Meic Stevens

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0:00:42 > 0:00:44- I don't feel a sense of longing.

0:00:45 > 0:00:48- I've never felt a longing - for this village.

0:00:48 > 0:00:51- No, I'm not someone - who longs for anything.

0:00:52 > 0:00:55- I'm not saying - there's no such feeling.

0:00:55 > 0:00:59- It might be that others - are more tender than me.

0:00:59 > 0:01:02- I've travelled around too much.

0:01:03 > 0:01:06- It's odd that you end up - coming back.

0:01:16 > 0:01:20- # I am the beginning

0:01:21 > 0:01:25- # I am the word

0:01:28 > 0:01:33- # My body is the land, - the trees and the leaves

0:01:35 > 0:01:40- # My hair is the blood #

0:01:41 > 0:01:43- I was born in Harbour House.

0:01:43 > 0:01:48- I lived in Harbour House - until I was about eight years old.

0:01:49 > 0:01:54- My great-great-grandmother, - Ann Jenkins...

0:01:54 > 0:01:58- ..passed away when she was 97.

0:01:58 > 0:02:02- The house was too big for Blodwen - to look after and clean...

0:02:03 > 0:02:08- ..so we moved - to my great-grandmother's house.

0:02:08 > 0:02:11- We didn't have to pay a penny - for the house...

0:02:11 > 0:02:14- ..which worked out well.

0:02:15 > 0:02:18- There was no sanitation - or electricity back then.

0:02:19 > 0:02:24- They built bungalows - for the elderly...

0:02:24 > 0:02:26- ..at the top.

0:02:26 > 0:02:30- We moved up there - when I was about 12 years old.

0:02:32 > 0:02:34- That's where we lived...

0:02:35 > 0:02:40- ..until Data passed away - when I was 14.

0:02:50 > 0:02:53- Life was different up the top...

0:02:53 > 0:02:56- ..because there was electricity.

0:02:57 > 0:03:00- We didn't need to use the oil lamps.

0:03:00 > 0:03:02- They got rid of them all.

0:03:04 > 0:03:09- We also had a bathroom - with a flushing toilet.

0:03:10 > 0:03:13- That was certainly different.

0:03:14 > 0:03:17- Before that, - we used to go in a bucket...

0:03:18 > 0:03:19- ..in a shed out the back.

0:03:20 > 0:03:22- All the waste went into the river...

0:03:23 > 0:03:25- ..and washed out to sea.

0:03:26 > 0:03:29- We couldn't do that nowadays.

0:03:29 > 0:03:32- Health and Safety - would have a field day.

0:03:35 > 0:03:39- I used to spend my time - fishing and rowing.

0:03:40 > 0:03:43- I had a small boat, - similar to those down there.

0:03:43 > 0:03:46- I used to go out fishing.

0:03:46 > 0:03:51- In summer, we'd all go swimming - around that corner...

0:03:51 > 0:03:54- ..when the sun was out.

0:03:55 > 0:04:00- It was just a wonderful place - to live.

0:04:11 > 0:04:15- # The infant's grey eyes

0:04:16 > 0:04:19- # See the ships leaving #

0:04:20 > 0:04:23- When you've grown up - in a place like this...

0:04:23 > 0:04:27- ..you learn a lot about nature - because you're in the thick of it.

0:04:27 > 0:04:31- It's a habitat - for all kinds of birds and fish.

0:04:31 > 0:04:34- It's teeming with wildlife.

0:04:34 > 0:04:38- The old people - knew everything about animals.

0:04:38 > 0:04:43- They would hunt - and shoot rabbits over there...

0:04:43 > 0:04:47- ..as well as ducks - and other creatures for sustenance.

0:04:47 > 0:04:52- I'd fish - and take home what I'd caught.

0:04:52 > 0:04:54- Salmon, trout...

0:04:55 > 0:04:57- ..and other kinds of fish.

0:05:04 > 0:05:08- As you can see, - the sea is vital here.

0:05:09 > 0:05:13- The tide comes in and out every day.

0:05:13 > 0:05:15- You need a boat here.

0:05:15 > 0:05:20- You must have a boat - to be able to live in Solva.

0:05:22 > 0:05:30- Not having a boat would be like - living without arms or legs.

0:05:30 > 0:05:32- Having a boat is essential.

0:05:32 > 0:05:36- # The fishing boats of Dyfed

0:05:37 > 0:05:40- # Echoes of men's voices

0:05:40 > 0:05:42- # And their long oars #

0:05:42 > 0:05:44- I feel at home on the open sea.

0:05:44 > 0:05:48- It brings back memories - of my childhood.

0:05:49 > 0:05:53- Fishing in this bay - in a little canoe.

0:05:56 > 0:06:00- Being surrounded - by these huge rocks.

0:06:01 > 0:06:03- Porth Y Bwch is over there...

0:06:03 > 0:06:06- ..and Porth Gwyn on that side.

0:06:07 > 0:06:09- Ogof Y Deigryn...

0:06:09 > 0:06:11- ..and Carreg Samson...

0:06:12 > 0:06:16- ..and Dinas Fawr over that way.

0:06:19 > 0:06:21- I can't believe I climbed that...

0:06:21 > 0:06:23- ..without a rope.

0:06:25 > 0:06:27- Just for fun.

0:06:28 > 0:06:30- I was looking for driftwood.

0:06:30 > 0:06:36- Planks and branches - that had been swept onto the beach.

0:06:37 > 0:06:40- It's nice, isn't it?

0:06:40 > 0:06:42- It's great.

0:06:42 > 0:06:46- It's a little bit misty today...

0:06:46 > 0:06:50- ..and a bit damp, but it's superb.

0:07:05 > 0:07:09- I was surrounded by music at home - with Mam playing the piano.

0:07:09 > 0:07:13- There was a bust of Mozart - on top of the piano.

0:07:13 > 0:07:15- She played the piano.

0:07:15 > 0:07:21- Walter played the accordion, - but he drowned at sea.

0:07:21 > 0:07:24- He left home with the accordion...

0:07:25 > 0:07:28- ..so Mam wasn't too happy - about that.

0:07:28 > 0:07:34- The accordion sank with the ship - in the Skagerrak.

0:07:50 > 0:07:54- I sent away for a catalogue - that was advertised in the paper.

0:07:55 > 0:07:58- It was among the first guitars - around here.

0:07:58 > 0:08:02- I sent away for the catalogue - from Bells of Surbiton in Surrey.

0:08:02 > 0:08:05- I just looked at the guitars - at first...

0:08:05 > 0:08:09- ..and nagged my grandmother, - my father's mother...

0:08:09 > 0:08:11- ..who lived in Shrewsbury.

0:08:11 > 0:08:13- They gave in and bought me one.

0:08:14 > 0:08:16- It was 15 by mail order.

0:08:17 > 0:08:20- It wasn't a very good guitar.

0:08:20 > 0:08:22- It was Italian.

0:08:27 > 0:08:29- But it was better than nothing.

0:08:30 > 0:08:32- All I wanted to do - was play the guitar.

0:08:33 > 0:08:35- That's how children are.

0:08:37 > 0:08:39- By the time I left college...

0:08:39 > 0:08:45- ..I had developed - into a serious musician.

0:08:45 > 0:08:53- I played the folk music circuit - in folk clubs all across England.

0:08:55 > 0:08:57- I decided to move back here.

0:08:58 > 0:09:00- My wife was pregnant...

0:09:00 > 0:09:04- ..so I thought it was a good idea - to move back to Solva.

0:09:04 > 0:09:07- That's when I started writing songs.

0:09:07 > 0:09:12- I had written a couple of songs - before that.

0:09:12 > 0:09:16- I wrote Can Walter when I was 19...

0:09:17 > 0:09:20- ..when I lived at the old house - in Bro Dawel.

0:09:20 > 0:09:23- I'd had a taste of songwriting.

0:09:26 > 0:09:31- Meic Stevens's contribution - to Welsh rock and pop music...

0:09:31 > 0:09:35- ..and to Welsh folk music, - has been prolific.

0:09:35 > 0:09:38- Had it not been for him...

0:09:38 > 0:09:43- ..the Sain record label probably - wouldn't have been established.

0:09:44 > 0:09:48- He produced Huw Jones's - first single, Sain 1.

0:09:48 > 0:09:53- He also produced - a number of artists...

0:09:53 > 0:09:55- ..in the company's first year.

0:09:55 > 0:10:01- He more or less dragged - the Welsh recording industry...

0:10:02 > 0:10:06- ..out of the Stone Age.

0:10:20 > 0:10:24- When I was young, - only local people lived here.

0:10:25 > 0:10:27- There were no English people at all.

0:10:27 > 0:10:30- Just Welsh-speaking Welsh people...

0:10:30 > 0:10:36- ..who had been born - in the village or nearby.

0:10:36 > 0:10:39- There were no strangers here at all.

0:10:40 > 0:10:45- Very few of the original residents - still live in the village.

0:10:45 > 0:10:48- Most of them are incomers.

0:10:49 > 0:10:51- Most of the old houses...

0:10:52 > 0:10:55- ..now belong to people...

0:10:55 > 0:10:58- ..who have moved here from England.

0:10:58 > 0:11:01- There's certainly been - a big change here.

0:11:08 > 0:11:11- I'm one of the old people now, - though I don't live here.

0:11:12 > 0:11:15- To be honest, - I wouldn't want to live here.

0:11:15 > 0:11:18- The way the village is now, - I wouldn't fit in.

0:11:19 > 0:11:23- I wouldn't feel at home.

0:11:23 > 0:11:26- It's out of the question. - I'd never live here.

0:11:28 > 0:11:30- # Here now

0:11:30 > 0:11:33- # The end of the song

0:11:33 > 0:11:37- # I sleep with her in the grass

0:11:38 > 0:11:42- # I'll throw the tears - back into the sea

0:11:43 > 0:11:47- # Into the green waves #

0:11:48 > 0:11:51- Solva is just like a mother to me.

0:11:51 > 0:11:53- I'm part of Solva.

0:11:54 > 0:11:57- For people who have been born - and raised here...

0:11:57 > 0:12:03- ..in a strange way, - Solva has been embedded in us.

0:12:03 > 0:12:06- It's part of our spirit.

0:12:08 > 0:12:10- That's what it is.

0:12:10 > 0:12:12- It's a spiritual place.

0:12:13 > 0:12:16- I strongly believe that.

0:12:16 > 0:12:18- The place is powerful.

0:12:23 > 0:12:23- .

0:12:28 > 0:12:28- 888

0:12:28 > 0:12:30- 888- - 888

0:13:10 > 0:13:15- Plas Glyn-y-Weddw is in Llanbedrog - on the Lleyn Peninsula.

0:13:16 > 0:13:21- It's a spiritual, historical - and interesting place.

0:13:23 > 0:13:29- I'm currently an artist - in residence at the gallery.

0:13:29 > 0:13:35- I'm preparing an exhibition - of paintings and photographs.

0:13:36 > 0:13:40- I started painting - when I was four years old.

0:13:40 > 0:13:44- An artist lived in Solva - at that time.

0:13:44 > 0:13:47- She was known - as Miss Davies the artist.

0:13:47 > 0:13:51- They invited her to the house - where I lived at the time...

0:13:51 > 0:13:54- ..to see my paintings.

0:13:54 > 0:13:57- She said, - "Oh, yes, he's got possibilities.

0:13:57 > 0:13:59- "Very good for a kid."

0:14:01 > 0:14:05- I've always been interested - in painting.

0:14:07 > 0:14:12- I went to art college in Cardiff - when I was 16 years old.

0:14:12 > 0:14:15- I was given a scholarship - to go there.

0:14:15 > 0:14:19- I've been painting - ever since then, really.

0:14:20 > 0:14:24- This is the first exhibition - of my work.

0:14:29 > 0:14:34- At first, I painted animals...

0:14:35 > 0:14:38- ..and things that children - are interested in.

0:14:38 > 0:14:43- Cowboys, pirates - and stuff like that.

0:14:43 > 0:14:48- From there, - I moved on to landscapes.

0:14:48 > 0:14:52- That's what I did at college.

0:14:52 > 0:14:55- Landscapes interested me...

0:14:56 > 0:14:59- ..especially those - of north Pembrokeshire.

0:14:59 > 0:15:03- Later, I started painting portraits.

0:15:05 > 0:15:09- Lots of my friends at college...

0:15:09 > 0:15:13- ..all chose to paint landscapes.

0:15:13 > 0:15:18- I thought, yeah, yeah, this is OK, - but what about people?

0:15:19 > 0:15:24- The terrain - and the views of the land and sea...

0:15:24 > 0:15:28- ..are there forever, - whereas people aren't.

0:15:30 > 0:15:35- I thought it was important - to paint people.

0:15:37 > 0:15:39- More recently...

0:15:39 > 0:15:43- ..since about ten years...

0:15:43 > 0:15:46- ..I've been painting portraits.

0:15:46 > 0:15:49- # Morning breaks

0:15:49 > 0:15:51- # Over the hills

0:15:51 > 0:15:54- # A painter

0:15:54 > 0:15:57- # Colours his paintings

0:15:57 > 0:16:02- # The wind skims over - the golden wheat

0:16:02 > 0:16:05- # Stars are spinning #

0:16:05 > 0:16:08- People's reactions are important.

0:16:08 > 0:16:12- The whole point of creating - something like this...

0:16:12 > 0:16:16- ..is to connect with people...

0:16:16 > 0:16:19- ..and to show - how interesting they are...

0:16:19 > 0:16:22- ..or how attractive - or amazing they are...

0:16:23 > 0:16:27- ..or how they command - your attention.

0:16:27 > 0:16:30- You're drawing - the audience's attention...

0:16:30 > 0:16:33- ..to that which drew your attention.

0:16:33 > 0:16:37- # The sun's bearing down - on his loaf of bread

0:16:38 > 0:16:40- # And apples #

0:16:41 > 0:16:46- Singing and performing - is a bit like acting.

0:16:49 > 0:16:55- It has to be a show - because that's what people expect.

0:16:55 > 0:17:00- They've heard the records, - they've paid to come and see you.

0:17:00 > 0:17:03- They've gone out of their way - to come and hear you...

0:17:03 > 0:17:05- ..and have paid money.

0:17:06 > 0:17:09- You have to give them - something decent...

0:17:09 > 0:17:13- ..and something memorable, - hopefully.

0:17:13 > 0:17:15- That's the intention.

0:17:15 > 0:17:21- Just as you frame pictures - in an exhibition...

0:17:22 > 0:17:25- ..when you perform songs, - you are the frame.

0:17:27 > 0:17:32- You're the one - framing the message.

0:18:06 > 0:18:09- # Down on the quay

0:18:09 > 0:18:12- # In the sunshine #

0:18:14 > 0:18:16- I lived in Caernarfon years ago.

0:18:17 > 0:18:20- It was a very happy time...

0:18:20 > 0:18:23- ..full of escapades - and amusing people.

0:18:24 > 0:18:27- # You are my inspiration #

0:18:27 > 0:18:30- It's a historical place, - as you can tell.

0:18:33 > 0:18:36- For me, Caernarfon - is the only town in Wales...

0:18:37 > 0:18:42- ..that has suffered - from its history...

0:18:42 > 0:18:44- ..and it hasn't changed.

0:18:45 > 0:18:47- # Down on the quay #

0:18:47 > 0:18:51- It's an ordinary place - and the people are rather dry.

0:18:54 > 0:18:56- Their sense of humour - is interesting.

0:18:57 > 0:19:00- They also have a strange dialect...

0:19:01 > 0:19:05- ..which involves - a lot of swearing...

0:19:08 > 0:19:13- ..as you'd expect - in a historic port like Caernarfon.

0:19:19 > 0:19:21- I was in college in Bangor - at the time.

0:19:22 > 0:19:25- I lived down there...

0:19:26 > 0:19:29- ..at the end of Segontium Terrace - with Gwen.

0:19:30 > 0:19:34- I bumped into many famous climbers.

0:19:34 > 0:19:38- They weren't famous to me. - I'd just met them in the pub.

0:19:38 > 0:19:40- In the Black Boy.

0:19:40 > 0:19:45- I became friendly with them - and started hanging out with them.

0:19:45 > 0:19:49- I then moved to Blue Peris...

0:19:49 > 0:19:51- ..and lived sparsely.

0:19:52 > 0:19:54- There was nothing there.

0:19:54 > 0:19:59- I slept in a sleeping bag - and wandered the mountains.

0:20:01 > 0:20:05- It was a strange period in my life.

0:20:06 > 0:20:10- # I run to the mountain

0:20:11 > 0:20:15- # I think the time has come #

0:20:15 > 0:20:17- The climbers I met...

0:20:17 > 0:20:20- ..included Al Harris - and Peter Minks.

0:20:20 > 0:20:24- Joe Brown and Don Whillans - were the top dogs back then.

0:20:24 > 0:20:30- They were the ones who opened - the pass for modern day climbers.

0:20:31 > 0:20:36- They were rough boys - from Manchester and Liverpool.

0:20:37 > 0:20:40- But they loved the mountains.

0:20:40 > 0:20:43- They just wanted to be - in the mountains.

0:20:43 > 0:20:47- At first, - they just came back and forth...

0:20:47 > 0:20:50- ..but then they decided - to settle here.

0:20:54 > 0:20:58- # I think the time has come #

0:20:59 > 0:21:02- I took an interest - in their climbing.

0:21:02 > 0:21:05- I'd done a bit of climbing - in my time.

0:21:05 > 0:21:09- I'd been captivated - by the mountains back then too.

0:21:10 > 0:21:13- I liked being - on top of the mountains.

0:21:18 > 0:21:23- As far as his music is concerned, - no-one can touch him.

0:21:23 > 0:21:27- He's so much more - than the Welsh Bob Dylan.

0:21:27 > 0:21:31- Meic has created - a new kind of folk music.

0:21:32 > 0:21:36- He has created new pop songs - and new rock songs.

0:21:37 > 0:21:40- He has covered the whole spectrum.

0:21:41 > 0:21:46- He has created the most popular - and catchy songs.

0:21:48 > 0:21:51- Unforgettable songs.

0:21:52 > 0:21:55- His influence can still be seen.

0:22:03 > 0:22:05- I'm about to go to Canada...

0:22:06 > 0:22:09- ..to focus on my painting...

0:22:10 > 0:22:14- ..for the exhibition - at the Plas Glyn-y-Weddw gallery.

0:22:15 > 0:22:18- I'm going to live - on Vancouver Island...

0:22:19 > 0:22:21- ..in the Comox Valley.

0:22:23 > 0:22:27- There are all kinds of wild animals - in that region.

0:22:27 > 0:22:31- Wolves, deer and bears.

0:22:34 > 0:22:36- You just see them walking around.

0:22:36 > 0:22:40- They don't bother anyone.

0:22:40 > 0:22:43- It'll be totally different - from Wales.

0:22:44 > 0:22:47- I don't know what to expect, - to be honest.

0:22:50 > 0:22:55- It'll be nice just being - in a different environment.

0:22:55 > 0:22:58- I don't have any expectations, - actually.

0:22:58 > 0:23:01- I just want peace to paint...

0:23:01 > 0:23:05- ..and to live - a relatively quiet life out there.

0:23:08 > 0:23:10- I never long for anything.

0:23:10 > 0:23:15- I've wandered all my life - and never felt a sense of longing.

0:23:56 > 0:23:58- S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

0:23:58 > 0:23:58- .