Straight From The Wood
In order to see this content you need to have both enabled and installed. Visit for full instructions
"We practiced downstairs in our living room, and had very tolerant neighbours."
Transcript
"When I was still quite young but probably old enough to know better, me and my man played in a band.
We were in a mostly shambolic seven-piece electric folk outfit called 'Straight from the Wood'. We practised downstairs in our living room and had very tolerant neighbours.
We never practised very much but we usually practised very loud and very late. It was always difficult to spot when the practising stopped and the partying began.
Some of the band members refused to stand next to others on stage but despite all our musical differences we managed to carry on.
We played dozens of gigs, appeared to have hundreds of fans, recorded an album - well Neil, the boran player, recorded us on a four-track machine in the living room - and featured on the front cover of Wales' folk and traditional music magazine.
For over two years, we all had an unhealthy amount of fun. But fame and fortune didn't come calling soon enough, so we began to drift off one way or another.
Tom, the guitarist, loved us all so much he emigrated to Australia while the rest of us slid into proper jobs. Except for Justin - bass player and rising star in the world of astrophysics - who killed himself with an excess of good times.
It's a typical rock and roll story, but the thing I think matters is that we did it and we did it with everything that we had.
So if there's something you've just got to do, then do it now before you're old enough to know better."
An interview with the author
Please tell us a little about yourself.
I am a mother of a young son, Morgan, and live with my partner, Chris, and an assortment of birds and animals in a small cottage on the banks of the River Wye. I am also a musician and started to learn piano and violin at an early age. I have worked a great deal behind the scenes with various arts organisations and when supporting other artists.
What's your story about?
My story is about the years I was on stage rather than behind the scenes. This was with Straight From The Wood, a seven-piece electric folk band that gigged for a couple of years in the late 1980s and early 90s. We played pubs, clubs, benefits, festivals, made and sold a couple of demo albums, appeared on the front cover of Wales' folk and traditional music magazine and had a couple of promising reviews in various national folk magazines. I talk about what happened to some of the band members when we split up, having got bored of waiting to get famous.
Why did you choose to tell this particular story?
I wanted to tell the story because it was a time in my life I remember with huge affection and pride, even though we didn't shoot to stardom, even though it wasn't 'a proper job' and even though I suspect what I did may be frowned upon by many (like my mum!) as a waste of time and energy. I wanted to exhort others to live their dreams even if it is likely those dreams will remain unfulfilled.
What did you find most rewarding about the workshop?
I found the discipline involved in the digital storytelling format meant I really had to pare things down to get to the real nub of the story. Each stage of the workshop was challenging but achieved the desired outcomes with surprising ease and enjoyment. The extraordinarily effective (and lovely!) tutors helped me get to grips with the film-making software in just two days.
Your comments
"A wonderful piece which took me back many years as I am the guitarist who emigrated to Australia. Well done Caroline, I miss you all dearly. xx"
Tom in Australia.
