Listening in Stereophonics
November 25, 2010
Reality doesn’t frequently imitate art but in June this year former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable became the Local Boy in the Photograph, the band’s first single which was released in 1997, when he died aged 40 after choking on his own vomit while asleep.
Although Cable had left the band in 2003, he was, as vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones told the Herald “my best friend” and the lyrics aren’t any less poignant to Local Boy: “He’ll always be 23 / yet the train runs on and on / Past the place they found his clothing /And all the friends lay down the flowers / Sit on the banks and drink for hours / Talk of the way they saw him last / Local boy in the photograph.”
To say the past few months have been emotionally easy would be an understatement.
But the circle of life continues and the Stereophonics, who have been putting out flawless rock tracks such as Dakota, Maybe Tomorrow, Handbags and Gladrags (which was the theme song to the UK version of The Office) perfectly matched by Kelly’s gravelly vocals for 13 years, have been on a world tour although it’s taken them those 13 years to play a Buenos Aires gig.
There was a special twist to Saturday’s show at the Hot Festival, and that twist was the Welsh band’s drummer, Javier Weyler. That’s right folks, the man’s an Argentine. A studio assistant working in London with the Stereophonics, he became a permanent band member in 2005, eventually replacing Stuart who had already left two years before.
Cause of Death For Ex-Stereophonics Drummer Revealed
November 8, 2010
What an awful way to die! The cause of death of former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable has been revealed. Cable died after choking on his own vomit, reports the BBC. It was long rumored that late AC/DC signer Bon Scott had died the same way, which was eventually proven to be untrue. Cable, however, was on a three-day bender, drinking whiskey and vodka heavily. He was found dead by his girlfriend at his home in Wales in June. How tragic.
His death has been ruled accidental. He had formed a new band, Killing For Company, when he passed.
What do you think is the worst way to go? What is your biggest fear?
Stereophonics urged to quit festival
October 15, 2010
PRESSURE is mounting on Welsh rockers the Stereophonics to pull out of a music festival in Indonesia sponsored by the tobacco industry.
Anti-smoking and children’s charities today criticised the band for agreeing to play the Java Rockin’ Land festival next month. The three-day event is sponsored by the Gudang Garam cigarette company, one of the four largest tobacco companies in Indonesia.
Ash Wales said there are few controls on smoking in the island nation and the tobacco industry flouts any government regulations by distributing free cigarettes to concert goers.
Tanya Buchanan, chief executive of Ash Wales, said: “We urge the Stereophonics to demand the withdrawal of tobacco sponsorship and any associated branding from the festival or alternatively to pull out.
“These actions would send a powerful message that the band is concerned about the health of Indonesia’s children and that they will not allow the band’s name, talent and popularity to be used to market deadly and addictive products to children in Indonesia or anywhere else.”
Stereophonics Reissue Classic Albums
September 27, 2010
Frontman Kelly Jones reckons it has led to a lot of reminiscing, “it’s over ten years since the first two albums were released. Listening back to them and all the b-sides and live tracks brought back a lot of memories. It’s taken over a year to find and compile all the tracks, pictures and notebooks, Stuart’s passing in June has made the whole experience more poignant. To celebrate the albums we will be playing two nights at Hammersmith Apollo playing every track and a selection of B-sides, something we have never done in a live experience. There’s a lot to learn but it’s gonna be rocking!”
Each of the reissues will come in two formats; a standard 2CD deluxe edition and a limited edition super deluxe 3CD boxset with b-sides and rarities.
KASABIAN, STEREOPHONICS, PAULO NUTINI & MORE BIG NAMES ADDED TO BELSONIC FESTIVAL LINE-UP & TICKETS
July 7, 2010
Veteran welsh rockers Stereophonics, Kasabian, Paolo Nutini, 2 Many DJs, David Guetta and Florence & The Machine have been unveiled as the newest acts to join the star-studded line up featuring at this year’s Belfast Belsonic Festival.
These newly announced acts will join the likes of previously-announced Paul Weller, Biffy Clyro and Lost Prophets at one of the largest outdoor music events ever to hit Northern Ireland. The event takes place at Belfast’s city centre Custom House Square this August.
Receiving a massive amount of demand for tickets to see the 2010 line-up, the four additional shows announced today will form part of the eight-night party at the event that has been a huge success every year.
Pat Convery, Belfast Lord Mayor, had this to say about the forthcoming festivities: “Belsonic is a fantastic festival for the city — bringing together international and local musicians to produce really exciting events in the unforgettable surroundings of Custom House Square.”
Mr Mayor continued. “Today’s announcement of the further acts is fantastic news for local music fans — and there’s no doubt that this programme will help to attract even more visitors to come and enjoy Belfast’s welcome”.
The Belsonic list of headliners now looks something like this:
17th August – Kasabian18th August – Paulo Nutini19th – Florence & The Machine20th – Stereophonics26th – 2ManyDJs27th – Paul Weller28th – Biffy Clyro29th – David Guetta
It was by no means a tranquil funeral. A band belted out AC/DC’s classic heavy rock song Back in Black and a gang of leather-clad bikers, the Valley Commandos, roared in to pay their respects.
Actors and rocks stars rubbed shoulders with 5,000 fans and the town of Aberdare in south Wales came to a standstill as one of its favourite sons, the former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable, was laid to rest today.
The band’s frontman, Kelly Jones, summed it up as he filed out of St Elvan’s church flanked by the actor Rhys Ifans and comedian Rob Brydon: “No one else could get a send-off like that. It’s hard to walk out crying when they are playing Back in Black.”
Cable, a fully-paid up subscriber to the rock’n'roll lifestyle who was sacked from the band because of “commitment issues”, once said that he did not think he would reach the age of 40. He made it by a month but was found dead at his home in the nearby village of Llwydcoed two weeks ago.
The results of toxicology tests, which may give an insight into the cause of Cable’s death, are still awaited by the police, but meanwhile family, friends and fans gathered to say goodbye.
A male voice choir sang, as did High Voltage, an AC/DC tribute act. The idea was to stage a funeral Cable would have enjoyed.
Gwyn Davies, long-time friend, former neighbour and judo instructor to Cable, was one of the many who paid tribute: “I would like to say that he was my best friend but he was many people’s best friend. People are not here today because of his celebrity, they are here because they want to say goodbye to a nice, normal bloke.”
Cable’s older brother, Paul, concluded the service by calling for the church bells to ring out. “My brother had a bell in every tooth [he was very loud] and he is going out with eight bells ringing like the clappers,” he said.
Almost everyone had a warm tale to tell about Cable.
Barbara Goodenough, 54, of Aberdare, said: “Stuart was at school with my eldest son and my other boys always followed the Stereophonics. This has been a terrible shock to all of the young people around here. He was such a lovely boy.”
Jade Vaughan, 17, of Aberdare, said: “My father grew up with him. I knew him as well. He was always really nice. He came to the local youth centre and he was really lively and funny.
“Stereophonics were the soundtrack of my youth; that is true of a lot of people around here.”
Fans of tragic former Stereophonics drummer Stuart Cable have been invited by his family to line the route of his funeral procession tomorrow.
The band’s lead singer Kelly Jones, former Catatonia star Cerys Matthews and other Welsh rock stars are expected at the private funeral in Cable’s home village of Cwmaman, South Wales.
Cable had just celebrated his 40th birthday when he was found dead after a drinking session at his home in the village on June 7.
3-Week Binge Stu Dies Like His Idol
June 11, 2010
TRAGIC STUART CABLE died after a huge drinking binge – in an eerie copy of his AC/DC idol’s fate.
The former Stereophonics drummer had been on a bender lasting THREE WEEKS to mark his 40th birthday, pals revealed yesterday.
And he apparently choked to death on his vomit – exactly as his hellraising hero BON SCOTT did 30 years ago.
Stuart worshipped Scott, lead singer of the legendary Aussie rock band who died after a binge aged just 33.
He even told pals he was the “reincarnation” of the Scots-born star and that they could have been twins.
The highlight of his 40th birthday celebrations was a surprise party featuring an AC/DC tribute band.
The band – named BONS BALLS in honour of Scott – was booked by Stuart’s model lover Rachel Jones.
Stuart leaped behind the drums and belted out hits at Abercwmboi rugby club near his Welsh Valleys home.
He ordered a toast to Scott’s memory after singing Ride On, his favourite song.
And he exuberantly flung his arms wide and his head back as he hurled himself into the mood.
Stereophonics star Stuart dies At 40
June 10, 2010
FORMER STEREOPHONICS star STUART CABLE was found dead yesterday – a week after telling ex-bandmate KELLY JONES: “I never thought I’d make it to 40.”
The drummer, who turned 40 last month, is believed to have choked to death on his vomit after a booze binge with pals.
Stuart – who once told how fame turned him into “a coke-taking zombie” – was found in bed by a friend at 5.30am.
Paramedics rushed to the house in Llwydcoed, South Wales, but could not revive him.
Just 36 hours earlier his old band played a triumphant homecoming gig before 30,000 fans in Cardiff.
The group – whose hits include The Bartender And The Thief and Maybe Tomorrow – sacked Stuart in 2003 after rows over his drug-taking and media career.
But singer Kelly last night led the tributes and said they had made up. Kelly, 36, said: “I sent him a text last week to say happy birthday and he replied, ‘I never thought I’d make it to 40′.
“I texted him, ‘You’ll live to be 100, mate’. I’m in total shock.”
Cops said the death was not suspicious.
The BBC Wales host had son Cian, nine, with estranged wife Nicola.
He was set to play Download Festival at Donington Park, Leics, this weekend with new band Killing For Company.
Stereophonics at the O2 Arena, London
March 18, 2010
This show was a mixed bag of hits and misses, though which was which was debatable. The hits were well-worn favourites from Stereophonics’ solid, safe back catalogue; the misses from the current album Keep Calm and Carry On, by far the poorest performing of the band’s 13-year career. No prizes for guessing which the crowd had come to hear.
Yet the mightiest moments of the night belonged to a spate of new songs. I Got Your Number was stomping, grinding glam rock, accompanied by an explosion of strobes and striking visuals that turned the band into real-time, on-screen illustrations. Live ‘n’ Love was passionate power-rock, the fast, furious Trouble owed a debt to Led Zep, and the broody ballad Beer Bottle was intriguing electronica, during which Stereophonics were swathed in murky shadows. How demoralising it must have been for the band to see all those songs greeted by a sea of disappointed faces, or a few fists half-heartedly punching the air.
Not all the new songs worked so well. Stuck in a Rut recalled 1980s Bryan Adams; Uppercut could hardly have packed a fluffier punch; and the set opener Innocent — a single that failed to chart last year — was join-the-dots rock. It didn’t help that, after a decade of selling out venues this size, the singer Kelly Jones still struggles as a showman. His habit of curtly introducing tracks by their title and the name (and occasionally date) of the accompanying album made him sound like an efficient librarian.
Despite Jones’s lack of charisma, you wanted to hug him for trying so hard to break Stereophonics out of the soft rock rut in which their fans have left them stuck. Sadly, the fans won out with their ecstatic reaction to golden oldies such as Same Size Feet, Pick a Part That’s New, Maybe Tomorrow, Mr Writer and the woeful Have a Nice Day, a song now as tedious as its title. Only on the glorious closer Dakota did Stereophonics’ ambitions and the fans’ expectations collide. Commercial concerns will stand in their way, but Stereophonics shouldn’t stop trying to change.
