Rising from pubs to stadiums, Stereophonics’ accomplishments are near limitless. Six #1 albums. Eleven Top 10 singles, including the chart-topping ‘Dakota’. Headline sets at festivals including Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds, V and the Isle of Wight. Huge headline shows at Slane Castle, Edinburgh Castle and the Cardiff Community Stadium. Tours with David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, The Who and U2. When recently asked what he was listening to, Bob Dylan replied, “Stereophonics.”
Now, founder members Kelly Jones (vocals/guitar) and Richard Jones (bass) are joined by the relative newcomers, Adam Zindani (guitar) and Jamie Morrison (drums), along with long-term live keyboardist Tony Kirkham. “It’s like when you think of Ronnie Wood being the new guitarist in The Stones,” laughs Kelly. “That new guy syndrome never wears off.”
Each Stereophonics album attracts a new legion of young fans who are discovering them for the very first time. What’s more, it’s an audience that’s split evenly between male and female. So when the Joneses greet their huge crowds, they inevitably see that the front few rows are packaged with people in their teens and early-twenties.
Twenty years after they first broke through with ‘Word Get Around’, both founder members are more interested in continuing to progress rather than reflecting upon the past. As Richard explains, “We’re always trying to move forward, to find new things we can do, and to discover what people like about us.”It’s a stance that’s reflected throughout their forthcoming tenth album ‘Scream Above The Sounds’.
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