Watch: Stereophonics perform new songs on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show

Virgin Radio

11 Mar 2022, 08:10

Stereophonics joined the Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky to play an awesome live session and to talk about their new album and upcoming tour.

The band’s new album, Oochya, was released last week and is predicted to be their eighth number one in the UK charts. When speaking about working on music in the studio, frontman Kelly Jones told Chris: “We’re in a band where everybody likes each other. So everybody does their own gig, and we bring the songs in, and we just have a good time trying to make the records really. Every album, we try to make it different from the one before.”

He added: “The last four, five albums, it’s been very, very natural. It took seven days to record most of this record. The band’s in a good place.” 

During their session, Stereophonics played Forever, which is their recent single and second track from Oochya.

Talking about another new single, Right Place Right Time - which tells a narrative story about the band’s journey - Kelly said: “There’s not many songs you write about three girlfriends in one song!” 

He continued: “The song came quite naturally, the lyrics just came and came and came, and when we went to the studio, it was a really nice band day actually, we tried doing a few different versions, and it kinda just settled at that place, and it just feels really good, you know? It feels like you’re on a boat or something. It’s just one of those breezy songs.”

When Chris asked what happens when the band have bad days in the studio, Kelly said: “We don’t really have many bad band days. If we do, we just go for a pint!”

Their live set included Dakota, their number one single taken from their fifth studio album Language. Sex. Violence. Other?, which was released in 2005.

To celebrate the release of Oochya, the band are heading out on a UK arena tour, which kicks off in Manchester next Friday (18th March). As well as their nationwide tour, they are also headlining two massive dates at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. “We’re touring. Nice to get back on the road next week for the first time in two years,” Kelly said.

On what fans can expect from their upcoming live shows, the vocalist explained: “We average about two-and-a-half hours. We normally do about 23, 25 songs. It’s quite hard to pick a setlist at the minute, because you’re trying to pick some stuff off the new record and the other stuff. So, it becomes more about our dynamic and about taking people on different places in the night really.”

Within the group’s set from the top of the tower was a cover of Stuck in the Middle With You, the classic Stealers Wheel track taken from their 1972 eponymous debut album.

The band will play a host of summer festival dates including Kendal Calling, Y Not and Victorious, and will also support Pearl Jam as part of London’s British Summer Time Hyde Park. When Chris asked if they are match-fit ahead of all of their live shows, Kelly replied: “I don’t know if we’re match-fit. We start rehearsals on Sunday. We’ve done the odd rehearsal, but we haven’t done about four in a row yet.”

Stereophonics' session featured Maybe Tomorrow, taken from the fourth studio album, 2003’s, You Gotta Go There to Come Back. 

When Chris asked if Stereophonics had a message for the fans that we’re listening in and watching the live stream from all over the world, Kelly said: “Thank you very much for supporting the band. 25 years! We’ve had people following us since 1996 and we’ve had kids who have just found us last year, the 16 and 17 year old kids in the front row, so it’s been incredible. And it’s always half-and-half male/female. It’s unbelievable.”

Stereophonics’ UK arena tour starts next week. For tickets and details visit stereophonics.com.

For more great live sessions and interviews listen to The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, weekdays from 6:30am on Virgin Radio, or catch up on-demand here.