David Edwards (singer)
David R Edwards is a Welsh musician, singer and writer, best known as the lead singer of the Welsh language post-punk/experimental band Datblygu, a witty and incisive lyrical talent whose use of language is almost reason in itself to learn Welsh, according to John Peel.[1] Edwards was born in Aberteifi, Ceredigion, and the band was formed at Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi/Cardigan County Secondary school in 1982.
As well as Datblygu, Edwards worked with Tŷ Gwydr and pioneering electronic act Llwybr Llaethog on L.L. v T.G. MC DRE (1992), around which time he took up work as a secondary school teacher. Health problems and alcoholism forced Datblygu into retirement after releasing the Putsch double A single in 1995.
Edwards has since been largely ignored by mainstream Welsh media but interest was revived after Ankstmusik re-released 1993's classic Libertino in a triple disc box set along with the first two studio albums Wyau and Pyst in 2004.[2] Datblygu returned to the studio in 2008 to record a one-off 7" single entitled Cân y Mynach Modern[3].
Edwards's battle with health problems and alcoholism was chronicled in an O Flaen dy Lygaid documentary, produced by BBC Cymru for S4C. The programme also features his friend, actress Rhian Ree Davies.[4]
Edwards's autobiography, Atgofion Hen Wanc, was published by Y Lolfa in 2009.
Datblygu have been performing occasionally over the past few years. In 2014 the band released new material and were featured in a documentary, Prosiect Datblygu, made in 2012 and broadcast on S4C to mark the release of the new songs.