Wales has produced some of music's most iconic stars.
From Tom Jones to The Stereophonics, for a small nation we have certainly hit the high notes globally when it comes to music.
And MyWelshpool has unearthed an improbable musical partnership that, while not likely to trouble the top of the Download charts just yet, has become a local YouTube Number One!
A trio of madcap songs about cutting keys, selling fires and not selling fireworks has attracted hundreds of hits on YouTube and its creators say they are not done yet!
It all started last year when Paul Alexander, of Alexanders fame, and Steve Edwards, who has become a popular fixture on the local entertainment scene, decided to take a long standing joke about the shop not cutting keys to the next level!
“One morning I was trawling Spotify for ideas of songs I could cover at gigs, when I stumbled across Half Man Half Biscuit's song Descent of the Stiperstones, which references Bunner's shop in Montgomery!” said Steve (right). “It surprised me to hear such a random reference, and I sent the link to Paul and suggested that perhaps we should do something for Alexander’s called They Don't Cut Keys?
“Quick as a flash, Paul replied with what turned out to be the chorus. I came up with a few chords, a melody, and a couple of verses, and They Don't Cut Keys was born! A completely original song, by Welshpool's new Lennon/McCartney!
“I posted it up on YouTube with the notion that no more than a handful of mutual friends would see it and have a bit of a giggle. It has been viewed over 600 times! I recorded it on a tiny, cheap compact camera, which was sitting atop a stacked nest of tables in my living room! Professional setup, eh?”
The success prompted a second song called Fireworks Frustration after Paul joked on November 4 “can the b-side be We Don't Sell Fireworks Either?” The Trilogy is now complete with Alexanders Sell Electric Fires which has become their biggest ‘hit’ to date.
Steve’s describes it as Paul’s “masterpiece”.
“The final song Alexanders Sell Electric Fires all started (I think) when Steve mentioned the Billy Joel song to me for an idea one lunchtime just before Christmas in the Oak,” said Paul (left).
“So, I thought this would be a bit of a challenge. It took me about a week in my lunch hour to complete it. I printed the original lyrics out and then just basically went around the shop looking through our products and trying to fit them in and rhyme with the original tune!
“I sent it to Steve who not only performed and successfully recorded the song, he made a fantastic video too!”
So have a look for yourself. Have we discovered the biggest musical combo since Hall and Oates? Will we see an Alexanders Rock Opera written and performed at the Town Hall? Or is there something funny in the Pinewood beer these days?
The links to the songs are here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o8kcvwbRTYI#!