The House In The Rising Stereo(phonics)?By Mario R. Martin
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Hello everyone. I’m back from a month-long hiatus from all things CWG. I trust you all had a fine break from my ramblings and my opinions to teach the youth about funk music. Alas, this Leo’s August column is powerful. Not so much in strength, but more in emotion. This month, I’m changing things up a bit. I’m flipping the script. This month, we will delve into the emotionally stirring music of Stereophonics. Get yourself a libation, sit back and read…
I read nothing but British periodicals. I am a true Anglophile. I read Loaded Magazine to find out what’s going on across the pond. I read Front Magazine to get my humor. Hell, I have even started to call soccer ‘footie’! I used to read FHM until they stopped putting bare breasts in their pages. Now, I can go and pick up one of any adult magazines at the newsstand, but I chose not to read FHM when they stopped using bare breasts because of the ethics of it…not because I was at a loss for skin.
British publications have a better zing to them. They speak more openly. They use the dreaded “C” word often, and they’re sexually open enough to spots bare breasts on Page 3 and not fret. So, with this kind of rap, don’t you think I love British bands too? I mean come on, it goes hand in hand!
In early 2005, I remember standing at Blockbuster wondering what movie to rent. I remember it was a cold and snowy January night in Wisconsin when I happened upon the movie “Wicker Park”. Since having known various people who lived there, I rented it despite thinking it might be a bit of a chick flick. I went home, turned up the heat and I made some dinner for myself. Then, after eating and spending some time reading my mail, I popped in the Josh Hartnett romantic drama, imagining it would be complete shit. Man was I wrong.
Maybe the movie jarred something inside of me. Plenty of people I would later talk to would tell me it was crap. I always disagreed. Then it dawned on me. It was the music! The DVD release of “Wicker Park” had plenty of advertisements for the soundtrack. I thought it was just another cunning trick by the studios to put relevant bands on the soundtrack to add cache to the film. Finally, at Best Buy one day, I went to the soundtrack aisle and picked up the Wicker Park Soundtrack along with the DVD (something I never do – buy a movie I’ve already seen and the soundtrack of the same movie). I went back to the DVD and watched it again. I lent it to friends. It was an intrigue of some kind, but no one could put their fingers on it. It featured some great artists, but nothing made me jump out of my seat. It soon would.
I popped the soundtrack in my car, but I really gravitated toward the gravel-voiced singer on the opening track, “Maybe Tomorrow” by Stereophonics. Listen, I had heard of them. I heard some tracks prior to then, but rarely had I been so moved by a song to purchase the entire catalog of a band. The last time this had happened was Depeche Mode, The Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen, and of course, my beloved Jane’s Addiction many years prior.
As I drove to whatever destination, I played Stereophonics over and over. Then some Mogwai, and then some Mazzy Star. For good measure, I listened to Snow Patrol despite having their record, and later The Postal Service – for the ever so perfect cover of Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds”. The stand out was Stereophonics, hands down. Days later I ran to the store to bone up on all things Stereophonics. I picked up “You Gotta Go There To Come Back” first.
Stereophonics - "Maybe Tomorrow (Live)
Since it had the song that was on the soundtrack, I felt it a safe bet. Then I shared my opinion of the band with some folks at work and found out the band had other greats. Then I picked up the other releases, and later their newest efforts.
I’m not exactly sure what happened that day while watching “Wicker Park” but I became a Stereophonics fan. I tried and tried to convert non-believers. I played the music whenever I was driving anywhere for more than a few minutes. I made copies of the records specifically for my car. I found myself at Coachella in 2005 and as my friends were watching whatever new band was a hot for the minute that year, I walked alone to see Stereophonics at one of the tents. Moving and engaging, the live show set my mind on fire as the set closer saw guitarist/vocalist Kelly Jones do a solo electric version of “Maybe Tomorrow”. Completely unreal.
Years have gone by, but the material Stereophonics release is always quality. The live double disc is worth its weight in gold, and of course “Language. Sex. Violence. Other?” and most recently “Pull The Pin” are worthy top ten releases. Why doesn’t the world over know about Stereophonics? I think I know why. It’s because if Jones and company were the new Matchbox 20 of the moment, they would not be as relevant. I immediately think of the Replacements when I bring this up. If the Replacements were fucking huge when they were around, they might have imploded. Or worse yet, they might have just sucked.
Stereophonics, this is pointed directly at you: I can usually find a way to get tickets to events. It’s not a secret that if you cover events and such, you get passes to get in. On Saturday, I went to my local FYE and purchased tickets to the show here in Los Angeles…service charges and all. So, to anyone and everyone reading this, listen to Stereophonics. It may change you’re life. Okay, maybe it won’t change your life, but it may very well change the way you listen to music.
Stereophonics play live at the Musicbox @ The Henry Fonda Theater on Tuesday, September 16, 2008.
[The version of “Maybe Tomorrow” found here was recorded live at the Lowlands in 2003]
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