Steve Andrews

Steve Andrews (aka "The Bard of Ely"),^[1] was born in Canton, Cardiff in 1953 and lived in Ely for 25 years, a suburb on the outskirts of Cardiff in South Wales.^[1][2] He is a singer-songwriter, writer and Journalist with a strong interest in botany and conservation.^[1][3][4] Andrews is known for having a brightly coloured beard^[1][5] and being a Welsh icon.^[1][2][6]

Steve Andrews
Steve Andrews in a promotional image
Born	Canton, Cardiff, Wales
Nationality	Welsh
Other names	The Bard of Ely
Occupation(s)	Musician, Journalist, Author, TV presenter, Compère
Known for	Welsh icon, coloured beard
Website	Steve Andrews

Writing career

He was dubbed "The Bard of Ely" by Big Issue Cymru when he had a regular column in the publication.^[1]

Andrews is the author of "Herbs of the Northern Shaman" published by O-Books^[3][4][7] and Hummadruz and a Life of High Strangeness.^[8]

He has written articles and features for many publications including Tenerife News newspaper,^[9][10] Big Issue, Kindred Spirit, Eye on Life magazine,^[11] Prediction, Permaculture, Feed Your Brain, Living Tenerife and the National Federation of Occupational Pensioners magazines.

He has a Cardiff University BA (Honours) degree in Journalism, Film and Broadcast.^[1][5]

Television and radio

Andrews was a co-presenter for two series of "In Full View"^[12] on the BBC Choice Digital channel^[11] and has also been featured on HTV's "Weird Wales"^[13] and appeared as a musician on BBC Cymru Wales' "The Slate", and a guest on BBC2's "Roll over Beethoven". Also his song "Rubber Ducky" was used in the drama Y Tŷ ("The House") on S4C.

Andrews was a guest on many of Steve Johnson's radio shows in Wales.^[14]

 

Steve Andrews (left) with Steve Johnson at Radio Cardiff

Music

Andrews has released a number of albums since 1989 on various indie record labels, including a collaboration with Ian Kaye and Philip Moxham (from "Young Marble Giants") called "Taffia EP" and has had tracks released on a number of compilations.^[1]

Discography:

Year	Album	Record label	Media	Notes
1997	Sound of One	Very Good Records	vinyl LP
1998	Mask	Pink Lemon Records	vinyl EP
2002	Taffia EP	Crai Records	CD	Collaboration
2003	Best of the Bard	mp3.com	CD
2019	Songs of the Now and Then	bandcamp	digital album download

Tracks contained in compilations:^{[citation needed]}

Year	Album	Record label	Media
1989	Meltdown the Album	Chariot Records	vinyl LP
1993	Pop Vocals and Instrumentals	Off the Shelf Music	CD
1998	Take It to the Bridge Vol. 3	Bridge Records	CD
2001	United World Underground^[15]	MMATT	CD
2002	Dim Apathi	Dockrad Records^[16]	CD
2003	Green Man Festival album^[1]	Double Snazzy^[17]	CD
2003	Bands United	Bands United^[18]	CD

Featured in

• the book "The World's Most Mysterious People" by Lionel and Patricia Fanthorpe^[19]
• the book "The Last of the Hippies" and other titles by C.J. Stone^[20]
• as Peter's guide to the west of Cardiff in the book "Real Cardiff" by Peter Finch^[21]
• quoted at length in the book "Leonard Cohen: a remarkable life" by Anthony Reynolds ^[22]

References

1. "Welsh Icons News | Profile: Bard of Ely". Welshicons.org. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
2. . Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
3. "Steve Andrews || O-Books || Author Profile". O-Books. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
4. Herbs of the Northern Shaman: Amazon.co.uk: Steve Andrews: Books. ASIN 1846943698.
5. "Sign Up | LinkedIn". Linkedin.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
6. cardiff wall of fame featuring the bard of ely – video showing "the bard of Ely" in the center of Cardiff on a Billboard
7. "Herbs of the Northern Shaman by Steve Andrews". Waterstones.com. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
8. Andrews, Steve. "Hummadruz and a Life of High Strangeness". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
9. [1]^{[dead link]}
10. [2]^{[dead link]}
11. "Guest Writers – EYE ON LIFE MAGAZINE". Eyeonlifemag.com. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
12. "bardofely". YouTube. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
13. "Bard of Ely's UFO encounter as recalled under hypnosis". YouTube. 12 September 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
14. Steve Johnson's radio shows on various stations including: Capital South Wales, Valleys Radio, 106.3 Bridge FM, Radio Cardiff and BBC Radio Wales
15. "Zeitgeist presents United World Underground". The-rocker.freeservers.com. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
16. "Dockrad". Dockrad. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
17. . doublesnazzy.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
18. "Bands United – Welcome to the Bands United Compilation CD Project's Official Site". Colleengray.com. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
19. "The World's Most Mysterious People". Lionel-Fanthorpe. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
20. "Cj Stone". Cjstone.co.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
21. "Real Cardiff". Peter Finch. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
22. Reynolds, Anthony (2010). Leonard Cohen: A Remarkable Life : Anthony Reynolds. ISBN 978-1849381383. Retrieved 2 August 2020. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)