In today’s personal geography, we speak to Gareth Jones of Fireproof Giant. Read on for his map of the city!

In Cardiff, home is…

Splott/Roath….so….Sploath!

How did you get into making music initially?

I’ve played music since the age of five but I really started creating music when I was in Italy performing an outdoor site specific theatre piece. The director encouraged me to write for the show and I haven’t been able to stop since.

Tell us about your band, Fireproof Giant

The band developed over a number of years. Whilst I was touring around with Nofit State Circus people in the audience kept asking where they could get the music or hear it again so I finally gave us a name (Fireproof Giant). Now we’re running away from the circus and playing music for music’s sake. I tend not to think of genre whilst writing and just let my mood direct the song. But now I’m having difficulty describing our music whenever we’re asked. The best way to describe it so far is Pop-rock/folkstep with classical influences.

Who were the last band you saw live?

Sigur Ros

Favourite Cardiff eatery …

Penylan Pantry

Ideal first date in Cardiff …

Walking a dog in Roath Park

Last album you bought?

If you leave by Daughter

Earliest Cardiff memory

Staying with my brother and watching Apocalypse now the directors cut. It’s very long.

Do you have a favourite record shop in Cardiff?

It’s a battle between Kellys and Spillers

Last book you read

I’m a massive comic book fan…..so…..death of the family. Does that count? If not, the hungry caterpillar.

Best Cardiff pubs

The City Arms, followed closely by Porters

Favourite Cardiff discovery

The tiny models in the metal pillars outside St David’s 2

Tell us something that most people don’t know about you

I have a fear of people touching my belly button

If you had friends coming to Cardiff for a weekend, what would you recommend they do?

If they’re around on the weekend and it’s a sunny Sunday morning then I would suggest Riverside market for some chai tea and the best butchers in Wales.

Why don’t you go on over and take a look at the Fireproof Giant Facebook page? There is music and information there galore!

Gareth Jones grew up in Swansea and very quickly found a passion for the arts. As a teenager he went from instrument to instrument learning to play whatever took his fancy. Although music was a large part of his life he found himself heading towards acting and after completing school he went to study performance art in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. During his three years there his music took a backseat role but occasionally crept forward as more and more directors asked him to compose music for them. After graduating from RWCMD in 2007 Gareth joined Nofit State Circus as a musician/performer and began touring around Europe meeting musicians from different cultures who would help him shape and develop his musical style. After three years of touring Gareth then became Musical Director and Composer for Nofit State and spent the next three years directing and leading a band in over 300 shows. Now Gareth is exploring his music for music’s sake and is running away from the Circus to share his sound with whoever will listen. If you see him around, don’t touch his bellybutton, whatever you do…

Gareth was photographed by Jon Pountney

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