Stereophonics

Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in the Cynon Valley, then in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The band currently comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Kelly Jones, bassist and backing vocalist Richard Jones (drummer); Javier Weyler (guitarist and backing vocalist); Adam Zindani and touring member Tony Kirkham (keyboards), the group having originally also included Stuart Cable on drums. Stereophonics have released seven studio albums, five of which have topped the UK Albums Chart. Their seventh, "Keep Calm and Carry On", was released in November 2009 but did not make the Top 10. A successful compilation album was also released in November 2008 - "Decade in the Sun" charting at number two in the UK. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.

Described as "classic UK rock delivered with whiskey vocals," the band have been summarised as possessing a sound akin to the genres of alternative rock and "British traditional rock." Stereophonics' debut album, "Word Gets Around", was released in August 1997 and instantly charted at number six in the UK, aided by the singles "Local Boy in the Photograph", "More Life in a Tramps Vest" and "A Thousand Trees", all of which failed to affect the top 20. The band reached mainstream success with the release of "Performance and Cocktails" (and its promotional singles "The Bartender and the Thief", "Just Looking" and "Pick a Part That's New") in 1999 and have achieved a total of ten top-ten singles as well as one number-one: 2005's "Dakota". The band have also been praised for their live performances, which have landed them headlining slots at many of the UK and Ireland's most high-profile music festivals, including Reading and Leeds in 2000, Glastonbury in 2002, V festival in 2002, the Isle of Wight in 2004 and 2009, and Oxegen in 2010.