HISTORY

November 96 - first single released. A very limited edition 'Looks Like Chaplin'/'...Tramps Vest'. It doesn't get into the Top 40.

February 97 - first fully available single 'Local Boy in the Photograph'. Still not a Top 40 hit with Radio 1 overlooking the song.

May 97 - 'More Life in a Tramps Vest' was released again and this time had some success. This is the Stereophonics' first Top 40 hit, still with no help from Radio 1.

August 97 - A lot of festivals and a top 22 hit with 'A Thousand Trees'. They get on "Top Of The Pops" for the first time. The album is released and gets to number 6 in the charts.

November 97 - The bands first top 20 hit with 'Traffic'. The band shoot a special video in Cwmaman for "Top Of The Pops" but it is never used.

January 98 - The Stereophonics get nominated for a NME brat award.

February 98 - The Stereophonics win a major award as they scoop the Brit Award for Best Newcomer as voted by the listeners of Radio 1. Bands like the All Saints and Travis were in the same category. More success is to follow when just a week later 'Local Boy...' is re-released and gets to number 14 in the charts.

June 98 - The band play to a sell out crowd of 10,000 fans at Cardiff Castle. The gig is sold out in under a week.

November 98 - The first top 5 hit - 'The Bartender and the Thief'. It reaches number 3 and another appearance on "Top Of The Pops" follows. Radio 1 now play a Stereophonics song on their 'A' list for the first time.

February 99 - The band announce the biggest gig of their lives. It will happen on the 31st July '99 at Morfa stadium, Swansea.

February 99 - Another top 5 hit as 'Just Looking' is released. Being the main song in the new British film 'This Years Love' gets it to number 4 in the UK charts.

March 99 - The first number 1 as 'Performance and Cocktails' is released. More than a quarter of a million copies are sold in the first week alone.

April 99 - Another top 5 hit as 'Pick A Part That's New' enters the charts at number 4.

July 99 - The Stereophonics play Morfa Stadium to a capacity 50,000 fans. The concert is a great success and proves the lads can play to the biggest of crowds.

August 99 - 'I wouldn't Believe your Radio' is released and gets to number 11 in the British charts.

November 99 - Another top 20 hit as 'Hurry Up & Wait' enters the charts at number 11 also.

February 2000 - The Stereophonics are nominated for 2 Brit Awards but walk away empty handed. They do manage to perform live at the event with Tom Jones though.

March 2000 - The Stereophonics release their first collaboration. The single, 'Mama Told Me Not To Come', with Tom Jones gets plenty of airplay and gets to number 4 in the British charts.

July 2000 - Another collaboration as Kelly lends vocals to Cardiff based 'Manchild'. The single 'The Cliches are True' doesn't trouble the charts and enters at no. 60.

October 2000 - Kelly Jones announces a solo tour starting in Dublin and ending in Cardiff. Tickets are gone in hours of going on sale.

November 2000 - 2001 looks likely to be a busy year for the Stereophonics with the news that they are to play 2 festival-type gigs, in Chepstow and Donnington.

March 2001 - Mr Writer, the first release from 3rd album JEEP, reaches number 5 in UK charts. Bad news follows when Stereophonics are told that their Chepstow gig cannot go ahead due to Foot And Mouth disease. The gig is changed to Cardiff's Millenium Stadium.

April 2001 - JEEP is released and, despite very mixed reviews, goes straight to the top of the charts!