Kelly Jones, singer guitarist
The Stereophonic's singer, guitarist and songwriter!
Kelly (born 3 June 1974) is a Welsh born and bred singer, songwriter and lead guitarist with the Stereophonics. Influenced by classic rock bands such as The Who, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC (Mmm, seems to like Gibson SG guitars like Angus Young plays) and punk rockers too. He is noted for his strong but grainy voice. Kelly's song lyrics seem to show influences from many British artists as well as American mega stars such as Neil Young and arguably Bob Dylan.
Kelly lived in a small village, Cwmaman which is a former coal mining pit village near Aberdare in South Wales. He became friends Stuart Cable and Richard Jones forming a 'three piece' covers band together. His talent for writing evident he apprently considered being a scriptwriter rather than a song writer and studied film at college.
His interest in music had developed so strongly that even though he had interest from the BBC in some of his early work he prefered to write original material for the band. It turned into a grate way to use his narrative talents within song lyrics.
Kelly also tried boxing as a career and did quite well at youth level. The Stereophonics debut album has much of his early experiences documented in song, including his account of market stalls in his teens. Listen to 'More Life in a Tramps Vest' from their first album 'Word Gets Around' (released in 1997).
By 1996 the Stereophonics were attracting the attention of Richard Branson's new Virgin Records label V2 and were one of the first acts signed. Their first EP 'Looks Like Chaplin' was a short run, too few copies made to enter the charts.
Their next single 'Local Boy in the Photograph' was in the UK Top 100. However, their first LP 'Word Gets Around' did however make it to number six in the UK Album Chart. They supported the Manic Street Preachers on the 1996-1997 tour.
In 1998, they received a Brit Award for Best New Group, the same week as a re-issue of 'Local Boy in the Photograph' made number 14 in the charts and their first album went gold in the UK, selling over 100,000 copies. That year Stereophonics had tours in Europe, Australia and the USA. They also performed a concert at Cardiff Castle, a triumphant return home!
It was quite a while before they re-entered the studios to record the album Just Enough Education to Perform, containing the singles Mr. Writer and Have a Nice Day, Step On My Old Size Ninesand a cover of Rod Stewart's version of Handbags & Gladrags. They also recorded their biggest audience to date when they played to 80,000 in Slane Castle in Ireland.
The tour ended with a Christmas show at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, supported by Feeder and Ocean Colour Scene (who they had supported some years before).
Connection: Kelly Jones born (3rd of june 1974) and raised in Cwmaman near Aberdare in the Cynon Valley.
COMMENT BY: LalaLala
COMMENT BY: ThunderBird
The Stereophonics have grown up a lot over the past years and songs like 'More life in a tramps vest' sound rather naive compared to 'Jeep'. AC/DC are obvious influences but once you get over the album fillers there are a number of brilliant songs here.
Most notably 'Traffic' and 'Thousand Trees' which show the Boys real talents. Tongue in check 'Too many sandwiches' and 'Look like chaplain' prove welcome. Seems like Kelly should have listened to word gets around before making 'Jeep' and maybe he would have left his electric guitar plugged in.
COMMENT BY: Stereophonics!
Kelly Jones is fantastic!
I love the Stereophonics to death and they are brilliant! P.S.. Kelly is gorgeous!
COMMENT BY: barbie
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Thanks to Channel 4, various copyrights apply.