WELSH-LANGUAGE television has played a more important part than commercial record labels in the development of Welsh music videos over the past 50 years, say researchers.

As the 24-hour MTV channel made its entrance on to the global stage in the early 1980s, it was the arrival of S4C which helped shape music video making in Wales at the time.

The finding is included in a new website documenting the development of Welsh music videos over a period of more than fifty years, which launches on Welsh Language Music Day (Friday 7 February).

The fideos.cymru website stems from a unique research project led by two lecturers at Aberystwyth University’s Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, Dr Greg Bevan and Dr Kate Woodward.

They say the project has highlighted significant differences between the dynamics driving the production of Welsh-language and Anglo-American music videos.

Dr Greg Bevan said: “There is no doubt that the music video has had a fascinating history since the format really took off in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The political, industrial and social landscape of Wales was very different at that time and these contexts are reflected in the videos that were being created.

“One of the main differences that has emerged as part of our research is that Anglo-American videos are produced with the primary aim of selling and promoting mainstream songs as part of a wider marketing drive by the big record companies. That commercial imperative has been less evident in Wales. Here, the need to promote cultural arts in a minority language has been a crucial factor, alongside other anti-establishment, subcultural influences.”

As part of the project, the researchers interviewed some of Wales’s leading artists and producers about their experience of making music videos, including Dafydd Iwan, Cerys Hafana, Geraint Jarman, Eddie Ladd, Rhys Mwyn, and Dafydd Rhys.

Dr Kate Woodward told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “We wanted to speak directly to the people who have been involved in making Welsh music videos over the years and share their insights with a wider audience through the website. What we found was that the television industry in Wales – and S4C in particular – was mainly responsible for driving music video production by providing not only a platform for broadcasting content but also the necessary funding, in contrast to the Anglo-American trend where record labels were the main drivers.

“The iconic series Fideo 9 on S4C played a key role in the development of the Welsh music video, producing around four new videos every week when they were on air between 1988 and 1991. Bandit was on air between 2004 and 2011, and Lŵp has been offering a cross-platform stage for Welsh music since 2019. We are also now in a new era where artists are increasingly likely to create their own videos independently and promote them on various social media streams.”

Music Video Fund

In addition to launching the website, it was also announced today that a small fund is available for applications to support the production of two new Welsh music videos.

As Dr Woodward explained: “We are keen for our research project to contribute to the ongoing development of the Welsh music video by supporting current content creation as well as examining and analysing the scene’s historical development.”

The closing date for applications to the music video fund is 16:00 on Friday 28 February 2025 and further details are available online: https://fideos.cymru.

Image: Dr Kate Woodward and Dr Greg Bevan from the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies at Aberystwyth University.

A FREE cinema screening of The Sloth Lane, an unreleased animated film, will take place in Haverfordwest this Sunday (Feb 9) as part of Escapes’ first-ever family-friendly event.

Escapes, supported by the BFI and National Lottery funding, is offering families the chance to watch the heartwarming film ahead of its official UK release on Friday (Feb 14). The initiative aims to bring people together through independent cinema, with free screenings at over 80 venues nationwide.

The Sloth Lane follows a speedy sloth named Laura and her quirky family as they move to the big city in their rusted old food truck, determined to make their business a success. The film delivers a feel-good message about embracing life’s adventures.

The Sunday matinee screening is designed for families, allowing bookings for up to two adults and three children per order. All screenings will feature descriptive subtitles to ensure accessibility.

Escapes has already provided over 65,000 free cinema tickets across the UK, showcasing everything from cult classics to Oscar-nominated films. The initiative will continue throughout 2025, bringing a new free film to cinemas each month.

Tickets for The Sloth Lane are available now at escapes.cinematik.app.

THE JOHNNY CASH ROADSHOW, the world’s premier tribute to the legendary Man in Black, is thrilled to announce its 20th Anniversary Tour. Heading into its 20th year on the road and stronger than ever, this fast-paced, energetic, and constantly evolving show is now the longest-running and most critically acclaimed tribute show across the UK and Europe and can be seen at the Torch Theatre this February. 

Set on a Grand ‘Ole Opry style stage, the Roadshow brings you the best of Johnny Cash’s catalogue of songs in one night’s entertainment. Fans can look forward to iconic hits such as “Walk the Line,” “Ring of Fire,” “Jackson,” and “Hurt.” With standing ovations every night, this is the longest-running and best celebration of Johnny Cash in the world today. It’s guaranteed you wanting more.

The tour will kick off mid-January in their hometown of Malvern, Worcestershire, with performances scheduled in major cities across the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland throughout the year.

Lead singer, Clive John (Johnny Cash), is a multi-award winning singer songwriter, with eight albums of his own material under his belt. Clive has won multiple awards for his songwriting. His album The Spirt was nominated best country album of the year and the title single was no 1 in the Country Music charts for eight weeks. His rendition of Hurt recorded Live at Her Majesties Theater Aberdeen was No1 Worldwide for four weeks. Clive is the founder and theater director for the Johnny Cash Roadshow, it’s been his passion for the last 20 years, so this year is a special, not to be missed show.  

“We are incredibly excited to celebrate 20 years of the Johnny Cash Roadshow. This tour is a tribute to Johnny’s enduring legacy and the fans who have supported us throughout the years,” said Clive. 

Clive will have the company of Ashley Cavell (June Carter) and is no stranger to the stages with her most recent leading role in Vampire Rock which toured the theaters and arenas across the UK. Her background in stage performance and dance runs from the Cruise ships to the stages with many of the top tribute shows in the UK and Europe such as Little Mix, ABBA, Meatloaf and Spice Girls.  

The show has been supported by Caitlin Crowell, granddaughter of Johnny Cash.

“Clive captures my Grandfather JUST as he was,” said Caitlin who added: “(the show was) Absolutely authentic to the point where it felt as if it wasn’t a tribute.”

Tickets for the The Johnny Cash Roadshow – 20th Anniversary Tour at the Torch Theatre on Friday 21 February at 7.30pm are on sale now and can be purchased at the Torch Theatre Box Office on 01646 695267 or visit torchtheatre.co.uk.