SUPER FURRY ANIMALS

Can we just say they've split up now yet?

― PaulTMA, Tuesday, November 4, 2014 12:46 AM (21 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

In my mind, they pretty much have.

I'm still in denial. If they announced it, it would feel like when Supergrass split up. A band that always seemed to be there putting out good to great albums every couple of years. Both bands that make me incredibly nostalgic.

If they were split it up, wouldn't they just say they're split up? Gruff keeps insisting there'll be a 10th album.

From what it sounds like, it doesn't seem like any of the band members have or are aware of any concrete plans for Super Furry Animals, and none of them seem particularly enthusiastic about it either, which makes me feel that the ship as sailed. I can't help but get the impression that there's a gulf between Gruff and the rest of the band, too. If they have split up and they're keeping quiet about it, then that's somewhat of a shrewd move, really. People will be more accepting of/tolerate even the shittiest of solo products if they feel a new Super Furry Animals album is eventually going to happen: like "hmm, yeah, okay this Neon Neon/Cian/Earth/Pale Blue Dots album is a bit shit, but that's okay, they'll get around to giving us the real stuff soon". Remember also that Blur never actually announced that they'd "split up" either following Think Tank, but they may as well have done for all that's happened since.

I'm still in denial. If they announced it, it would feel like when Supergrass split up. A band that always seemed to be there putting out good to great albums every couple of years. Both bands that make me incredibly nostalgic.

― Kitchen Person, Tuesday, November 4, 2014 10:50 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

When Supergrass split up, my overall feeling was one of unrealised potential. As good as records like In It For The Money and Road To Rouen are, I still think they had a lot more ground to cover and a lot left to explore as a unit. The album they were working on when they split, Release The Drones sounded very promising.

By comparison, I think the Super Furry Animals have explored every avenue they possibly can together. I honestly don't see where else they could possibly go from here. It would be a good time to leave it, I think. They've already released 10 records if you count Out Spaced as a "proper" album, anyway.

Gruff's certainly drawn more attention to himself, with his most critically-acclaimed album and a fantastic stage show. The rest of the guys clearly have their work set out for them. we'll agree to disagree on the quality of the other side projects, though I've never been a neon neon fan.

Can't say much about Supergrass. I always found them pretty slight. "Alright" is a nice song and their self-titled album seemed to draw more flack than it deserved. I kind of left them behind. I know most that read this thread probably rate SFA similarly, but that's life.

Griff's just announced another American Interior UK tour, this time it's with Kliph and Y Niwl as his backing band:http://www.gruffrhys.com/gruff-rhys’-uk-tour-2015-with-full-band/

Excuse the misspelling of Griff's name and the dodgy URL in that last post...

Damn autocorrect on my smartphone did it again!

It's how you pronounce it anyway

Professor Gruff

Kliph's drumming on American Interior is pretty great. It'll be a good show. I've loved what Y Niwl and Gruff have done together. Live, they're a more dynamic backing band than SFA (I hate to admit it). The songs aren't as good, but that's a different story.

Can't help but feel Kliph's powerhouse drumming talents are wasted drumming for Gruff. I would have thought he would have been more at home in something a bit more Zeppelin-like than backing Gruff's light folk ditties.

http://roadsandkingdoms.com/2014/american-interior/

The film is now streaming for American audiences. I haven't seen it yet. Can't wait to watch it later.

Can't help but feel Kliph's powerhouse drumming talents are wasted drumming for Gruff. I would have thought he would have been more at home in something a bit more Zeppelin-like than backing Gruff's light folk ditties.

I think it complements the songs nicely. I don't usually focus on the drumming on these solo endeavors, so it's a nice addition. It's insane Kliph has managed to drum for two of his idols (well, one former).

I can't imagine what a relief it must be to tour w/ Gruff after a stint in the Flips, regardless of musical suitability

I just watched the film since they're taking the stream down tomorrow. It's extremely entertaining and a superior film to Separado. Gruff has really become a great entertainer and he presents the tale perfectly. There are a couple weird interviews with fawning fans who kind of fetishize Wales . Not sure if that's supposed to be flattering, but I really enjoyed it otherwise. The film stream seems to work internationally, btw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHtTFwp2UFQ

Gruff Rhys is best known as the frontman of the Welsh psych-rock band Super Furry Animals, but this time of year I tend to remember him as the songwriter behind some of the most disturbing Christmas songs ever written. Rhys has been performing solo for quite awhile, and back in 2011 he released the Atheist XMAS EP, a collection of delightfully morbid Christmas songs — “Slashed Wrists This Christmas” is a personal favorite. This time around, Rhys is moving in a less seasonal direction, though his new track “Set Fire To The Stars” embodies some of the same darkness. The track will be featured in the forthcoming biopic Set Fire To The Stars about the life and work of the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, starring Elijah Wood. The title of the film and the track is lifted from Thomas’ poem “Love In The Asylum.” Rhys also wrote the movie’s jazzy score and recorded it with a band including Portishead collaborator Jim Barr.

Went to his solo American Interior show last night in Cardiff. Fantastic performance from Gruff and the songs sounded great acoustically. He was also extremely funny when relating the story of John Evans' journey.

http://diymag.com/2015/01/05/gruff-rhys-co...se-married-2-me

The year’s barely begun, but Welsh hero Gruff Rhys already has his heart set on one specific occasion: Valentine’s Day.

A new release, ‘Married 2 Me’, is scheduled for 14th February this year. It sees Gruff collaborating with Super Furry Animals bandmate Dafydd Ieuan in a track with The Earth, featuring Dionne Bennett on vocals.

It’s the first time Gruff and Ieuan have put their name to a release since 2010’s Super Furries number ‘Dark Deays / Light Years’.

‘Married 2 Me’ is a digital release only, out via Strangetown Records.

Last year saw Gruff Rhys releasing his latest solo album ‘American Interior’.

Seems fairly significant considering Gruff has not collaborated with anyone from SFA since DD/LY came out.

Here's the track:

http://soundcloud.com/strangetown-records/the-earth-married-2-me

This surfaced on their Facebook today:

http://i.imgur.com/iFNilUK.jpg

And everyone is now abuzz with speculation.

ain't that old, though? Looks 'Rings' era.

Looks like a mixture of DD/LY, RAtW and Fuzzy Logic. Could be a tour poster or something less exciting like promotional material for their biography.

I can't believe people are getting such a hard-on over this.

Just realised that Love Kraft is going to be 10 this year. Fuck!

If they were about to bring out a new album I would be very exited.

Any news is good news.

That Gruff was just in the studio with Daf is a nice sign there's no bad blood.

Love Kraft full album tour plz

Can't see that happening. Isn't the biography out next month or something?

It's some new Pete Fowler art.

Ric Rawlins (author of biog) has just posted "if it's about that (the book) it's news to me!"

It does have elements from at least three of their eras (I see Fuzzy Logic, RAtW and DD/LY), so it could possibly be some sort of greatest hits artwork. Still hopeful it means a new album.

It's going to take a lot more than this to convince me that there's a new SFA album on the way, I'm afraid. In fact, the only thing that will convince me is if they actually come out an announce it. Speculation over a Facebook image is just lunacy, really.

Any news is good news.

That Gruff was just in the studio with Daf is a nice sign there's no bad blood.

― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, January 15, 2015 7:46 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I thought the "bad blood" was between the members of the band who aren't Gruff and their former manager?

If they were about to bring out a new album I would be very exited.

― Kitchen Person, Thursday, January 15, 2015 7:42 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I'd be curious enough to give it a listen at the very least if they choose to release something. If I'm to be honest, though, I'm not exactly desperate for a new SFA album. I've kinda got used to them being inactive, truth be told.

The font reminds me of Love Kraft as much as Fuzzy Logic.

It sucks they don't get along with Gruff's management because Turnstile has done a great job promoting Gruff's albums.

I was kind of hoping they'd handle an inevitable SFA release.

Yeah... I mean even just casually observing, I can tell that albums like Hotel Shampoo and especially American Interior have been receiving more promotion than Dark Days/Light Years ever got. In fact, I'd say that the way that American Interior was promoted at least almost resembled how SFA albums used to be handled.

Another new image uploaded five minutes ago.

I believe that one comes from the biography.

Yup!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51xRCPwrkeL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Love Kraft tour confirmed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XME_p9oN9zk&feature=youtu.be

Thought as much.

That YouTube toolbar had me wondering "What's a Frook?"

They also just dropped this on their Facebook

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtBqAFiRGpw

Which is Cian's new band.

Pretty clever of them to use a new SFA image to promote other projects.

Well, it would certainly would be a way of grabbing attention when everyone but the seriously dedicated/obsessed has fallen asleep over an ever-increasing pile of substandard solo ventures.

I saw the Gulp LP on a few year end lists, even heard a song on a show the other day. The other guys haven't done too well, Gruff aside. I still think Cian's first was pretty good, but obviously I'd take an SFA album over all this stuff.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jan/24/howard-marks-inoperable-cancer-mr-nice

Howard Marks, the notorious former dope smuggler known as Mr Nice, has told the Observer he has been diagnosed with inoperable bowel cancer.

“I’ve come to terms with it in my own way – which for me was about learning how to cry,” Marks, 69, said this weekend. “It’s impossible to regret any part of my life when I feel happy and I am happy now, so I don’t have any regrets and have not had any for a very long time.”

Marks, a long-time campaigner for the legalisation of cannabis, has already received messages of support from his wide-ranging group of friends. Artist Tracey Emin, the journalist Peter Hitchens, Sir Richard Branson, broadcaster Zoe Ball and DJ husband Norman Cook have all sent best wishes this weekend. Hitchens has praised Marks as a “principled defender of free speech” despite taking an opposing side on the legalisation debate. Cook and Ball have described him has “a ray of sunshine in our lives”.

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B8L-8VECQAARrM5.jpg

Ric, the author of the band bio, doing a Q&A on Reddit:

http://redd.it/2uywi6

I've read half of the biography, which is now available through Amazon (ebook only). It is a nice, brisk read. I think Ric hits all the high points and corrects/confirms stories about the band's early days. For instance, Bunf and Gruff really did meet on the roof of a train. SFA did start out as more of a rave collective than a rock 'n roll band. There's also an anecdote about how their name came about; I'm skeptical that it's true, since I've heard at least three other stories. It's also interesting to read about Rhys Ifans's days with the band. He was kind of their mascot in the beginning. I never liked him much, to be honest.

The Howard Marks event has an amazing cast list now: John Cooper Clarke, Cerys Mathews, Gruff Rhys, Alabama 3, Don Letts as well now.

Some of the songs on Moog Droog and Llanfair are a bit basic, and then you get absolutely gorgeous, transcendant songs like 'Pam V' and "Blerwytirhwng?' at the same time. These guys blow my mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv4z4vlhKHY

The new comp is a blast.

ok, I just ordered it based on that

Gig last night was fantastic. Cian adding lots of rampant 303s to some of the songs especially an amazing version of The Man Don't Give A Fuck and Mountain People

Only slight disappointment was that they didn't play a single song from the last three albums. Would have loved to have seen a White Socks/Flip Flops or Into The Night, especially as they did play a couple of deep older cuts

Support act Melin Melyn were really cute too, and obviously massively influenced by SFA. Getdown Services were terrible though and I kept wondering how much better it would have been if it'd been Panic Shack instead.

Going to see them again in July at the Beta Band gig in London so hoping we may get a more recent song thrown into the mix but we'll see

I fucking love this band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgM7eLihh3Y

Some of their best songs are the cutting room material.