Hergest return to relive Eisteddfod memories

WITH the sky blue and the sun shining the charming and summery harmonies of Hergest could be heard once again on the National Eisteddfod Field.

Tŷ Gwerin was full to the brim as the four original members - Delwyn Siôn, Geraint Davies, Derek Brown and Elgan Phylip Davies - came together for one more appearance at the Brifwyl.

When the audience was asked how many of them were at the National Eisteddfod in Cardigan half a century ago, a forest of arms was seen being raised.

"We have very fond memories of the Eisteddfod in 1976. The weather was so nice, and our songs suited the weather perfectly, so we want to come back to Tŷ Gwerin for one more gig," said Delwyn.

The gig was Hergest's first appearance since the 'Tân y Ddraig' night at Faenol Festival near Bangor at the end of August 2004.

Hergest was founded after the four original members met at the Urdd centre in Glan-llyn in the early 1970s.

Elgan from Aberystwyth and Geraint from Swansea had met before, and had performed some songs together.

Delwyn, who is from Aberdare, had attracted attention following his performance in a pop song competition at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Swansea in 1971, and Derek's band, Galwad y Mynydd, were also making waves in the Carmarthen area.

The four realised they had a musical connection as they talked about music and started performing together - their own songs and material from Welsh artists such as Dafydd Iwan and Meic Stevens, and American bands such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

The name Hergest came from the Red Book of Hergest, the famous collection of medieval Welsh manuscripts - and it was probably Elgan's idea because he worked as a librarian at Aberystwyth University.

The first two EPs, 'Hergest', were recorded at Rockfield Studios near Monmouth, the famous studio where Queen and Oasis, among many other groups, worked.'Glanceri', the first of four LPs, was released in 1975, and at the Cardigan Eisteddfod they announced what many believe was their best work, 'Frindiau Bore Oes'

.Among the 11 songs on the LP are some of the band's best known songs - 'Harbwr Cardigan', 'Nos Sadwrn', 'Cwm Cynon' and 'Ugain Mlynedd Yn Ôl' and these songs were all heard in Tŷ Gwerin.

After 50 minutes of songs the audience was taken back half a century there was a loud and continuous demand for more.

But Delwyn emphasized that the four have no intention of restarting Hergest.

"It's a one-off and the gig was a kind of farewell. We sang the songs from that summer half a century ago when we made the step from being a well-known band to being a popular band," he said.