Welsh Wednesday #95

Those Kids Have No Idea Whatsoever Of What Went On At Stalingrad by Stay Voiceless

Here's a band I know next to nothing about, but the song is simply too good to ignore, and it has a cracking back story. Stay Voiceless are a trio from the south east Wales valleys and describe themselves as "day ruiners". Their two singles to date would suggest they are anything but. The second of these boasts the ludicrous title above.

Welsh Hollywood actor Michael Sheen features on this track. Last year, he attended the People's March for the NHS in Tredegar and gave a stirring speech about the values and importance of the NHS, while railing against our scum Conservative government's continuing campaign to underfund our most valuable public service and sneak in privatisation. Stay Voiceless vocalist Chris Morgan was there too. He recorded Sheen's speech and, spurred on by its message of fighting for what you believe in, he wrote Those Kids..., a song castigating those who have failed communities and public services.

Chris later wrote to Sheen and asked him if the band could use his speech in the song. To their amazement, not only did he reply, but he said yes. On top of that, Sheen also tweeted his approval of the song to his followers on its release. It's a corker too.

And in case you can't make out Martin Sheen's words: "Bevan said: 'We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run down.’ So when people are too scared to say what they really mean, when they’re too careful to speak from their hearts, when integrity is too much of a risk, it’s no surprise that people feel disengaged with politics. There is never an excuse to not speak up for what you think is right. You must stand up for what you believe. But first of all – by God, believe in something."
Who can possibly argue with that?