Kelly Jones is set to release his first ever side-project in a glorious decade of the Stereophonics. A raw, personal, deftly organic album, ‘Only The Names Have Been Changed’ is a masterclass in personal songwriting and rouses with a stunning sonic diversion from his trademark sound. Recorded in 36 hours, it’s digitally released on January 29th.
“It’s not about going solo,” announces Kelly. “That’s the last thing I ever want to do. It’s more about making something spontaneous, and making it spontaneously. We were recording the 6th Stereophonics album last year and in-between takes I started doing these songs off the cuff. Three or four tracks in I realised that this could actually be something…strange how it’s always little things that makes big things happen. We didn’t wait – it was recorded January 7th & 8th and mastered by Friday 12th, which set the tone for how we’ll release it.”
In keeping with how it was recorded, an ultra limited-edition fanbase CD will be released with deluxe artwork packaging, March 26th. The limited edition release will include a bonus DVD of a live studio performance of 5 songs recorded at SARM studios in London."
Producer Jim Lowe (whose previous credits include Stereophonics' ‘Language. Sex. Violence. Other?’) captured the mood perfectly.
“Every song is a live take,” says Kelly. “We actively decided to make it a bit more filmic. In two days we put down 10 tracks with 10 different girls names…we wanted to do something in the vain of Nick Cave’s ‘Murder Ballads’ or Johnny Cash’s ‘Blood, Sweat & Tears’. ‘Jayne’ was a song from years ago that never made an album, so I stripped it back and recorded it first. It literally went from there.“
A brooding, classic, storytelling LP, it’s also a labour of love. “The main reason I wanted to do it is to get away from the expectancy of three Top 5 singles, a Number 1 LP and an 18-month tour. I’m ten years in now and want to do projects that excite me in between. I didn’t want it to have anything to do with charts or the pressure of playlists. It’s music for people who love music. Digital music is such a gift now because solo work no longer has to be a vanity project. I never need to do that as I have such freedom in the band.”
"The whole project had it's own little concept without being forced," he adds. "I'd pick a name, then write a character story around it, which is exactly how I used to write when I was 18.
"I've always listened to stuff like Tom Waits and Dylan, but didn't want an acoustic guitar record - it's more landscapy than that."
"For me, this is the truest I can get to personal expression, which isn't that commonplace with record-making any more. You go in there with your songs and try to make them big records, but to actually sit in front of the mic with your guitar as you write it...I love it. To be able to work as free as that is amazing. That's what I am…it's what actors, artists, singers, directors are supposed to do."
“Record companies and management always get nervous if there isn’t a massive campaign plan and a huge successful record, but that doesn’t bother me. If I'm not scared of it, why should anyone else be? It's my name on it."
Live dates for later in the year will be announced shortly.
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