Strange process for Stereophonics

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KEEPING CALM: British band Stereophonics are heading to New Zealand.

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For all music fans who despair that more bands don't tour beyond the North Island, Stereophonics' bass player Richard Jones explains why the band has not yet managed to play a concert outside of Auckland.

"We've never played in Wellington or Christchurch or any other towns and cities which is a real shame." Jones told stuff.co.nz.

"We'd love to do a New Zealand tour with four or five shows but the powers-that-be and organisers of our tour have us hit the main cities and move on to the next market."

The Welsh rockers will play two shows in Auckland in April and Jones says they plan to give fans what they want.

"From previous experiences we know that New Zealand is a harder-edged crowd.

"It's not so much about the quieter-edged songs, it's about the entertainment, whereas in a country like Japan we can quieten down each set."

Sterophonics released their seventh studio album, Keep Calm and Carry On last year.

"We've only been on the road with this album for the last two of three weeks so we're looking forward to seeing what everybody else thinks of it."

The title of the new album alludes to a World War 2 propaganda poster, which was never used but surged in popularity when it was reprinted in the eighties.

"It's quite awkward to find a title that represents a piece of work." Jones said.

"It felt appropriate for what's going on in the world with the recession and with our lyrics."

Jones said recording the album, with producer Jim Abbiss, was a 'strange process'.

"It was a bit here, there and everywhere, I don't think we played more than two songs in the same room together.

"He didn't want to use a wall of guitar sounds to get the music across.

"He wanted to use some different instrumentation and have the melody and the lyrics shine through."

But Jones told stuff.co.nz  it was good to try something different.

"Sometimes taking the band out of the comfort zone you can get something really unexpected from the band."

Stereophonics will play at the Powerstation, Auckland on April 21 and 22.

- © Fairfax NZ News