Gai Toms, born Gareth J Thomas in Bangor, Wales on 14 September 1976, is a Welsh singer songwriter and performer. In 1992 he co-formed the popular Welsh language ska rock band, Anweledig with two school friends Michael Jones and Rhys Roberts. Between 1997 an 2007 Gai Toms performed using pseudonym Mim Twm Llai. He has worked as an actor and also writes music for TV and Theatre.
His latest release was an eco concept album titled Rhwng y Llygru a'r Glasu 2008, this album brought him another two BBC Radio Cymru RAP Awards to his collection, one for best songwriter, the other for best artist. The album was recorded at his home in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd using clean energy, drums salvaged from junkyards and the album artwork and packaging from recycled material. All songs contain issues on sustainability, questioning our existence and purpose in the world today. Music styles range from 'inferno' blues to 'junkyard' rhumba. The album was the first release on his own label, Sbensh.
Gai Toms mainly performs in his first language - Cymraeg Welsh. Occasionally, he devises a theatrical performance of his repertoire combining elements of acting, music and projections.
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Gai Toms was raised in the slate quarry community of Tanygrisiau near Blaenau Ffestiniog. Son of ex-quarryman / heavy goods / bus driver Robert Meurig Thomas, and school caretaker Margaret Gwenda, younger brother of Elaine. On his thirteenth birthday, Gai had a Spanish guitar and chord book, he quickly taught himself to play.
He was also a keen footballer and played for Blaenau Ffestiniog juniors and youths. He was selected to trial for Manchester City and Wrexham FC. Unfortunately, he was sent home from both.
At secondary school, Gai always thought he'd be a Sport's teacher, but... music quickly overtook his passion for sport and dropped the gym bag for a guitar case. Gai and friends were musically motivated by the bands of the time... especially Welsh language bands e.g. Mistecs, Cylchoed Hud, Ffa Coffi Pawb, Hanner Pei, Aros Mae, Y Gofodwyr Piws. Mainstream popular bands also influenced Gai and friends e.g. The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, ACDC, Guns'n'Roses. With these popular influences, Gai and friends decided to form a band.
Anweledig was formed on Boxing Day 1992 because two friends - Michael Jones and Rhys Roberts had received guitars as Christmas presents. They arranged a jamming session at Rhys' parents Top Garej (A room above the garage) as soon as possible. Gai soon saved up to buy his own electric guitar.
Gai played a major role in Anweledig, especially from a songwriting and visionary point of view. Most of the time he'd come up with the lyrics, chords and the odd bass line, the rest of the band would then mold the ideas to create the Anweledig sound. At first, Anweledig was a blend of heavy rock and early 90's indie music, that soon changed when they started listening to reggae, dub, drum'n'bass, and progressive rock. Having left secodary school, Gai spent a lot of time jamming with then Mistecs member Kaz Bentham, (now of Estella) son of Ben Bentham from the Welsh electro dub outfit Llwybr Llaethog. Kaz had a vast array of obscure L.P.'s, one of them by the band Back to the Planet, this had a profound influence on Gai's input to the Anweledig sound. Gai and Kaz actually formed reggae band called Dub Dimension with drummer Phil Jones, they only played once in Barmouth and soon disbanded. Back to the Planet combined all of the musical styles that Gai and friends had been listening to since school days, including the more experimental styles The rest of Anweledig's members also found Back to the Planet inspirational, this helped pave the way to Anweledig being a really different sounding band to what was going on in Welsh language scene at the time.
Rhys (bassist), Alwyn Evans (drummer) and Jo Buckley (keyboard) became interested in the 'left field' music styles of the 90's e.g. drum'n'bass, trance and acid funk. These influences are noticeable in many Anweledig material, especially when performing live. The band's lead singer, Ceri Cunnington brought attitude, presence and political subversiveness to their live performances while Iwan Jones (guitarist) kept the band sane with ACDC style licks on the guitar! Having all these characters and musical styles in one room required a creative 'project manager', Gai was that person. He was able to visualize and hear a song out of these many influences. This is not to say that other members did not contribute, but you could argue that Gai was the 'egg' in the Anweledig 'cake'.
Having done many musical styles with Anweledig, one style captured Gai's imagination more than the rest. This style was the simplicity of the folk ballad - words and guitar. Having bought most of Meic Stevens' back catalogue, Gai started writing songs on his own, mainly influenced by Meic Stevens. Some songs evolved into the Anweledig sound, some stayed as they were... these new songs needed another form of outlet, and that's where Mim Twm Llai comes in.
Gai's father was known as Mim Twm, a local variant of Meurig Thomas. Their neighbour, Kevin 'Princey' Evans, started calling Elaine (Gai's sister) Mim Twm Bach (Mim Twm Junior) as a joke. Soon, Gai was called Mim Twm Llai (Smaller Mim Twm). Gai used this name as an outlet fro his folk material and soon got signed up by Rhys Mwyn's Crai label, the same label as Anweledig.
Meic Stevens, Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion, Tom Waits, Manu Chao, Super Furry Animals, John Prine, Django Rheinhardt, Old Crow Medicine Show, Devendra Banhart
2008 Rhwng y Llygru a'r Glasu (L.P.) Sbensh
2006 Yr Eira Mawr (L.P.) Crai
2005 Straeon y Cymdogion (L.P.) Crai
2002 O'r Sbensh (L.P.) Crai
2004 Byw (E.P.) Crai
2001 Low Alpine (E.P.) Crai
2001 Gweld y Llun (L.P.) Crai
2000 Scratchy (E.P.) Zion Train collaboration. Crai
1999 Cae yn Nefyn (E.P.) Crai
1998 Sombreros yn y Glaw (L.P.) Crai
2006 Dan y Cownter 2, Compiled by Huw Stephens (1 song as Mim Twm Llai)
2006 Llythyrau Ellis Williams. (sings Dilyn Gorwelion)
2005 Dore, Bob Delyn a'r Ebillion (Played bass)