PROFILE – Swn magazine
[by Huw Prestatyn]
Swn (Sound) was a Welsh language rock/pop newspaper that published a number of issues in 1972 and possibly into 1973.
Swn was a Welsh tabloid size music magazine / newspaper, 16 pages, printed in two colours. It had some of the home-made psychedelic graphics style typical of many of the posters and covers of the Welsh language protest movement of the late 60s and early 70s. The magazine’s articles not only reflect the radical politics of the period but also the shift in Welsh language music at that time – away from acoustic folk protest songs to electric rock and pop.
The healthy number of adverts, from shops, record companies and even Plaid Cymru, must have gone a long way towards covering Swn’s printing costs. The cover first two issues have a cartoon of a hairy hippy dude with a Cymdeithas Yr Iaith badge (The Welsh Language Society).
Issue 1: April/May 72 – Features Heather Jones on the front. Inside pages includes reviews of the then newly established Sain label’s first 21 vinyl issues and a photo of Y Blew (The Hair), who were the first ever Welsh rock band (1967). There is a full page article about DJ Mici Plwm’s mobile disco and a set of lyrics by a young Geraint Jarman. As with the following issues there’s a piece complaining about of the lack of any decent coverage of Welsh language bands on TV and radio. (S4C and Radio Cymru was not set up until the 80s following years of protests and campaigns).
Issue 2: June/July 72 – The cover features a large photo of Betws y Coed trio Mwg Drwg (Wacky Baccy). An advert on inside announces that the band starred Ithel on bass, Gwyndaf on lead guitar and Philip on Drums, and promised “An evening of wild dancing to loud electric music by Wales’ most exciting group”. Unfortunately Mwg Drwg were never heard of since and reformed in 1975 as Crysbas.
Issue 3: August/September 72 – Has a bright lime green cover a features protest folk combo Y Nhw (The Them), Radio DJ Hywel Gwynfryn and mention of a newly formed Christian band. Inside there’s an article about Y Dyniadon Ynfed Hirfelyn Tesog, who were a sort of Welsh language version of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. Also featured are Y Cymylau (The Clouds) an acoustic female folk trio from Rhydaman. On closer inspection one of the members must be Pat Morgan who later went on to be half of Datblygu. Unfortunately the article passes highly sexist remarks about the girls… the 70s where like that.
Swn was set up by Dafydd Meirion and Alun Sbardun-Huws. Sbardun had been member of folk band Y Tebot Piws (The Purple Teapot). Dafydd Meirion later went onto establish ‘Mei’ publishers who produced a wide range of Welsh language books and magazines and comics in the 1980s.
More information about Swn is hard to come by, both Dafydd Mei and Sbardun have since passed away.
Do get in-touch if you have any info about any other issues or why the paper was so short lived.
Read about Sgrech magazine here
