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Chwarter i Un – Aberystwyth Uni student outfit (formed 1978), feat; Dafydd Rhys (gtr) (older brother of Super Furry Animals Gruff), Tim Hartley (voc), CGwyn Elfin (voc), Gron Edwards (gtr), Dominic Griffiths (bass) (also of Y Newyddion - see South Wales Section), 'Tonto' Jones (drms). Had 2 vocalists, one of whom now plays the dim obese shopkeeper Denzil in Pobol y Cwm.

Bassist, Dominic Griffiths explains the history behind the band….

We formed in Aber in 1978 to take part in the inter college Eisteddfod in Bangor. We won our catagory and the prize was a session on Radio Cymru's Sospan radio show.

The original Chwarter i Un (12:45) line up was
Tim Hartley And CGwyn Elfin joint lead cocals
Gron Edwards: Lead Guitar (main songwriter)
Dafydd Rhys: rhythm guitar
Dominic Griffiths (me) : Bass
'Tonto' Jones Drums.

We started gigging regularly round the smaller Welsh venues and in 1979 won the Sgrech magazine readers poll 'most promising band' award. This lead to more work and further radio work with Swansea Sound and Radio Cymru as well as an appearance on HTV's pop programme 'SER'.
So far so good .
In summer 1980 we toured with newly formed rock band 'Doctor' who it has to be admitted did rather upstage us .Tonto was replaced on drums by Owen Owens, whom we shared with Doctor (bad move)
We were recorded live at the 1980 Eistddfod Genedlaethol and the track Tin Tradoliadol appeared on the compilation album Twrw Tanllyd', released by Sain records (a song about girls' backsides which was subsequently banned on a couple of radio stations - what more could a band ask for!?)

The music was gradually getting more politicised as the horrors of Thatcher's regime became apparent in Wales.
Owen was too busy with Doctor work so in 1981 we bid him farewell and brought in Rhys Powys a very talented drummer
who helped revitalse the sound and refresh the band . (he and I linked well in the rhythm section and we as a pair also formed the rhythm section of the band 'Y Newyddion' formed in autumn 1981
12:45 recorded the EP 'Dop ar y Dol' in the Cardiff based '123' label in 1981 and made a second appearance on HTV 'SEREN 2'.
In 1982 we released the single 9 double A side 'Pry yn y Pren' and 'Ffilistiaid'. The first about unemployment (the worm's in the wood) and the second about philistines in general
Soon after I moved to Spain for a year to teach and Dafydd to the USA to study. The band briefly reformed in 1983 to play the Llangefni Eisteddfod Gen. as well as recording a 'Gyrru Fi Lan Y Wal' (driving me up the wall song about Thatcher's continued presence in govt (all jolly serious stuff you see!)
Subsequently Rhys and I left the band and were replaced with a new bass player and drummer . I don't know much about these guys but I think that the bass player had been in the Bethesda band 'Maffia Mr Huws.
I know they did TV on S4C and recorded at least 4 tracks.

This page was last updated on 20.05.04
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