Storming the Castle

As the Stereophonics prepare for their headline gig at Slane this month, P J Gibbons talks to frontman Kelly Jones about Wales, stardom and his love-hate relationship with the press

WHEN the Stereophonics last stepped on stage at Slane in August 1999, as the main support act to Robbie Williams, the Welsh band weren’t prepared for the sea of sanguine faces that greeted them.

Having been denigrated by music critics following the release of their debut album Word Gets Around just two years before, the group were quietly circumspect of the 80,000-strong heaving crowd, which formed their biggest audience to date, at Ireland’s greatest annual outdoor music event.

“We had been slated by music critics. Our music didn’t seem to be well received by reviewers, but we were hugely encouraged by the great reaction from the people who actually go out to buy records, the hardworking people who love music,” storms Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones.

Three years and three successful albums down the line and the group is brimming with confidence.

Just a little bit gleeful of the fact that they return to Slane later this month, Jones enthuses about storming the

castle as they prepare to headline the event which granted them serious street cred in this country.

“Headlining Slane is huge for us, it’s like winning the FA Cup really. We’ve actually spent more time in Ireland than anywhere else we ever toured, so we’re bringing all our families with us, the plane will be half full with just family.”

Widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest musical exports, you have to admit that the vivacity of the band is entirely appropriate. The release of their third album Just Enough Education to Perform, last year, spawned four top 10 singles and was certified five times platinum in Ireland.

Trailed by Mr Writer, the album also secured the group the Best International Artist gong at the recent Meteor Music Awards in Dublin.

According to Jones, Mr Writer was penned as a sarcastic take on some of the music critics and industry heads encountered by the group in their early days.

“The basic idea was written a while ago, but when we came to record the song the lyrics ended up becoming a statement or a comment about some of the journalists we’ve encountered. It’s just a sarcastic observation of how some journalists or music industry people in general name top celebrities to open doors and then stick the knife in behind their back.”

Ouch. However truthful, those early criticisms obviously weren’t well received. Jones does concede, however, that very few artists manage to avoid reprehension as they struggle for fame and recognition. “It’s their job to have a go at you when you’re new to the business, but groups like The Kinks and The Jam were praising us before the media did. U2 also got slated for their first four albums,” considers Jones.

Indeed, comparisons have already been made between the two heavyweights of modern rock and roll. Back in 1981, U2 also started out as a support act at Slane when Thin Lizzy headlined the event.

“References have been made between the two groups. We both came from small places and worked hard to make a success of our music,” explains Jones.

For the lads from Stereophonics, that small place was the intimate village of Cwmaman, south Wales. Kelly and Richard Jones (no relation) were born a few yards and a few days away from each other, while Stuart Cable arrived a couple of years earlier.

Their earliest musical experiences were shaped by the record collections of their elder brothers, taking in Creedence, The Kinks, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Stevie Wonder and gigs on the working men’s circuit.

“We hated it at the time, but we learnt a lot. If you didn’t entertain

people in working men’s clubs, you got thrown off the stage,” recalls Kelly.

With a history of music coursing through the lead singer’s family, it was probably inevitable that Jones would end up doing the writing and singing, taking inspiration from the close-knit community in which he grew up. “When we started doing interviews, everybody thought we wanted to escape because we didn’t like where we come from. That’s not the case.

Opportunities are crap, I’ve got to be honest, there’s not a lot there.

“But for peace of mind, knowing you’re safe in your house, having a good time and a close community where everybody talks to you, it’s brilliant,” suggests the band’s frontman.

The endless trekking to London soon paid off, however, when the group eventually started to grace the covers of respected music magazines in 1998.

Signed to Richard Branson’s fledgling V2 label, their debut album had been certified gold and subsequently went on to sell more than a million copies worldwide.

With a sell-out UK arena tour and top billing on millennium eve in Liverpool, 1999 ended on a high. Now gaining a huge international fan base, the new year started for the group with another North American tour and another top 5 hit, which on this occasion was a collaborative effort with Tom Jones.

After a frenetic non-stop two years, the lads afforded themselves some time out. Richard moved to London, Stuart got married and bought a new house and Kelly set about writing the third album. “I previewed that album on my first solo acoustic tour, I couldn’t wait to introduce the new songs to the fans,” he recalls.

On this occasion, most critics couldn’t fault what Jones had produced.

“Probably before we tended to freeze up a little bit in the studio, but this time round we said if it sounds good it sounds good and it stays on the record. The only plan I had was to be a lot more free, to be more relaxed,” he says.

Inspired by the massive success of the single Handbags and Gladrags, the album recently climbed back to the Number One slot for three weeks. “We’re very grateful for the support from our Irish fans and we plan to put on one hell of a show for them in Slane in a few weeks’ time,” gushes the lead singer. Following their Irish gig at the end of the month, the Welsh group is hoping to dedicate some more time to their next album, which will be recorded in October.

“It’s going to be pretty diverse in many ways and we’ll look forward to giving something a bit different. It’ll be soulful with brass and strings, maybe a bit folksy as well. I’ve already been working with Richard on a few of the songs,” explains Kelly.

The band is also hoping to make further inroads into the all-important American charts. “We’re working with Network on our American releases. They also look after Dido and Coldplay, it’s a very important market for us, but we’ve already had success there and we’re quite confident.”

Enjoying the fruits of their protracted struggle to get to the top, the trio are just now beginning to luxuriate in the fame and fortune which has been bestowed upon them.

“I’ve just been spending time enjoying what I’ve earned. I recently moved into a much bigger flat in London and I spend weekends in Wales when I can,” admits Kelly. Rumoured to be the support act at the re-united Rolling Stones forthcoming gigs, Jones confirms that the group will not now bill alongside the legends of rock. “There going to do three gigs over a weekend on their own.”

And yes, despite their advancement in years, he does think that Jagger, Wood and friends will be able to handle the pace after all these years. “They’re old guys now, I really admire them. No one knows who’s going to take their place.” Could it be the Stereophonics?

Tickets for Slane, August 24, are priced at 49.50 (including booking fee) and are now available from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

Support acts at the event include The Charlatans, Counting Crows, Doves, The Revs and Nickelback.