Meltdown began in 1986 - taking over from the folk club in Chapter Arts Centre downstairs bar. It kept the folk club format of a paid special guest each week supported by a series of ‘floor spots’ from whoever turned up, but blew open the content to embrace any kind of music and performance. The pictures below capture a night in April 1986 where acts included welsh folk wizards Callenig, Barry band the Raindogs, superb gospel tinged pop anthems from Thieves (featuring future Pier vocalist Alison Clash, and Jacknife Disciple lead Dean), whirlwind irish fiddles from the Kilbride Brothers and an assortment of singers/flautists/spoon players etc.
CHAPTER DOWNSTAIRS BAR 1986
Barry band the Raindogs (we think) on the legendary
Chapter Downstairs Bar stage. Where are they now?
Meltdown
co-founder
Paul Clarke
Unknown
floor act -
who are you?
Den on spoons - he
jammed in with everything
Martin Espley & Mike Slee
Mike Slee now of the Soda Men
Dean Proctor (centre) went on to front Jacknife Disciples
among others.
Steve Penrose wrote the songs - every
one a gem of twisted pop.
Thieves songs only survive in a handful of demos and lyric sheets, and a session for
Radio Wales’ The Orange Box. One of our Un.Sung ideas is to get new South Wales
Bands covering unsung gems from South Wales’ past. Good songs should never die. So
where are you Steve? And what do you reckon? If we get permission/access to surviving
Thieves songs we’d love to get them heard again. Meantime enjoy the cheekbones.
Mick Tems (voice, diatonic accordeons) and Patricia Carron-Smith (voice, concertina,
spoons) have always been the heart of Calennig
Pat on spoons
(yes, more spoons!)
Callenig were first of many Welsh folk legends to play Meltdown
All the shots below were taken at 13th April 86 meltdown by Tom Barrance
Dylan Fowler - Superb
Jazz / Folk guitarist. Regular
Meltdown floor act. Has since
established global
reputation & played with
Danny thompson, Richard
Thompson etc
Nigel Eaton - THE Hurdy
Gurdy Man - has played
with Blowzabella, Robert
Plant, Kate Bush etc.
Both Dylan and Nigel played early
Meltdowns and both years later
undertook acclaimed collaborations
with Julie Murphy.
Julie Murphy picks the raffle winner
Left: Paul Clarke, right: regular compere
Ken Richman
Empty Headed Westerners
Early indie headliners with
insanely catchy and offbeat
Talking Headsish songs.
Choc Ice brought their unique northern take on contemporary pop and imaginative dentistry to many a Meltdown
Watermelons featuring
drummer/singer/songwriter
Paul Rosser (pictured)
were a compelling 3-
piece whose incendiary
songs gave a Valleys
perspective on fraught
times. Inspired a host
of younger bands (e.g.
Blood Orange - note the
homage) sowing some of
the seeds of Cool Cymru.
Rob Brydon - played several
Meltdowns as a member of
the Cardiff Comedy Explosion
sporting a Tommy Cooper fez
if my memory serves.
The Argonauts emerged fully formed from the
Glamorgan Polytechnic, with a clutch of
mesmerisingly beautiful songs - as raw and
haunting as early REM.
Guo Brothers from China
played Meltdown on Sept
28th 1986 then crashed out
at Howling (Spasm Band)
Howard’s place. Entry fee £1
Alberto Balia and Riccardo Tesi from Italy
playing Meltdown Nov 23rd 1986
Julie Murphy hits the cover of
the Uks most prestigious folk
Magazine - shortly to be
followed by another Meltdown
rooted act, the Blue Horses.
Danny played with Mara fresh from
playing on Kate Bush’s Hounds of
Love and David Sylvian’s Brilliant Trees
MARA! (feat Danny Thompson) Oct 5th 1986 Chapter Theatre
Dylan Fowler and Jim Denley Nov 16th 1986 Chapter Theatre
Now an
internationally
reknowned Jazz
Singer, Tina found
her first musical
soulmate in Dylan
Fowler. Was early
headliner in Bar &
played first ever
Meltdown Showcase
in Chapter Theatre
No Fit State Circus began life as Balls Up
Jugglers, and in 1986 started using Meltdown
to develop routines. Dave Id - now of the
Splott Brothers, became a regular compere.
Now No Fit State tour internationally and are
critically acclaimed. And they still have strong
roots in Cardiff communities.
Ken Richman (sax) and Paul Clarke play the
legendary Meltdown theme which opened many
Meltdowns in the clubs first five years. Paul
has since been weaned off hats.
On Sunday December 21st 1986 Julie Murphy first shared a bill with future collaborator Dylan Fowler. Not that either of them remembered this when both clocked me sitting in the front row for their Norwegian Church gig - playing as a duo - in 2005.
“So you know Paul” Dylan asked Julie. “You used to play Meltdown?”
Both were among the musically adventurous ‘floor acts’ to use the Meltdown night in the first twelve months of the clubs existence. And threaded through the comedy, the pop, the juggling, the blues jams and the avant garde performance pieces was an astonishing wealth of local, national and global folk talent.
China’s Guo Brothers, Australia’s Mara, Italy’s Riccardo Tesi and Alberto Balia shared the stage with (among others) the Kilbride Brothers, Guto (now of Toreth), Chilean exiles America Morena and Julie Murphys evolving musical ensembles.
And the fact that this also meant sharing the stage with rock bands, jazz combos, country singers, comedians, and knife throwers seemed to enhance the experience. For people passionate about traditional song and instrumental music, Meltdown provided an opportunity to reach a wider audience, opening people’s ears to the stark beauty of the music. And that’s still being achieved 20 years on in stunning performances by SILD at the Halloweenathon and Dylan at the 2005 Christmas Party.
Paul Clarke
PRESS QUOTES
This review is of the Meltdown pictured on the left
“BARRIERS MELT DOWN NICELY
“Thats the weird looking guy I saw in the street yesterday” whispered a girl to her bemused friend. Both were among an 80 strong audience at Meltdown, a Sunday evening of experimental music and entertainment in a spartan room at the Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff.
Only six weeks old Meltdown has become the Cardiff musicians meeting place where local performers and new talents alike are given the chance of a few minutes on stage to try out material. The atmosphere is intimate and infectious with the enthusiasm of the performers coming across strongly. At one point in the evening members of the audience even decided to raid the kitchen and grabbed spoons to rattle during one of the folk numbers.
The evening is compered by Dave Goldwater who appears cheerfully unaware about what sort of act he is introducing. Performers last Sunday included the Raindogs, a powerful rock band from Barry, the Callenig Big Band, a highly danceable folk group, and a vast variety of other acts.
Now the Meltdown organisers are planning a series of Showcase evenings where the cream of the performers will be on stage in Chapter Theatre. The only danger is that the evening will gradually lose much of the rough and readiness that makes it so appealing. So catch Meltdown while its still in its infancy - if you can fight your way through the doors”
Julian Bishop
SOUTH WALES ECHO
15th April 1986
“Don’t miss it unless you want to remain ignorant of the wealth of musical talent which does not have to be brought in from other regions at high cost”
Ifan Payne
WESTERN MAIL
“The Meltdown invites and embraces anyone with a desire to perform, be it comedy or music ... Retaining a true community spirit”
CARDIFF INDEPENDENT
“There really is nothing quite like this club anywhere in the world”
Christine Brayshay
SOUTH WALES ECHO
“Meltdown is a club, a booking agency, a self help group and a roadshow all in one ... The picture of an organisation on the scale of the KGB emerges, not content until they’ve touched on every facet of modern life”
FOLK ROOTS
Magazine
“A colourful, chaotic melange of entertainment and experiment. They’ve offered some of the best concerts seen in South Wales in the last twelve months and at the same time tolerated floor singers who wouldn’t get a look in on any other sort of stage - and their ‘anything goes’ policy certainly seems to be paying off”
Mick Tems
SOUTH WALES ECHO
“The Meltdown Committee at Chapter Arts Centre have joined forces with the notorious Nude Brothers to create a truly magnificent Christmas spectacular on Sunday December 21st. In addition to the Nudes (and the rest of their cohorts - Thieves - plus numerous jugglers, choristers, unicyclists, poets, etc) there will be appearances by comedy duo Mouth to Mouth, the superb jazz guitarist Dylan Fowler, Danny Kilbride of Juice of Barley fame, and various members of the Spasm Band.”
Gary Price
CARDIFF POST
Thurs 11th Dec 1986
America Morena consisted of four immensely talented Chilean exiles living in Cardiff, led by Mario Gaete. Along with mastery of the pan pipes, charanga etc they embraced the experimental spirit of Meltdown - backing the songs of Sian Donovan, and forming a brief electric band Invisible Incas.
The Howling Sleepers were a glorious roots-rock combo combining superlative musicianship with wondrous songs - simple, poignant, funny - courtesy of lead singer Chris Ridgeway. Easily the best life band Cardiff has produced in the last 20 years (discuss) they failed to establish a national reputation despite their superb Soft Drinks and Snacks album, and fragmented in the early nineties. Offshoots include the Bucket Band (Carl and Glen), the Vinegar Flies (Chris, Carl and Glen) and Chris’s current outfit, the delectable Doofer.
The River Ghosts - perennials at Meltdown in part because the band included 3 Meltdown committee members, in part because the rootsy psychedelic songcraft of Ade Roper & Paul Clarke matched so well with superlative musicianship from Pete Matheson (guitarist with Ray Davies etc), Paul Sax (violinist with Sonya Kristina etc), Howling Howard (Spasm Band/Fugitives) and Martin Espley (drummer for Spasm Band etc).
Sian Donovan at West
End Arts Centre, Aldershot
Sian Donovan’s superlative songwriting and singing enraptured Meltdown audiences, but her contribution went way beyond this. As compere, co-organiser and source of constant encouragement for new talent she helped shape the Meltdown ethos.
Katell Keineg played numerous Meltdowns including Festivals and roadshows, and helped organise Meltdown’s first forays to the Mean Fiddler in London. Having moved to London, then Ireland Katell’s powerful songs and extraordinarily beautiful voice led to a contract with Electra in the USA, two excellent critically acclaimed albums, and numerous collaborations with the likes of Natalie Merchant, Sinead O’Connor, Bob Mould (of Sugar) etc. Has a new album out now - check on www.katellkeineg.com. The original demo version of ‘One Hell of a Life - which later became an American College Campus hit - featured various Howling Sleepers and River Ghosts.
The Milkshakes sang a dazzlingly wide range of songs acapella style, often with complex and beautiful arrangements (e.g. their version of Sting’s Russians). Also, in true Meltdown style, covered Sian Donovan’s superb ballad Someone’s Crying in Japan, and sang backing vocals on Railroad Bill’s album. Became regulars on Radio Wales, and Frank Hennesey faves.
They turned up as a four piece floor act. Then next week a five piece. Then a six piece headliner. El Pedrito - later Los Pedritos - just kept getting bigger and better. Their Afro-Caribbean rhythms and exuberant take on gigs thrilled audiences as far afield as the Melrose Festival in Scotland where for several years Meltdown acts travelled after links were made with organiser Hector Chistie (others included Julie Murphy and the Howling Sleepers). They evolved into the excellent Cougar (who played us out in style at 2005’s Christmas Meltdown.
Early leaflets are now regarded as
Design Classics.
Formed in Aberystwyth, moved down to Cardiff (just like the Hot Puppies) Railroad Bill are something of a one-band Meltdown. Their default position is skiffle with a dash of slapstick, in which mode they’ve supported Lonnie Donegan, played international street festivals across Europe, and worked their way through numerous washboards. Their electric incarnation, however, absorbs a host of influences including cowpunk, Britpop, African guitar riffs, Latin Rhythms, Gospel refrains and country laments - and features astonishingly accomplished songwriting from Dan Nichols and Chris Walker. In this mode they’ve played Cambridge Folk Festival and Glastonbury Festival bandstand twice. Side projects have included a musical (performed at the Sherman). And at different times three of them have joined the Meltdown committee - currently IT wizard Chris.
Comedians strutting their stuff on the
Meltdown stage included Mouth to
Mouth, Dave Goldwater and the gentle
hilarity of Roland and Mole (above)
America Morena at West End Arts Centre, Aldershot
LATVIAN SUMMER aka THE
UNBEARABLE LATENESS
OF BUSES. Anna’s now a novelist,
Dave a BBC bod, John had brief
mega fame as mad Latvian on early
Paramount Comedy Channel.
Where did it all go wrong.
STICKS and STONES
Powerhouse indie trio featuring fierce and feisty songs and vocals from Keren, with Steve on drums and Dave (how come he’s in so many bands) Jones on impressively riffy bass.
More Jazz connections at early Meltdowns. Now nationally acclaimed composer Paula Gardiner (with the double bass) played in various collaborations at Meltdown, and JAZZUKI featured on the Meltdown album. Another future jazz giant to play (a floor spot!) at Meltdown was Andrea Vicari.
Hells Fairies - two women, a pair of wellies,
and a taste for anarchy - weaved comedy,
circus and dance together brilliantly. Went
off to join Nick Turners All Stars (being
fabulous sax players as well!)
MELTDOWN’S FIRST COMEDY HEADLINER
MARK MIWURDZ (nowadays Mark Hurst)
It took a while, but Meltdowns finally went colour in 1987
Ross McKinney, juggler, storyteller,
singer, compere, all the way from the USA
Ace guitarist Roger Clatworthy
Cara, featuring the legendary Rory Furlong and for this
gig Howling Sleeper and River Ghost fiddler Paul Sax
Martin Espley and Mike Slee
Paul Clarke & Ken Richman
Paul was later weaned
off scarves.
Mark first found fame ...
... as one of the presenters ...
PETE DRISCOLL
superb guitarist/vocalist who is now a mainstay of Acoustic nights at the Toucan
MORE PRESS
CLUB MELTS DOWN TO A STORY OF SUCCESS
More than a year has passed since the emergence in Cardiff of a club with a difference - meltdown - based at Chapter Arts Centre. It has develped into a popular venue for all sorts of music and performance, a talent showcase extraordinaire, and is run by a small committee of unpaid enthusiasts.
In the last 12 months Chapter Bar has played host to performers varying from poets and jugglers to free form pianists and even boogie-woogie spoon players (the mind boggles). New acts have been encouraged to use the place to gain confidence in front of an audience and build a reputation.
True to form the organisers have lined up a medley of performers for the coming months. And as their big highlight for the Spring this no longer modest team (and why shouldn’t they gloat a bit. The club regularly attracts an audience of more than a hundred and hit 400 for its last Theatre event) have baked their own Meltdown Birthday Cake Special featuring the usual welter of performers in the Chapter Theatre on Sunday, February 15.
King of Soul Laverne Browne will be joined for the big night by Bomb and Dagger, the Heavy Quartet, Dave Goldwater, Giddy Minnows, Dolphins plus mystery guests in the Theatre while in the bar the line-up includes Sian Donovan, Fever Few, Howling Howard, Courtney Clarke and Ross McKinney.
Everyone is welcome, again true to the Meltdown spirit, and one of the team, Paul Clarke assures me there is really nothing quite like ths club anywhere in the world.
Christine Brayshay
SOUTH WALES ECHO
A vinyl snapshot of a vibrant scene which garnered 3 stars in
Q magazine
Sherman Theatre
New Year Shows
FESTIVALS, ROAD SHOWS
and SPIN-OFFS
Ade Roper and Howling Howard
of the River Ghosts
CHANGING PLACES
The old Chapter bar with its shambolic decor
and that glorious mirror behind the stage
was replaced in 1989 with an almost comic
exercise in minimalist brutalism - black walls,
bar made out of concrete slabs, etc. Given
its homage to functionalism, the result was
rather dysfunctional. The bar weighed so much it
threatened to collapse into the cellar, and
the angles of the slabs had been miscalculated
with the result that there was almost more
room behind the bar than in front of it.
Meltdown began looking to spread its wings with
odd nights in other venues (see QCM below), and
as this drew considerable disapproval from the
then Chapter Bar Manager, Meltdown made plans
to up sticks - moving in 1990 to Clwb Ifor Bach.
Los Pedritos at the Children’s Festival 1988
Strange but true – at Plasnewydd Community Hall on 12th August 1988 you could have watched future folk diva Julie Murphy and future Massive Attack collaborator Nicollette on the same Meltdown bill.
