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The British Alternative-Rock act Stereophonics, formed in the early '90s
by three friends, singer + guitarist Kelly Jones, bass player Richard
Jones and drummer Stuart Cable, who all grew up in the South WALES village
of Cwmaman.
The trio began performing under various names; finally, in 1996, they
officially christened themselves Stereophonics and inked a deal with V2
who released their blistering debut full-length disc, "Word Gets
Around", in the summer of 1997; it became a top 10 hit in the U.K.
Albums chart thanks in part to the singles "Local Boy In The Photograph"
and "Traffic".
After took home a Brits Award for Best New Group, they released their
second album, "Performance And Cocktails", which spawned three
U.K. top 5 smash hits: the fast tune "The Bartender And The Thief",
the mid-tempo "Pick A Part That's New" and the prettier "Just
Looking". The album covered all bases so thoroughly that it was not
surprising catapulted the band into the limelight; "Performance And
Cocktails" ended up at #1 on the U.K. Pop Albums chart and in the
second half of 1999 yielded two more singles, "I Wouldn't Believe
Your Radio" and "Hurry Up And Wait", both falling just
one place short of the top 10.
Provisionally titled J.E.E.P., Stereophonics' third effort, arrived in
April 2001, the band was forced to retitled the album to "Just Enough
Education To Perform" after Daimler-Chrysler threatened legal action;
the disc went on to sell over two million copies all around the world
highlighted by the British top 5 hits "Have A Nice Day", "Mr.
Writer" and "Handbags And Gladrags", riding high in the
European Albums charts and also managed to enter the American Billboard
Top 200 immediately stalling at #188.
"You Gotta Go There To Come Back" was issued two years later;
the album earned Stereophonics yet another #1 U.K. hit and was preceded
by the release of a single, "Madame Helga" which peaked at #4
on the U.K. Official chart; the second single, "Maybe Tomorrow",
cracked the top 3.
The year 2003 saw the departure of founding member Stuart Cable, drummer
Steve Gorman, an ex-member of The Black
Crowes, stepped in to fill his shoes for the promotional tour; that
same year, in November, the band recorded and released a new single entitled
"Moviestar" which crawled up to #5 on the U.K. Pop chart.
In late 2004 Stereophonics recruited a new drummer, Argentinean-born
Javier Weyler and began working on a new record. "Language. Sex.
Violence. Other?" was released in spring 2005 going straight to #1
in Britain; despite the album made a very small ripple on the Billboard's
Top Heatseekers chart produced the band's first and only Modern Rock top
40 hit, "Dakota", this single shot to #1 in their native Great
Britain and was followed by the U.K. top 20 hit "Superman".
After a couple of quiet years, the Welsh alt-Rock threesome re-emerged
with a new album in October 2007; "Pull The Pin" also was a
#1 in Britain, although its numbers didn't match those of its predecessor
and the main single, "It Means Nothing", failed to make the
U.K. top 10.
November 2008 saw the release of "Decade In The Sun", the first
greatest hits compilation from Stereophonics. Featuring 18 tracks taken
from their six studio albums as well as two brand new songs: "My
Own Worst Enemy" and "You're My Star"; this collection
showcases the band's rise from humble indie Rock beginnings to the stadium
filling band that they became.
Stereophonics biography is an exclusive of 100xr.com
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