Chris Needs - 'And There's More'

Chris Needs – ‘I want to leave Wales because people here have been really cruel to me’ After writing about being sexually abused in the best-selling Like It Is, the most shocking revelation in And There’s More, the second volume of autobiography from Chris Needs published this week, is the amount of vitriol he has received from his fellow countrymen (and women) regarding his sexuality. The legendary entertainer, charity fundraiser and BBC Radio Wales presenter has had abuse shouted at him in the streets, received hate mail in which some have questioned whether he should be allowed to have a godson, and even death threats. “Some people here in Wales have been really cruel to me,” he says. “I still get a lot of insults about my sexuality and this makes it much harder to hang on to the job. I love what I do in the radio studio, i.e. talking to people and, of course, the music. But is it worth it?” Needs dreams of a new life in his beloved Spain with partner Gabe Cameron and “no expensive petrol, no income tax, no ‘chavs’ and no moaning old gits calling me a queer… and, oh, no rain! I will probably retire to Spain. But I keep clutching straws that Wales will have its day, with cheaper prices, better weather, more liberal people… I can live in hope.” As well as his feelings towards his country, Needs speaks about bittersweet memories of his much-missed mother, why her will caused “immeasurable trouble and damage” to his family, his desperate desire to have children, and living with diabetes. On a lighter note, he also tells of starting out in show business and working with the stars, some nightmarish trips abroad, receiving a ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award from the Variety Club, meeting The X-Factor’s Rhydian, and how Gabe and godson Sam help to make his life more bearable. The stories are funny, honest and warm-hearted – much like the man himself. And There’s More (£9.95) is published by Y Lolfa and includes extracts from Living with Chris Needs by Gabe Cameron. Chris Needs will be touring Welsh bookshops in December. Confirmed dates: Fri, 4th Dec (1.00-3.00) Borders Fforestfach Tues, 8th Dec (11.30-12.30) WH Smith Neath Wed, 16th Dec (11.30-1.30) Waterstones Carmarthen (more dates to be revealed on his radio show)

More Images From The Left Coast Eisteddfod - Niall Griffiths and Chris Keil

Niall Griffiths and Chris Keil Reading at The Left Coast eisteddfod Read our Interviews with Niall and Chris here:- Niall Griffiths Chris Keil Niall Griffiths at Mt St. Helens "The volcano is right over there.....honest!"

Left Coast Eisteddfod Pictorial Record - Sam Adams, Chris Needs

Saturday - The Mayors Visit

Chris Needs pictured with Eisteddfod organisers Gaabriel Becket and Ceri Shaw.

Chris Needs with members of the Portland Welsh Society.

Portland's Mayor Sam Adams with Chris Needs and Ceri Shaw.

Chris Needs records an interview for the Mayor's blog.

Mayor Sam Adams with genetic genealogist Emily Aulicino.

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Many thanks to Paulette Channon for the above photographs.

Welsh Month at Portland Central Library

Today marks the start of Welsh Month at Portland Central Library. We set up our display case in the foyer this morning and Posters and fliers are on display. We hope to display posters at all 18 Libraries in the Multnomah district and anyone who wants to help us with that is welcome to download and print a pdf of our library poster from the panel at the bottom of this page.

Events will include:-

Wednesday August 19th

Enjoy Welsh language poetry with John Good. John was born in South Wales, into a house where the Welsh language was spoken. Over the past twenty years, he has given bilingual presentations on Welsh culture, sharing poetry, music and literature. Wed Aug 19th 12-1 p.m.
ADMISSION FREE.

An assortment of materials available at the Library on Welsh poetry can be be found HERE

Purchase or listen online to John's "The First Fifteen Hundred Years of Welsh Poetry" HERE

Thursday August 20th

As part of the program authors Niall Griffiths and Chris Keil will be presenting a reading/Q&A session at the library on Thursday August 20th between 12 and 2. ADMISSION FREE

For more info and to rsvp if you will be attending go to this page:- Welsh Month at the Library All three of our guests will also be appearing and giving presentations as part of the daytime program at the Left Coast Eisteddfod.

Meanwhile here are excerpts of interviews in which author Niall Griffiths, explains his passion for reading and writing:

Get Your Welsh Month Link or Poster Here To view a larger image click on the thumbnail above or here. If you live in the Portland area please feel free to embed the code below on your blog or website. The image links to the Americymru Welsh Month at the Library webpage. If you would like to print a copy for display at your local library, download the .pdf here <a href="http://americymru.ning.com/events/welsh-monthcentral-library"><img border="0" src="http://api.ning.com/files/K6l2F1Vx2w1m1L-VbbYJ*qalZ5WtIbajt7LgvhCLkdWV6FpOa7CNgaVOfghiGg-IyYNIR20kN*NppNDzpfiKOJm4J72tVkTS/welshmonth.jpeg"/></a>

"The Jenkins's's's's's" at The Left Coast Eisteddfod

In addition to head lining Saturday nights show at the Left Coast Eisteddfod, Chris Needs will also be introducing the premier US screening of his animated film "The Jenkins's's's's'" on Saturday afternoon during a short presentation on the forthcoming Americymru International Film Festival. "The Jenkins's's's's" won the Best Animation/CGI award at this years Swansea Bay Film Festival. For a short review of the book - "The Jenkins's's's's" see below. BUY TICKETS FOR THE LEFT COAST EISTEDDFOD FRIDAY SATURDAY ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The revealing autobiography, Like It Is, published in 2007 by Y Lolfa told of Chris’s traumatic childhood, his showbiz and charity career as an accomplished pianist and vocalist, and his life more recently as an all-round celebrity. However, this book is a completely different kettle of fish. In her riotous, humour-filled diaries, Gladys tells of her struggle to keep the family’s crazy, mixed-up lives together. Mam’s task isn’t easy though. Her husband Dai is work-shy, son Philllip has a handbag, daughter Shantell is preggers and dog Christopher – or is it Christine? – has had puppies. Just as well Elsie next door is accommodating – she agreed to an adjoining door so they only pay one TV licence. Follow the family from their humble beginnings in the valley community of Ponty Pantin to the sun-kissed Mumbles Bay and foreign parts (including Western Super Mare). Crammed full of outrageous valleys humour, this is an ideal Christmas treat for all of Chris’s fans – and anyone else who needs a good laugh. The book is illustrated with eye-catching colour cartoons by Mark Davies. Chris Needs is a much loved radio presenter with a high profile thanks to his popular weeknight music and chat show on BBC Radio Wales. His cult fan club ‘The Garden’ has over 40,000 members worldwide. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read more about the Left Coast Eisteddfod HERE. Read our interview with Chris needs HERE.

Left Coast Eisteddfod Now Extending to Second Day!

The Left Coast Eisteddfod in Portland Oregon is being extended to a second day. The event will now run from Fri 21st August to Sat 22nd August. A concert on Friday night will feature Here Be Dragons, Jesus Presley and other bands still to be announced.

We are also pleased to announce that Welsh author Chris Keil will be attending the event along with Niall Griffiths and Penny Simpson. Chris is the author of two novels:- "The French Thing" and "Liminal". See our interview with Chris here.

All three will be giving a series of readings both at the Eisteddfod and at the Central Library amongst other venues. Here is the Library Event page on Americymru:- Welsh Month at Portland Library. If you are an Americymru member and planning to attend please RSVP on the event page. The Library event is free and, of course, open to non-Americymru members.

Alcemi Write Up on The Left Coast Eisteddfod.

Read the Alcemi write-up on The Left Coast eisteddfod here. Alcemi is a leading Welsh publishing house and a key sponsor of the Left Coast eisteddfod.

Find more videos like this on Americymru

An Interview With Chris Keil

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN MOVED TO

THE WELSH AMERICAN BOOKSTORE

'AN INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS KEIL'

The Dragon Has Landed!

We apologise for the cheesy title but we are naturally very pleased and excited to be able to announce that plans for the Left Coast Eisteddfod in Portland this August are now beginning to firm up. This week we secured the location for the event in Portland, Oregon: it will take place at the Crystal Ballroom on Saturday, 22 August 2009.

Below is a shot of the view of the ballroom from the stage. The Crystal Ballroom has been a Portland nightlife destination for many decades, glamorously famous for its dance floor: a wooden floor on a ball-bearing base, below a balcony of fixed seating, with two bars - one in the balcony and one at the back of the ballroom itself. The ballroom overlooks downtown West Burnside Street, a main boulevard which bisects the north and south halves of the city and just blocks from Powell's Books, the largest independent bookstore in the United States, probably in the western hemisphere.

The ballroom is on the third floor and in addition to that floor, we have the second floor, which is another bar and dance floor - photograph of that bar, intrepidly claimed for Wales by AmeriCymru member, Hugh Roberts, at the bottom of this post, below.

So far confirmed to attend are:- Chris Needs, Bruce Anderson, Niall Griffiths, Oceans ApartDavid Western. Other announcements will follow. There is every chance, should our funding situation continue to improve, that we will book a second and possibly a third day It was our original intention to stage a three day event and we are exploring various sponsorship options with interested parties at the moment. and

The program for the event is in the beginning planning stages but so far we're looking at a Welsh market/tradeshow with vendor spaces during the day and seminars/appearances by lovespoon carver David Western and author Niall Griffiths on the ballroom stage and performers appearing in the ballroom in the evening.

The winners of all our online Eisteddfod competitions will be announced at the event. The Short Story Competition is being judged by Lloyd Jones and Peter Thabit Jones is judging the Poetry Competition. Judges for the other competitions have yet to be announced. David Western will announce the winner of the Left Coast Eisteddfod lovespoon he is creating and auctioning for the event.

We're working out additional presentations and possibly appearances and events at other locations near the Crystal Ballroom: book signings and other events. We'd really love to hear from anyone about events they'd like to see at this, any ideas anyone to make it even bigger and better.

We want to thank all our members and contributors for helping us get to this point and giving us an opportunity to promote Wales and modern Welsh culture in the western USA. We really hope we see a lot of you here and plan a special event for AmeriCymru members.

Chris Needs Aims for a Christmas Number One - again!

After his autobiography became the bests selling book in Wales last Christmas, Chris Needs is now publishing a second book – this time about his comic creation: The Jenkins’s’s’s’s’s: Wales’s First Family, and aims for similar success. The hilarious escapades of the Jenkins’s’s’s’s are written through the diaries of the family’s matriarch, our Gladys, and will be published this week.

The revealing autobiography, Like It Is, published in 2007 by Y Lolfa told of Chris’s traumatic childhood, his showbiz and charity career as an accomplished pianist and vocalist, and his life more recently as an all-round celebrity.

However, this book is a completely different kettle of fish. In her riotous, humour-filled diaries, Gladys tells of her struggle to keep the family’s crazy, mixed-up lives together. Mam’s task isn’t easy though. Her husband Dai is work-shy, son Philllip has a handbag, daughter Shantelll is preggers and dog Christopher – or is it Christine? – has had puppies. Just as well Elsie next door is accommodating – she agreed to an adjoining door so they only pay one TV licence.

Follow the family from their humble beginnings in the valley community of Ponty Pantin to the sun-kissed Mumbles Bay and foreign parts (including Western Super Mare). Crammed full of outrageous valleys humour, this is an ideal Christmas treat for all of Chris’s fans – and anyone else who needs a good laugh. The book is illustrated with eye-catching colour cartoons by Mark Davies.

Chris Needs is a much loved radio presenter with a high profile thanks to his popular weeknight music and chat show on BBC Radio Wales. His cult fan club ‘The Garden’ has over 40,000 members worldwide.

See below for details of when you can catch Chris making personal appearances at book signings and events in the period leading up to Christmas.

Thursday 4 December 12.30-1.30 WH Smiths Merthyr Tydfil

Friday 5 December 11.30-12.30 WH Smiths Llanelli

Friday 5 December 2.00-3.00 Waterstones Carmarthen

Wednesday 10 December 12.00-12.45 WH Smiths Swansea

Wednesday 10 December 2.00-3.00 WH Smiths Neath

Thursday 11 December 12.00-1.00 WH Smiths Bridgend

Thursday 11 December 2.00-3.00 Waterstones Cardiff

Monday 15 December 1.00-2.00 Borders Cardiff

Wednesday 17 December 12.00-2.00 WH Smiths Pontypridd

Thursday 18 December 12.00-1.00 WH Smiths Caerphilly

Thursday 18 December 2.00-3.00 Waterstones Newport

Friday 19 December 12.00-1.00 Borders Fforestfach

Friday 19 December 2.00-3.00 Waterstones Swansea

Monday 22 December 1.00-3.00 Borders Llantrisant

Tuesday 23 December 11.00-1.00 Waterstones Abergavenny

Tuesday 23 December 2.00-3.00 WH Smiths Cwmbran

An Interview With Chris Needs MBE

The Man

Americymru member, musician, broadcaster and author Chris Needs is a well-known face and voice of Wales. In broadcast radio for decades, today Chris Needs delivers "The Friendly Garden," late nights on Radio Wales, to audiences all over the world.

Chris, originally from Cwmafan near Port Talbot, published his autobiography last year ("Like It Is") which became a number-one bestseller in Wales. He is an accomplished pianist and has accompanied many artists, including Bonnie Tyler. He speaks five languages :- English, Welsh, Spanish, Dutch and German. He has also been awarded the M.B.E.

Chris Needs new book "The Jenkins's" can be found HERE.

Love is All	Chris Needs: Like It Is: My Autobiography	The Friendly Garden

The Interview

You've been a presenter or host with BBC Radio Wales on the BBC since 1996. For Americans, what is Radio Wales?

Radio Wales is the national BBC station for the principality of Wales. It now serves the world as it is broadcast on the air, online, cable, sky satellite, download etc, etc, etc.. The service is in the medium of English, although it plays music in lots of languages.

How did you come to be at Radio Wales?

I was on a local station in Cardiff and I won the Sony radio awards in London.[that's' like an Oscar in radio terms] and I was approached by the BBC to join them. I did and never looked back.

You now have a late night show called "The Friendly Garden" - where did that name come from and what does it mean?

My nightly show on Radio Wales is called [in full] "the Chris Needs Friendly Garden associated affiliated ltd twice, sounds crazy I know, but it's one of the biggest shows in Wales and I have approximately 50,000 members called flowers. There are fabulous females and mere males, I give out numbers and badges and car stickers . We are now a big community in Wales and the rest of the world and we strive to help each other and bring back old values.

What is the format of this show?

The format of the show is ME, someone on the phones, great music - from opera to punk, as long as it's good. We chat in between songs and put the world to right., that's one job that need to be done.


Your show is listened to by people all over the world and the Friendly Garden has members all over the world - how did your show become internationally known? What about it do you think appeals to so many people from so many places?

The members are from all walks of life.it's not just little old ladies .........all walks of life from all over the world...and you can join by phoning the programme, by text by email by letter or at a road show or a variety concert .

You also have animals that are Garden members? Do people sign up or propose their pets for this? Why?

Pets are part of the family here in Britain and they should not be left out. They are important to the person and so we respect that.

The Friendly Garden has members, who are your members, how and why do people join and what is membership in the Friendly Garden? How many members do you have?

The show is listened to by all types from all over the world, and I believe the success is due to "being included" and being able to reach other people, just by picking up a phone.

What genre or type(s) of music do you play on your show?

The music....Oh My GOD !!!!! This is all over the place, euro pop, opera, punk, latin/spanish , french, german, dutch, instrumental, choirs, hymns - you never know what is coming next. On the last Friday of each month we have a WELSH NIGHT. Only Welsh artistes, [Shirley] Bassey, Bonnie Tyler, Tom Jones, etc, etc, etc. That goes well.

I do play my own music on the show, classical piano and I sing, also. I have recently performed duets with Steve Balsamo from Jesus Christ Superstar, Gillian Elisa from Pobol y Cwm.


Do you currently work or perform as a musician?

I still perform as a musician.when I have time, sometimes on TV but quite often in theatres., ie, tribute to Liberace, Russ Conway, Winnifred Atwell, etc, etc, etc. - even Les Dawson, playing out of tune, which i did at my 40 years concert in St David's hall Cardiff. That went well. I don't have time to teach.

How did you become a musician?

I studied piano from the age of five......took to it like a duck to water.

What was your career as a musician (you played with Bonnie Tyler?)

I played with Bonnie Tyler, Anita Harris, Roger Whittaker, Dorothy Squires, Paper Lace, The Peddlers, Pickerty Witch, Madeline Bell, Elkie Brooks, Jimmy Helms, Shirley Bassey, the list is endless.

You've also been a music teacher/piano teacher, do you currently do that or have students? Did you teach in a school or on your own?

I used to teach in a school but the big world of entertainment beckoned me.

You head a charity called the Chris Needs Hospital Appeal, what is that and how did it come about?

I started [the Chris Needs Hospital Appeal] to help diabetics and generally health in Wales.....It's so hard fund raising but I have some great help from wonderful Colleagues. David Emanuel is a great support me. The charity has enabled people to have an easier life, we like to buy the product, ie - a bed for a patient, and then we can see exactly where the money goes. We try not to give to a fund if possible.

You were awarded an MBE (Membership of the Order of the British Empire) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 - for Americans, what is that and what does it mean?

The MBE is called here a "GONG" it's a title...and the Queen gives this title in an investiture....it was so mind blowing meeting speaking and shaking hands with the Queen. It meant a lot to me.

How did you come to receive that award and how did it feel getting it?

I felt like a little boy on Christmas morning. The Queen made me feel as if she really DID want to meet me. I told her that the Radio was better that the TV. I truly believe that.



How many languages do you speak and how did you come to learn them?

I speak 5 languages and I still don't understand people half the time ! I lived is Spain for 20 years, worked as an entertainer and a translator. I loved it. Languages were a way out for me to get a brilliant and different type of job. I speak Welsh, English, Spanish, Dutch and German.

Will Wales win the Grand Slam this time around?

I hope Wales will win the Grand Slam. Fingers crossed.

You may have seen Americymru's Top Ten Hardest Welshmen Poll. Who gets your vote?

Hardest ...Welshman.......Joe the boxer !!!!!

When will the Jenkins's's's's join Americymru?

Standby, the jenkins's's's's's Will be joining you, once they've had a couple of injections.




Buy Chris' new book HERE.