Press release sent out with “export” copies of Pyst.
Scanned from a second generation photocopy, so my attempt at a transcription follows. It’s slightly clipped on the right hand side, bits I’ve guessed are [in brackets], bits I can’t guess are [..]
[Gol. Diolch Victoria!]
PYST by Datblygu. Press Release
(EXPORT – LINGO ADAPTED)
Context
This is the second LP by Datblygu. The previous one (“Wyau“) received critical ‘acclaim’ in some quarters. So much so that the only way it got any attention in the N.M.E. was when John Peel selected it as one of his favourite records of that time. This was nice compensation for the racist blinkers worn by the hopeless hacks actually employed by that ragged rag.
Time Line
1990: This LP. 1989: Our last gig to date. We played in Wales’ capital city and bottles and glasses were thrown. We responded with a half hour one note waltz. I could never understand why all these Glastonbury playing bands existed with their Jimmy Tarbuck approach to music… 1988: Our first LP & second John Peel session. 1987: First vinyl release & first John Peel session. 1986 and Back: Gigs in cold and hostile village halls to cold and hostile village idiots, Also colder responses to limited edition bedroom cassette releases plus contributions to compilations LPs. 1982: Formed for two reasons: out of a hatred with what was being expressed
1. In the Welsh language
2. In music.
These reasons still apply. Therefore this LP had to be done.
1. The Welsh language ‘Culture’ is still the old folks home for subsidised idiots it ever was. 2. The music scene seems to be dominated by gits from north England who never grew out of their remedial department glue sniffing habits. They also make the use of anything more than a monosyllabic word a crime against fashion.
Also you can be guaranteed that we got this right in the first place so we don’t need to employ the dubious talents of some suntanned Londoner to remix it.
Anyway. Track List Translations
1. “Benjamin Morning”: Wake up. Take a sleeping tablet. Wake up. Take a sleeping tablet. Put in your box of preconceptions marked “Post A.I.D.S”
2. Out and Down: Out (in pubs). And Yazz was well off the mark because the only way is down hence the violins. In pubs I hoped for a female tongue in my ears but all I got was the overspill of middle aged men’s conversations in their eternal wife avoidance.
3. Take In a Show: Circles around the notion that the only reason shows have intervals is to do the audience a favour.
4. About: is a list of prejudices that I hold dearly against my fellow countrymen.
5. Novel From The Hovel: Is a short story, and the only I’d get one ‘published’ in Wales is to stick it between two ‘pop’ songs. Conclusion of the story? Slow drivers are far dangerous than fast ones and I should not have bothered taking my empty Scotch bottles to a bottle bank.
6. Ms. Laver Bread: Sex in the Welsh language shock. Laver bread is a food popular in parts of S.Wales. Ingredients include seaweed and pig fat but I like the woman in the song very much.
7. Intentions of Cows: I wanted the first “hymn” with lyrics I agree with.
8. Next Year Perhaps Leukaemia: “He’d like to say to her ‘Hey love, smile’, next year perhaps leukaemia.” Good jokes and “dance” music a plenty,
9. Twenty To One: is an analogy between a steeplechaser (all engagements dead) and me. “I was once at the tip of a commentator’s tongue. Now I’m here with the meat in a French supermarket”
10. The Nurse is Home:10. : I lived among nurses for a year. They are no more angelic than your neighbourhood pest.
11. Monkey with Scab: “Tradition’s a con, culture’s a con. What’s there to eat? Only a monkey with scab.”
12. Surfeit: …of being pissed off e.g. “I went down to look at the sea. It was like young testes singing in a choir.”
13. Rout: Is mainly a song about coughing, Christmas and good memories which make a useless present time feel much worse.
Yours, D Edwards, Autumn ’90
(Note: the stuff on the reverse of this press release was lifted from the local newspaper which serves the region where many of the songs on this record were written)
Further information, requests for interviews with people who’ve actually got something to say (I.E.not Yankie/Manky band neo-Willy Rushtonisms) can be arranged by phoning PATRICIA MORGAN on: 0497 – 821291 [ddim bellach] If not, we’ll have another record out in due course in any case.