Super Furry Animals 'Hey Venus' album

Super Furry Animals (Gruff Rhys, Cian Ciaran, Guto, Dafydd Ieuan, Huw Bunford) were formed in 1994. They signed to Creation in 1995 after a show where Alan McGhee declared the band would be even better if they didn’t sing in Welsh (they had just done an entire set in English...). They signed to Sony upon Creation’s demise in 2000, and have also released two albums on their own imprint Placid Casual.

Their record deals have stipulated that the British Armed Forces are not entitled to their ‘usual’ discount for SFA album. SFA have released six studio albums to date – Fuzzy Logic, Radiator, Guerrilla, Mwng (their first full Welsh language, album, released on Placid Casual), Rings Around The World and Phantom Power: “A beguiling string of records, marrying classic pop instincts with contemporary techno stutterings and modern-day psychedelia.” (Mojo, 2001)

When they began to sing predominantly in English, the Welsh media dubbed them ‘traitors’. “I understand people’s worries that the young are just flushing their culture down the pan. We do feel some kind of social responsibility, but because we’ve been playing in bands since we were 13, playing in pubs, getting up to no good... that doesn’t make for particularly responsible people.” (Gruff Rhys, 2003)

As a response to these critics, SFA recorded a song called ‘Nid Hon Yw’r Gan Sy’n Mynd I Achub Yr Laith’ (‘This Is A Song To Save The Welsh Language (Not)’). Adored by critics, fans and other bands alike, (current stadium-indie giants Snow Patrol were recently seen extolling the band’s virtues in an interview dedicated solely to SFA), the music of Super Furry Animals has spent a decade living large in print. Bar perhaps Radiohead, is there any other UK act still extant, still so adored?

“This is what Super Furry Animals do: make rich, thought-provoking music that smuggles in imprecations under the cover of blinding sunshine.” (The Times, 2003)

The SFA catalogue features songs about love, growing old, radiation, dogs, rising house prices, the Clinton scandal, war, pet hamsters and the erosion of indigenous languages. The sleeve to their 1996 debut Fuzzy Logic comprised passport shots of eminent drug smuggler/rogue speaker Howard Marks – who since this recognition has gone on to become a celebrated author/literary rogue.

Fuzzy Logic, rightly claimed as a classic debut album, wrongly claimed as a classic Britpop album, was recently included in Q’s Best British Albums Ever (July 2004). The band’s 1996 single – and live anthem ‘The Man Don’t Give A Fuck’ was the first top 40 hit to include 52 fucks. It got to number one in Australia. A twenty-minute version was re-released in September 2004, on DVD.

The release of Radiator in 1997 saw the band begin a longstanding and fruitful relationship with the then-unknown graphic artist Pete Fowler. Fowler has since gone on to become the internationally feted creator of the monsterism genre. In 1999, SFA sponsored Cardiff City’s shirts in the Welsh Cup. They have also appeared in the inferior Playstation football game Actua Soccer, and featured legendary footballer Robin Friday (the Welsh George Best) on the sleeve for ‘The Man Don’t Give A Fuck’. On their 2003 trip to Brazil, they ‘presented’ a replica of the World Cup trophy onstage. The crowd, predictably, went wild.

SFA’s Welsh album Mwng (the most successful Welsh language album ever entering the UK album charts at number 11) was raised in Parliament by the prominent ministers Paul Flynn and Elfyn Llwyd. Mwng became the band’s most successful release in the US: “You walk along in New York and there’s hardly any English. They handle not understanding better than here.” Dafydd Ieuan, 2003. Japanese fans, incidentally, are word-perfect on the Welsh songs. “Singing in Welsh is not a mystic experience. Welsh is a modern European language.” Gruff Rhys

Mwng was a response to the band’s previous albums – “popular records that weren’t becoming popular” (Creation weren’t spending on marketing the albums). So the band went on ‘pop strike’. Conversely, many believe Mwng to be the band’s most accessible album.

SFA are pioneers in contemporary touring – playing concerts in quadraphonic and surround sound – has usually been the sole preserve of crusty dance acts or rock dinosaurs. SFA have made this a common feature of their live show...

...and despite a reputation of arch behaviour gained by fitting a soundsystem into a bright blue peace tank and drowning out performances of other bands at festivals, for the tethering of huge inflatable bears – one evil, one good – outside their concerts, or the now-legendary Yeti costumes, SFA are still more noted for ten years of innovation and quality.

“None of this expensive gimmickry would be worth anything without good songs, and the group have them in spades.” (Daily Telegraph, 2001)

Their last World Tour was exactly that – from Cardiff to Copacabana Beach, from Salisbury to Osaka, the band took their Phantom Power to five continents. “We’re not huge anywhere, but we can tour the world and have an adventure.” (Independent, 2003)

Super Furries’ albums are regularly compared to the likes of Pet Sounds or Sgt Pepper. Their favourite Beach Boys record is in fact Surf’s Up. No idea about the Beatles though. In 2000 SFA remixed unreleased Beatles recordings – which was then nominated for a Grammy. As payback, ‘Rings Around The World’ featured Paul McCartney on ‘carrot and celery rhythm track’ (an homage to his performance on the Beach Boys’ ‘Vegetables’). Foremost as an effort to recreate their live surround sound, Rings Around The World became the first album to be released on conventional audio and DVD formats simultaneously...

...and became the first band to do it twice (with Phantom Power, in 2003). Both DVD’s feature exclusively commissioned film/animation for each song. SFA were shortlisted for the Mercury Prize in 2001 for ‘Rings Around The World’. Following Rings Around The World (Mojo Album Of The Year 2001), Phantom Power was even better received (high competition, that) – featuring across the board recognition in the end-of-year polls of the national and music press.

A week after playing in front of 80,000 fans at the Wales vs. Azerbaijan match, SFA launched Phantom Power with a 60 capacity show in the chapel of a residential Welsh language school in North Wales. The set was drawn from a manual bingo caller. SFA then commemorated the centenary of the Great Penrhyn Colliery Strike of 1903 with a sold out 6000 capacity show.

In 2003, SFA were nominated for the Q Award ‘Innovation In Music’. Super Furry Animals were voted amongst the Best Bands in Britain in the Guardian, October 2003. “Six albums down the line, the band have achieved a level of consistency matched by few outfits since the Beatles.”

“All governments are liars and murderers.” Bill Hicks. Previously accompanied by Total Recall-Swarzenegger repeating “Best mindfuck yet’, on their last tour SFA’s legendary endgame techno blowout was accompanied by a video montage of Tony Bliar and George Bush set to Bill Hicks’ mantra.

“Inside the velvet glove lies a clenched fist, a white knuckle, a pointed finger.” (The Times, 2004)

SFA’s 2004 remix album Phantom Phorce was described by The Observer as “both stimulating and rather beautiful.”

“They’ve been the most innovative band and exciting group in the UK for years.” (Sunday Times, 2004)

You don’t last ten years in the music business without a modicum of suss. Twenty singles down the line, SFA have proved themselves more disciplined than most – if not all – of their peers. “People think we’re just running around like a bunch of crazed mushroom munchers. Well, we are sometimes, but only when we know we haven’t got decisions to make.” (Huw Bunford, 2001)

“Some bands are the victims of their own success, but there’s not been much chance of that with us. We’ve never had that weight of expectation and over six albums we’ve had a chance to grow and hone our sound. We were never going to be a massive unit-shifting band. We started off playing to four people in a Cardiff pub and we’re constantly surprised to find ourselves in front of crowds over 10.” (Gruff Rhys, 2003)

SFA have headlined the Glastonbury Other Stage (2003) and will headline the Radio One Stage at Reading and Leeds festivals this year (2004). Super Furry Animals released their Greatest Hits – Songbook - in September 2004. The accompanying DVD featured the complete set of SFA videos plus an exclusive road movie – ‘American Saquatch’

September 2004 also saw SFA curate a Super Furry extravaganza at the Royal Festival Hall in London. ‘Lightenin’ Fryday’ featured performances from SFA selected artists, a Howard Marks Confessional Booth and of course a monumental Supper Furry live show leaving fans bewildered at their never-ending capabilities. Gruff Rhys released his first solo album in January 2005 – Yr Atal Genhedlaeth. An intamate tour of Wales was scheduled to promote the album.

Super Furry Animals released their 7th studio album Love Kraf’ in August 2005. It was recorded in Spain and mixed in Rio and Cardiff. It featured the single Lazer Beam. The album was the first to feature songs written by and sung my all (bar one) members of the band. Touring of the album ensued.

A departure from Sony BMG saw the band sign a new record deal with highly respected independent label Rough Trade in 2006. Gruff Rhys went back into the studio to record his second solo LP. Candylion was released in January 2007 (Rough Trade) and received huge critical acclaim aided by the cute pink cardboard Candylion from Micronesia. www.myspace.com/candylionmusic Rhys embarked on a full solo tour with guest vocalist Lisa Jen from fellow Welsh band 9 Bach.

Back to band business and back to Spain, SFA recorded their 8th album in the sunshine in September 2006. Hey Venus! will be released in August 2007 on Rough Trade. It is produced by David Newfeld.

press quotes
'In an exhibition of quality control almost unparalleled in modern music, Super Furry Animals have never made a bad album. Into this enviable back catalogue Hey Venus! Arrives as the band's most immediate, accessible record yet.' Sunday Times Culture

"'Hey Venus! ' is a fantastic pop record. It squirts at the seams with many of the greatest moments of the Furries' career - a career that could still be yet to peak. Today and for years to come, people will discover 'Definitely Maybe' and 'Everything Must Go' and fall in love with the bands that made them. But while it's hard to imagine your younger sibling going nuts for Oasis after hearing 'Don't Believe The Truth', melodies on Hey Venus!' are certain to ensnare new hearts in a way hardly any bands who've been around as long as the Furries can." 8/10 NME - Album Of The Week

"Intricate and optimistic with the sunshine cut by delicious clouds of questioning melancholy, (Hey Veus!) reaffirms SFA's position as one of the few genuinely populist, genuinely cult acts in the UK' Plan B

"These Welsh super heroes continue to shame lesser outfits with their fluency, imagination and easy depths...if ever there was a record to restate the loveliness of the Furries with loud punctuation, Hey Venus! Is it"
Observer Review - Album Of The Week

"Hey Venus! Marks a welcome returm to form for the Furries, an album finally fit to challenge Rings Around The World and Phantom Power as their most satisfying work" **** The Independent - Album Of The Week

'Elation, humour and hypercoloured amazingness...more free-ranging and densely packed with invention than most bands manage to muster in a career...Super Fury Animals remember what pop ought to be about, limitless possibilities and boundless imagination' Word

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Super Furry Animals - Hey Venus