Stereophonics

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Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises Kelly Jones (lead vocals and guitar), Richard Jones (bass guitar and backing vocals), Adam Zindani (guitar and backing vocals), Jamie Morrison (drums) and touring member Tony Kirkham (keyboards). The group originally included Stuart Cable (1992–2003) and Javier Weyler (2004–2012) on drums. Stereophonics have released eight studio albums, including five consecutive UK number one albums, their latest album being 2013's Graffiti on the Train. A successful compilation album, Decade in the Sun, was released in November 2008 and charted at number two in the United Kingdom.
Described as "classic UK rock delivered with whiskey vocals," the band have been summarised as possessing a sound akin to the genres of alternative rock and "British traditional rock." Stereophonics' debut album, Word Gets Around, was released in August 1997 and charted at number six in the UK, aided by the singles "Local Boy in the Photograph", "More Life in a Tramps Vest" and "A Thousand Trees". The band reached mainstream success with the release of Performance and Cocktails (and its promotional singles "The Bartender and the Thief", "Just Looking" and "Pick a Part That's New") in 1999 and have achieved a total of ten top-ten singles as well as one number one: 2005's "Dakota". Having sold around 9 million copies worldwide, Stereophonics are one of the most successful Welsh rock acts. Upon their release of Pull the Pin, they became the eighth group to achieve 5 consecutive UK number one albums (after The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, ABBA, Genesis, Oasis, Blur and U2).
The band have also been praised for their live performances, which have landed them headlining slots at many of the UK and Ireland's most high-profile music festivals, including Reading and Leeds in 2000, Glastonbury in 2002, V festival in 2002, the Isle of Wight in 2004 and 2009, and Oxegen in 2010. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.


Kelly Jones and Stuart Cable lived on the same street in the village of Cwmaman. Jones heard Cable played drums so asked if he wanted to jam together. After some time practising in Jones Dad's garage, Nicholas Geek joined in on guitar. Later on, Jones invited Paul Rosser and Chris Davis to play on bass guitar and keyboards, respectively. Cable recalls he was the one who suggested that Jones be the singer as his Dad was a singer back in the sixties who supported Roy Orbison. In 1986 the band recorded a demo under the name "Zephyr". When Jones went on holiday the band played a gig without him, this resulted in Jones leaving the band and Jones and Cable went their separate ways. Jones, Rosser and Davis formed their own R&B band called "Silent Runner" while Cable joined a glam-rock band named "King Catwalk" on drums.
A few years later Cable got sacked from the band and a few weeks after that when on a bus, he waved to Jones who was standing at a bus stop and waved back. It was the first contact they had since Zephyr broke up and two weeks later, Jones and Cable started speaking again in the Ivy Bush. They agreed to give the band another go but Cable only wanted to play their own songs to which Jones agreed. The duo invited Mark Everett to play for them on bass guitar and Jones then started writing his own songs.
Everett went on holiday for two weeks but Jones and Cable wanted to continue rehearsing, so Jones invited long-time friend Richard Jones to fill-in for Everett. Stunned by Richard's appearance and bass playing, Cable convinced Kelly to keep him instead of Everett. The band decided they needed another member to play lead guitar, Simon Collier was the first guitarist brought in but didn't stay in the band, he did however become Kelly's guitar technician. The band tried hiring with two other guitarists, another Richard Jones and Glenn Hyde. Both didn't stay for long as well Hyde did however play harmonica on "Rooftop" for the band's 2001 album Just Enough Education to Perform. After Hyde left, the band stuck as a three-piece act.



Personnel

Current members
Kelly Jones – vocals, guitar, keyboards (1992–present)
Richard Jones – bass guitar, piano, backing vocals (1992–present)
Adam Zindani – guitar, backing vocals (2007–present)
Jamie Morrison – drums (2012–present)


Former members
Stuart Cable – drums, percussion (1992-2003; died 2010)
Javier Weyler – drums, percussion (2004-2012)


Discography

Main articles: Stereophonics discography and List of songs recorded by Stereophonics
Word Gets Around (1997)
Performance and Cocktails (1999)
Just Enough Education to Perform (2001)
You Gotta Go There to Come Back (2003)
Language. Sex. Violence. Other? (2005)
Pull the Pin (2007)
Keep Calm and Carry On (2009)
Graffiti on the Train (2013)
Keep the Village Alive