Q&A: Kelly Jones

April 25th, 2008

Kelly Jones The front man of 90s brit-rock sensation Stereophonics still lives and he will be here soon for the 100 Rock Uncensored.

We took the name Stereophonics from a radiogram we spotted.

I don’t really think about why or how people ended up calling us The Prince of Wales. Especially since nobody’s called us that since 1997!

We were in Thailand, and we found it… with a map and a plane! [laughs] We did the “Bartender...” music video on the River Kwai, which was amazing.

We’re forever changing, forever growing. That’s what life’s about, learning all the time.

Well, every award we were given, we received drunk. But I guess the ones voted by the public were the most memorable.

We still rock. Harder than ever.

I don’t think success has changed me in any way. I’m still a writer and a performer. Success is waking up in the morning knowing you can do something that you love.

Muhammad Ali said that if you are the same man at fi fty as you were at thirty you’ve wasted 20 years. Life’s all about changing. You win fans and you lose fans.

I make music from my soul and wouldn’t change a note of what I’ve recorded. It all reflected what I felt at the time. Great bands and artists develop whether it’s good or bad.

I’m very proud of our six albums. All have a unique sound and played back to back, there’s a real development.

Most bands get lazy past the third album. But in our case, some people thought “Dakota” was our fi rst single and it went to number one. In fact, it was from our fi fth album! That’s development and not being afraid to change your sound.

The key to success? Staying true to your gut instincts and keeping your eye on the game.

What makes a good gig is having a good crowd, a good venue, a great set list and alcohol for the fans!

It’s very fl attering when people tell me I’m their inspiration. But I don’t really take it seriously.

How do I see myself in ten years? I see myself in a mirror! [laughs]

I will always be a musician. Music has been a part of me since I was 12 years old.

In ten years time, I would like to have found what it is that I’m looking for! Our gig in Thailand is going to be great and we all really can’t wait.