Stereophonics’ Kelly Jones shares new film clip and talks life after throat surgical procedure

Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones has shared a clip from his new movie Don’t Let The Satan Take One other Day, in addition to revealing the trauma behind the band’s album final yr and his solo tour.

Within the new tour documentary Don’t Let The Devil Take Another Day, accompanying a live solo album of the same name, Kelly reveals he had throat surgical procedure on a vocal polyp – which might have left him unable to sing ever once more. The movie follows Jones on the tour of that dramatic interval

See a brand new clip solely on NME beneath, by which the singer talks in regards to the band’s expertise of supporting David Bowie, and take a look at our interview with Jones sharing his fears about restoration, the way it’s led to him doing extra collaborations and plans for a celebration of Stereophonics’ landmark anniversary.

Whats up Kelly. Why did you wait till now to go public together with your throat surgical procedure?

“I didn’t need it to place further stress on the tour, or on the Stereophonics album ‘Form’ that we made as soon as my voice returned. I hadn’t supposed placing the surgical procedure within the documentary, to be trustworthy. The director, Ben Lowe, wished to movie the tour earlier than realizing I’d had the operation. The plan was to movie the tour on one digital camera, to provide it the identical intimate really feel because the basic tour movie The Final Waltz about The Band. Then Ben overheard somebody ask me ‘What are you going to do in regards to the footage of your throat surgical procedure?’ Ben mentioned ‘Er, don’t you assume we should always embrace that…?’ I’d have been completely satisfied if folks by no means knew I’d had surgical procedure, however I might belief Ben that he’d sensitively present what occurred.”

How fearful had been you that your voice would by no means get better?

“I used to be instructed earlier than surgical procedure that there was a superb likelihood that I’d get better. From that time, it turned largely psychological. I felt like a dancer who’d damaged their ankle – as soon as you recognize you’ll be able to get better, it’s whether or not you’ve bought the arrogance to do what it takes to get again into it. I used to be responsible of dashing again, attempting too arduous to show I used to be high-quality. I used to be attempting to sing ‘A Thousand Bushes’ with my voice coach at 9am, and I hadn’t sung ‘A Thousand Bushes’ at 9am since I used to be 21. I used to be lucky the polyp wasn’t dangerous sufficient for me to significantly assume ‘What am I going to do if I can’t sing once more?’ Nevertheless it did make me take into consideration what else I can do as a singer.”

Has your singing modified since surgical procedure?

“My voice coach, Joshua Alumu, says it’s stronger than ever and he could be proper. I’ve all the time taken my voice critically and tried to take care of it, and that’s been very true over the previous couple of years. Getting older, you’re conscious of your voice altering in sure methods and that it wants extra care. It was once that I’d simply sing Otis Redding, have a shot of vodka and stroll straight on stage. You may hear on the album how my voice is maturing, which I’m actually completely satisfied about.”

Within the movie, we see you making music with tour assist duo, The Wind And The Wave. What’s taking place with that?

“We’re calling ourselves Far From Saints and there’ll be some songs popping out subsequent yr. They’re from Texas, and selling an album whenever you’re on totally different continents is clearly arduous proper now, so we’re unsure what to do in regards to the album. It was good working with them. I’d wished to do a report with a feminine singer for a while and it was a unique dynamic for my songwriting. It unlocked a brand new type in me and it’s the simplest album I’ve ever made.”

Is that this the beginning of extra collaborations from you?

“Completely. Earlier than I had the issue with my throat, I’d bought again from a Stereophonics tour and thought I wished to cease altogether. That didn’t final lengthy, however I wished new challenges. What I don’t need is identical intensive world excursions I’ve carried out for 22 years. Stereophonics will all the time be my past love however, should you consider a pie chart, the band takes up an excessive amount of area. I’m not going to start out writing songs for random pop stars, however I’m trying to work with extra folks. Simply this week, I’ve been speaking about making music with Neil Cowley, a fantastic jazz pianist.”

How do the opposite members of Stereophonics really feel about you branching out?

“They’re completely cool. Jamie (Morrison), our drummer, is working with a great deal of totally different folks once more and (bassist) Richard (Jones) is doing a report on his personal. We’ve all the time tried to make a unique report from the one earlier than, and getting new experiences can solely assist us. We’ll be trying again on the previous subsequent yr, although – there’s going to be a twenty fifth anniversary compilation and movie on the finish of 2021. Between that, Far From Saints, writing with Neil and likewise doing extra songs with Stereophonics producer Jim Lowe, there’s so much occurring.”

“I can solely say that we adopted the federal government well being pointers on the time each step of the best way. Day by day, we had been asking ‘Is it secure?’ and watching Boris Johnson’s briefings. The recommendation was that it was secure to maintain going. After all, we didn’t need to put anybody’s well being or security in danger. The tour completed in Cardiff on the Saturday. My dad and mom, of their 70s, had been there. My four-year-old daughter was there. What confused issues, I believe, is that the Premier League and rugby bought cancelled on the Thursday. However we weren’t the one artists to play that Saturday – Lewis Capaldi did, numerous comedians and different entertainers did. I didn’t study in regards to the social media feedback for every week or two, as I’d stayed in Cardiff with my household and targeted on dealing with lockdown.”

The dwell album begins with a five-minute story about your childhood earlier than the primary music. What was the pondering behind that?

“I wished to let folks comprehend it’s not a daily dwell album. I’m conscious folks will come anticipating me to get straight to it with a giant music like ‘Choose A Half That’s New’ and that it’ll be acoustic hits for the remainder of it. However I wished the tour to be an opportunity to inform tales about my songs and my life. I used to be nervous, not realizing what to anticipate from every viewers, however each night time being so totally different from the present earlier than was what made it so particular. I beloved it.”

How a lot are you lacking taking part in dwell?

“Having mentioned I don’t need lengthy world excursions, I’m lacking it. The fact is, I don’t assume something will occur on a big scale till the tip of 2021 on the earliest. Even when we get a vaccine, I believe folks might be too fearful for a while to danger massive gatherings at arenas and festivals. As a performer, I attempt not to consider the dangers. We performed in New York not lengthy after 9/11, in Paris after the Bataclan assault, at Manchester Area after the bomb there. It’s my job to provide folks leisure; to assist them overlook in regards to the dangerous occasions for a few hours.”

Jones’ album ‘Don’t Let The Satan Take One other Day’ is out now on Parlophone. The movie of the identical title is in cinemas from December 11, with a world on-line premiere on December 18. See www.dontletthedeviltakeanotherdayfilm.com for tickets.