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Formed in 1982 over many pints of Brains Dark in the back of Black Bart's pub in east Fishguard, Wales, Barti Ddu would soon dominate the local music scene with their heavy brand of sludge rock. Partly due to drummer Oleg 'r 'n anhardd's loss of a leg when the stage collapsed on their first tour, his peg-leg hi-hat-less style forced the band in a direction that would forever alter the course of Welsh rock n roll.
At a time when many of their contemporaries were embracing punk and new wave, Barti Ddu were really a throwback to their '70's roots, with a greater affininty for bands such as Man, and Budgie. This was no coincedence as their bassist, Tea Shark, had been a roadie for Man on their first U.S. tour in 1974. About the same time, guitarrists Anifail Bariton, and "Fat Tony" Ngeilliau had gigged around with the New Originals, replacing Nigel Tufnel and David St. Hubbins. In the late 1976, they met Oleg and 'n faw Ben Sue at the Swansea darts invitational, when they were arrested together for starting a drunken brawl in which one of the other contestants ended up with a dart stuck in his "arse". Tea Shark was invited to join a few months later.
They began rehearsing, as Tir Na Nog, hoping to cash in on the underground folk revival. It was on tour opening for Meic Stevens that the aforementioned stage collapsed, causing the band to re-evaluate their aspirations while Oleg convalesced.
Money became a problem with no gigs to play so the group resorted to petty crime to keep themselves afloat. They adapted "Steal from the rich, give to the poor" to mean "rich" was anyone more fortunate, and that they were as poor as anybody. They came to realize an affinity with their local pub's namesake, as Black Bart became a pirate out of necessity rather than design.
When Oleg walked into Black Bart's the first time with a peg leg, everything came into focus. Soon they were back on stage in and around Cardiff and Swansea, blowing all the funny hairdo's and skinny ties off the stage with their malevolent mix of sludge heavy riffs, unsubtle beats and undecipherable vocals, singing songs of mayhem, violence, and boredom.
Word got around to London and they were soon signed by Pye Records, finding them in Rockfield Studios with Dave Edmunds at the helm. Their epynomonous first album, "Barti Ddu" reached number 40 in April of 1983, featuring the instrumental track, "Bootleg Jerky" as a first single. Soon they found themselves on stage in Glastonbury on a bill with Hawkwind and Motorhead, finding an ever larger, adoring audience.
The constant touring took it's toll with the band taking a break in 1991, with all everyone concentrating on side projects. Tea Shark's album of Sea Shantey's for children, "The Captain's Funny Quarters" was released in 1992, and received a Newberry Prize. Anifail Bariton teamed up with Days of Grace guitarrist Don 'Fagin' Whittaker to release an album of ambient duets, entitled "Whale Songs" in 1994. "Fat Tony" Ngeillau retired from music to raise his autistic twins, while 'n faw Ben Sue tragically descended into glue sniffing induced madness.
Oleg in the meanwhile became a well known character actor with a recurring role on BBC 1's "Are You Being Served?" as Peg Leg John.
Periodic rumors of a Barti Ddu reunion surface from time to time, and while all the members remain friends, it has yet to take place.
Bartholomew Roberts was a Welsh pirate who raided shipping off the Americas and West Africa between 1719 and 1722. He was the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy, capturing far more ships than some of the best-known pirates of this era such as Blackbeard or Captain Kidd. He is estimated to have captured over 470 vessels. He is also known as Black Bart (Welsh: Barti Ddu), but this name was never used in his lifetime.
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