Anthony Bunko from Merthyr Tydfil is a writer, music lover and band manager and when he isn't avoiding DIY you'll find him running with his three-legged dog, Lucky!
THE LAST WORD
What do you do?
I'm the author of several fiction and a few non-fiction novels including Demons and Cocktails - my life with the Stereophonics with the late, great Stuart Cable. I've just finished an autobiography of a wonderful woman from Florida who fights against Human Trafficking. Book is called Maam Anna and will be out in the States this Oct. Also I'm the manager of the brilliant Welsh pop-punk Band, Eric Unseen.
What do you like about the Valleys?
I love how friendly, talented and funny people are in the valleys but also I like how the same friendly, funny people can get slightly aggressive and often slightly violent at the drop of a hat (or in most cases a sip of Strongbow).
What's your favourite meal or favourite restaurant?
No doubt it was the Chinese restaurant Hing Hong's in the middle of Merthyr. A place where you had to pay before you had your meal. There were no knives on the table, fights broke out every five minutes and all meals came with a fried egg on top, and if you were really lucky two fried eggs. but it was brilliant, an education as well as great grub. My favourite food is cheese and onion crusty rolls with cheese and onion crisps and a mug of tea.
Favourite place in the Valleys?
Dowlais Rugby Club. Even if I haven't been there for weeks / months, within two minutes, it's like I've never been away. And it's rammed packed full of mental characters. but in a good way. They were the inspiration for my first ever novel, The Tale of the Shagging Monkeys (but please don't tell their girlfriends or wives or both!)
What do you do to relax?
I really find it hard to relax, relax. But strangely what I call relaxing is sitting in a bar all alone, writing a new book with a bottle (or two) of wine while the world goes on all around me. hard to explain but when I'm in the zone, its wonderful.
Favourite music?
Writing is my passion but music is my first love. I came alive in 1977 after listening to The Clash and The Sex Pistols. It changed my entire outlook on life in a highly positive way so it will always be good old fashioned seventies Punk music for me. The Clash were the best band that ever was!
Any hobbies?
Other than the unwanted hobby of giving my two lovely daughters all my money, I try and keep fit and go running with my three legged dog called Lucky (true).
Favourite place abroad?
For family holidays I do like Turkey, but the best place I've ever been to must be America. There's so much to do and see there from LA to New York and Florida to Boston and everything in between. Walking around Alcatraz was something I will never forget.
Sum yourself up in three words
Passionate, creative, dark.
I'm very good at...
Challenging myself and getting things done. It's the punk rock attitude in me.
I'm pretty bad at...
DIY - I can't knock a nail in a wall. I've got no interest in it at all. Why struggle to do DIY when I can pay someone to do it better than me!
In a nutshell, my philosophy is...
Never look back. Keep starting new chapters in your life and keep moving forward. There's nothing worse than someone on a barstool moaning about how great it was in the good old days.
