Llwybr Llaethog
Llwybr Llaethog (Welsh for Milky Way, although the Milky Way has several names in Welsh folklore) are an experimental Welsh language band that effectively mix such varied musical genres as rap, dub, reggae, hip hop, and punk in their music.
Background
Founded in the north Welsh town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales in 1985 by John Griffiths and Kevs Ford, the two teens had spent the seventies growing up in the town's decaying industrial surroundings. The two were heavily influenced by reggae and the punk scenes that were sweeping the UK. After several years touring northern Europe with punk/ska band The Managing Directors, the turning point came in 1984 when John Griffiths was on vacation in New York City and was impressed by a group of youths he saw at a nightclub breakdancing, and the sounds of DJ Red Alert.
After returning to Wales, Griffiths fixed on the idea of marrying hip hop and left wing politics with his native Welsh language. Llwybr Llaethog's debut release was an EP for the Welsh record label Anhrefn Records in 1986, entitled Dull Di Drais, which combined Llwybr Llaethog's leftist political messages with what would become the band's trademark sound of turntable scratching, audio sampling, hip-hop, and cut-and-paste production. The band were also heavily promoted by British radio DJ John Peel.
The self-proclaimed myth that Griffiths single-handedly brought hip-hop to Wales is an oft-repeated cliché amongst some commentators in the country, none more-so than Griffiths himself. As if Wales is some remote and cut-off part of the world where a phenomenon so internationally widespread as hip-hop would not have eventually reached were it not for Griffiths' ingenuity and foresight. 'Am lwyth o gachu' to coin a Welsh phrase.
Discography
Singles
- Dull Di-Drais 7" – Anhrefn Records (1986)
- Tour De France 7" – Anhrefn Records (1987)
- Pam? 12" – Pinpoint Records (1988)
- Ni Fydd Y Chwyldro... 7" – Ankst (1992)
- Soccer MC 12" – Ankst (1996)
- Mera Desh 7" – Ankst (1997)
- Llanrwst (a version of Y Cyrff's song "Cymru, Lloegr a Llanrwst") – Fitamin Un (2001)
Albums
- Da! – Side Effects (1988)
- Be? – Pinpoint Records (1990)
- LL.LL v T.G. MC DRE – Ankst (1991)
- Mewn Dyb (In Dub) – ROIR (1991)
- Mad – Ankst (1996)
- Drilacila-(Croeso'99) – Ankst (1999)
- Hip Dub Reggae Hop – Ankst (2000)
- Stwff – Neud Nid Deud (2001)
- Anomie-Ville – Crai (2002)
- Mega Tidy – Rasal (2005)
- Chwaneg – Neud Nid Deud (2009)
- Curiad Cariad – Neud Nid Deud (2011)
- Dub Cymraeg – Neud Nid Deud (2013)
- I'r Dim – Neud Nid Deud (2014)
