Yr Hwntws, formed in 1981 by Gregg Lynn (vocals; guitar) and Jethro Newton (vocals; bodhran), reached iconic status during the revival of Welsh traditional music. The band are widely regarded as the greatest inspiration to the present generation of performers, developing their repertoire in a way that liberated the music they perform from the stifling atmosphere that traditional music had been corralled into. They broke new ground in 1983 by releasing an independently produced and marketed 17-track LP (Loco 1001).
The band had two successful line-ups in the 80s and early 90s and stopped performing in 1994. The line-up at that time included Gregg and Jethro, the KilBrides and also Tony Lambert (ex-Alex Harvey Blues Band, and Bonnie Tyler), who subsequently went on to work with ‘The Saw Doctors’ until the late 90s. Gregg and Jethro re-formed the band in 2005, largely to fulfil a long held intention to re-work some of their original material with a band that had a strong rock ‘back-line’. In August of that year they also played at the Faenol Festival.
Arrangements and material
The material used by the band is largely a product of research undertaken by Jethro and Gregg from various sources, including music collections, books and journals, manuscripts, ballad broadsheets, and newspapers. Added to this is the extensive instrumental KilBride repertoire of Welsh tunes.
The band’s arrangements, both vocal and instrumental, are distinctively their own and are widely acknowledged as stemming from considerable creativity and experimentation. Hwntws are well known for delivering their interpretations with a raw verve, robustness and intensity. This is hardly surprising given both rock and traditional influences on the band’s playing and singing. The band’s name denotes ‘South Walians’ and it is no accident that their repertoire is largely made up of traditional songs and music from Glamorgan and Gwent, including a particular emphasis on the free metre known as ‘Triban Morgannwg’’. Such is the respect of Hwntws for linguistic authenticity that they use the now almost extinct South East Wales regional dialect of the songs they perform (Gwentian, or Gwenhwyseg).
Hwntws line-up
Of the current line-up, alongside Gregg and Jethro are Danny KilBride (bass), who joined the band in the mid-1980s, and Gerard KilBride (fiddle, pipes, pibgyrn) and Bernard KilBride (fiddle; clavinet ) who joined several years later. All were members when Hwntws last performed in 1994. The three brothers also perform as ‘KilBride’ and are well established amongst Wales’ leading exponents of traditional music. Revealing the stronger rock influences than had hitherto characterised their music, the band now features Geraint Cynan (founder member of Bwchadanas and the Sian James band) on keyboards; Myf Isaac (ex-Budgie, Jip, and Bando), Wales’ premier rock guitarist, on lead guitar; and Aled Richards (drums; formerly of Catatonia, currently also working with Amy Wadge). Members of ‘Hwntws’ have performed in North America, Canada, Arabia, Japan, all Celtic countries, and throughout Europe.
Current project
The band’s current project is completion of a 12-track CD presently being recorded at Myf’s recording studio, Stiwdio’r Efail, Cardiff. The CD will be made available, probably through ‘My Space’, by the end of 2007. It’s possible that the 1983 recordings, with their more acoustic feel, will also be digitalised and re-released late 2007 or early 2008.
