Singer performs tribute to NHS outside castle

SUPER Furry Animals’ Gruff Rhys yesterday released a song to mark the 70th birthday of the NHS with a performance outside Cardiff Castle.

No Profit In Pain was specially commissioned by National Theatre Wales as part of its NHS 70 Festival of NHS-themed productions.

NTWales will celebrate the National Health Service’s 70th birthday throughout July with a month-long, multi-artform festival, inspired by staff and patients.

It will feature productions and events made and performed in locations across Wales., including hospitals, schools, memorial halls and arts venues in Carmarthen, Welshpool, Wrexham, Bangor and Tredegar, birthplace of the NHS’ founder, Aneurin “Nye” Bevan.

Accompanied by drummer Kliph Scurlock, the singer entertained a large crowd that had gathered in front of the castle with his rendition of No Profit In Pain.

Of the song, Gruff said: “In most of my songs I mostly deal in lyrical abstraction, but as the NHS has had such a profound effect on every aspect of my life since birth, this was a commission that I felt duty bound to throw myself into out of respect for everything it’s given me.

“The title No Profit in Pain is an attempt to counter the mentality of ‘no pain no gain’ and ‘tough love’ which keep being peddled about by zealous free marketeers.

“The NHS is something that we can too easily take for granted. But the NHS has been there for me throughout my life and has also saved many of my family members lives.

“In that sense it means more than anything I could ever hope to convey in a melodramatic synth pop power ballad like this one, so for the song I’ve focused on the battle to keep the NHS as a free service in public ownership. There’s loads of swearing in it.

“Privatisation is creeping in and signifies a death knell for the NHS we all love and cherish if we are not vigilant.

“As a devolved issue in Wales, and as an idea that was born here, the idea of a free health service for all is something that serves as a beacon of what we can achieve as a nation and is something we must pass on intact to future generations.”

He added: “A van has been hired to advertise the song. I researched hiring a Brexit-style red bus but it was too expensive, so in the end I just went for a repurposed bog standard Home Office-style ‘go home’ scare vehicle.

“We’ve only got it for two days, I’m using it for my performance today and designer and profound thinker Mark James shot the video yesterday as we decorated it, ready for today’s release. Kliph Scurlock plays the drums and Llion Robertson produced it. All proceeds will go to NHS charities in Wales.”

No Profit In Pain is available now at bit.ly/NoProfitInPain