Stereophonics and Razorlight will co-headline the second day of the Isle Of Wight Festival tonight (June 13).
Both bands play sets on the Main Stage, alongside Maximo Park, White Lies, The View and The Zombies.
The Seaclose Park festival also sees the likes of Calvin Harris, The Rakes, The Maccabees and Mercury Rev play in the Big Top tent today.
Photo Gallery – all the highlights from Isle Of Wight 2009
NME.COM will be bringing you coverage of all of today’s highlights, including the action from both the Download and the Isle Of Wight festivals at NME.COM/festivals. Head there now for all the best news, blogs and pictures straight from the festival sites.
Mar 03, 2010 19:30 at S.e.c.c., Glasgow – Buy from The Online Ticket Shop
Mar 05, 2010 19:30 at Trent Fm Arena, Nottingham – Buy from The Online Ticket Shop
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Stereophonics Videos
October 6, 2009
Erm… wasn’t it Jordan we saw in the tabloids sporting a T-shirt the other month with the slogan ‘Keep Calm and Carry’ on slapped across her bosoms?
Is there some sort of spiritual connection between herself and Welsh rockers the Stereophonics, is it a bizarre marketing scam Mercury have come up with or is it just pure coincidence?
We hope it’s the latter, as the seventh studio album from the highly acclaimed band has a dignified and self-aware sentiment which reclines steadily back to their grubby angst-ridden roots whilst throwing a cheeky wink in the direction of the fresh movement of pop induced indie. We were all beginning to think we might have had enough of the Stereophonics, maybe they’re lovely but, let’s face it, their realistically monotonous pace had reached its peak and the bands issuing of their Greatest Hits would be the perfect way to conclude a beautiful career.
Not a chance evidently; they’ve managed to do it again. With their last five consecutive albums all achieving number 1 in the charts, the challenge was on, and it’s one they’ve expertly confronted. The Stereophonics possess a stroke of dirty genius they’ve unveiled on this enticing new record and it reeks beautifully of their home-brewed hardened indie.
Their rock ‘n’ roll disregard to what music everyone else is making is the reason behind the Stereophonics unique brand of fun but fuming music. It’s the punchy hooks, dynamic percussion and the voice of frontman Kelly Jones which has put the band on the map, and their new album takes this agitated, upbeat vibe to a new level. The record is full of grunge-infused Summer tracks that’ll be a welcome vibe come the release date mid-November.
The majority of us lived our teenage years alongside the soundtrack of the Stereophonics; we were drenched in mud at festivals, having spilt the last dregs of our cider, we looked up into the sky as it cracked open with torrential rain and then we looked around to our mates and laughed through what should be a really shitty time, purely because we didn’t know what else to do. The new tracks such as the aggressive ‘Beerbottle’ drag you through the moments of a Friday night brawl, whereas others take you back to somewhere more relaxed, where you can catch up with old friends.
The production on ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ is the biggest they’ve ever utilised. Booming, clear and most importantly exciting. They’ve introduced new slivers of synths to the old moments of downbeat rock and come out with an album fuelled with enthusiasm and individualism. It’s going to be hard not to love this.
Stereophonics to rock the castle
October 6, 2009
Stereophonics return to Cardiff Castle, the site of their famous 1998 show, for a one-off concert on 3 October.
It’ll be the first gig to take place at the historic venue in eight years.
The band will be showcasing songs from their new album Keep Calm and Carry On due for release on 16 November.
Tickets for the afternoon show cost £12.50, the same price as 1998 when the band performed to 10,000 fans at what was then the first gig at Cardiff Castle in 20 years.
The celebrated concert marked the breakthrough into the big time of the band from Cwmaman in the south Wales valleys.
The line-up comprised vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist Richard Jones and drummer Stuart Cable, later replaced by Javier Weyler.
Stereophonics‘ seventh studio album has been written by Kelly Jones, who also co-produced the album with Mercury award-winning producer Jim Abbiss, who has worked with Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian.
The Cardiff Castle show is the band’s first UK performance since they headlined the Isle Of Wight Festival in June, their only festival appearance of the summer.
Stereophonics Announce Welsh Summer Spectacular
October 6, 2009
Kelly jones said at the end of his storming gig in Cardiff castle that they had something spectacular planned for next summer. “next summer, we’re going to do something big in Wales. It’s going to be something big, special and something we’ve never done before.”
The rumour and speculation mills are going nuts. Is it a festival? Is it an underwater gig? Who knows.
STEREOPHONICS – STEREOPHONICS’ LP NERVES
October 6, 2009
STEREOPHONICS’ LP NERVES
Stereophonics are confident of their new material, but admit they are still nervous about the release of their next album.
Stereophonics are “nervous” about releasing their new record.
The Welsh rockers are preparing for the release of next LP ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ and despite having five chart-topping albums in their career, are refusing to take success for granted.
Singer Kelly Jones admitted: “I do feel nervous. It’s a strange time in music at the minute. In that you can work really hard on a project but it might not be the right song for that time and it goes away and then the whole project goes away.
“Young bands don’t get time to develop any more. For established bands you have to come out with the best song you’ve ever written in a way to compete. This is what I’ve been doing since I was 12, I don’t really know how to do anything else.”
Despite his concerns, Kelly says relations in the band have never been better and they wouldn’t still be together if they weren’t proud of their music.
He added to BBC Newsbeat: “The band’s in a really good place, everybody in the band is happy. We’re not just churning out c**p just to be around.”
Kelly Jones: ‘Razorlight are in fucking trouble’
October 6, 2009
Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones has advised Razorlight’s Johnny Borrell to “get a new haircut” to turn around the band’s fortunes.
Speaking at the Teenage Cancer Trust show last week ahead of both bands’ co-headline appearance at the Isle Of Wight Festival, Jones likened Razorlight’s position to that of his own band.
He told MTV: “If there’s any band members left by that point… he reminds me of where we were with our third album… in fucking trouble!”
Razorlight recently lost drummer Andy Burrows following disappointing sales of 2008 album ‘Slipway Fires’.
However, Jones had advice for Borrell in riding out the storm. “Just change your haircut, they’ll forget all about you then. It’s a new you – Madonna’s done it all her life.”
Stereophonics Tickets Are On Sale
October 6, 2009
It Means Nothing is the frontier single of the album, released in September before the LP was released a week later on October 15th. The album contains 12 songs and reached number 1 in the UK’s Official album chart. The next single ‘My Friends’ reached #32 in the UK charts, their smallest hit since ‘More Life in a Tramps Vest’ from their debut album. Pull the Pin was like it’s presucsessor nominated for a Pop Factory award and this time round won the category.
Stereophonics Metro Radio Arena Tickets
Event Date: Monday 1 March , 2010
Event Venue: Newcastle, United Kingdom
Stereophonics The Scottish Exhibition And Conference Center (SECC) Tickets
Event Date: Friday March 3, 2010
Event Venue: Glasgow, United Kingdom
Stereophonics Nottingham ArenaTickets
Event Date: Friday March 5, 2010
Event Venue: Nottingham, United Kingdom
Stereophonics NIA National Indoor ArenaTickets
Event Date: Saturday March 6, 2010
Event Venue: Birmingham, United Kingdom
Stereophonics MEN ArenaTickets
Event Date: Sunday March 7, 2010
Event Venue: MEN Arena, Manchester, United Kingdom
Stereophonics Hallam FM ArenaTickets
Event Date: Tuesday March 9, 2010
Event Venue: Sheffield, United Kingdom
Stereophonics O2 Arena Tickets
Event Date: Wednesday March 10, 2010
Event Venue: O2 Arena, United Kingdom
Stereophonics and Razorlight will co-headline the second day of the Isle Of Wight Festival tonight (June 13).
Both bands play sets on the Main Stage, alongside Maximo Park, White Lies, The View and The Zombies.
The Seaclose Park festival also sees the likes of Calvin Harris, The Rakes, The Maccabees and Mercury Rev play in the Big Top tent today.
Rooney road tests Stereophonics’ new LP
October 6, 2009
Kelly Jones of Stereophonics playing live
Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones has revealed that he’s given Wayne Rooney a copy of the band’s forthcoming seventh album.
“I popped by and gave him an album promo and within about 15 minutes of me driving away he was texting me his favourite songs – he was into it,” said the lead singer.
A long time fan, the footballer has the name of a Stereophonics album tattooed on his arm and the group played as part of Rooney’s wedding celebrations.
Keep Calm And Carry On, the follow up to 2007’s Pull The Pin, is released in November.
Unlikely friendship
“I took the album to Rooney the week before the day they were playing Tottenham,” revealed Jones.
“He scored a belting goal that day as well and I can only put it down to the music really. Hopefully he’s going to cover his arms in lots of tattoos of the song titles – he’s a big fan.
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Hopefully he’s going to cover his arms in lots of tattoos of the song titles – he’s a big fan
Kelly Jones on his friendship with Wayne Rooney
“He liked a track called She’s Alright and he liked another one called Stuck In A Rut. He was just really excited by it. I’m a Leeds fan but starting to watch a lot of Man United games to see what his reaction to the music is.”
Concluded in July, Keep Calm And Carry On, named after the “old World War II propaganda poster”, is produced by Jim Abyss (Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian).
A deliberate move by Jones to get someone fresh involved.
“It’s nice to stir up the band a bit really because you get into a comfort zone – I wanted someone to upset the apple cart.”
“We’re probably the only band in the world who are mates,” he joked, dismissing any squabbles over bringing a new pair of ears in. “We’re lucky that we all get on and there’s no big egos getting in the way of things of what we do best.”
