David Edwards (singer)

David R Edwards is a Welsh musician, singer and writer, best known as the lead singer of the Welsh language post-punk/experimental band Datblygu, a witty and incisive lyrical talent whose use of language is almost reason in itself to learn Welsh, according to John Peel. Edwards was born in Aberteifi, Ceredigion, and the band was formed at Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi/Cardigan County Secondary school in 1982.

As well as Datblygu, Edwards worked with Tŷ Gwydr and pioneering electronic act Llwybr Llaethog on L.L. v T.G. MC DRE (1992), around which time he took up work as a secondary school teacher. Health problems and alcoholism forced Datblygu into retirement after releasing the Putsch double A single in 1995.

Edwards has since been largely ignored by mainstream Welsh media but interest was revived after Ankstmusik re-released 1993's classic Libertino in a triple disc box set along with the first two studio albums Wyau and Pyst in 2004. Datblygu returned to the studio in 2008 to record a one-off 7" single entitled Cân y Mynach Modern.

Edwards's battle with health problems and alcoholism was chronicled in an O Flaen dy Lygaid documentary, produced by BBC Cymru for S4C. The programme also features his friend, actress Rhian Ree Davies.

Edwards's autobiography, Atgofion Hen Wanc, was published by Y Lolfa in 2009.

Datblygu have been performing occasionally over the past few years. In 2014 the band released new material and were featured in a documentary, Prosiect Datblygu, made in 2012 and broadcast on S4C to mark the release of the new songs.