Gruff Rhys facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gruff Rhys
Rhys in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys
Born	(1970-07-18) 18 July 1970 (age 55) 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)	Ioan Bowen Rees (father)

Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys (born 18 July 1970) is a famous Welsh musician, songwriter, and filmmaker. He is known for being a solo artist and the lead singer of the band Super Furry Animals, which became popular in the 1990s.

He also started an electronic pop group called Neon Neon. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the important 2008 Mercury Prize. Rhys has won awards for his solo work, including the 2011 Welsh Music Prize for his album Hotel Shampoo. In 2014, he released American Interior, which included an album, a film, a book, and a mobile app. His newest album, Sadness Sets Me Free, came out in 2024. He is seen as a key person from the "Cool Cymru" era, a time when Welsh culture became very popular.

Early Life and Family

Gruff Rhys was born in Haverfordwest, Wales, on July 18, 1970. His father, Ioan Bowen Rees, was a well-known writer and poet who cared deeply about Welsh culture and language. His mother, Margaret Wynn Meredith, was also a poet. This love for writing and culture was a big part of Rhys's childhood.

Rhys went to school at Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen in Bethesda and later studied art at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Music Career

First Bands

When he was a teenager, Rhys played drums for a few bands. He first became well-known in Wales as the singer for the band Ffa Coffi Pawb. The name means "Everyone's Coffee Beans" in Welsh. When said quickly, it can sound like a rude phrase in English. The band became one of the most popular groups in Wales during the 1990s.

Rhys has a unique way of playing the guitar. He is right-handed but learned to play on his brother's left-handed guitar. When he later got a right-handed guitar, he didn't re-string it. Instead, he learned to play it upside down, with the thickest strings at the bottom. He still plays this way today.

Super Furry Animals

After Ffa Coffi Pawb broke up in 1993, Rhys and drummer Dafydd Ieuan started Super Furry Animals. The band signed with Creation Records in 1995 and released their first album, Fuzzy Logic, in 1996. This was the first time Rhys had recorded an album in English.

The band became famous for their creative music and fun live shows. They often used a 40-foot inflatable bear and a blue tank that played techno music at festivals. Over the years, they released many successful albums, including Radiator (1997), Guerrilla (1999), and the all-Welsh album Mwng (2000). Their most recent album is Dark Days/Light Years from 2009.

Solo Music

Gruff Rhys performing at End of the Road, Dorset, England on 30th August 2024

Besides his work with bands, Rhys has a successful solo career. He has released several albums on his own, often singing in Welsh, English, and Spanish.

• Yr Atal Genhedlaeth (2005): His first solo album, sung entirely in Welsh.
• Candylion (2007): An album of acoustic pop songs.
• Hotel Shampoo (2011): Won the Welsh Music Prize.
• American Interior (2014): A project that included an album, book, film, and app.
• Babelsberg (2018): An album recorded with a 72-piece orchestra.
• Pang! (2019): An upbeat album produced by South African DJ Muzi.
• Seeking New Gods (2021): An album inspired by the story of a volcano.
• Sadness Sets Me Free (2024): His most recent solo album.

In 2016, Rhys released the song "I Love EU" to show his support for the European Union.

Neon Neon

In 2007, Rhys teamed up with the American producer Boom Bip to form the group Neon Neon. Their first album, Stainless Style, was a concept album about the life of car designer John DeLorean. It was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize.

Their second album, Praxis Makes Perfect (2013), was about the life of Italian publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli.

Other Creative Projects

Collaborations

Rhys has worked with many other famous artists. He sang on songs for the Scottish band Mogwai and the American producer Danger Mouse. He also worked with the hip-hop group De La Soul on the Gorillaz song Superfast Jellyfish.

Films and Documentaries

Rhys has also been involved in filmmaking. In 2010, he starred in the documentary Separado!. The film follows his journey to Patagonia in South America to find distant relatives.

In 2014, he co-directed and created the music for American Interior. This film tells the story of John Evans, a Welsh explorer who searched for a lost tribe of Welsh-speaking Native Americans in the 1790s.

Film and Game Music

Rhys has composed music for films and video games. He wrote the score for the movie Set Fire to the Stars (2014), about the poet Dylan Thomas. He won a BAFTA Cymru award for his music. He also created the music for the popular mobile game Whale Trail.

Personal Life

Rhys and his partner, Catryn Ramasut, started a production company called ieie Productions in 2006. In 2015, he received an Honorary Fellowship from Bangor University for his contributions to music and culture. He is a supporter of the Bangor City F.C. football team.

Discography

Here are some of the main albums Gruff Rhys has released with his bands and as a solo artist.

Studio Albums

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)

Neon Neon

• Stainless Style (2008)
• Praxis Makes Perfect (2013)

See also

In Spanish: Gruff Rhys para niños