A CEREDIGION rocker whose band has shot to international fame has put his love of music down to his upbringing in a village pub.

Gethin Davies who is the drummer in LA-based band, The Struts, is currently back living in Aberystwyth during the pandemic, spoke to the Cambrian News this week about his rock and roll career so far and where it all started: above his parent’s pub in Llanddewi Brefi.

Gethin, 28, said growing up in the Foel Allt Arms “heavily influenced” his future musical career.

He said: “My parents always loved listening to music. I remember the Juke Box was always going.

“They would put me to bed around 8pm and then the pub would get busy. My room was right above the pub and I could hear the music through the floorboards. I would end up wandering down and my parents were busy, so I would just walk around.

“I remember bands playing there. It was a great place to grow up, such a friendly place.”

The former Tregaron Secondary School pupil joined rock band The Struts as the drummer in 2012, after they approached him while at university.

“It’s bizarre, I’ve been playing drums since I was 12 and I’ve always wanted to be in a band.

“I had a few bands going in school but we never really played a show. I got thrown into the deep end with The Struts and took it in my stride.”

Gethin said the band “got on like a house on fire”.

“That’s one of the main reasons we’re still doing it; it’s been eight years and we’re all still best friends. That’s the secret to keeping a band together.

“When you’re doing it for other reason than enjoying it, it gets a bit stale.”

While Gethin relocated to Los Angeles with the band, he returned to Aberystwyth at the start of the pandemic: “I moved out to LA officially in January, but then obviously this year threw us all.

"We had a tour booked for the whole year, but it got cancelled around April. So, I decided to come back to the UK.

“It’s nice to be back, to see family and friends.

"It’s also nice because I haven’t had any time off the road for five years. My dad still lives up in Llanddewi so I go and see him every other day.”

As part of The Struts, Gethin has travelled the world, touring in Japan, Australia, Brazil, and more: “That’s why I love it so much. It’s not just that I’m doing something that I love, performing and playing music, but I also love travelling so it’s the best of both worlds.”

The Struts have toured and collaborated with many of the musicians that inspired Gethin as a child: “We’ve released three albums in the last six years and then we’ve been on the road.

“We’ve supported the Foo Fighters, we’ve been out with the Rolling Stones – bands I’ve looked up to my whole life. Our career is mainly out in America, so we’ve been touring the states for five years.

“The Foo Fighters were definitely my favourite. We were out with them on and off for about two years. They were the nicest guys and they were very inspiring; we learnt a lot from them.”

Gethin also spoke of The Struts’ recently released quarantine album, Strange Days.

“After the tour got cancelled, we decided to go into an LA studio in late April,” he said.

“We had 10 days with a producer we worked with before, so he set up a studio in his house and we decided to go in and record an EP.

“Ten days later, we walked out with a full album ready to go. That was really special. It was the first time we got to do that as a band.

“Because it was a quarantine record, we got in touch with other musicians we’ve toured with; Tom Morello, two of the guys from Def Leppard, The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr, who was my idol growing up, and Robbie Williams.

“Who can have Tom Morello and Robbie Williams on the same album? That’s the kind of band we are, we break the norms.”

But Gethin said he has enjoyed returning home to the mid Wales: “My favourite thing about Wales is the scenery, it’s the tranquillity of it all. You can find beauty anywhere around here. I’ve missed the sea. Even though LA is on the coast, you don’t get to the sea very often because of the traffic.”