Quick Facts
Biography
Cian Ciarán (born 16 June 1976 in Bangor, Wales) is a Welsh musician best known as the keyboard player in the band Super Furry Animals.
Career
Ciarán plays keyboards, guitar, drums and sings, and is a songwriter, composer and producer. Prior to the formation of Super Furry Animals, he played in the electronica group WWZZ. He has been a member of techno collective Acid Casuals and is currently producing under the names Paps, Kirkland and as himself. He has guested with, produced and mixed several artists, including Kaiser Chiefs,Mogwai, and Manic Street Preachers.
His first solo single "Martina Franca", was released in June 2012, with the full album, Outside In, released in July 2012 on Strangetown Records. Ciarán's second solo album, They Are Nothing Without Us, was released in 2013.
In 2013 and 2014 Ciarán took part in several anti-nuclear and pro-clean energy protests, including a solo performance at the top of a wind turbine in Norfolk in September 2013. In 2013, he travelled to Fukishima, Japan to witness the devastation from the nuclear power plant meltdown in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. He appeared as a guest on the Channel 5 programme The Wright Stuff in 2013 to discuss his views.
Ciarán is also label manager for SomBom and Strangetown Records. As part of Strange Village, a television production company, Ciaran and his brother Dafydd Ieuan were presented with a BAFTA Cymru Award for the soundtrack to Pen Talar, and were nominated for awards in 2012 for Alys and 2013 for Gerallt.
Personal life
Ciarán's brother is musician Dafydd Ieuan and he also has two sisters. His father, Dr. Carl Iwan Clowes OBE, is an anti-nuclear campaigner, health consultant and official consulate in Wales for African country Lesotho. His mother's name is Dorothi. Ciarán's partner is musician Estelle Ios. The two lead the band Zefur Wolves, while Ios is also a member of the group Baby Queens, who Ciarán manages as part of Strangetown Records.
Discography
Solo albums
- Outside In (2012) Dell'Orso Records
- They Are Nothing Without Us (2013) Strangetown Records
Acid Casuals
- "Omni" (2006) Placid Casual Recordings
Ciaran & Wilding
- "Missing Her" / "Stuck in the Middle" (singles, 2014) Strangetown Records
Filmography
2000 Beautiful Mistake (Camgymeriad Gwych) (with Super Furry Animals) (himself)
2004 9 Songs (with Super Furry Animals) (himself)