American Interior: The Quixotic Journey of John Evans

by Gruff Rhys

In 1792, John Evans, a twenty-two-year-old farmhand from Snowdonia, Wales, travelled to America to discover whether there was indeed, as widely believed, a tribe of Welsh-speaking native Americans still walking the great plains.

In 2012, Gruff Rhys set out on an 'investigative concert tour' in the footsteps of John Evans, with concerts in New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, St Louis, North Dakota and more.

American Interior is the story of these journeys. It is also an exploration of how wild fantasies interact with hard history and how myth-making can inspire humans to partake in crazy, vain pursuits of glory, including exploration, war and the creative arts.

GRUFF RHYS is known around the world for his work as a solo artist as well as singer and songwriter with Super Furry Animals and Neon Neon, and for his collaborations with Gorillaz, Mogwai, Dangermouse and Sparklehorse amongst others. The latest album by Neon Neon, Praxis Makes Perfect, based on the life of radical Italian publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, was recently performed as an immersive live concert with National Theatre Wales.

Genres: Music, History, Nonfiction, Travel, Biography, Biography Memoir, The United States Of America

306 pages, Hardcover

First published May 8, 2014

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't really know how it took me almost a decade to get round to reading this, but I'm glad I finally did. Gruff, as ever, seems to excel at anything he turns his hand to.

[Jordan Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live in a place where the only cult that is second to Thomas Jefferson is the Lewis and Clark devotees. This book follows on the heels of many musicians turned literators, but it has the quality of Dylan and Smith, but it actually far surpasses the Sebaldian intentions of David Byrne. Certainly, Gruff Rhys from my cherished Super Furry Animals is far from a household name, even in the world of indie rock. But he uses his relative anonymity to channel the figure of the wandering bard as he retraces the improbable story of early settlement in the contested, yet vast, open territories of what will become the middlewest of the U.S. He delineates the significant and invisible contribution of the Welsh (from early colonial society to Bob Evans), lays waste to many misconceptions about the romance of early travel on the rivers, and still what I find absorbing about the book is his reaction to the vast unexamined belly of this country. I won't belabor how much we expect recent travelers to explain us to ourselves. The sections on fracking and North Dakota were not over done, the motif of finding vegetarian options seemed emblematic of a culture clash within the country, and even the historical sections always had a graceful thread that linked Evans to his homeland and his quixotic journey. And the album is pretty good too!

[Ross Maclean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly serious in tone for large stretches, this meshes a number of disparate elements together (musical tour diary, digested history, a travelogue on shifting cultural ideologies, philosophical musings on the ebb and flow of how historical figures are remembered) to create a warm, thoughtful, shaggy dog tale —both author and subject— shot through with powerful ideas of national identity. The timeline gets occasionally muddled as a result of jumping chronologically back and forth between past and present, but there’s an element of charm in that. Those familiar with Gruff Rhys’s music and public persona will find his voice coming through loud and clear, even via the medium of felt avatar. Honest, engaging and playful, but by no means throwaway.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I assume, like many people my age, we all got to know about Gruff Rhys through the band Super Furry Animals. Other than the music being great they were a band full of concepts and surprises. Only could pull off ambitious things like taking a tank and turning it into a disco or recording an album in Welsh and give it a mainstream release. To my knowledge they were also the first band to create a film from every song on an album and release it in DVD format.

As SFA went on hiatus, Gruff Rhys has dabbled in many other projects: there’s Neon Neon, his band with Boom Bip, who release thematically linked and his numerous collaborations. However over the last few years he’s been releasing some sweet sounding solo albums.

American Interior may be the most grandiose thing he’s done though. Essentially it is an attempt to retrace Welshman John Evans late travels in the States in order to find an a Welsh/Native American tribe during the late 1700’s. Unfortunately the tribe did not exist and Evans died in the Swamplands of the States, Obviously these two things do not deter Gruff Rhys from his quest. In fact he styled it as a tour writing the songs as he went traveling.

The book itself is very fun. There’s a lot of playful elements and Gruff tells an entertaining story, filled with wry observations and clever anecdotes. There’s also a film and album based on this so I will get to that ASAP.

What does one gain from reading American Interior. For starters there are A LOT of Welsh in the States and they seemed to have made their mark. Secondly Native American tribes have a life which is unique and is the true representation of American culture and thirdly the American south has been colonised by both France and Spain and their methods have both contribute and destroyed culture in the process.

As I have said before I am not a fan of non-fiction unless it’s a rock biography. Technically American Interior is a description of a land that has a lot to offer if one digs deep. There are some bits involving music but it’s mostly Gruff trying to capture the spirit of John Evans and the States. If more travelogues were as unique as this (and I’ve read a few), I would be a convert.

[Quinn Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Gruff Rhys as a musician for decades, but who knew he'd be such an amazing biographer as well.

The story of John Evans is one lost to history, like all the heroes of the long-dead Spanish colony in Louisiana. By following his trail all the way from Wales to his untimely death, Gruff Rhys opens up the whole history of the North American continent in the late 18th century, with special reference to how Welsh people were involved on all sides (hint: a lot) and attempting to tell the human side of the stories of the Nations who were there before any of the European powers.

He tells this story by reference to his own gig tour following the same route, so we get to see all the comparisons between the political landscapes of the American interior now and back then. He spends a lot of time interviewing historians from both the white (British, American, French, Spanish) colonies and from what remains of the original Nations.

What's really nice about this is how humble Gruff Rhys is the whole time. You expect musicians to be knobs, but Gruff understands his privileged status as a modern Welsh person by comparison with the Welsh of that day and all white people's privileged status with respect to the people their masters were (and still are) stealing land from. And even John Evans doesn't come out as all hero - he was certainly revolutionary but Gruff tells the story as honestly as he can, from everyone's perspective, without leaving out the unsavoury details.

I'm rating a lot of books "5 stars" right now, but I think that's because I'm picking well!!

[J.T. Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gruff Rhys' work with Super Furry Animals was my favourite music in the late 1990s and, though they never reached the stratospheric heights of their countrymen Manic Street Preachers, you might imagine some laurels being rested on as the band members pass 40. Not so with Rhys who, rather than dictating his memoirs to a ghostly hack, instead chronicles the adventures of misinformed Frontier explorer John Evans and his quest for the mythical Welsh Indians the Madogwys while carting a Dave Gorman-esque Powerpoint presentation and an Evans puppet around the States in a journey following Evans' own. Although his biography skirts the surreal at points - an implausible escape from some rednecks, an attempt to meet the devil at Robert Johnson's crossroads being hampered by the unsentimental local council having added a set of traffic lights - he's a confident and thoughtful author.

The implicit parallel between Evans' doomed journey and Rhys' sponsored jolly seems a bit of a stretch, but more convincing, perhaps, is the similiarity between the First Nation Americans and the Welsh: both groups oppressed by colonial powers, defiantly clinging onto their language and identity in spite of dwindling numbers. Ry'n ni yma o hyd er gwaetha pawb a popeth.

[Rebecca Gransden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engrossing voyage through the US with great considerations of eras and how they reflect and inform across time. I was swept up in the quest for the remarkable John Evans undertaken by Gruff and his chosen companion; the avatar John, who had been made with felt and a full measure of good faith.
The stage is already set: the US a multitude of landscapes, each so familiar, and here, as is so often the case, these landscapes seep into the psychologies and souls of those who encounter them.
It is compelling to hear the story of John Evans told through the filter of Gruff's very personal exploration. He underlines with quiet passion the sadness of the death of any language: that it is not only the words, inflections and tonalities which leave but the ability to understand a people, their culture and spirit. It was fun to travel along with Gruff and his mess of curiosities, true sense of purpose and open-heartedness. I was left eager to discover more about John but fear I am thwarted by those mists that time throws at us so I will listen to the songs he and this escapade has inspired in Gruff and that will have to be enough.

[Andy Trappitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gruff Rhys is God.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. As good as the album. Now to watch the film.

[Sam Rhys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Duw iawn

[Amy Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating subject. Engaging writing. YMMV.

That Iolo Morganwg guy...wow. Welsh history certainly has its share of interesting people.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Good.

[Terry Clague · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In a musical age where the touring musician can feel like the puppet of consumer forces, and where cities have been renamed markets and entire countries downgraded to territories, the trajectory of the artist has been blown somewhat off course."

So surmises the genius songwriter and performer Gruff Rhys, better known by many for his leading role in the best band of the last twenty-five years - The Super Furry Animals. Rhys' innovative response to the new realities of platform capitalism has been two splendid albums released alongside companion documentary/travelogue movies. This inspired approach sees our hero diverting American tours around a shaggy dog interpretation of the BBC vehicle "Who Do You Think You Are". These "purposeful touring itineraries" bring out an element of mythical Welsh history that was fascinating.

American Interior is the story of Gruff Rhys retracing the steps of one John Evans who, in the late eighteenth century set out to discover whether there really was a Welsh-speaking Native American tribe. As Rhys notes, "why let the prosaic get in the way of some quality misinformation". It's a little long in sum, and if you want a shortcut, watch the film, listen to the album(ideally on a loop during a driving holiday) or even its key track - 100 Unread Messages:

You set foot in America, one fine October day
Sailing into Baltimore, well everything's OK
New buttons on your jacket, shining like they're brand-new dimes
Glistening in the sunlight, blistering my eyes

When you said that you love me, I knew it wasn't true
I've one hundred unread messages, but not a single note from you

You zoomed up to Philly, they'd taught you to make maps
They commissioned you in piety, and pitied any lapse
So you stormed into Pittsburgh, and waited for the waters to rise
And set sail down the Ohio, with a lost tribe on your mind

When you said that you love me, I knew it wasn't true
I've two hundred unread messages, but not a single note from you

As hurricane Charlie was gathering pace
At night instead of eyelids, I saw pictures of your face
Smiling in the moonlight, shining in a golden hour
Bluffing 'round America, seizing every hour

When you said that you love me, I knew it wasn't true
I've three hundred unread messages, but not a single note from you

You left olde Kentucky, and sailed to the west
Stopped in Cincinnati, dined with all the best
(You) reached the Mississippi, took an oath in New Madrid
Fell into a maiden's arms, malaria on your lips

When you said that you love me, I knew it wasn't true
I've four hundred unread messages, but not a single note from you

Up to St Louis, Kaskaskia on the way
Walking through the wilderness, sicker by the day
Imaginary volcanoes, and reptiles crawl around
Your mind was baked just like a cake, as trouble gathered round

When you said that you love me, I knew it wasn't true
I've five hundred unread messages, but not a single note from you

Defected to the Spanish, you joined the mighty crown
Up the Missouri, flags were coming down
You traded with the Omaha, the Ponca and the Sioux
But missed the lost Padoucas, after all the ballyhoo

When you said that you love me, I knew it wasn't true
I've six hundred unread messages, but not a single note from you

Up with the Mandan, you raised the Spanish flag
Survived assassination, worked upon your maps
But the lost tribe was a lost cause, so you cried a silent tear
And fled back to St Louis, to a familiar frontier

When you said that you love me, I knew it wasn't true
I've seven hundred unread messages, but not a single note from you

Down in New Orleans, the church bells did trill
The body of Don Juan Evans, is staying mighty still
You annexed North Dakota, you surveyed by the stars
But here lies your body, by these disease-ridden bars

When you said that you love me, I knew it wasn't true
I've eight hundred unread messages, but not a single note from you

-- seven hundred unread messages --
-- six hundred unread messages --
-- five hundred unread messages --
-- four hundred unread messages --
-- three hundred unread messages --
-- two hundred unread messages --
-- one hundred unread messages --

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book exceeded my expectations. Rhys does an incredible job weaving tales of his investigative concert tour together with the journey of John Evans. The book really brings Evans to life and adds great speculation on motives during a fantastic adventure. Well written!

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Evans left Wales in 1792 with barely a pound in his pocket to try and trace the adventures of mythical Welshman Madog, who was purported to have founded a tribe of Welsh speaking Native Americans. In doing so Evans managed to explore and map the Missouri river, hunt buffalo with the Omaha tribe and claim lands from the British for the Spanish crown. Musician Gruff Rhys retraces the steps of his distant relative, playing music along the way.

Slightly rambling, but always gentle and genuine Gruff Rhys you feel manages, like his ancestor, to talk his way into interesting company. The dying languages of the American plains obviously chime with our modern day Welshman.

[Lawrence McKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't imagine this story being told any better, or more personally. The last 80 or so pages especially race by - with a moving conclusion after the bottom seems to fall out in New Orleans. A great book with some compelling things to say on the power of myth - both in its impact on history and on the human psyche.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting reading if you like welsh psychedelia, road trips, early exploration of the USA or quixotic ventures, which I do. Read it in Gruff Rhys' accent and intonation. Have seen the presentation, the gig, the radio interview, got the album and now read the book. not yet seen the film or bought the T-shirt...but will do!

[Gareth Axford · Rating 4 out of 5]

informative and entertaining, particularly if read in the voice of Gruff Rhys himself. The story of john evans is amazing, and I learnt a lot about North America at the end of the 18th century that I had no idea about before. Well worth a read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, wacky adventure through the American heartland. Gruff Rhys visits some places, like North Dakota, that this American has never seen.

Interesting look at early American history, and at mythmaking on both sides of the Atlantic.

[Steven Pilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

how to write a music travel history book the right way.
this is perfect it's interesting it's wide ranging and has a sense of the writer running through it.
I could imagine some people hating it but that I think says more about them than the book.
so good so beautiful and so honest and personal

[Mary Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt thin in several places, indeed it only really picks up at the end. Apparently it's also an album, film and app - I wish Rhys had stuck to quality over quantity.

[NiaDwyn— · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, what fun! A romp from 18th century Wales to the no-mans-land of middle America with Gruff Rhys and his felt puppet. As is always true: Gruff is dreamy and history is interesting.

[Toby Deans · Rating 5 out of 5]

The New Orleans section I enjoyed in particular as things reach a surprisingly touching conclusion. What I liked most is Gruff Rhys impressive style, it's as distinctive and individual as his music.

[Rich Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story of John Evans is fascinating. The story of Gruff Rhys re-tracing his journey is not. The latter detracts from the former, shame.