Storming the Castle
WHEN the Stereophonics last stepped on stage at Slane in August 1999, as the main support act to Robbie Williams, the Welsh band werenât 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 Irelandâs greatest annual outdoor music event.
âWe had been slated by music critics. Our music didnât 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,â 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.
âHeadlining Slane is huge for us, itâs like winning the FA Cup really. Weâve actually spent more time in Ireland than anywhere else we ever toured, so weâre bringing all our families with us, the plane will be half full with just family.â
Widely regarded as one of Britainâs 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.
âThe 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 weâve encountered. Itâs 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.â
Ouch. However truthful, those early criticisms obviously werenât well received. Jones does concede, however, that very few artists manage to avoid reprehension as they struggle for fame and recognition. âItâs their job to have a go at you when youâre 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,â 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.
âReferences have been made between the two groups. We both came from small places and worked hard to make a success of our music,â 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 menâs circuit.
âWe hated it at the time, but we learnt a lot. If you didnât entertain
people in working menâs clubs, you got thrown off the stage,â recalls Kelly.
With a history of music coursing through the lead singerâs 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. âWhen we started doing interviews, everybody thought we wanted to escape because we didnât like where we come from. Thatâs not the case.
Opportunities are crap, Iâve got to be honest, thereâs not a lot there.
âBut for peace of mind, knowing youâre safe in your house, having a good time and a close community where everybody talks to you, itâs brilliant,â suggests the bandâs 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 Bransonâs 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. âI previewed that album on my first solo acoustic tour, I couldnât wait to introduce the new songs to the fans,â he recalls.
On this occasion, most critics couldnât fault what Jones had produced.
âProbably 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,â 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. âWeâre 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 weeksâ time,â 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.
âItâs going to be pretty diverse in many ways and weâll look forward to giving something a bit different. Itâll be soulful with brass and strings, maybe a bit folksy as well. Iâve already been working with Richard on a few of the songs,â explains Kelly.
The band is also hoping to make further inroads into the all-important American charts. âWeâre working with Network on our American releases. They also look after Dido and Coldplay, itâs a very important market for us, but weâve already had success there and weâre quite confident.â
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.
âIâve just been spending time enjoying what Iâve earned. I recently moved into a much bigger flat in London and I spend weekends in Wales when I can,â 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. âThere going to do three gigs over a weekend on their own.â
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. âTheyâre old guys now, I really admire them. No one knows whoâs going to take their place.â 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.




