Tom Petty

That's actually very good. It suits Kelly's voice.

I like Stereophonics, particularly their earlier stuff.

I think you once said you know Kelly (some would ask for proof!). Tell him from me that Local Boy In A Photograph is one of the great tunes.

 

I liked some too.
An ear for a tune.
A melody is always the key to a song for me - even if it's surrounded by thrashing guitars, feedback, whatever...

 

Yeah I know him and Richard, the first album is a strange thing for a lot of people from the village we grew up in as we know exactly what the songs are about.
No doubt it's their best album. I've also sang Panama by Van Halen with an early version of the band while Kelly was concentrating on the guitar.

 

Did you go to the Morfa gig? Before it became the Liberty Stadium.

Was a genuine great concert, sunny day and perfect location for a 'local' band in Swansea. I remember it fondly.

Not gonna lie, they went down hill from pretty much that moment!
First album great, second album good, everything after that gash. Like Oasis really.

 

Who was the guy in A Thousand Trees...?

And the Local Boy in the Photograph?

 

I think they've managed to get progressively worse with each album.

The stuff they churn out now is pub rock and Kelly really overdoes the growling voice thing.

 

Thousand Trees is about a football coach called Billy Dunn, he was the Coach for the younger kids U11's that kind of thing. 2 girls were messing about in the changing rooms and he told them off, they went home and told their parents he sexuality's assaulted them. He went to jail for it before they told the truth.

Local Boy is about a kid in Kelly's year in school who asked him in passing what time the train from Aberdare was, he then went and walked in front of the next one.

It was great early on when they got signed, got to go backstage and all that. Took the then girlfriend now wife to the aftershow at Manchester Apollo, Howard Marx was there. Nice guy.

 

They do a cracking best of, but as you say each album got worse as it went along.

 

Gotta disagree about the album's getting worse mate.

Their later albums maybe different to earlier releases, but that always happens, as bands grow and become affected by life and other influences on their artistic style.

That happens with all bands the world over.

The issue is, as bands age, do they keep the same sound or risk changes in direction and risk losing fans who love the original sound?

I'm a fan. I may not like some of the newer stuff but there's still some great music in there.

 

I thought almost everything on the first two albums was brilliant. After that I had to search around for quality tunes.

Just Enough Education had a couple of gems like Mr Writer and Rooftop but also some utter **** like Have a Nice Day.

It didn't get any better after that although I thought Pull The Pin was a bit of a return to form.

They'll always be a top group in my opinion simply because those first two albums were superb.

 

It's always about opinions mate. You're much more into your music and more knowledgeable than I am.

I've never been one to look too much behind the music at the time. I take it as it comes.

But it was great to hear about some of the stuff that Luvgonzo was telling us about though. I love hearing about the stories of songs after the event. Gives some great context.

Watched a documentary about the eagles recently. That was amazing and gave the behind the scenes story of their history. The good and bad!

 

I'm not that into music in general, just the stuff I like I get quite geeky about. I agree, luv's info on what those songs were based on was a fantastic insight. I may have some more questions!

 

One of the best stories is a B Side called Raymond shop.
It's a story of a shop keeper Raymond Gully who has a sweet shop in his front room, this is our was quite normal in the Valleys. He hired a friend of mines brother to help him out serving but he was abusing him, the song moves on to a robbery and I knew the robbers well one I still keep in touch with the other hung himself at about 18 years old.

 

Billy Davey's Daughter?!

 

@Stan The Chosen One or anyone else interested for that matter if you follow my profile on YouTube there a documentary called Tomorrow's Gonna be Alright which is about the music scene in Aberdare before and after Stereophonics made it, Stuart Cable is in it and early members of Stereophonics, well worth a watch. I've also got Only The Names Have Changed which is Kelly's solo album that was sneakers out very low key and it's superb.

 

Last of the Big Time Drinkers?!

 

Lived in the same street as me, grumpy old twat. His daughter killed himself and he tried taking Kelly to court over the song.

 

That could be a number of people and probably is. Don't know any specifics but there were a lot of old men with their own glass behind the bar.