┬áI didnÔÇÖt actually know very much about God Is In The TV until they sent Quench a message inviting us along to the 20th Anniversary celebration. In hindsight this seems like a bit of a misstep, because God Is In The TV is like a showcase of everything I love about the South Wales music scene, and represents everything I think the music industry should: collaboration, creativity, mutual support and above all, passion for good music.
Before the music started, I got a chance to chat with the founder, Bill Cummings, about how he started the magazine and what it represented:
ÔÇ£I used to actually write for Gair Rhydd and Quench, twenty years ago. My friend was the editor, and she invited me to come and write for them. And then I started putting my reviews online and stuff; these were the days before blogs, even, so I just used to put my reviews on, like, really basic Yahoo sites, and then other people started to join me. I think we were approaching it more as a kind of fanzine online, where people were just reviewing stuff they liked, really. It maybe got a bit more serious over the years, when we got different web designs, different people involved, experienced people – like Cath, our features editor, weÔÇÖve got a girl called Carmel who does the news, Jim whoÔÇÖs got experience at various music publications. But IÔÇÖd say weÔÇÖre more of a passion project.
ÔÇ£IÔÇÖve always had the idea that GIITTV could be more than just a website, as well, more than just a fanzine. ThatÔÇÖs why I got into promoting; I used to put on a lot of out of town bands and have local supports and stuff, but itÔÇÖs quite hard to do that now, because it is a financial risk. ThatÔÇÖs why for this [GIITVÔÇÖs 20th Anniversary show] IÔÇÖve mainly gone for Welsh bands and artists, because it can be expensive. Over the years, I’ve promoted shows in all sorts of places, like Clwb, Buffalo Bar, Gwdi Hw, when it was here, The Moon club, but it was a two or three times a year kind of thing. Since then, IÔÇÖve just done stuff with other people. Like ten years ago, a thing called MindFest, which was in aid of Cardiff Mind, and it was all the venues and three or four promoters including us, and we took over The Moon club on the Sunday and had acoustic acts, a few bands – that was really good.ÔÇØ
TonightÔÇÖs very much in tune with the magazineÔÇÖs history – all the artists on the lineup are friends of God Is In The TV, having been supported by them throughout their careers, and there is a strong sense of community and gratitude which suffuses the celebration. The relationship between artist, journalist and fan here is symbiotic, and the lines between them constantly blurs and shifts.
The first artist to take the stage is a last minute addition – Adwaith were supposed to play, but unfortunately pulled out due to illness. Tom Emlyn, an artist not only with a considerable solo catalogue, but who also plays in local psychedelic outfit Rainyday Rainbow, steps up to a half-empty hall and proceeds to utterly captivate. Armed with just acoustic guitar and harmonica, he seems like a modern-day troubadour. His lyrics perfectly capture the feeling of rush and rut, the sense of disenchanted rage which is so relatable to young people in the 21st Century, balanced by a wry sense of humour and a playfulness which means you never feel things have got too heavy. His set flies by, scrappy and punkish, and by the time he strums his last chord youÔÇÖve forgotten that he only agreed to play the gig that same morning.
This is, I think, symbolic of the intimate relationship God Is In The TV keeps with the artists they support, especially those in Wales. When I ask Bill what his favourite moments from the last twenty years were, he highlights one gig which shows clearly the depth of connection between artist and writer:
ÔÇ£…probably the most memorable gig I put on was Frightened Rabbit. Scott [Hutchinson, singer] isnÔÇÖt with us anymore, he passed away a couple of years ago, so thereÔÇÖs a kind of mythical element to that. It was in Ten Feet Tall, which doesnÔÇÖt even exist any more, itÔÇÖs a restaurant now or something, the one on the end at Churchill Way. When it was open, and we put this gig on there, Frightened Rabbit werenÔÇÖt that big, and I think I paid, like, ┬ú150 for it, and it sold out. That was a great one. Four Scottish blokes staying in my mumÔÇÖs front room, that was random. ItÔÇÖs kind of an amazing story, really, because obviously they donÔÇÖt exist as a band any more, and Scott isnÔÇÖt around any more, so it is a sad one, but it feels mythical.ÔÇØ
As for the magazine now, Bill describes it as ÔÇ£more of a passion projectÔÇØ than anything, and is quick to recognise its deep connection with Welsh artists specifically:
I think we were approaching it more as a kind of fanzine online, where people were just reviewing stuff they liked, reallyIn terms of the website, Ive always seen it as a way of giving a platform to artists who maybe dont always get coverage elsewhere. I suppose weve kind of lasted in a way because in Cardiff theres not really a lot in terms of coverage. Theres yourselves, Quench, Xpress, Buzz Magazine, BBC Wales and a few other things, but apart from that theres not a lot, really. I suppose in the last ten years Рespecially with Cath [Features Editor at God Is In The TV], because she has an interest in Welsh music, which is kind of why I brought her on board Рin the last ten years, weve become more Welsh music focused.
This focus on locality is evident throughout the night; every artist on the bill is from South Wales, and has a personal relationship with God Is In The TV. The second band, for example, a Cardiff dreampop outfit called Half Happy, are quick to thank the platform. In their current formation, theyÔÇÖve only been gigging just over a year, but have risen through the ranks quickly, and lead singer Rose is keen to attribute this to God Is In The TVÔÇÖs constant support. This is not to say, however, that their music doesnÔÇÖt speak for itself; dreamy and rich, with ethereal vocals layered over swirling guitar and a powerful rhythm section, Half Happy are without a doubt a band to watch out for. TheyÔÇÖre super-tight, and their performance is totally immersive and compelling – they feel like a really exciting addition to the UKÔÇÖs current indie scene.
Something that becomes really clear between sets is the importance of the D.I.Y. ethos, to both the magazine and the musicians. The slightly rickety merch stall is manned by band members, and extra merch is stored underneath in B+M bags and plastic storage boxes. You can go to the bar downstairs, and pretty much anyone you talk to there will have some stake in the music scene, whether theyÔÇÖre an artist performing tonight, a journalist for the magazine, a sound technician, or simply someone who loves local music. This sense of community, in an industry which is so often defined by competition and individual success, feels strikingly fresh. It’s totally democratic and open-minded, just a community of diverse individuals united by a common passion for music. This, Bill explains, is a key tenet of God Is In The TVÔÇÖs ethos:
I suppose thats the DIY background that I come from, just doing it yourself really. Its a lot of work, but if you love what you doI think most people who are in music for a long time, they have to love it. Its not all glamorous; people have this idea that its glamorous, and maybe for a couple of hundred people it is, but for most people its because they love it, and if you dont love it, then you dont stay in it for twenty years!
The DIY approach is, at least in my opinion, the only real way forward for musicians – unless you have serious financial backing, or strong connections within the music industry, itÔÇÖs increasingly harder to achieve any kind of recognition for your music without working yourself down to the bone. But there are success stories, and the next act, Papaya Noon, is one of them.
The Cardiff-based group play laid back RnB, suffused with a groove which the whole band is totally in tune to. TheyÔÇÖre a real joy to watch, primarily because they seem to enjoy what they do so much. Their tracks feel hand-crafted, lush, little gifts offered out to the world – and theyÔÇÖve clearly been well received, because, as they drop in halfway through the set, artists as iconic as Snoop Dogg and Queen Latifah have reached out in praise of what theyÔÇÖre doing.
After Papaya NoonÔÇÖs set finishes, I take the half hour break to check out what else is going on at the venue. Everyone is very friendly; although IÔÇÖm on my own, I manage to chat with a whole range of people, which goes to show how far the common cause of music can unite people. This has a social and political dimension as well for the magazine. Bill explains:
ÔÇ£ÔǪI was inspired by Factory Records, where they were a label, but they also had nights, they did all sorts of things within that idea, and they were a collective. I was inspired by that idea of it not having to be one thing – we could be a promotional arm, we could be a label, which we are. WeÔÇÖve released a couple of charity compilations in the last couple of years, the most recent of which was the Cure covers, and actually the Cure tweeted about it, Facebooked about it, which was amazing, because we didnÔÇÖt have any inkling that they would do that. It went to Mind. We made ┬ú5000 on that one. Last year we did a Kylie one, which made a grand for MacMillan. So these are doing quite well. Before that we did an R.E.M. one, and the actual band got behind it as well, and that made ┬ú5000 for Help Musicians.ÔÇØ
The charitable arm of God Is In The TV stretches to the catering: outside the venue is a food truck selling Central American food, which is run by Cardiff Oasis. Oasis is a charity which supports refugees in the process of integration, by providing social spaces, classes, trips and advice to over one hundred refugees each day. The food they serve is delicious, and not too expensive, and itÔÇÖs a struggle not to go back for seconds.
Fourth on the lineup is singer-songwriter The Honest Poet, who’s deeply personal lyrics in combination with soulful, raw vocals make for an incredibly moving performance. He freely admits of the biographical elements of his music, having written a whole album based around his fiancee. It takes a lot of courage to be that vulnerable in front of a live audience, but he takes it in his stride, so completely involved with his sound and engaged with the crowd that you canÔÇÖt help but feel a connection. Even when he, in his own words, ÔÇ£fluffs itÔÇØ, it hardly matters – his recovery is that of a seasoned performer, and his inexhaustible energy onstage more than makes up for it anyway. His music is different from what weÔÇÖve heard so far, leaning more towards hip-hop than rock, but, as Bill explains, God Is In The TV is all about genre diversity:
ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖve got a hip-hop column now, every month, a Welsh hip-hop column – Kaptin, who is DJing tonight, started that, and thereÔÇÖs another guy called Dave Acton whoÔÇÖs in North Wales and does a lot of hip-hop stuff, and heÔÇÖs taken that over. So thatÔÇÖs a really cool scene as well. Although weÔÇÖre known for, like, guitar-y stuff, weÔÇÖve never really had a genre, itÔÇÖs just whatever we like, really. Colin [Bond, a writer for God Is In The TV], over there , did a Bandcamp column every month – you know, like Bandcamp Friday – and that was really eclectic as well.ÔÇØ
Eclectic is certainly the word for it. The next artist, Ani Glass, is like nothing youÔÇÖve heard before. Her self-described ÔÇÿmega-reverbÔÇÖ soundscapes are reminiscent of Delia Derbyshire and 80s synth pop, but her songs are crafted in such a way that make them utterly unique. She is a singularly striking performer, and her work is deeply rooted in Welsh psychogeography – IÔÇÖm not much of a Welsh speaker, so the literal sense of her lyrics are lost on me, but her atmospheric production and haunting vocals convey meaning anyhow. You can feel the thud of bass down to your bones, and it contrasts deeply with her voice, which feels somewhat like being draped in silk sheets. Her work clearly connects with the audience, who, by the end of the set, are all joining in with her dance moves to ÔÇÿMiroresÔÇÖ, making her performance both a visual and musical event, utterly collaborative and delightfully playful.
The final band of the night, CHROMA, are a Pontypridd three-piece who have just been selected to open for Foo Fighters next summer. They bring pure noise to the venue – grinding, crashing guitar, impassioned vocals and a thrashing, driving drum beat – and it seems almost impossible that it could be made by just three people. TheyÔÇÖre high energy, with no ego; totally at home onstage and constantly engaging with their audience, thereÔÇÖs barely a minute between songs to catch your breath before the next track starts. Like the artists have all night, lead singer Katie is keen to express her love for God Is In The TV. It’s hard, she admits, to be a musician these days, and to be given articulate, supportive reviews, as CHROMA have, really makes a difference – for this, God Is In The TV are ÔÇ£fucking legends.ÔÇØ
IÔÇÖm curious, though, as to what the next twenty years might bring. The future of print and digital journalism has never felt so uncertain; magazines are folding left, right, and centre, and the industry feels increasingly inaccessible for those of us without a network of contacts. Specifically for music journalism, it seems more and more that writing is going out of fashion. I asked Bill what he thought the future could hold, and what advice he would give to aspiring journalists today.
ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs funny, because most of the most engaging pieces I get are really in-depth, intensely researched pieces. I did one on the Glastonbury headliners, because a lot of people were asking about where the female headliners at Glastonbury were, so I did a deep dive into that. I think in some ways, going in that direction in terms of journalism can definitely interest people. Campaigning journalism, I think that exists, really.
ÔÇ£A lot of itÔÇÖs very visual, now, isnÔÇÖt it, a lot is going on YouTube, podcasts, Instagram, TikTok, and theyÔÇÖre all valid, different ways of doing journalism. I do think that thereÔÇÖs a place for written work as well, but IÔÇÖm always open to diversifying, because ultimately itÔÇÖs all the same thing – itÔÇÖs just exploring your passion. However you choose to do it, itÔÇÖs cool. My girlfriend is a fan studies lecturer in Cardiff, and she talks a lot about how people engage with artists, and thatÔÇÖs what journalism is – and however you engage, thatÔÇÖs fine, thatÔÇÖs the way I look at it.
ÔÇ£Just try to get experience, really, whatever that is. I had this idea – I got a media degree, and I was like, ÔÇ£I should get a journalist qualificationÔÇØ, but I donÔÇÖt necessarily think you have to do that. If you get experience, thatÔÇÖll mean that people will come to you, and theyÔÇÖll start asking you to do work. Obviously you have to pitch, sometimes, and if youÔÇÖre freelance it can be hard to pitch your work, but I think that if you can do good work, thatÔÇÖs a showcase for you, and other people will come to you and ask you to do work as well. I would say that is the main thing, to try and get as much experience as you can, and try to find your voice and your niche.ÔÇØ
Coming from someone with twenty years of experience in the industry, I think this is something to bear in mind. For musicians, writers, promoters, technicians, fans – if you love what you do, do it your own way, and do it often. The rest will write itself.
Words by Polly Brewster.
Photography by Bill Cummings and Trev Elkin.
Bill Cummings and the rest of the team onstage.