Steve Andrews (aka "The Bard of Ely"), is a singer-songwriter, writer and journalist with a strong interest in botany and conservation. Andrews is known for having a brightly coloured beard and being a Welsh icon.cardiff wall of fame featuring the bard of ely – video showing "the bard of Ely" in the center of Cardiff on a Billboard
Early life Steve Andrews was born in Canton, Cardiff in 1953 and lived in Ely for 25 years, a suburb on the outskirts of Cardiff in South Wales.
Writing career He was dubbed "The Bard of Ely" by Big Issue Cymru when he had a regular column in the publication.
Andrews is the author of "Herbs of the Northern Shaman" published by O-Books and Hummadruz and a Life of High Strangeness.
He has written articles and features for many publications including Tenerife News newspaper, Big Issue, Kindred Spirit, Eye on Life magazine, 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.
Television and radio Andrews was a co-presenter for two series of "In Full View" on the BBC Choice Digital channel and has also been featured on HTV's "Weird Wales" 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.Steve Johnson's radio shows on various stations including: Capital South Wales, Valleys Radio, 106.3 Bridge FM, Radio Cardiff and BBC Radio Wales
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.
Discography: YearAlbumRecord labelMediaNotes1997Sound of OneVery Good Recordsvinyl LP1998MaskPink Lemon Recordsvinyl EP2002Taffia EPCrai RecordsCDCollaboration2003Best of the Bardmp3.comCD2019Songs of the Now and Thenbandcampdigital album download
Tracks contained in compilations: YearAlbumRecord labelMedia1989Meltdown the AlbumChariot Recordsvinyl LP1993Pop Vocals and InstrumentalsOff the Shelf MusicCD1998Take It to the Bridge Vol. 3Bridge RecordsCD2001United World UndergroundMMATTCD2002Dim ApathiDockrad RecordsCD2003Green Man Festival albumDouble SnazzyCD2003Bands UnitedBands UnitedCD
Featured in the book "The World's Most Mysterious People" by Lionel and Patricia Fanthorpe the book "The Last of the Hippies" and other titles by C.J. Stone as Peter's guide to the west of Cardiff in the book "Real Cardiff" by Peter Finch quoted at length in the book "Leonard Cohen: a remarkable life" by Anthony Reynolds
References