Welcome to NEWPORT Rock Collecting
Newport Rock Collecting is a social history and contemporary collecting project, created by Winding Snake Productions in partnership with Newport Museum & Art Gallery. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and with support from First Campus (University of South Wales).
Starting in 2018 we have been gathering memories and artefacts from gigs and gig-goers relating to events in Newport between 1970 and 2010 for a new audio archive and exhibition, celebrating Newport’s commitment to bands, gigs and rock music! Explore these pages to find out who we spoke to and what we heard.
Videos
PodCast
Special guests join host Richard Parfitt in two 1 hour specials for the archive.
Audio Archive Special 1: Richard Frame and Alan Jones
Audio Archive Special 2: Sam Dabb and Gary Raymond
Spotify Playlists
We have curated a selection of Spotify playlists for Newport Rock Collecting. Just click the playlist previews below to launch Spotify.
Audio Archive
We spoke to people from the Newport music scene about their memories and experiences.
To start listening straight away please visit the full archive at Peoples Collection Wales
For now, here is a sample...
Jon Langford: MAN, 1999
Jan Davies: Van Morrison and Georgie Fame, 1993
Paul Eversley: Reggae in Newport
Chris Harding: Stone Roses, 1995
Sue Jenkins: Hawkwind and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, c.1971
Paul Davies: Ralph and the Ponytails, 1978
Cathy Cooper: Gaydogs and Portsmouth Symphonia, 1974
Exhibition
We've selected a small number of artefacts from the exhibition at Newport museum for you to see here.
Idles Ivor Novello Award (2018)
The Ivor Novello for Best Album awarded to Newport born Joe Talbot in 2018 for Joy as an Act of Resistance. Lent by Joe Talbot
Terris NME Award (2000)
The Philip Hall On Award For Brightest Hope was awarded to Newport band Terris at the NME Awards in 2000. At the time the band, Gavin Goodwin, Alun Bound, Neil Dugmore and Owen Matthews were co-headlining an NME tour with Coldplay who we also nominated alongside Sigur Ros, Doves and Slipknot. Lent by Terris
Dub War Siren
Dub War siren and poster. Lent by Benji Webbe
I WAS A STUDENT AT THE THEN GWENT COLLEGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, BACK IN THE EARLY 90'S. IN DECEMBER 1992, DURING MY FIRST TERM, I WENT TO SEE MY FAVOURITE BAND LITTLE ANGELS FOR THE FIRST TIME AT NEWPORT CENTRE. COMING FROM BRISTOL, AND BEING USED TO THE COLSTON HALL, NEWPORT (ENTRE SEEMED JUST LIKE A SPORTS HALL TO ME!
I REMEMBER THE EVENING FAIRLY VIVIDLY AS I WENT WITH A GUY ON MY COURSE WHO I HAD A HUGE CRUSH ON. I WAS SO SHY, AND LOOKING BACK I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT THE NERVE TO ASK HIM TO GO WITH ME! AS IT WAS, WE BARELY SPOKE TO EACH OTHER DUE TO MY NERVES AND SHYNESS! THE GIG ITSELF WAS BRILLIANT, AND I NOT LONG AFTER THAT COT THEIR ALBUM "JAM" WHEN IT WAS RELEASED IN 1993. LITTLE ANGELS WERE SO UNDERRATED I THINK - I STILL PLAY THEIR MUSIC TO THIS DAY.
L. Thomas
Get Involved
We've collected loads of stories, but its not too late to contribute towards this archive. We'd love to hear your memories of gig-going in Newport in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s or 2010s - you can either type your story out, or record yourself, and send it to us using the button below.
Our Supporters
We'd like to thank the following for their support:
