The Welsh
music scene has joined colleagues and friends in paying tribute to a BBC
journalist killed in a road crash in south Wales.
James McLaren, 34, had worked as an assistant
producer for BBC Wales for the past six years.
Many bands, including Pontypridd's The Lostprophets,
have been paying tribute on Twitter.
Mr McLaren died in a road collision on the M48
eastbound, between Magor and Chepstow, on Monday morning.
BBC Wales director Rhodri Talfan Davies said he
"showed a real love for his subject, an encyclopaedic knowledge, and a
deep commitment to support new talent".
"I know that his lively personality, his
inimitable sense of humour and his prodigious talents will be sadly missed by
all those who worked with him.
"Our thoughts are with his family, colleagues
and friends at this difficult time."
Originally from Worcestershire, Mr McLaren lived with
his girlfriend in Cardiff.
Long-time
friend and colleague Joe Goodden said: "He was enormously talented,
hugely driven and an endlessly enthusiastic supporter of Welsh music, who will
be well known to readers of this blog."
DJ Bethan Elfyn described James as one of Wales' best
music journalists.
"The music scene in Wales has never been
particularly well documented in the national press, so to have well researched
and well written articles about issues, about the history of Wales' music, and
about bands sometimes outside the periphery of success was a very valuable
role, one which James was always passionate about.
"He was also a talented photographer.
"As a friend he was always fun to be around,
intelligent, insightful, thoughtful, and life at BBC Wales will be much poorer
for his loss."
Steve Austins, editor of BBC Radio Wales, said:
"There were few greater champions of Welsh music than James."
BBC Wales music producer Ed Richmond added: "The
music industry is filled with unsung heroes; people without whom it just
wouldn't function and James was one of those people.
"Welsh music has lost a fervent champion and a
he will be sorely missed by all of us who had the privilege to know and work
with him."
Before joining BBC Wales, Mr McLaren worked at the
Welsh Music Foundation producing Sound Nation, a monthly magazine.
In a statement on its website, the foundation said:
"His passion poured out of every issue, and with his energy, skill and
enthusiasm he quickly became a popular figure in the Welsh music
industry."
Matthew Davies-Kreye, lead singer of Funeral For A
Friend, said he had "supported the band from day one" and was always
out and about supporting the music scene.
"I remember the conversations we used to have
whenever we used to catch up, always trying to out do each other with our
knowledge of 80s and 90s hardcore bands," said Davies-Kreye.
"I had a lot of time and respect for James, he
knew his stuff and when he talked to you, if the tape recorder was on or not,
he always made things feel easy, not many journalists have that quality."
Media
Wales arts correspondent David Owens wrote: "James McLaren was a
brilliant journalist and a tireless champion of the Welsh music scene.
"He was a man who put his heart and soul into spreading
music from Wales to the masses."
Source: BBC
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