Jess


Jess

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Transcript


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-Four Cardigan friends burst onto the

-Welsh music scene in the 1980s...

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-..with their innovative

-and adventurous music.

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-Twenty five years later and we mark

-the group's birthday and success...

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-..by looking back at their amazing

-experiences and close friendships.

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-We relive the journey

-of Brychan, Chris, Emyr and Owen...

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-..otherwise known as Jess.

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-Let's start at the very beginning

-and Cardigan school.

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-Emyr and Brychan, you were good

-friends in the same school year.

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-Why did you decide to make music?

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-Brychan?

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-I don't want to say that it was out

-of boredom in our Welsh lessons...

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-..but that's always my first memory

-when I look back at that time.

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-It was cooler to be in a rock band

-as opposed to triple Welsh!

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-Sorry Mr Jenkins

-because you were a great teacher...

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-..but you are responsible

-for the formation of Jess.

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-Thank you, Mr Jenkins.

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-You were a year older and could

-play the guitar properly, Chris.

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-Yes, and I was far more mature!

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-The only reason they let me join

-was because I had a Fender guitar.

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-Emyr and I were awful

-but Chris could really play...

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-..so all of sudden,

-we sounded like a proper band.

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-Chris had spent so many years

-playing along to U2 in his bedroom.

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-You started singing in English

-and had an English name.

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-Yes, we were The Unbearable Fardels.

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-Yes, we were The Unbearable Fardels.

-

-It isn't that much better than Jess!

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-Why sing in English?

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-I don't think we knew about

-the Welsh music scene.

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-We knew about Ail Symudiad

-and the Fflach record label...

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-..but it was a mystery world to us.

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-I told them that

-if they performed in Welsh...

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-..Radio Cymru

-would play their music.

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-You can tell

-when someone has talent.

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-There was something unusual

-about the band...

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-..so I invited them

-to record a session.

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-It's where you met Owen. You worked

-there as a technician, Owen.

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-What do you remember about meeting

-these three for the first time?

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-Not a lot really, but I remember

-being in the front room of Fflach.

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-You had another drummer

-and he couldn't make the session...

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-..so I filled in on the drums

-and it was all downhill from there!

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-With the band in place

-and the demo ready...

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-..it was time to create

-the first cassette.

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-# Coming down... #

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-Jess, Jess, the first album was

-made in the cow-house at Crymych.

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-The boys were in the shed and the

-mixing desk was in the cow-house.

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-They played live

-and put everything down in one take.

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-We made the tapes straight after it.

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-The cassette was done and the band

-was ready to announce their arrival.

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-Jess was launched on the

-Eisteddfod Maes in Newport in 1988.

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-Fortunately, Hubert managed

-the sound system of the rock tent.

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-They arrived and slept in the lorry

-outside the tent.

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-If there was a break in the day,

-Jess stepped up and performed.

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-I'm sure they performed every day,

-if not twice a day...

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-..and people at the Eisteddfod

-enjoyed listening to them.

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-Following the success

-of the cassette...

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-..and your performances in the rock

-tent at the Newport Eisteddfod...

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-..you were invited to Czechoslovakia

-to record with 9 aged only 18.

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-It's quite amazing.

-Yes, it was truly amazing.

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-A van was waiting for us

-when we arrived at the airport.

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-It took us

-to the Palace of Culture...

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-..where an audience of 2,500 people

-were waiting to see us perform.

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-We'd only ever performed on the

-farmyard or 18th birthday parties.

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-We arrived and they asked us

-to be the headline act.

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-Chris, Emyr, Owen, Brychan

-o Britanie - Jess!

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-# The spirit of the day is rising

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-# The spirit ... #

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-With Six gigs

-and four video shoots for S4C...

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-..in the safe hands

-of Geraint Jarman and Byw...

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-..the band was going

-from strength to strength.

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-# The day #

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-I'm sure Czechoslovakia gave you

-a real taster for performing...

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-..and gave you the desire

-to become a real band.

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-We thought we'd made it. We'd been

-on tour and we were still in school.

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-And you'd worked

-with Geraint Jarman.

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-Yes, he was the man.

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-As Emyr said,

-we were still in school...

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-..but were mixing with

-proper musicians and going on tour.

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-We respected and wanted to be them

-but they were streets ahead of us!

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-In 1989, you recorded

-your second cassette, Y Gath...

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-..this time in a proper recording

-studio as opposed to a shed.

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-Had Jess developed in that year?

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-Yes, we had new songs

-and a full set.

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-Chris and Brych' had composed

-the songs and we'd rehearsed them.

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-We went into Fflach

-and made the cassette very quickly.

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-Did we?

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-Did we?

-

-Don't you remember?

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-The archive footage makes me realise

-how little I remember.

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-I remember we ran a cat over

-on the way to the studio...

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-..which is why the album

-became known as Y Gath.

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-Is that true?

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-Is that true?

-

-Yes. We didn't kill it on purpose!

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-In 1989, Jess won three awards

-at the Cytgord awards.

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-Yes, we had best band, best lead

-singer and best cassette for Y Gath.

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-Did it boost your confidence?

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-We were up there anyway, but it

-proved to everyone we were the best.

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-Yes, it's nice to get

-some recognition.

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-Yes.

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-# Wah-ah-ah

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-# Wah-ah-ah... #

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-It was confirmation

-that the public had accepted Jess...

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-..so they returned to the studio

-once again.

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-By 1990, when you released the

-masterpiece, Hyfryd I Fod Yn Fyw...

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-..some say that you'd really

-found your sound as a band.

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-Did you feel the same?

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-I think we preferred

-some of our later recordings.

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-I think that's only natural...

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-..because you evolve

-as a musician and composer...

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-..but I still think some

-of the early stuff was good.

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-# Woah, oh-oh-oh-oh

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-# Woah

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-# She's perfect, perfect... #

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-I think we were firing

-on all cylinders during the 1990s.

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-During Y Gath

-and Hyfryd I Fod Yn Fyw...

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-..Jess was a group of nice boys

-from Cardigan.

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-As we got older,

-we became more rock 'n roll.

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-What's your favourite song

-out of all your work?

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-We were looking through

-our archives the other day.

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-It was quite recently.

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-It was very funny to see the clothes

-and hair...

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-..but we found a song

-that none of us remember recording.

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-It was never released.

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-It's called Bachan Bach

-and it was fantastic.

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-It's as if someone else

-had written it.

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-# Little boy stands apart

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-# Little boy is lonely

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-# What's wrong, little boy?

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-# Little boy, don't be foolish

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-# Don't be anything

-you don't want to be

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-# Things that will come,

-things that are yet to arrive

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-# Scenes we cannot see

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-# The small wings will fly forth

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-# "Come to hell,"

-says the voice in my head

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-# Little boy, grow up, go away

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-# Why?

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-# Why don't you grow up

-you foolish little boy?

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-# Why not?

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-# Why not?

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-# Why not?

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-# Little boy

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-# Why not?

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-# Things that will come,

-things that are yet to arrive

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-# Scenes we cannot see

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-# The small wings will fly forth

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-# "Come to hell"

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-# Why not?

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-# Little boy

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-# Why not? #

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-.

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-Subtitles

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-By 1992, Jess had released

-another album called Paris Hotel...

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-..on their own label.

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-The group think its their best work

-but not everyone agreed.

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-# This is something

-safe and secure

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-# It will end before you say, "Amen"

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-# Keep faith in the belly #

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-You split the audience.

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-People loved Jess whilst others

-admired your musicality.

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-But they also hated us!

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-Your songs were too good and too

-clever both musically and vocally.

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-Was it difficult to accept

-that kind of criticism?

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-It didn't hurt me personally

-but it could be quite sterile...

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-..because we rehearsed

-for five days a week.

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-A lot of the songs

-were too clever.

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-We were trying to be clever.

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-We weren't cool

-but we were popular.

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-When a band is popular,

-people want to criticise you.

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-You rehearsed and rehearsed,

-but where was that?

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-It was a room above the cowshed

-on Penlan farm.

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-It became more than a rehearsal

-room but a place to socialise.

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-We were there every day and night

-until the early hours.

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-But it showed.

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-People didn't like the fact

-that we were so tight.

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-When we did something,

-we all did it together.

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-# Who is rich?

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-# It's not me and it's not you

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-# Who is paying?

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-# It's not me and it's not you #

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-Do you remember the set-up when

-it came to composing your songs?

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-In terms of

-some of our best songs...

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-..I would devise the melody

-for a verse and chorus.

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-Brychan brought a missing chorus

-or verse to the table...

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-..and he composed the lyrics.

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-My only regret is that I wasn't

-willing to listen to others...

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-..because I thought

-my way was the best.

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-This often happens in bands because

-your songs are like your children.

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-You want them to turn out

-as you see them in your head...

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-..but it takes time to learn

-that this isn't always the case.

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-Sometimes, one of us composed

-an entire song.

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-I don't think it had the same spark

-as when we'd co-written something.

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-It wasn't formulaic and there was

-no telling who would do what.

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-Chris and I often

-produced something.

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-Emyr and Owen frequently say

-that they didn't compose...

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-..but they did in their own way.

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-Owen had rhythmic ideas

-that would transform a song.

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-I thought it sounded good

-a certain way...

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-..but Owen would play a rhythm

-that worked as a counterpoint...

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-..and you realised

-that it was meant to be that way.

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-Four albums later, and against

-the wishes of their fans...

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-..they made

-a controversial decision.

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-You chose to return to singing

-in English. Why was that, Chris?

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-We were bilingual

-because we still sang in Welsh.

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-We were ambitious and wanted

-to make a living out of music.

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-We had to acknowledge

-that within the Welsh rock scene...

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-..it wasn't possible to make

-a living out of it for life.

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-We had to decide whether we were

-going to try for the big time...

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-..so we had to give it a shot.

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-There was also the feeling

-of wanting to extend our audience.

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-If the Welsh enjoyed our music...

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-..why wouldn't the English-speaking

-world enjoy our music too?

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-# I'd hate to be affected by

-the actions of the addicted youth

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-# The whole world

-is surfing on a bad pink vibe

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-# The whole world

-is surfing on a bad pink vibe #

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-Jess was last step

-before you had Cool Cymru...

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-..before Catatonia

-and Super Furries.

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-They were a class act

-with great songs.

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-Their songs

-are so musical and different.

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-It's a shame the world didn't

-see this but there's still time!

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-I don't think we opened

-the floodgates...

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-..but we were the first over the top

-and took all the flack...

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-..so it was easier for them

-to follow suit.

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-After recording the English album,

-Sextravaganja...

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-..they received a number of offers

-from many London record companies.

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-All the contracts are on the table.

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-The solicitors can sort it out...

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-..but we haven't

-signed on the dotted line yet.

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-I feel as if six years of hard work

-have come to a fore.

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-Which label?

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-Which label?

-

-Rhythm King.

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-Why didn't you sign the contract?

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-I know why. It's one

-of the things I do remember.

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-Rhythm King had two directors...

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-..Adele Nozedar

-and Richard something or other!

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-Adele believed in the group...

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-..but Richard couldn't see

-how they could sell or market Jess.

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-He wasn't sure of our genre.

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-He couldn't see where our records

-would sit in the shops.

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-Perhaps he was right, but it wasn't

-meant to be so we went to Italy!

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-After Italy, you performed with

-Mike Peters as The Poets of Justice.

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-Did this play a part

-in the disbanding of Jess?

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-It played a big part.

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-If you put Jess on stage

-with another strong front man...

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-..I was left as a spare part

-and felt bitter and lost interest.

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-Mike needed a good guitarist,

-a good drummer and bass player...

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-..and he got that.

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-I saw it as

-the beginning of the end.

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-I respect Mike because he's formed

-a career in music where I failed.

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-I think it was definitely

-the beginning of the end for me.

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-You disbanded in 1995, but

-how do you look back at the period?

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-Do you feel you achieved everything

-you wanted to achieve as a band?

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-No, we wanted a career in music...

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-..so that we didn't have to get

-a proper job.

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-We failed in that respect, but

-I wouldn't change a second of it.

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-No, we had fun.

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-If we'd done more of my arrangements

-instead of your own...

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-..then I'm sure it would've been

-quite different!

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-After disbanding, the members

-followed their own projects...

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-..and Jess fell silent for six years

-until Bryn Terfel made a call...

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-..and invited them to perform

-at the Faenol Festival in 2001.

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-# When the rain is coming down,

-faces fall to the floor

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-# I'll be at your side

-to accept your faith and pure love

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-# When the rain is coming down

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-# Ba, ba-ba-ba-ba #

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-How are going to celebrate

-next year?

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-How will you mark the milestone of

-25 years since Jess' first cassette?

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-There's certainly going to be

-a few gigs next year.

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-We've already confirmed that we're

-playing at the Cnapan in March...

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-..and probably the Eisteddfod

-and I'd like to release something.

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-We've got a lot of demos of songs

-that were never released.

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-There could an album, Jess 25,

-so 25 songs including our best hits.

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-25?

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-I'm sure we've got 25 songs

-so keep your eyes peeled!

0:20:300:20:34

-It's been a pleasure talking

-to all four of you.

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-Thank you for the music

-and a happy birthday to Jess!

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-# I want a show on S4C

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-# But they never phone me

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-# They are just like the BBC

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-# Channel 5 and HTV

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-# I want to be a luvvie

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-# And call everyone lovely

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-# I want a show on the telly

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-# To prove how lush I can be

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-# Oh, c-c-c-c-c-c-come on

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-# I want a lot of attention

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-# Moo-v-v-v-v-v-v-ing on

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-# Instead of nothing at all

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-# Oh, c-c-c-c-c-c-come on

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-# It's gone

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-# Like breaking wind in a breeze

0:21:520:21:56

-# Like breaking wind in a breeze

0:21:560:22:00

-# In a breeze

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-# Youtube is the future

0:22:090:22:12

-# There are no boundaries on Youtube

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-# Go and see me on Youtube

0:22:170:22:20

-# The future has begun

0:22:210:22:24

-# Oh, c-c-c-c-c-c-come on

0:22:240:22:29

-# I want a lot of attention

0:22:290:22:32

-# Moo-v-v-v-v-v-v-ing on

0:22:320:22:36

-# Instead of nothing at all

0:22:360:22:39

-# Oh, c-c-c-c-c-c-come on

0:22:390:22:44

-# It's gone

0:22:440:22:47

-# Like breaking wind in a breeze

0:22:480:22:51

-# Like breaking wind in a breeze

0:22:520:22:55

-# Like breaking wind in a breeze

0:22:550:22:59

-# Oh, flippin' heck, it's gone

0:23:040:23:08

-# Goodness me, it's just gone

0:23:080:23:13

-# Flippin' heck, it's gone

0:23:130:23:18

-# Ohhh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh #

0:23:190:23:24

-Thank you and goodnight!

0:23:290:23:30

-# God, please give me a guitar,

-like Julia the Guitar

0:23:310:23:35

-# Standing on the square

-just like a man who doesn't care

0:23:360:23:40

-# God, please give me a guitar,

-like Julia the guitar

0:23:410:23:45

-# Standing on the square

-just like a man who doesn't care #

0:23:460:23:52

-S4C Subtitles by Tinopolis

0:23:560:23:57

-.

0:23:580:23:58

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