Biography
Euros Childs first drew notice from attentive listeners in the 1990s as frontman of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, the Welsh neo-psychedelic band that built a strong European audience and a modest yet devoted cult following in the United States. After the group paused with the 2003 release of Sleep/Holiday and formally dissolved in 2006, Childs had already issued his initial solo single, 2005's "Donkey Island," plus the album Chops, which reached stores in early 2006. Bore Da, his second solo album, followed in March 2007 and mixed English- and Welsh-language songs while Childs worked in the studio with guitarist Alun Tan Lan, keyboardist Dylan Hughes, bassist Meilyr Jones, and drummer Peter Richardson. Three months later he delivered his third album, Miracle Inn, which again employed most of the Bore Da studio musicians and included a guest appearance from former Gorky's Zygotic Mynci guitarist Richard James. After these two releases, Childs toured extensively through England and Wales, backed on stage by Alun Tan Lan, Peter Richardson, and bassist Steven Black. He sustained the rapid pace with Cheer Gone on Wichita Records late in 2007, Son of Euro Child in July 2009 on his own National Elf imprint, and the Krautrock-inspired Face Dripping in 2010. Childs also formed the duo Jonny with Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake, issuing their self-titled debut in 2011. That year he additionally released the more introspective solo album Ends, which centered on vocals and piano. First Cousins, the debut from Cousins, his collaboration with Race Horses' Meilyr Jones, appeared in 2012 alongside the solo album Summer Special, some of his poppiest work in some time. Situation Comedy, issued the following year, offered another set of songs that mixed whimsy with darker hues. Eilaaig, released late in 2014, remained low-key with Childs alone on voice and piano, while Sweetheart in 2015 pursued a more direct pop approach recorded with a full band. Refresh! arrived toward the end of 2016 as another experimental solo project in which Childs' sampled voice supplied most of the accompaniment, supported by toy keyboards and xylophone. House Arrest followed in 2017, another pop-oriented full-band album that Childs promoted with an extensive U.K. tour.