Y Blew (The Hairs) was a Welsh rock band founded in 1967. Although short lived, having pressed and released just one single, the band are recognized as the first rock band to sing in Welsh.
Formed in 1967 by five students from the University of Aberystwyth: Maldwyn Pate (vocals), Richard Lloyd (lead guitar), Dafydd Evans (bass guitar), Dave Williams (keyboards) and Geraint Evans (drums). The band took their name ("The Hairs" in English) from the long-haired fashion that was popular at the time.
The band raised £2,000 to support their recording and touring, and played their first gig in the Memorial Hall at Talybont at Easter 1967. The band took their music on the road that year with three tours, including playing at the National Eisteddfod in Bala.
In summer 1967 they released their one and only single, Maes B. The band ensured their gigs were well publicised, and as well as distinctive posters and flyers they used billboards to advertise themselves. Despite disbanding in the autumn of that year, their place in Welsh music history was secured and artefacts by the band are now in the possession of the National Library of Wales and Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales.
Formation
In the 1960s music in the Welsh language was still largely influenced by male voice choirs, chapel and traditional Noson Lawen singing. The pop music that did exist in Welsh was generally light acoustic folk music having little in common with the current fashions in Anglo-American pop and rock releases.
As social attitudes changed during the 1950s and 1960s the outlook of many younger Welsh speakers also started to change. Following the outcry over the destruction of Welsh speaking villages to build projects such as dam supplying water for cities in England there was an upsurge of support for Welsh issues and the language. Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (Welsh Language Society) a protest movement campaigning for legal recognition of Welsh was established. It was also widely realised that the Welsh language culture needed to renew itself in order to make it relevant to younger generations.
Mae eisiau i bobol sgrechian mewn Cymraeg sâl We need to get people to scream in bad Welsh – Y Blew
"Y Blew's aim was to reach the Welsh speakers and non Welsh speakers who weren't into politics and start a Welsh language scene", according to Dafydd Evans, one of the founders, in an interview in 1986.
Maldwyn Pate had tried to start a Welsh language band 'Y Pedwar Cainc' in 1966 with fellow Aberystwyth students but their only performance in Aberafan had not gone down well with an audience surprised to hear amplified instruments. The following year, 1967, Y Blew were formed. Following a successful performance to Aberystwyth students they were invited to play in Talybont by Robat Gruffudd, founder of Y Lolfa publishing house. This too was a success and the band decided to spend the summer on tour.
Tours
The band self-promoted three highly successful tours of south Wales, attempting to ensure the most professional organization they could. The first in June, the second in July and the third August–September. At the time it was not possible to hire PA systems or vans – the group having to obtain substantial loans to buy equipment and their own van. The band also paid 'bouncers' rather than the usual practice in Welsh language events of relying on friends or volunteers. Large advertising hoardings were booked and thousands of flyers with the slogan "Mae'r Blew yn dod" (Y Blew are coming) were distributed.
The gigs where well attended, often all the young people of a small town or village coming to see the new phenomenon of a band singing in Welsh. Following one gig the band found that messages in lipstick had been written all over their van by enthusiastic female fans.
Not having time to compose 25 or so new songs for the tours, the band translated current popular hits: We did covers from Sergeant Pepper translated into Welsh, we even did 'San Francisco' by Scott McKenzie in Welsh, and some by Cream, that sort of thing and some of our own, particularly stuff that gave the guitarist Richard Lloyd a chance. He was a quite a good player, the style at the time was to stand right up to the amp to get feedback – Dafydd Evans
Bala Eisteddfod, 1967
The band's only performance north of Corris was at the 1967 Eisteddfod festival in Bala. The festival site was divided into Maes A (A field), Maes B (B field), Maes C etc. with the young people camping on 'Maes B' where the band set up a performance, bringing the spirit of psychedelia to an otherwise traditional festival.