Melys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Melys | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, Wales |
| Genre(s) | Indie pop, indie rock |
| Years active | 1996-present |
| Label(s) | Ankstmusik, Pinnacle, Sylem |
| Website | melys.co.uk |
| Members | |
| Andrea Parker, Paul Adams, Gary Husband, Richard Eardley | |
| Former members | |
| Carys Jones | |
Melys are a Welsh independent rock band from Betws-y-Coed in Conwy, Wales, formed in 1996. They sing in both English and Welsh. They have recorded eleven sessions for John Peel on BBC Radio 1, came first in his Festive Fifty in 2001 and won Best Welsh-language Act at the Welsh Music Awards in 2002.[1][2]
Contents |
[edit] History and line-up
The group was formed by Andrea Parker (vocals) and Paul Adams (guitar and keyboards) when the two met in Betws-y-Coed in 1996. The two became both musical and personal partners and recruited Adams' brother Gary Husband on drums and their friend Carys Jones on keyboards.[3]
After releasing two EP's with local label Ankstmusik the group was signed to Pinnacle Records releasing their first album Rumours and Curses in 1998. Unfortunately their relations with Pinnacle, always strained, fell apart completely when that label went bankrupt at the end of the year. The group subsequently founded their own label, Sylem Records on which their second album Kamikaze was released. Jones left the band at around this time to be replaced by Richard Eardley who continues as bassist with them to this day.[3]
John Peel, a long-time fan of the group (and with whom they recorded no fewer than 11 Peel Sessions) introduced the group to Dutch band Seedling in late 2000 and they released a split single in collaboration with them (the song on Seedling's side was called "Cool Baby My Hips Go Woo") in early 2001.[3]
Suikerspin (Dutch for candy floss), Melys' third album, was released in 2001. They scored some considerable success when the single from this album called "Chinese Whispers" was voted number one in Peel's Festive Fifty at the end of the year.[3]
After this success Melys apparently shied away from the public eye, returning in 2003 with their fourth album Casting Pearls. Their latest release is Life's Too Short (a title (and album) dedicated to Peel) in 2005.[3]
At least one song on every album is in Welsh for which the group do not provide an English translation either in the printed lyrics or on their website.
[edit] Discography (albums and EPs)
- Fragile EP (1996)
- Cuckoo EP (1997)
- Rumours and Curses (1998)
- Slagging Off Tourists EP (1999)
- Kamikaze (2000)
- Suikerspin compilation (2001)
- Casting Pearls (2003)
- Life's Too Short (2005)
