Dear Mrs Christine Chapman
November 3rd, 2008
I had never invited a politician to meet in a recording studio until I wrote to Christine Chapman the Cynon Valley Assembly Member in July 1999.
At that time I was promoting an unsigned band from Cwmaman called Rat Salad and trying to help them reach a wider audience. Rat Salad were three young and very talented musicians called Chris Cartwright, Mathew Whitney, and Kinley Williams.
I created a Press Plan for the band so that we had a clearer idea of how to promote the band. The press plan listed gigs and other appearances and gave us all a chance to see clearly what was happening for weeks ahead. It helped tame the creative chaos to our advantage.
I looked at the Plan for the end of August 1999 and Rat Salad were in the Studio in Cardiff recording an album. This was a large investment of time and money for the band. It was a financial and creative risk for young musicians at the start of their career. And from my point of view there was a promotional gap that needed some creative pizzazz.
I tried to think of ways to help the band reach out to close that promotional gap. I admired Chris, Mathew and Kinley, as young artists investing so much energy into a creative project. They were the ones to be feted. So I invited Christine Chapman, our local Assembly Member in Cynon Valley to come into the studio in Cardiff to see the lads.
I would never have dreamt that this swiftly hand-written letter would eventually lead to a gig in the Assembly later that year. The Gods of Rock N Roll looked down on us and they gave us their blessing!
Categories: Clywch | Tags: 1999, aspiration, cardiff, chris cartwright, christine chapman, creative, cwmaman, cynon valley, gig, kinley williams, letter, lord dafydd elis thomas, mathew whitney, press, press plan, rat salad, recording studio, senedd, sounds, welsh assembly
