1982
Have some more piano lesson with Aerona James - amazingly brilliant organist/pianist, jazzer and friend's mum! Teaches me some fundamentals of jazz and a better understanding about creating music and playing by ear.
I was an avid autograph hunter at this point in my life. Aberaeron Rugby 7s attracts many of the big names and even Gren the cartoonist draws a cartoon for me an autographs it. I later find out that his son is going out with a second cousin of mine. I meet Darryl and Caroline that summer. Darryl plays saxophone.
1983
October - join Dawnswyr Gwerin Aelwyd Felinfach. (Felinfach Welsh Folk Dancers). Insist on learning music and more music and eventually become a form of MD for the group. Play for dancers at eisteddfods and festivals such as Gwyl Ifan, twmpathau (barndances), local fairs/carnivals etc…
1984
Meet Alun Wyn Dafis accordionist and keyboardist with Penderyn. Influences me with allsorts of Celtic bands. Silly Wizard, Hwntws etc etc.
This was ‘O’ Level year (eventually got 8).
August 1984 - make new friends at Aberaeron Carnival. Huw Price and Flo to name but a few. My father invites Gareth Bond to the house to have a bash on the piano – which he did!
1985
June - Meet mad Irish guitarist and singer Raymond Fahy and Chris the Greek
July 1985 - Attend first ever Gwyl y Cnapan in Drefach Felindre - same day as Live Aid!
August 1985 - Play for Dawnswyr Caernarfon in Interceltic Festival in Lorient. Vow never to play for Dancers again after a pretty bad experience. Meet Dave and Bronwen Petersen and form band to 'save a night' during the festival. On return, call Raymond Fahy and complete the Ffillym line up. Play at International Blacksmiths Convention in Ironbridge Museum.
Sept 1985 Leave Home. Having won a scholarship, move to Swansea to go to college and study Computer Sciences. Go to Swansea Folk Club meet the usual folkie crowd. Meet Danu, another mad singer guitarist.
November 1985 – See Fairport Convention in concert in Penyrheol Leisure Centre, Gorseinon. Meet Rick Sanders their new fiddler and he lets me play his Victorian practice violin.
Now gigging with Ffillym most weekends.
1986
Form the Constitution Hillbillies with Danu, then joined by Andy and Frank… Play all sorts of mad music at breakneck speed! Cajun Psychobilly Bluegrass Celtic etc. End up gigging 5-6 nights a week. Perform at Glastonbury, Neath, Pontardawe and numerous clubs, festivals and events throughout the country. Meet Danny KilBride and his brothers, Ruth Exell Stephenson, Pat Smith and Mick Tems.
August - Busking in Brecon Market when Bill James (Aberaeron) throws 50p at me! Meet with a Scots piper called Jim who's visiting in Brecon. Have a jam session in the gym - my first with highland pipes! (The first of many.) Meet Henry Sears and After Hours at Pontardawe. Learn Irish fiddle technique and keep studying it!
September - Leave the Hillbillies, exhausted and despondent! Keep myself to myself and go a bit insane for a few months. Travel in Ireland and some places in Europe.
1987
Join Cromlech for 8 months. Develop a load of fiddle skills that I never had time to! End up back in Aberaeron where I worked as a barmaid in Holimarine Holiday camp. On my weekly night off, I was invited to join Bobby Wayne and his band for a few numbers on stage!
September - Go back to college to do a teaching thing… meet Paul Hopkins who teaches me some neat tunes!