Maldwyn Pope

Mal (Maldwyn) Pope (born 18 May 1960), is a Welsh musician and composer, who is notable for his contribution to music theatre portraying Welsh national identities and themes. As a gifted singer and songwriter at a young age, he learnt to play the guitar atthe age of seven, when his brother David bought him a guitar. At school Mal was encouraged by Peter Williams, a bongo playing young teacher who would make Mal play his songs in front of the school at the drop of a hat. Band practises consisted of a couple of kids and the teacher sitting down to learn the latest songs by Ralph McTell or the Beatles. By the time he reached the age of 14, Mal's songwriting and musical skills attracted Elton John, who signed him to his Rocket Record label. Unfortunately for Mal, disputes with record companies led him to release only a single, before quitting the label to study Land Economy at Cambridge University. After university, Mal joined BBC Radio Wales as a producer and later got into singing the themes for children's TV programmes such as Fireman Sam and SuperTed. He also had his own chat show on HTV and tried to represent Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1987, but got placed seventh in A Song For Europe. Mal still continues producing albums and recently has got involved in writing musicals for theatres.

Links To Peel
In the spring of 1973 Mal's brother sent a tape of some songs Mal had written to John Peel on BBC Radio One. After Peel heard his songs, his producer, John Walters, invited Mal (at the age of 13) to perform a session on the late night Sounds Of The Seventies show and a few weeks later Elton John had made contact asking Mal's parents if it would be okay to sign him to his record company. John Walters had been a key person in signing Mal to Elton John's Rocket Records. Walters told Mal's parents that there was another record company that had shown interest, but they weren't as established as Elton's company. That other company was Virgin Records, owned by Richard Branson. Mal later did more sessions for Peel, but by the time he reached puberty, Mal broke his voice and his music career was postponed until he reached adulthood. Mal Pope is considered to be the youngest Peel Session artist at the age of 13.

Sessions
1. Recorded: 1973-07-10. Broadcast: 17 July 1973. Repeated: 2. Recorded: 1974-03-04. Broadcast: 26 March 1974. Repeated:
 * Truly / Couldn't Be Wrong / Shall We Go To Sea / Dream Castle / That Is The Question / How Can I Forget You?


 * Maybe It's Wrong / Gunfighter / All Day / Autumn

3. Recorded: 1974-08-05. Broadcast: 17 October 1974. Repeated:


 * Lazy Country Days / Don't Say / Don't You Know

Other Shows Played
(Please add further information if known)
 * None