comprehensive guide to what 2011 has in store for us music fans.

Here are some new bands to look out for.

Vvolves

Releasing an EP in the foolish week of 21 December, erm, when everyone's in Christmas meltdown, seems like release suicide, but it stuck in my mind, and I thought I'd go back to this release from Monmouth/Cardiff band Vvolves. They've got a couple of South Wales gigs lined up, including an EP party on 29 January at Buffalo Bar, Cardiff, supported by Peski label mates and . A couple of tracks are available online for download, but the artwork is worth the purchase alone.

/Jarcrew
Truckers Of Husk announced via Twitter over the Christmas Holidays that the new year would include "a new Truckers Of Husk Record and a Jarcrew gig, possibly". Having been featured in the NME just before Christmas as one of the great lost albums, I wonder if these recordings will finally see light of day, and the band finally get back into their stride with former Future Of The Left man Kelson Matthias on board.

It felt like he came from nowhere at the end of 2010, having played in various South Wales bands, but never really pushing his own material. A happy pairing with the close-knit Shape Records and a tour with Gruff Rhys, H Hawkline managed to consolidate ideas and confidence and the latter few performances we saw were skilled, tight, and melodically sublime. In an interview, he said there will be new recordings out soon as possible too.

Strange News From Another Star

With 3D vinyl artwork and thundering basslines, the new The Deathbyugg EP from Cardiff's Strange News will be a welcome injection of fun to the Welsh music calandar. Listen to new tracks, Bullets and I Am Weatherproof from it on their Myspace.

Here's what Jimmy said about the EP on their Myspace: "We recorded it down at Musicbox in Cardiff. (We only go there, because there's somewhere to lock our bikes outside.) Mr Charlie Francis was in control of the sound again. He said: 'Boys, it's time you cleaned up your act. Your last EP was too dirty. Pure filth.' He introduced us to Julie and Rachel. Two girls he'd found busking in Sheffield, outside the 24 hour Greggs. "These two lovely ladies will be joining you. They'll sing and make everything better."

Samoans

With new material at the ready having been selected to take part in the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Introducing masterclass weekend in Febuary, it seems Dan, Calvin and Tal might be a band where word of mouth and the support of Barely Regal record label is starting to take affect for the Cardiff trio.

Starting the year with an Album of the Week from The Sunday Times, is certainly a good way to make a mark. Support from a range of radio DJs is coming in too from Marc Riley, John Kennedy, and Huw Stephens and the fanbase will keep growing thanks to a New Year tour playing for and with Gruff Rhys will cement their introduction to the world.

Euros Childs and Norman Blake pair up for a project they've been quietly working on for years. This month and next we'll finally see them hit the road. I saw them play a one-off gig at the Laugharne festival a few years ago and their combination of melody, charming anecdotes, playful banter and heart warming songs will make this a must see tour, yes, go to more than one night. A vinyl release comes out at the end of this month.

Tiger Please

Tiger Please

I'm really looking forward to the new album from Tiger Please which has been inspired from real people's stories. I'm sure they will be sometimes hard to hear, but also uplifting as Tiger Please bring new levels of emotion to the heart of their epic sound.

I first met Avan Rijs as a solo artist, experimenting with soulful drum'n'bass. Since teaming up with Owain's folk guitar to make Trwbador there's definitely a mellower sound emanating from their combined talents, but utterly beguiling too. Setting up their own label - Owlet Music - and releasing a charming Christmas song, the wonderful folky beats and wonky songs of Trwbador will be charming its way into the new year. Download it for free at their website.

Yoke

Yolk

Cate Le Bon and Meilyr from Race Horses came together to record an exclusive session for one of my last Radio One Wales' broadcasts before Christmas, and what a thrilling result came from the multi layered keyboard only session. The multi talented musical pair spent a day together building songs that previously were beermat doodles from years of knowing each other, yet musical pen had never before been put to paper. What an honour it was for me to broadcast these sessions. Both promise that Yoke isn't just a one off, and we'll see gigs and a release before the year is out.

Hitting the ground running after a Christmas Number One with Cerdyn Dolig in the Welsh language charts, Colorama enter 2011 with a new UK tour and a 6music session for Marc Riley's radio show. Head to or the band's website to get yourselves a copy of the November album release, Box.

Since finding themselves part of an unholy A&R scrum last year, the healthy recipients of a publishing deal, and playing Glastonbury and Maida Vale for various Introducing shows, Man Without Country have been quietly getting the album ready to release to the world this year. Here's an update from their website: "For the past few months we have locked ourselves away to write and produce our first studio album. We are happy to announce that the album is now written, produced, and recorded. We will be working with legendary British producer Ken Thomas in December/January who will be mixing the album. Ken has engineered, produced and mixed albums by artists such as Sigur Ros, Moby, Cocteau Twins, M83, and many others. We are very excited to collaborate with him. More details will follow."

Looking ahead to March and , the big Texan shindig is always a good place to launch your career either to the UK press/radio, to the business side of the industry or even a US market, as it's the biggest showcase of new bands on the planet.

This year playing and repping for Wales will be singer songwriter , and The Joy Formidable who also release their officially debut album The Big Roar at the end of this month.

There's also a New Project from Los Campesinos! in the offing. Eschewing the traditional music industry ways of tour, album, tour, record, album, tour, the Cardiff octet are back with an exciting project for 2011. Fans of the band have been subscribing for a unique quarterly band magazine Heat Rash that delivers so much more, including exclusive music from the band. Sign up at .

Lastly, if you've already got itchy feet and dying to find a new favourite band to champion for the year, the live area will be the best place to start. This gig by Lesson No 1 and The Joy Collective will be a stomper. I'm definitely gonna ditch the detox for this. At Cardiff's Buffalo Bar, on 21 January, Drum Eyes featuring DJ Scotch Egg will be supported by Drum Eyes, H Hawkline and Bear-Man (who feature current- and ex-members of Martini Henry Rifles and Brown Wings).