The magazine was started in April 1997 by three London girls - Debs, Emma and Vickki - and were later joined by Kerrie. The magazine came into being after we noticed how stereotypically the Welsh bands were being portrayed in the English music press. You know the sort of thing - "To live and Dai in LA" and other crap about magic mushrooms and sheep shagging. Already dedicated "Welshies" (Debs is a Welsh speaker of sorts after starting lessons in June 1996) and with various Welsh ancestors and distant family between the four of us, we decided there was only one course of action that could be taken to help the Welsh bands we adore get the attention they deserve. We started Welsh Bands Weekly. The magazine is a riot of drinking, swearing, nakedness and utter stupidity - Mr Censor keeps well away from us - and, as so aptly described by one Mr Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals: "It's surreally good". But hang on; we've not even told you the best part its 100% BILINGUAL. You read the whole lot in English, then deftly flip it over and read the whole thing again in Welsh. Absolutely everything is bilingual. Are there certain things about other fanzines (actually we prefer to call ourselves an "independent magazine) that really pisses you off? Such as, there's so many adverts that not enough space is left for the articles. Or, there's never enough interviews, just a load of reviews giving the opinions of people you couldn't give a shit about, all talking about the same gig. Or, when there are interviews, they're quite transparently just a quick questionnaire that's been chucked at a band member as he/she makes a desperate dive for the dressing room. Or the fact that it's all really poorly photocopied and you can't see any of the photos clearly. If any of the above piss you off, why not switch to Welsh Bands Weekly? We don't fill our pages with adverts - just the odd one here and there. There's normally only 2-3 pages of reviews - albums, singles and demos which we encourage readers to send to us for review. This helps lesser-known bands get heard outside of their home towns. The magazine consists mostly of full interviews - all exclusive - which are carried out with the full permission and cooperation of the bands and their management. We got 95% of our photos directly from the band/their management, so they're always good quality Since the first issue, we've printed rather than photocopied. This means that what you're paying for is a professionally laid out, glossy, black and white magazine, not just an illegible newsletter. So what's actually in the magazine? Issue 1 Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Topper, Melys, Llwybr Llaethog, Derrero, Big Noise Recorders, reviews, Richard Ellis (Huw on Eastenders) Issue 2 60ft Dolls, Stereophonics, Feeder, Rheinallt H Rowlands, Ectogram, David Wrench, Pecyn Croeso, Howard Marks, Fantasy Flashing, reviews Issue 3 Super Furry Animals, The Crocketts, The Honeydews, Crac, Verona, Pin Nic, Serein, Owain Glyndwr, The Welsh Language Society, reviews, more fantasy flashing Issue 4 Catatonia, Novocaine, Hush, NAR, Tystion, Big Leaves, the WBW Christmas party, The Girls' Corner, The WBW Awards, more reviews, other surprises. Issue 5 Melys - one year on; Rachel Stamp; Doc Savage; Rhys Mwyn; full lineup of this year's Eisteddfod (Maes B) gigs; loads of new features with more surrealism than you can shake a stick at, including Inside Emma, The National Kitten Shaking Championships, The On the Piss List, The Adventures of Little Les, Girls' COrner and much much more... Due out in time for the Eisteddfod If you're still not completely convinced, here's what's been said about Welsh Bands Weekly so far: Welsh Bands Weekly is a really good idea -Paul Adams, Melys It's good for us and the bands that WBW has started -Ceri Collier, Big Noise Recorders, Cardiff It's surreally good...it's amazing. It shows the way -Gruff Rhys, Super Furry Animals I think what you're doing is great. It's marvellous -Grant, Feeder Why aren't we in it? -Nicky Wire, Manic Street Preachers It's about time for a regular publication that shows everyone that Wales is not just about Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey and sheep shagging Richard Elis (Huw on Eastenders) You're called Welsh Bands Weekly, right? How come you haven't asked us any Welsh related questions? -Richard Parfitt, 60ft Dolls It's wonderful to have a bilingual magazine sincerely dedicated to drug laden musical comunnication -Howard Marks, drug smuggler I really like the idea of a bilingual magazine coming from London. It's incredible -Owen, the Crocketts The magazine is brilliant...Welsh Bands Weekly...fucking classic. It should have been done years ago - MC Gruff, Tystion We started to get a bit worried that you hadn't yet asked us for an interview -Owen Powell, Catatonia It's great to see the bloody English doing something useful for a change -Owain Glyndwr, 15th Century Welsh revolutionary