Indie Rock Cafe - Independent alternative music blog

The Stereophonics first full length album in two years - Pull The Pin - was released Monday (Oct. 15) to over-whelming critical acclaim, intense radio play and appreciative fans, boosting the album to the top of the U.K. album charts in less than 48 hours.

The promotional efforts leading up to the launch of the band's sixth studio album included the advanced release of the melodic hit single and music video "It Means Nothing", plus the title track, from this summer's online only Bank Holiday Monday EP [see videos links below].

On October 29, The Stereophonics will kick-off a one-month, 21-show concert tour of the U.K. and Europe through the end of November. (this page will be frequently updated, or you can sign-up for the free Feed Me Indie mailing list)

Here's a clip from the band's press release on Monday: "If you want to download a digital copy of the album, it’s available through iTunes together with two bonus tracks, a video and the digital booklet."

To watch the band's new promotional video for Pull The Pin, click on the image below.

Cool Stereophonics' Links:

- V2 Records press release for Pull The Pin
- Music videos and MP3s from Pull The Pin
- Read Pull The Pin reviews from Gigwise and WGA
- View official Stereophonics multimedia files (videos, films, photos and more)
- Watch Stereophonics' YouTube videos
- Download free Stereophonics' MP3s
- See the Stereophonics Fall 2007 tour schedule
- View concert and still images, including Stereophonics album art, concert posters, etc.
- Interesting biography of The Stereophonics
- Stereophonics' MySpace page
- Stereophonics' official website
- Stereophonics' fan website
- Stereophonics' lyrics
plus check out lyrics, mp3 and music videos of Stereophonics' music at IndieRockSongs.com

The Stereophonics: Keeping It Real; Hope It Sticks

The Stereophonics sold out many show on their previous tours of America, but the band failed to gain the momentum other bands like Oasis have due largely to the failure of radio disc jockeys and MTV to play their music.

The trio, made up of Kelly Jones, Richard Jones (no relation) and Stuart Cable, grew up as friends in the south Wales down of Cwmaman.

The blokes can write and perform great rock/pop songs - that's been established. In fact, The Stereophonics are arguably one of the most solid indie rock bands of the past decade, but as with so many artists featured here on IRC, they simply do not get the level of attention and "fame" they deserve.

For many fans, that's a good thing, but the shame is that so many people

are otherwise missing out on hearing great music.

There's no question that indie rock artists - such as Muse, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, The Pixies, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, and so on - transcend the normally cloaked world of indie music and ascend to a new level of popularity.

The Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire were propelled into a new dimension of stardom last summer when they appeared on the cover of Time magazine.

So far, it hasn't destroyed them. So far. In fact, with the growing popularity of indie rock around the world, many independent artists are now becoming, um, should I say, 'mainstream'? (Ekk!)

But for now, Stereophonics are not a household name in the U.S. and it doesn't help that the band does not have any known plans for an upcoming tour of North America. While some fans are bummed that "The Stereophonic Express" won't make its way to the Western Hemisphere, others find comfort in the band's low profile.

There are always die-hard fans who grimace at any major press given to their favorite artists - for those fans, it disturbs their sense of closeness to the group and of course makes them worried about the band becoming well polished by corporate executives and 700-page contracts.

I have a feeling the guys with stay with V2 Records (who's line-up also features Peter Bjorn and John, Ray Davies (The Kinks), like a death sentence. Stereophonics are not new on the indie rock scene - the leather-strapping lads from the U.K. have been belting out melodic rock and pop for the past decade, but their main fan base is in the U.K. and Europe.

Few fans know that Stereophonics were the first artists to be signed to V2 Records, founded by billionaire Richard Branson, back in 1996. To see The Stereophonics complete tour schedule for the rest of this year, go to IndieRockConcerts.com. (Josh Henry, an IRC reader, contributed to this report.)

*Check back often as these posts are frequently updated with new links, information and photos

Labels: Bank Holiday Monday, Stereophonic Concert Dates, Stereophonic Tickets, Stereophonics MySpace, Stereophonics Show Schedule, The Stereophonics