#41 - Peredur Ap Gwynedd - Pendulum
As well as being the guitarist in the band 'Pendulum', Peredur Ap Gwynedd has also toured with Natalie Imbruglia, Anastacia and many others. In this chat, we talk about his amazing career, life as a session musician, advice for other musicians, touring, guitar gear and of course, the obligatory digression into politics, welsh independence, Brexit and more! Hear our conversation at : https://linktr.ee/jameskennedypodcast
TRANSCRIPT
JAMES KENNEDY
What's going on? Welcome back to the James Kennedy podcast. Thanks for tuning back in. I'm probably gonna sound a little bit croaky because I lost my voice on the weekend. Which seems to be a recurring thing Ever since I came out of the pandemic, I just seem to be ill all of the fucking time. Pre-Pandem I never got ill at all. I was like, What's wrong with everybody being ill? Like, how does that work? Like, I just never got ill. It was crazy.
And I think maybe I got a little bit too cocky about it because, like coming out of the pandemic, I'm just on my ass all the time, man, I don't know if it's, long Covid or if it's just that my immune system is on the floor because I was in the house for, like, three years or I don't know what it is or, you know, I just you know, if I just lost the magic touch now and this is my life, this is my I'm destined to just be forever complaining about some ailment or other.
But yeah, basically, my throat is like razors. I pretty much constantly got a headache. And I've got that weird light sensitivity thing happening again. I don't know what the fuck it is. And I wish there was, like, more medical people listening to this podcast that could tell me what it is because it's doing my head in. But, Hey, ho, There we go. That's why my voice sounds a bit fucked.
But we're over 40 episodes now, man. I remember in the first episode of the podcast, I said that I'D probably end up doing three of these things and then jacking it in. But now we're over 40. Man, this is episode number 41. And, man, what a run we've had. If you're new to the podcast and you haven't checked out some of the previous episodes do have a look, man.
It's a mixed bag. It's been very musician heavy lately. And as I mentioned previously, that's just because this is the time of year when you can catch these guys, you know, when they're not touring and you know constantly hard to pin down. So, you know, the first couple of months of the year is generally a little bit easier to get musicians on.
So, that's why a lot of the episodes lately have been focused on music but have a root around through the previous episodes. Madam, when we had the amazing, Professor Tim Spectre on two weeks ago, we had Luke Ambler from Andy's Man Club, talking about mental health the week before that. Stella Assange, of course, talking about Julian Assange's fucking terrible state of affairs. Just a few weeks before that. Nathan Paul Southern talking about digital slavery, Professor Peter Phillips talking about the elite, Greg Palast, Lee camp, we've done episodes on everything you name it, man. We've done all shit loads of stuff. So I have a little root through the previous episodes because there are some really, really good conversations in there on some really important topics with some really awesome dudes. So we have a little root around, and, of course, then you've got plenty of rock stars to keep you entertained as well. Who will be swearing more than likely slagging off the Tories and, you know, making us all feel jealous about how awesome their life is.
Previous music guests include Frank Turner, Benji Webb, Jayce Lewis, Aled Clifford. And they also Mark Chadwick, of course, from the Levellers, who was on last week's episode that it's a good one talking about dropping some C-bombs, baby, go and check that one out.
And today we've got one I've been looking forward to for a long time. Because today we are joined by Can you guess it? Another Welshman? It's becoming a recurring theme in this podcast now getting local Welsh legends on the show. But, today's guest was actually like hails from about two minutes away from where I was raised in Pontypool as well. So this is gonna be super interesting.
I want to get the back story on this because our lives started in the same place but then took very different directions. And today's guest is now the six stringed wizard, the Mohawk evil genius in the mighty roof rattling flaw disturbing band Pendulum. If you don't know already. I'm joined today by the brilliant Peredur Ap Gwynedd. Perry, thanks so much for joining us, man. How you doing?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Very good. Thank you very much. Yeah. Thank you for asking me on the pod. I'm honoured
JAMES KENNEDY
Well, It's an honour to have you, man. I mean, thanks for joining us. I mean, I'm looking forward to picking your brains. We've got loads of stuff I want to get into, but, first, I just want to double check - you are a Pontypool boy, is that right?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
That's right. Yeah. I was born in Pontypool. And then I lived there for a little bit, so Yeah, So I'm a Gwent boy or Monmouthshire boy, is it? Is it Monmouthshire? Or is it still Gwent it?
Yeah, it's so confusing every time they change the names of the counties I'm like, Where am I from again?
JAMES KENNEDY
Where in Pontypool were you born then, Where did you live?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
In the hospital, in Griffithstown
JAMES KENNEDY
And did you live in Griffithstown as well? Or were you...
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
No, No I lived in Blackwood
JAMES KENNEDY
So you were raised in Blackwood right
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yes. So for a little bit. Then we move further to the west. So, so you know, it's, Blackwood. More or less stuck to Blackwood.
JAMES KENNEDY
Blackwood Boy, I'D say then you were born in Pontypool, but it's like the Blackwood metropolis isn't it? Yes, right, Because the reason the reason I'm inquiring so intensely is because I was raised in a place called Little Mill, which is just outside of Pontypool. So I wondered if you might have known of it, because it's like a tiny little village doesn't have a shop or a post office. And that's it.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
No, I moved. We moved from there when I was about three. So we moved to Carmarthen and then near Swansea and then Pembrokeshire. And then I moved to London. So Yeah, but I am a valleys boy. So and and yeah, a lot of people know that, actually, it's, because they think I'm I'm from West Wales but I'm not I'm from, south East is where I'm from.
JAMES KENNEDY
Are you a Welsh speaker?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I am. Yes. It's my first language. So yeah. So I grew up speaking Welsh at home, so obviously, totally natural to me.
JAMES KENNEDY
Yeah, you probably got the best name we've ever had at the podcast so far :
Peredur Ap Gwynedd!
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah. Yeah, it's, it's very, it's kind of quite metal, really.
JAMES KENNEDY
I quite like the name sounds like you're going on a fucking conquest, you know?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah, Peredur was a knight of The Round Table. He was one of King Arthur's knights. Yeah. The English speakers would know him as Percival. Sir Percival. So it's Peredir as Sir Percival or in German Parsival.So we Yeah. and it it the The English speakers would know him as per Sir Percival. So it's Sir Percival or in German. So if anybody knows any Wagner operas as a famous opera from the Ring cycle called, and, I think it from the anyway, I did a music degree. I should know this.
JAMES KENNEDY
This is already fucking really interesting. We're already on Wagner and, like, fucking ancient etymology. I love it.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah, exactly. Yeah.Oh, my God.
JAMES KENNEDY
Well, I suppose we should start at the start because you've had, like, an insane career, I think. I mean, most people would think of you. Now, I suppose, as the guitar player in Pendulum, But, I mean, you've got this whole other career before that, you know, with acts like, you know, Natalie Imbruglia and Anastacia and tonnes of others. So I suppose, should we, like, give people the back story of what you've done, how you got started, you know, and what led you to where you are now?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Well, growing up in Wales, you know, As you probably know, it's very musical. There's music everywhere. And, you know, it's, if you go to a pub, it it's usually four part armies after a couple of a couple of points. But, yeah, so I left. So I moved further west and and I said, I ended up in in Pembrokeshire and in is quite, there was a rock school.
Yeah, in the in the, in the school there in the well, it it was in further education wing in in our school, in our secondary school, and, we just Well, I I was playing guitars anyway, we we had guitars at home. My parents both played so, like, acoustic guitars. Folk stuff then.
And I picked that up, probably when I was about 9 years old. And then about 13, there was rock school, and everybody who had interest in guitars or drums or bass, keyboards or whatever I was singing all went to this rock school, and I started playing in my in my first band. So it's from then, really, And, then I I went on there and did music A Level. A friend of mine guitar called *****, He used to play in Budgie. He was one of their guitarists back in the day, and he now composes music for TV and, mainly in Wales. But he told me you could do this professionally, and I was like, Really? Because I really thought about it and I was 16 years old, not knowing what I should do. And for somebody to say that I could do this as a profession was like a bit mind blowing.
And it is him and then my guitar teacher in school, called, John Rodge, he's an amazing folk guitar player, jazz player, ridiculous country chicken picking stuff so good, so good. And he also told me that I could do it and and he said, Then maybe I should, think of doing with A Level. So that's what I did. Yeah, So I did music A Level and then applied for some universities and ended up in London in Goldsmith College and the University Of London.
So and the reason I chose that was they had the music studio and, an electronic music element to the course as well as in not electronic as we know it as, dance music, But electronic as in Stockhausen and classical, electronics. Experimental stuff. So, yeah, I went to London. I stayed here. Well, yeah, I've been I've lived in other places on and off. I went to Paris for a bit. I was working with a French artist. I lived in Sydney for a little bit and LA as well for a little bit. And but always nice to come back to London. Usually when I come off tour. When I used to come off tour, I used to and there was a gap. Then I used to go away and live somewhere else for a bit nice to happen. So I get a flat and just soak up the atmosphere somewhere else and then do some work with various artists over there or songwriters. And after I finished uni, yeah, I started doing sessions then and then my first main big session would have been Natalie Imbruglia So, yeah.
JAMES KENNEDY
So how does something like that come about? I mean, so you're You're like a student on a on a course, but I'm guessing tonnes of other musicians who were all awesome. So how does how How does that penny drop there?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I was, I got into a band with a drummer called Chuck Sabo. Chuck, he's his session guy. American drummer. He's lived in London for years, and he's a session guy he worked with, that did take that. God, what else did he do? God just a load of big names, and, and he had his own band with him and his wife. So I met somebody who knew him, and they said Chuck was looking for a guitarist. So I joined his band. And then, Chuck got asked to put together a band for Natalie. So he just said fancy playing with Natalie.
JAMES KENNEDY
Early twenties, right? Fresh out of college?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
No few years after college, just after few years after that. And, it's, So he so we got together. It was a bunch of us as myself. My brother was on bass and my brother moved to London. By that time and he went to uni in a But he he moved in with me in in Camden. And, so it was myself. My brother and a guy called Chester came on on the other guitar. The Chester played with Brian Ferry, and he was He was also the guitarist on, like a prayer. So yeah. So chess is a top section player. He plays with David Gilmore now and has played with Roger Waters as well. He's done both Pink Floyd. So So, Yeah. So that was back in 97. So, yeah. So I joined. I got an advanced copy of Torn. So, if all the young kids out there don't know what Natalie's first hit was this massive, massive banger, wasn't it?
JAMES KENNEDY
Yeah. Huge worldwide. Huge.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
So I got a copy of the of the of the CD advanced copy and listened to it, and I went, Yeah, my get three months work out. Eventually had nine years at work in total, so yeah. Yeah. So yeah, So that yeah, that first couple of years just Well, it was all quite bonkers, you know, because, getting treated like royalty. Over the world now. And it it got it was it Never got to number one in the UK. It was number two for weeks because number one at the time was Aqua Barbie Girl
JAMES KENNEDY
Oh right ha ha
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah and one of those singles which never ever got to number one in the UK. But then it got number one in various places in Europe, it got massive in Europe. So, you know, the first thing we did, we went out to Italy, went out to Netherlands. We went out to Belgium.
We just just did this massive promo tour, both playing a lot, a lot of it playing live a lot because stuff and, yeah, she She was the biggest thing on the planet at that time, you know? And then it got released in America and it just got huge. It was number one in the in the Billboard charts for 10 weeks. So it's 10 weeks. Number 1 of the highest play rotated songs on radio or the most heavily rotated song or whatever. And you know, And we first went out to the States, then in, March 98. I think it was. And And the first thing that we did was David Letterman show. I was like, Yeah, I'm a boy from South Wales. And in the deep end, David Letterman and I was going. Oh, my God, what am I doing? And two days after that, we did Saturday night Live. So I've just recently found the episode of Saturday Night Live That that we did. It was the one that Scott Wolf presented. He was an actor from I think the show was called Party Of Five. So he was a presenter of the and and the last. Yeah, the very end where he says his goodbyes and everybody's on stage together. And I'm there. He's there, bang in the middle. And Natalie is just to the side of him, and I am in between the two of them. So I going Hello? I want to, and then it pans out, and then I Then I start dancing with this, with a comedian called, what's his name? Tracy Morgan. He's one of my favourite American comedians, and I'm dancing with him and then the pans and will Ferrell walks towards me and I Oh, my God. Four years famous, and I obviously I was just dancing with some tall bloke, you know? And then I saw it. A few years later, I went, Oh, my God. And then And I've just recently found it again online, so I can't imagine.
JAMES KENNEDY
I mean, you're like, you're in your twenties. You're a few years out of university and you're fucking on the David Letterman show. You know, that's in yes, nuts.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
It was, yeah, it was a lot of a lot of fun.And that carried on. Basically, we did like Jay Leno a few times. And, you know, we did let him let him in a couple of times. Jay Leno. Three or four times. It was Yeah, and it just kept on happening. Then for nine years, it was just I had no idea, because, I mean, she had that Torn.
JAMES KENNEDY
Yeah, for people who weren't You can't remember. That was a fucking iconic, massive, massive song, wasn't it? I mean, it wasn't really my kind of thing for me. I was like it to Frank Zappa at that time, I was actually in college. I was listening to Gregory Peckory. Anything that was on, like on the radio was saying, Oh, that's pop. I was probably playing Torn in covers bands or trying to make money. But I didn't really keep I didn't Really I wasn't really familiar with anything that she did after that. So? So that that that gig kept you going for nine years?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah. Yeah. So she did another album after that called White Lilies Island. And then after that, it was counting down the days, and the album went to number one. The third album, right in the UK. So, yeah, and yeah. And I was with her until 2006. We still mates. We still we're still in touch with each other. We still talk.
JAMES KENNEDY
Well, what an introduction to the music industry? Because I'm guessing you were right in at the deep end. You know, the private planes, the fucking arenas, or
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
You know, there was a private, small propeller plane. There was never a private jet, but there was one small one. It was usually just normal. You know, we never got the private jet treatment, but yeah, but it was always jumbos, right apart from one journey that we did from Big Hill Airport to Newquay down in Cornwall for a radio and road show thing back. Yeah, that's the only private thing that we ever had, right?
JAMES KENNEDY
I'm sure. I'm sure there's been opportunity since then with everything that's happened since, because you've also gone on like, I mean, that's already a fucking hell of a story, but that that's not where it ends because you you bounced then from there to doing, working with with or Were you doing the other stuff as well as that, or did it come separately during that?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I was. I did a year with Sophie when I wrote that first album, and then I did. I did a year with Kim Wilde as well. So Kim Wilde overlapped Natalie for a little bit. And and then, well, back in 2004, I'D, I I've been working with There's a producer called DJ Fresh. There's an artist called DJ Fresh, and, you know, he's done all types of things. He used to be in a drum and bass band called Digital Nation, and I used to do a load of stuff for them. And then and he had a label called Break Beat Chaos. And he brought this, these producers over from Australia called Pendulum, and they wanted some guitar on the first album.
So fresh went, Oh, it's my mate Perry, he can play guitar. So I just went up to the to their flat in in Barnet in north London and just put some guitar down the first and and then I forgotten about it. And then two years later, I was actually in Paris. I was I was working with a French artist called Mylene Farmer. She's like over that she's kind of like Madonna in France, the French Madonna. You know, the the band was nuts, you know, We had Abe Laboriel JR on drums, you know, Paul Mccartneys drummer and Shakira's bass player. And Milton McDonald from Take That on on the other guitar, Proper big fuck off arena tour things, right? And then during that tour, I was just chatting to a mate of mine, Fresh, and he was telling me about a Pendulum, and he said, Oh, yeah, you know, they're really big, and I was like, What?
Oh, yeah. They sold 400,000 copies of the album. Was like, what? Because he was totally underground in his drum and bass, you know? So and then, I got they got in touch again. They wanted to do it live and did a gig in fabric. Which was the first live gig that we did. I was in 2000 and, October 2006. And then the next year, I got asked to, join full time, so Yeah, yeah, yeah.
JAMES KENNEDY
And, yeah, so So that Well, I mean, like, there's so much in there we could unpack, but we don't have, You know, I can't keep you all day, so we gonna have to do the kind of, you know, the lite version, you know, But I mean that that sounds like such a fucking a constant streak.
I mean, were there. I mean, you know, make the rest of us poor bastards feel better. Were there low points when it all went to shit, Or has it been just a crazy streak because that, you know that I mean, that sounds like it's...
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I've been really lucky I've been. It's been kind of constant line of gigs. Because we we went on hiatus in 2012. We went on a four year hiatus. And then during that, that point I started work. I did a couple of years with Anastacia and then after Anastacia did a couple of, I went on the road with Faithless for two years. So and then and then we, 2016 Pendulum got back together again after the started gigging again and and releasing new stuff.
JAMES KENNEDY
And what is the before we come on to Pendulum then because you're you're actually in the band with Pendulum. You're not like a session guy or something like that. So what was the What is the difference then? Because I've heard I've got a few friends who are session players who played, you know, big stadium tours and stuff like that Who've given, you know, a lot of horror stories and bad news about treatment and and disposability feelings and things like that. What was your I mean, I know, I know the industry and the climate is very different now to what it was back in the nineties and early noughties. But what is your What was the what was the the life? Like, as as a session musician on these tours.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Obviously, you're not the boss. You're You're a hired hand. But I've been really lucky with the people that I've been working with over the years. They've been bloody lovely. You know, I've heard horror horror stories as well, and, you know, certain people I wouldn't want to go on stage with. I wouldn't want to be on a tour bus with them. But I've been so lucky, everybody that I've been that I've worked with, as has been great, you know, And really nice people.
You know, it's like one of my philosophies in life, especially to do with work. Don't be an asshole if you're an asshole, you know, people won't People won't hire you. And, but I've been really lucky that I've been working with the people. I was a session guitarist for, they've been they've all been great and and they become good mates. And we had a lot of fun, you know?
And that's what it's all about. At the end of the day, you know, if you can't enjoy what you're doing, it's the point of doing it. And if you're on tour with an absolute nightmare of an artist or whoever or somebody in the band that you don't don't get on with and then then I know it gets difficult because that's happened to some friends of mine.
But I've been so lucky that that's never happened to me. But I don't know why that is. But, oh, yeah, I I think you have to be really unlucky to work with an arsehole because in the music industry, because the way it's set up if you as I said earlier, if you are an asshole, then people won't hire hire you and if you're an asshole to people who work with you, the record company or management or radio people or TV people or whatever, then they won't. They won't work for you, so you have to be nice if you're not, If you're not nice, people wouldn't want to work for you, so you have to be very very, very unlucky to work with a night person, I think
JAMES KENNEDY:
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense, like to see how that would it would fall down that way as well. You know, and and you would know because you've been out in that world for a long time now?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Well, of course, you know, because when you're a touring musician, especially you're with the tour. Everybody calls it a touring family. You know, Band crew, whatever. You're on the tour bus together or you flying together, and that could be for 18 months or even more, you know, And you have to get along and people hire you so that hire people who they know I can get along with other people, you know, it it it's just it's just, you know, I've been really lucky that way, but it's Yeah, it's the best way to do it really well
JAMES KENNEDY
You've mentioned being lucky a few times, and you know, clearly you've had, you know, some awesome opportunities and stuff but at the same time, you know, taking into account everything else that you've described, you know, like you're easy to get along with. You're fucking kick ass on the guitar. You know you're professional. I mean, that's the thing that people get twisted, I think.
Well, on the subject of luck, because, yeah, of of course, there's lots of good musicians out there who are hard working and very nice, and they just can't catch a break. Like we've all got friends like that. So, of course, you do need to have the element of luck. But that's not where the story ends, You know, You you it's what you bring to the table from that point onwards, then, which determines whether you're able to stay afloat for longer than two weeks.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah, luck is a big element of it, but you have to be in the right place at the right time. And I think if I would have stayed in Wales back in Pembrokeshire, I don't I don't think I would have had these opportunities. I've had these opportunities because I've lived in London and, for example, Chuck, Chuck within a lot of things. Do you want to come over and jam? You know, that was 45 minutes on a tube for me, you know? And if I lived five hours away in Wales. I would never have happened.
And and everybody who I speak to young musicians who I speak to who want to do what I did, I always tell them You have Well, it's a cliche, but you have to be in it to win it. If you're not in one of the main musical centres, it's not probably not gonna happen to you. You have to be there. Yeah, it's like it's it's like with with any job. Really, It's like if you want to work in, if you say if you want to work in the financial district or in any city, you know it's pointless. If you live up in the countryside level 400 miles away, you know it, it's just not gonna happen. It's the same thing with any job, really. But, yeah, it's so I I tell all the young musicians who want some advice, move somewhere. It could be, but even Cardiff, Cardiff's good or Bristol or Liverpool. Now you know anywhere where there's something happened, I suppose Manchester, you know, because there's always chances for a session in the in a big city, you know. So it's and obviously London is one of the main centres on the planet, not just in the UK. So you get more of a chance in London than you would do in any of the other cities in the UK. But it's, and that's what I decided to do because I knew that's where the industry was. That's where nearly all the record companies are. So all most of the acts are based in London. So that's why I moved in that.
JAMES KENNEDY
But it makes a lot of sense, and that's great advice there to like musicians listening, because we do have a lot of like music industry specials on this giving advice to, you know, musicians and stuff. So I think you were the first session. I know you're not exclusively a session musician, but you're the first session musician that we've had on. So it's it's great to have that insight as well from that side of the industry, you know, and everything you say makes a lot of sense.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I mean, it's, for me. I wanted to work in music, right? Be it in the band or be it a session or whatever, and I just fell into the session thing. It's it's nothing that I kind of studied kind of to do that did a bit of jazz guitar so I could read, read some music, you know? Well, I've got a degree. I should be able to read bloody music, you know? But, so I was kind of veering towards that way, but it was just total luck that that I got that first gig, you know, so amazing.
JAMES KENNEDY
Amazing. Well, what a story, man. What a story. I mean, it sounds as if you've been working and gigging pretty much relentlessly since that time. Until if my research serves me correctly until 2018. Was that the last tour you did with Pendulum prior to the lockdown?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah. My last gig pre lockdown was New Year's Eve, Perth 2018, Perth, right, Australia, because, we we play a lot in our obviously because a couple of guys are Australians and they're from Perth originally. So yeah, that was the last one gig pre locked down. But that's what I do when I'm not on tour. Is, I do music for TV. Ah, I I produce music for television. It's something I've always done since the nineties. So it's, you know, if you're Yeah, I I'D rather not be twiddling my thumbs or practising my guitar really is the most boring thing in the world.
JAMES KENNEDY
That's really interesting because I'm always fascinated by what musicians do, because diversification is something that comes up all the time, especially these days. You've got to be versatile and have a few strings to your bow. So I always wonder what people do, you know, when they're not touring. I had no idea that you had that element as well. That's fascinating, man.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah, I've I've always produced music, so I'm sat here where you can't see it at the minute. But behind that is my studio, my studio set up. And, yeah, I I've always done that. Really, started working on TV in the nineties for S4C the Welsh language channel and, started doing music for them. And you know, I do stuff on BBC as Well, stuff worldwide. For adverts as well.
JAMES KENNEDY
That's amazing! So do you do, is it like, library stuff? Do you prepare a bunch of stuff in advance or do you do stuff to brief?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I've done both. I've done library music. I've done, that's what I've done a lot is, you know, those singing competitions you have on TV? You know, the backing track right here, whether they're all bespoke because obviously, they have to be in a different key or done different arrangements. And, I've I've done those for different, programmes since, Fame Academy. That's the first time I did that. So, yeah, me and a friend of mine, Kenny. Kenny Dickinson is a keyboard player. Kenny played for Natalie as well. And Katie And so we we have this production thing together that we, do these, backing tracks for singing competitions for TV shows all over the world.
JAMES KENNEDY
That's fucking amazing, man. Dude, you're crushing it, man. I had no idea. So in the lockdown, then, like when you weren't gigging because I was going to ask you What the fuck did you do? It sounds as if you, you know, you kept yourself pretty busy.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Well, no, because obviously the television shut down as well, Right? So yeah, and we were in the middle of one, as lockdown started, and then it kind of ground to a halt. Really? So the problem with, with with with shows like that, any type of show really was the costs doubled?
Just to keep everybody safe. So, you know, for if you've got a brand new singing competition coming out on TV, they they they would they actually pulled it. The one that I was about to do on ITV. They pulled it just before it started. Because they have they have to get all the crew and all and everybody involved in the show to stay in one hotel, totally isolated from the outside world, right?
Two months. And, so basically that that and, all the testing and all the precautions they had to had to do, you know, basically doubled. If, a TV production cost two million quid Normally, with Covid precautions involved and the way you have to deal with that, it was four million quid. So and, bunch of shows or this one show in particular, I went, You know what? Now I saw it. We pull it, and they Yeah. And, but if it's a show like strictly say, you know, the guys in strictly, that's an ongoing thing. And it it was worth for them to do that BBC for them to do that. So they they carried on, you know, extra cost, You know, it was worth it, because it's still going on nowadays. But for for a brand new show like the one that I can't even remember it was called to tell you the truth. That show.
Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And you know, so yeah, Covid costs. Put the on that. But I started doing sessions again, so I was just doing recording sessions guitars and started producing other artists as well.
JAMES KENNEDY
So you kept yourself pretty sane. Then off the stage. That's wicked, man. Because I was gonna ask what was it like? I mean, my last tour was also in 2018, and then in 2019, I kind of hunkered down I wrote my book and, you know, made my new album that was coming out and everything like that. So I did a lot of, like, production stuff and getting getting shit ready, for for for 2020 which was going to be the big one, you know, Fucking killed all of that. So for me, I haven't because of because of the two years of the lockdown. And then my father passed away last year. He was ill terminal cancer for for most of last year. So I I had a European tour with the band and the UK tour. That was like, the first come coming out of lockdown, the gate swinging, you know, And then we had to cancel all of that. So for me, it's been three years now, and I If I'm right, Was it the same for you as well? With with Pendulum, we did our first gigs.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Not as a full band. I must say it was 2021. We did a bunch of high high DJ live things. So because, because we still couldn't get KJ couldn't come over from the state. He lives in Las Vegas. So So, Yeah. Yeah. So he couldn't come over from, the States because of restrictions. And so it was myself. Rob and Gareth. They were on decks and I was on my guitar. Rob was doing live vocals, so just the three of us went out and did, like, six many festivals Over that summer, And then last year, 2022 we did a bunch of sporadic festivals, across the world. First one was in Miami in March. And then, just a bunch of European festivals, then.
JAMES KENNEDY
And what was that like coming back then? Because I still haven't done it yet.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
It's really weird, because going on stage for the first time. After that, you kind of walk on stage and go right. Then what do I do now? Do I stand? Do I move over there or or do I move back a bit? Do I bang my head right now or what? I don't know it, you know, because it it being on stage. You have to, you know, basically living on stage for years, being back on stage, then is just like, Oh, my God. It is really, really weird.
JAMES KENNEDY
Did you miss it then? Like, emotionally. Was it kind of like Did you have that surge of Oh, this is Yes, I missed this. Or was it kind of like, Oh, this is weird.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
No, it was just weird. The first few shows, and then because it is, it is. You know, it's a weird thing to do anyway, but but but you get used to it. But then for me, it was just going and doing this weird thing, and I'm not used to it anymore. I was just like, God, this is really fucking weird. Like, what the fuck is this? And and And it took me a few gigs of, to get into it again, just to just to be feel at home on stage, you know, like, very strange.
JAMES KENNEDY
But you're back now you're settled in, you know, you're back to the old natural habitat.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yes, yes, it's been great. So the the festival we did over the summer was were fantastic.
And, we've got more gigs coming up this year. You know, the first one we decided to Brixton Academy and that went on sale sometime in November, I think. And tickets sold out in 15 minutes. Wow. And then, the So we put another one on, second, Brixton on. And that kind of sold out in. I was a bit a little bit slower because the queen died. So that's all right. Yeah. So yeah. So So we've got two gigs in Brixton, which is amazing. Yeah. We love Brixton. Favourite place to play in the world. Just got two shows in Brixton in March, and then festivals and tours and stuff after that as well.
JAMES KENNEDY
So yeah, some summer season, man. Yeah. Perfect. And how is, because we both spoke at the House Of Lords Select Committee hearing, didn't we? About the the effects of Brexit on touring? UK artist touring in Europe Post Brexit Has that affected you guys or your crew in any way?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Not No, because we didn't do that many shows last year. If we did, then it would have, because another thing that I do as well apart from music is I work as a cycling commentator on the on the Tour De France, So yes. So I was out in the in the EU for the first weekend of the Tour De France and for the final week. So that added to my, my were added to my date so but if we were touring a little bit more then it would have affected me, but luckily it didn't. But I I know loads of people that it has affected. And they lost their jobs because of it.
Yeah, but, and you know, it's Yeah, I I was lucky last year, basically with that, But, you know, the fact that UK s musicians are now losing jobs to musicians with the EU passports and EU citizens Because it's, you know, it's easier for them to tour the EU, giving an example pre Brexit, 80% of my income was from gigging in the EU right? So that's when touring was normal, and touring is coming back into normal normality. And so yeah, so it was 80% of it. That's how big a chunk of my income came from working in the EU. And, yeah, so, yes, it's a bit scary when you think about it, Really.
JAMES KENNEDY
I mean, it's it's similar to what you mentioned earlier about, when you were talking about Yes, you have to have the ability. You have to have the talent, but you also have to be People have to be able to work with you. And I think when when productions on the mainland or they are touring through the mainland are considering crews they're gonna consider, Well, you know, can this lighting crew or this sound tech or or whatever it is, you know, can they do the whole talk or can they only do 90 days and then they got to go back again? That that's gonna be a consideration people are going to make, which is which is outside of their ability, your talent? As as as crew members, it's just it. It's It's just fucking terminal for many people's careers, you know?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Absolutely it it's easier for me because I'm a part of a band. If I was just doing sessions, if I was, imagine if the Pendulum hiatus was now, then I would be in trouble because, you know, because we were touring Europe a lot and and you know those artists well, one of the bands I was working. One of the artist was working with was with Anastacia and Steve Barney. So Steve lost his job. Have you spoken about this before on this pod and not in a while?
JAMES KENNEDY
Not in a while, and not about Steve specifically because you used his as a case study, didn't you?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
If if people don't know, then Steve has played with Anastacia since 2009. It's been his main gig for that long. And, he obviously like every other musician, he lost his all. Everybody lost their gigs over COVID. And then, beginning of last year, he got offered a gig with an Italian artist called Gianna Nannini, this huge Italian artist, in March.
And then he went, Yep, I'll have that. So he went on tour, and then halfway through that tour, he got a call from, an management saying ask him about his availability for, an upcoming tour in September. It was a European tour going through September, October and November. I think so. He and then they found out about this whole 90 days in 180. So, as a a UK passport holder. You can only be in the EU or in Schengen area. Sorry, certain certain countries within the EU for, 90 days within every 180 days. So from this day, you count back, 180 you're only allowed to be in the in the Schengen area for 90 days. And, he found out that you only had 12 days left by the time Anastasia tour would have started. And, so they tried all sorts of things. The government say, Oh, yeah, you can get visas, you can have working visas. You can't. It's it's impossible. You can't get the working visas. And so what the government is saying is a lie. You can get some working visas, but nothing that covers the whole of Schengen. So it's the whole of Schengen. Basically, if you're touring the UK tour in the EU, you're touring Schengen mainly.
So, and he found out that he couldn't do it. And then there's nothing that Anastacia managed to do was they had to find another drummer. So they got another drummer in, and, it's, they got a drummer, great drummer from from Finland. So she's got a an EU passport. So it there, no hassle, then touring with her anymore. So it's so Steve's basically lost the job. And there was there was a UK tour two week UK tour, 2.5 weeks. Sorry. UK tour involved within that European tour, and he lost that as well. So a British musician has lost a British job just because of Brexit.
JAMES KENNEDY
And Steve, you know, he went big with it, didn't he? You know, he posted about it on social media, and it went viral and really helped to kind of highlight this issue.
But he's still a victim of it, as are so many other people, you know, And people who aren't, I suppose, on that side, they're not under the spotlight.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Literally speaking, You know, it's the backstage crews and the drivers, and, you know, you know, I think it's worse for the crew even because, the crew, more than musician more than a session musician, they will jump off one tour and join another one, and because that's what those guys do. Because with stuff like that. If you're you know, if you're a rigour or something or if you're a, catering a caterer or, there's no rehearsals involved. You go bang. And, you know, if you're a musician, then you have to go into if you're working with another artist and you have to go into rehearsals blah, blah, blah, blah.
But if you're a crew guy or girl, then you're more likely to jump from off from one to to to the other. And that's how people make their livings. But now British crew are musicians. Can't do that anymore because of this stupid rule. And and the Tories, it's an absolute fucking hate to you. Does that come across?
JAMES KENNEDY
I never got that. But you do, to be honest, like it, actually, no, that's wrong.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I don't hate all Tories. No, I've actually got some Tory friends who, actually, Yeah, yeah, but they actually right, but they but But they're so disgusted with the tor, they don't they vote to close to, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, but yeah, they're disgusted by them as well, you know, But, just Brexit Brexit is that I hate brexiters.
JAMES KENNEDY
Yeah, And there's still a few people who who kind of, you know, desperately clinging on to the idea that it was a good idea, despite all of the evidence that it was an absolute fucking disgrace shambles.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
They're dumb arseholes in this country. Yeah, it's It's literally gone to the dogs. It has it. It's terrible. You know, the whole go it I saw the export had done. Was it 47% or something? And they would never get that back because the people in the U they're buying from somewhere Arsenal. They promise they were buying from the UK. You know, it costs so much money to export and import to the EU on the side.
JAMES KENNEDY
But we've got our freedom back! You know what I mean? We're free from the clutches of those EU bureaucrats that are holding us down ha ha
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Man you know what? It's it's not. It's not just the far right. It's the far left as well. It's like I saw a great quote the other day. It was like, the, the far right want to leave the EU because they thought the EU, was was like Soviet Union and and the far left wanted to leave the EU because it the EU wasn't enough like the Soviet Union.
And it's just like, yeah, and the thing just recently, you know, with the whole train strike, I I support the train strike 100% and and it's right what they do. But the whole Mick Lynch thing being a Brexit, I'm like going mate. Did you him on?
He got his ass and it on a plate to the show the other day, you know, because the U. C. Came up with the fact that, due to Brexit, all workers rights are being eroded away now. And as only due to Brexit and Mick Lynch ardent brexiter, you know, it's partly his fault, you know, he he told his, Union told the RMT.
JAMES KENNEDY
Told all their members to to vote, leave and and and it's I look at him and I see Nigel Farage, but self interest, you know, he was thinking about the interest of his one community of people, you know, and their employment prospects. But that's the fucking point, you know what I mean?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Well, with with and she's like he wants the he he thought that we could leave the EU. So it'll be easier for us to nationalise the rail in the rail companies. Every single country in the EU has a nationalised rail company, every single one.
JAMES KENNEDY
And we used to have a nationalised industry. Once we we used to be in the EU. It wasn't it wasn't the EU the fucking Tories. Yeah.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
So the far left and far right for me are just as bad as each other, you know? And, you know, and and And I I think that was something like Mick Lynch is worse than, for because he's all for the workers. And he made his workers, poor Right, right, right. You know, it's just like it just it's, you know, the guy is such a hypocrite, but I But I do 100% support strikes.
JAMES KENNEDY
We all do, man, you know? And you know, I agree with a lot of what Mick Lynch says. I think he's right on the way he kicks their fucking ass, you know, in the media and stuff like that, the problem is for me is that the Tories have just fucked everything. They they brought us to this situation Because just look at the state of our society. Has it ever been this fucking bad man? I mean, you know, everybody's on strike. Major infrastructure, the backbones of the whole country are all on strike. You know, they they're shipping people to fucking Rwanda. You know, it's the Brexit. You know, the state of the economy, the cost of living crisis, the energy crisis. I mean it. There's nothing that they haven't fucked up yet. We continue to elect them. I just can't make any sense of it.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Well, it well, the UK isn't a left wing country. Well, sorry. No, no. England isn't a left wing country is a left wing country. Scotland is a left wing country, England isn't. And England is a way bigger than Wales and Scotland. So, it's and it's always been, a right wing country, you know, And there's There's the furthest left. I think this country's ever voted was Harold Wilson. I think I think from the top off the top of my head, you know, But mainly they you know, they vote for the right wingers. That's what England does. It's always done. It you know you back 200 years ago, there wasn't there wasn't such a thing as a left wing, you know, it was, you know, the wigs and the conservative liberal, but it's it's that that's England for you.
JAMES KENNEDY
You know, it's it's almost like we've got this kind of addiction to, you know, self abuse or something like that, because we can clearly see that these none of these decisions actually make our life any better. In fact, they make them worse. And they were like, Yeah, we'll go. Yeah, we'll do that. Yeah. Cool. You know, we won't complain as long as the pub stay open. You know, we're OK.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
You know, the funny thing about, somebody complaining about the strikes last week, and, and she was saying, I've got a low paid job, but you don't see me going on strike. It's like, Oh, come on. Bloody hell. Come on. Here is your brain. It's like God, but yeah, England isn't a left wing country, and, you know, people can moan about it as much as they want, but it's still gonna be Yeah, it's not a left wing country, but Wales is If Wales were independent. They'd have. They would have had Labour Party leadership, you know, over the last 100 years since the Labour started back in twenties or whatever. And yeah, it's, you know, But it's England. So England have got this, you know, it's it's not well, it's not a nation of equals, really, is it? Isn't it?
JAMES KENNEDY
So you do. I do. I take from that then that you are pro Welsh Independence.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Fucking hell, Yeah. Even though even though I've lived in London all my adult life, I'm still there's nothing wrong with England, It's a great place. I love England. I'm married to an English person and I love living in England. England is a really nice place to live in. London is. Anyway, I've never lived outside of London, but, yeah, and I've got a lot of most of my friends down here in English gonna think it's England whatsoever. But, I do have, an issue with how the political system is set up here because, you know both. As you know, Wales is totally different to England. Scotland is totally different to England, you know? And yeah, it it would be nice to have some sort of political, not economic Union, but not a political one. You know, you know, like the, the economic Union, kind of that you've got with between the UK and Ireland. That's great. You know, we can work there. They can work here, you know?
JAMES KENNEDY
And we could rejoin the EU, you know?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah, but yeah, but exporting and importing from Ireland is a little bit more difficult now because of Brexit, but yeah, yeah, but I'm all for independence for Wales. I've got no say in Scotland, but, I do hope they get it as well, you know, because, because the way that our culture, the Welsh culture, has been eroded, for centuries now by the English Parliament. You know, it's really bad, you know, 100%.
JAMES KENNEDY
Well, any time you can bring democracy and the machinery of democracy closer to the people making the votes, I think that's that's a good thing. It further away you you said I know that was a left wing argument against the EU. Was because, you know, these aren't elected EU bureaucrats, but, I mean, you know, they are elected.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
That's that's the weird thing that they are elected. I I voted in the European elections, you know, like a lot of other people did. But some people didn't, and they didn't realise they could do that.
But, you know, it's, yeah, but yeah, it's I think I like Drake saying for Christmas about, you know how bad the NHS is in Wales at the minute. And he doesn't have enough money from Westminster to, to to invest in the NHS in Wales and go, Yeah, come on, come on. Yeah, he's nearly there. Know it's like he he he's saying something. And what he's saying is is an obvious answer to this is an obvious answer to it. So So how do you get more money from Westminster or or maybe just Westminster all together and you're in charge of your own taxation?
But, but you know, if if it's it's highly possible that, Labour will get in and they've, in the next election and they've promised, you know, more devolution and all that. But then, you know, that's only gonna last for a certain amount of years, and, you know, and they are going to get voted out again because it's the Labour Party. They always do. Something always messes up with them.
JAMES KENNEDY
Well, if they can't win the next one dude with, they might as well just fucking throw the towel. And you know what I mean? Because it can't get any worse. If you can't win an election now against the Tories, it's fucking over. It's over.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I mean, I think that they're going to win the election in spite of being leader, not because of him, his his his speech writers, they They're rubbish. They're so bad. He his speech last a couple of days ago last week. He just it's just so corny. He comes up with terrible one liners, you know, he was there in his shirt and tie with his sleeves rolled up, you know, And and he comes out with, the Labour Party are gonna roll up their sleeves and sort out the economy or something. I mean, come on, stop. Who writes that shit? Yeah, it's terrible.
JAMES KENNEDY
It's laughable. You know, it's It's for real, Like, that's your speech, you know?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I mean, and and then his whole thing about the freedom of Movement. It was it Was it on the Sophie Ridge programme or was it on cos I think yesterday on Sunday saying that, he, he, 2020 said he wanted freedom of Movement. And basically, now he says that he doesn't want freedom of Movement. You know, three years later, it's like, Come on, mate. He Every time he open his open his mouth on that subject, he just makes a fool of himself. And he's like he's trying to He was he trying to to the far right. You know, it's because every he knows that what he's saying, what he what he's saying is bullshit utter bullshit. He knows this because he doesn't believe what he says. You know, it's you know, Brexit is a shit idea, right? And we've seen that and we've seen how the economy's gone because of it. Brexit is a really shit idea. How many shit ideas have has anybody seen Turn out good? Oh, no, no. How bad is Brexit? Think of one another. Really? Shit idea. That's come good. I can't think of any and him trying to say that. Oh, we're going to make Brexit work that you can't make it's shit to polish a turd. He literally look polishing a turd is that's a that's a cliche thing. You know, it's a cliche saying, But seriously, get a turd in your hand and try to polish it. You can't you can't do it. The shit and and star are coming up with this crap all the time just recently and he backtracks on that, Then he's gonna look even more, you know, And it's like they're not an effective opposition.
JAMES KENNEDY
And because of our voting, our electoral system, you know, like I I left Labour to, to join the greens because I'm going to vote with my conscience from now on. But I've I've learned the error of my ways. You can't because the only actual opposition we do actually have that as a fighting chance of ever getting in is Labour So you have to, you know, such a fucking shame, because they are not an effective opposition.
They they're not a united party at all, and and the only way that they can make themselves remotely palatable to enough of the of the of the vote in public is to water down their left wing aspects, you know, and and move more towards the centre and and basically appease the same sort of people that the Tories basically do well.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Because if if you want to be prime minister and, you have to win over Tory voters, that's that's the simple thing. That's that's That's the basic thing with, with politics in the UK is you have to get Tory voters. Corbyn's not going get Tory voters. No bloody way was Obviously didn't do it. You know, David Miliband is more likely to do it. What would have been more likely to do it?
But, you know, you have to win over Tory voters, and I'm lucky I live in a, in in a constituency in London That happens to be the 19th, safest Labour seat in the United States. So I can I can vote for whoever I want, So yeah, so yeah, because Harriet Harman is my MP. And she's great. Anyway, so and but yeah, it's, Yeah, that's the Yeah, that's the problem with it was PR. It would be totally different, wouldn't it?
JAMES KENNEDY
Exactly 100%. We did. We did an episode on PR A few months ago, we had to make votes matter on talking about how how all that works and stuff. And it just makes so much more sense. Yeah, if we have PR, this would be a no brainer. But I mean, yeah, it sounds as if we share the same disappointment in our party. I mean, I I've been ever since Tony Blair, Tony Blair ruined it for me, you know, because he just fucking killed for me. Like I said, there was that old romantic feelings that I have about traditional Labour values. And you know, when Margaret Thatcher says you're her greatest achievement, then you know you're the devil.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
So with Tony Blair, that's what when I realised Oh, I like it. The whole Iraq war thing just like 100%. Yeah, stop it. And you know, all our troubles now can be kind of if you look back to started from there 100% with the whole the whole, You know, the war in the Middle East, you know, and the whole refugee problem and then Syria coming out of that as well and and the financial of everything schmoozing into the city, You know, all that stuff, you know, yeah, it it could all be traced back to That Iraq War. Basically, and yeah, it's You know, if you would have said no, I think it would be one in a way better position than we are now and to still use it. And, you know, because you know, the whole refugee problem, a crisis, you know, that's what set a lot of right wingers off and a lot of Racists off.
JAMES KENNEDY
And it doesn't look as if things are going to get better any time soon. I don't think I think we we're in quite a hole now, and I think it's gonna take us a long, slow journey to get out of it. My my guess. I mean, I don't know, I've lost a lot of faith in humanity, but my guess is that Labour probably will win the next one.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah, they will, but I don't know how long they keep, keep on hold the powerful, because I think it wouldn't surprise me if the Conservative Party do another shift to the right for the right than they are now. You know, right? And that's what that's what the really scary stuff is. You know, if that happens, you know, God knows what happens If the Reform Party and and, the Tories kind of merge, then you know, there's a lot of races in the UK 100% man.
JAMES KENNEDY
Yeah, and that that's just easy to fire up when people feel angry and disillusioned and disenfranchised, you know, and insecure. You know, that's the old classic go to and and and I I've said a couple of times in the podcast before that. Like, I just see this pattern that the reason that the Tories are so good at staying in power is because they pander to the the primary emotions in people, fear and, and tribalism and that sort of stuff. And that's a lot that is a lot easier to tap into that. You know, abstract notions like democracy and justice and equality, you know, they they are more complex things to to talk about rather than fucking immigrants are gonna steal your job. There we go. You know, it's as simple as that, and that's that's what we need to have exactly what you said we need to have an opposition that are willing to play the popularity contest because it isn't just it's about personality. It's about passion. It's about emotion, you know? Yeah.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I mean, if you look at Trump, you know, when you got Trump and Boris Johnson, you know, going, Yeah, look at us. And then on the other side you go right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The one with the Loudest, the funniest Loudest one is going to win.
JAMES KENNEDY
Isn't it funny, strong man, We're in the ear of the strong man. You know, Hopefully it's gonna die out soon, you know? But, yeah, we are in a hole and it's going to take a while to get out. I think I'm not sure if it ever will.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
We ever will survive that. I think it would always be like that now, you know, because you know what with the Internet and all that, you know, it's, it's It's all about media and the media perception, isn't it? Unfortunately so, yeah, you could have the best policies in the world, but if you can't convey those policies in a in a decent way or in a good way to the public. Then you know they're not going to listen to you. Yeah, basically, Yeah. I should be in PR really, shouldn't I?
JAMES KENNEDY
No, don't do it, dude. Stay exactly as you are. Honestly, Stay exactly as you are. Political PR for Welsh Independence.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah. Yeah, Absolutely. I'm a card carrying member of plaid man.
JAMES KENNEDY
Good for you, man. Well, I'm aware of the time, and I feel like we could probably, you know, bitch about the fucking politics of the Tories all day long, and God knows I would. I know I can't keep you all day, and unfortunately, there's no I'm sure I'm racking my brains for a way to segway this into the next question, which I've got to ask you because it was sent in by one of our listeners who was dying to ask you this question. And it's just it's absolutely impossible for me to segway the Tories to this, so I'm just gonna have to fucking just jump in and say it as we approach the end of the chat. What is the one guitar pedal that you cannot do without?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
It's the line six Helix Ah, honestly, it's the If. Without that, I'll be a very, very quiet guitarist. And for those of you who don't know what the the Helix is, it's an AMP modelling and effects modelling multi effect unit.
JAMES KENNEDY
So I feel like that's a cheat answer!
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
But it's, I haven't used an app that that gig in Perth in 2018 that that's the last time I've switched on an AMP. Every gig I've done since has been just the line six straight out to the Yeah, so basically, I plug my guitar into the pedal, and then there's a lead then that goes from the pedal into the mixing desk. And that makes my and that sounds like a guitar AMP and with loads of different effects in it as well. So for for the lay people out there, so basically the line six Helix has, Well, I I don't need to use an app on stage anymore, and that's always a good thing.
JAMES KENNEDY
You know, gone are the days of lugging fuck, but not that you have to do it, but, you know, like lugging a up stairways and stuff, you know, So the so the the last.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
The Helix is like 12.5 kg. It's, you know, it's a solid piece of kit, but, yeah, and every single recording I've done since for six years now has been with with the Helix, and I haven't recorded with them for a long long. That's amazing.
JAMES KENNEDY
I love Line 6 stuff, and I had a Line 6 for years. But I have recently gone down. I've got the BluGuitar AMP 1
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
I haven't seen seen those yet, but I know I know Thomas very well because, I'm also I'm endorsed by an amplifier company called Hughes and Kettner Thomas Used to work for and yeah. So, yeah, when I do use an amplify, I usually get it Sounds great. And it's got lovely, shiny blue lights.
JAMES KENNEDY
Well, I love the Bluguitar, man. It's fucking It's a monster. You know, it's about the size, you know, it's about the size of an a four piece of paper, you know, And because with the, with my Helix, there's no compromise with sound at all, right?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
It sounds great. And actually, because it's d I, it goes straight into the mixing desk, It's for me. It sounds better because there's no inconsistencies in the sound. And if there's a microphone in front of a, speak in front of a speaker cabinet, the problem without us was because there was so much base and vibration on the stage. Because the music is so heavy, the AMP Or the microphone would move even though you know it would vibrate. And then the micro. Yeah, because we're all in the in ears as well, so on in ear monitoring. So when the microphone just moves like millimetres to one side, you can hear it, and you kind of lose the guitar in the mix or whatever. So but with the Helix, I don't get that problem at all whatsoever, and it's great. And, you know, I I can I can I have carried it as, carry on luggage as well.
JAMES KENNEDY
I was gonna say the Helix because they've got so many. Now I a Helix is about the size, is it? That's about the size of an A four piece of paper as well, isn't it? Or is it the longer one?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
No, no, it's bigger. It's It's What about 18 inches by 12? Ok, I'm looking down on it, and now it's at my feet. So, yes, it's about 18 inches by 12. So it's there. They do a smaller version, but I've got the proper full fat version, right, because I'm thinking of getting like a Line 6 pedal.
JAMES KENNEDY
There was I can't remember which one it was I was looking at because in my last band, my pedal board was about Unfortunately, this is an audio only podcast, so people can't see the shapes with. That was about like, three metres by three metres in my last band because I was the only guitar player. But now I'm just singing in my new band. So, my my pedal board is basically for the for the few guitars I play rhythm on. It's just like a fuzz pedal, a tuner and a lead boost. Fucking nothing. So I'm thinking, Yeah, for a fly on rig, I'm probably gonna get one of the small Line 6
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
The Stomp I think that's the one. Yeah, that that's that's got a simulators in it as well. It's it's, it's It's a smaller version of that. It's got less, memory on on DS p in it. But, you can if you just want basic stuff like that. It's perfect. It's about six inches by four.
JAMES KENNEDY
That serves me. Yeah, basically, I just don't want to carry anything ever again.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
You know, you could put it in your pocket.
JAMES KENNEDY: Perfect. That that's good for me, man. Well, dude, thanks so much for this man. Like I said, I'm trying to be wary of your time. I know you're busy, dude. And, you know, I really appreciate you coming on and talking to us about, you know, your your amazing career and give us some insight and advice for other people. You know, the musicians listening as well and and showing what a fervent left wing fucking red socialist you are as well, you know?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Yeah, you know. Did I tell you I'm a-political?
JAMES KENNEDY
Oh, dear, You get two Welshies in a room talking politics, and it it's always going to go one way. And you know what I mean?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Exactly. It is it's difficult to be anything other than kind of left or left or centre if you're welsh
JAMES KENNEDY
I think we're on the right side of the divide dude, I'D rather be punching up than punching down any time you know you're pulling up and punching up. That's the way I see it, you know? So what is, before I do let you go? What? What people look forward to with the band? What's happening with the band? What's coming up?
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Well, we've got these two gigs coming up in March, and then there'll be more shows after that. There will be more announcements happening soon that it's gonna be new music coming out as well. So yeah, so and yeah, So I think we're going to be busy most of this year and into next year as well. So there will be lots of well, quite a lot of chances for for people to see us live. So we're doing a download. We're doing the 20th anniversary of download and various other festivals.
JAMES KENNEDY: So you got a good year ahead of you, man. Nice. Well, you fucking deserve it, man. It's been a It's been a crazy few years, so I'm glad that you guys are back in full force kicking fucking ass and taking names. You deserve it. Hopefully we cross paths again at some point later on in the year.
PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD
Definitely. We We'll have another pint together.
JAMES KENNEDY
Stay off the politics next time. Thank you, Perry. Wish you nothing but the best. Speak to you soon, man James. Bye bye. Thank you. Cheers, bro. And he's gone. Ladies and gentlemen, a big round of applause, please, from Mr PEREDUR AP GWYNEDD, super super lovely guy, an insanely talented position that deserves all of the hard won success that that guy's got. And as it turns out as well, you know, a a super hardcore, firebrand, red blooded left wing motherfucker as well. That's the way they make him round here. Baby, I don't need to tell you anything about Pendulum because everybody knows about them already. But if you catch this podcast in time, they are playing at the 02 Academy in Brixton on Sunday, the fifth of March. You'll also catch them at download as well on Friday, the ninth of June.
And as Perry said, there's gonna be some new music and lots more live shows coming real soon as well. So if you want to stay up to date with what they're doing Obviously, it's just Pendulum dot com or they're on Twitter at Pendulum Facebook at Pendulum fucking Instagram at Pendulum, YouTube, Spotify and everything else at Pendulum.
You get the gist, and if you want to follow his fire breathing, left wing political rants on Twitter, you can do so at Perry Guitar. 666. That's Perry Spell as you'd spell it. Perryguitar666 I hope you enjoyed the conversation. If you did, do not forget, please to subscribe. Share the episode. Tell your friends, give us a star and a thumbs up or whatever you gotta do to help the algorithm Give me some love and I'll be back next week with another episode. Another awesome guest and probably yes, another fucking illness. Have an awesome week. Have an awesome weekend and I will catch you next week. By for now.