Gruff Rhys facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gruff Rhys
|
|
|---|---|
Gruff Rhys in 2015
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | 18 July 1970 Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales |
| Origin | Bethesda, Wales |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, filmmaker, author, producer |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals, keyboard, saz, harmonica, drums, bass |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Labels | Turnstile, Rough Trade, Team Love |
| Education | Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen |
| Alma mater | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Parent(s) |
|
Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys (born 18 July 1970) is a talented Welsh musician, composer, and filmmaker. He is known for his solo music and for being the lead singer of the popular band Super Furry Animals. This band became very successful in the 1990s.
Gruff Rhys also formed an electro-pop group called Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was even nominated for a big award, the Mercury Prize, in 2008. In 2011, his solo album Hotel Shampoo won the Welsh Music Prize. Later, in 2014, he released American Interior, which was a cool project that included an album, a film, a book, and even a mobile app. His newest album, Sadness Sets Me Free, came out in 2024. Gruff Rhys is seen as an important figure from the "Cool Cymru" era, a time when Welsh music and culture became very popular.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gruff Rhys was born on 18 July 1970 in Haverfordwest, Wales. He grew up with a brother and a sister. His father, Ioan Bowen Rees, was a writer, poet, and mountaineer. He cared deeply about Welsh rights, language, and culture. He believed that fighting for Wales was like fighting for all small nations and communities.
Gruff's mother, Margaret Wynn Meredith, was also a poet and loved writing. Gruff Rhys went to school at Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen in Bethesda, North Wales. He later studied art at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Musical Journey
Ffa Coffi Pawb
Gruff Rhys started his musical journey as a teenager. In 1985, he played drums for a band called Machlud. Later, he became the lead singer for the Welsh band Ffa Coffi Pawb. This band became very popular in Wales during the "Cool Cymru" movement. They released three albums: Clymhalio, Dalec Peilon, and Hei Vidal!.
Gruff Rhys has a unique way of playing the guitar. Even though he is right-handed, he learned to play left-handed on his brother's guitar. When his brother moved out, Gruff only had a right-handed guitar. Instead of changing the strings, he taught himself to play it upside down! So, he still plays left-handed on a right-handed guitar that's flipped over.
Super Furry Animals
After Ffa Coffi Pawb broke up in 1993, Gruff Rhys and drummer Dafydd Ieuan decided to start a new band. This became Super Furry Animals. They soon found other members: Dafydd's brother Cian Ciaran on keyboards, Huw Bunford on guitar, and Guto Pryce on bass. This group has stayed together ever since.
In 1995, after releasing some Welsh-language songs, they signed with Creation Records. Their first album, Fuzzy Logic, came out in 1996. This was the first time Gruff had recorded songs in English, and it was a big success.
They released more popular albums like Radiator (1997) and Guerrilla (1999). They were also famous for their giant inflatable bears and a blue tank that played loud techno music at festivals! In 2001, they made history by releasing their album Rings Around the World on both CD and DVD at the same time. Their latest album, Dark Days/Light Years, was released in 2009.
Solo Music
Gruff Rhys started releasing solo music in 2005 with his album Yr Atal Genhedlaeth. This album was entirely in Welsh. In 2007, he released Candylion, which featured acoustic pop songs in English, Spanish, and Welsh.
His third solo album, Hotel Shampoo, came out in 2011. In 2014, he launched a special project called American Interior. This included an album, a film, a book, and a mobile app, all telling a story together. The film was made with Dylan Goch, who also worked with Gruff on his earlier film, Separado! (2010).
From 2015 to 2016, Gruff Rhys was part of a theater show called "The Insatiable, Inflatable Candylion." It featured songs from his Candylion album and new music. In 2016, he released a song called "I Love EU" to support the European Union before a big vote in the UK. His album Babelsberg came out in 2018, followed by "Pang!" in 2019.
Neon Neon
In 2007, Gruff Rhys started a new electro-pop project called Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their first album, Stainless Style, told the story of John DeLorean, who founded the DeLorean Motor Company. This album was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2008.
In 2013, Neon Neon released their second album, Praxis Makes Perfect. This album and its live shows were based on the life of Giangiacomo Feltrinelli.
Working with Other Artists
Gruff Rhys has also worked with many other musicians. He sang on a song for the band Mogwai and for FC Kahuna. He also collaborated with Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse. He even appeared on a Gorillaz song called Superfast Jellyfish from their album Plastic Beach.
In 2010, he released an album called The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness with Brazilian artist Tony da Gatorra. In 2011, he joined Manic Street Preachers on stage to sing "Let Robeson Sing" at a big concert in London.
Films and Other Projects
Documentaries
Gruff Rhys has been involved in making documentaries. In 2010, the film Separado! was released. It followed Gruff's journey to Patagonia to find distant relatives whose families had moved there a long time ago.
In 2014, he co-directed another film with Dylan Goch called American Interior. This film was about a Welsh explorer named John Evans.
Computer Game Music
In 2011, Gruff Rhys composed the music for a popular mobile game called Whale Trail. It was even named an iTunes game of the week!
Film Scores
In 2014, Gruff Rhys created the music for the film Set Fire to the Stars. This movie was about the famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. For this music, he formed a jazz group. In 2015, he won a BAFTA Cymru award for his original music in the film.
Opera
Gruff Rhys also wrote the story for an opera called 2117/Hedd Wyn in 2017. The music was by Stephen McNeff. The opera is set in the future, in the year 2117, and tells the story of schoolchildren learning about the life of the Welsh poet Hedd Wyn.
Personal Life
Gruff Rhys supports the football team Bangor City F.C.. He also started a company called ieie Productions with his partner, Catryn Ramasut, in 2006. They produce films and TV shows.
In 2015, Gruff Rhys received an Honorary Fellowship from Bangor University. His cousin, DJ Huw Stephens, also received the same honor that day. Their shared grandfather was once the president of the Students Union at the university. Gruff is also related to musician MC Mabon.
Discography
Gruff Rhys has released many albums both as a solo artist and with his bands.
Solo Studio Albums
- Yr Atal Genhedlaeth (2005)
- Candylion (2007)
- Hotel Shampoo (2011)
- American Interior (2014)
- Babelsberg (2018)
- Pang! (2019)
- Seeking New Gods (2021)
- Sadness Sets Me Free (2024)
Soundtrack Albums
- Set Fire To The Stars (2016)
- The Almond & The Seahorse (2023)
With Ffa Coffi Pawb
- Dalec Peilon (1988)
- Clymhalio (1991)
- Hei Vidal! (1992)
With Super Furry Animals
- Fuzzy Logic (1996)
- Radiator (1997)
- Guerrilla (1999)
- Mwng (2000)
- Rings Around the World (2001)
- Phantom Power (2003)
- Love Kraft (2005)
- Hey Venus! (2007)
- Dark Days/Light Years (2009)
With Neon Neon
- Stainless Style (2008)
- Praxis Makes Perfect (2013)
With Tony da Gatorra
- The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness (2010)
Filmography
- Beautiful Mistake (2000) - appeared with Super Furry Animals
- 9 Songs (2004) – appeared with Super Furry Animals
- Separado! (2010) - documentary about his trip to Patagonia
- American Interior (2014) - documentary about John Evans
See also
In Spanish: Gruff Rhys para niños
