Featuring Gruff Rhys

Huw has outdone himself. After a discussion on the list about what non-SFA and non-solo tracks Gruff appears on... we now have a shiny new YouTube channel, collecting all the songs in one place.

I highly recommend checking it out as there are some tracks on there that are quite hard to find. I particularly like the comprehensive notes on each entry. Plus the fact that he's even included Gruff's carrot chewing on the Misty's Big Adventure song!

Brought a smile to my face!

Check it out
Featuring Gruff Rhys

All quiet on the Furry front...

There's really not much going on at the moment. But I do get the impression that, as always, Gruff is beavering away in the background and just not giving away much.

'Separado!'
'Separado!' (now spelt correctly by me...) now has it's own website. Which basically just consists of a picture and an email address. But you can sign up to a mailing list so hopefully Ms. Catryn Ramasut will let us know if there is ever any news on this film. Or maybe it will only ever consist of a picture on a dead website. Ho hum.

A pretty picture for 'Separado!' (otherwise known as the official website).



There are some ripples of excitement on the list and board as both Andy Votel and David Wrench (producer-types) have made passing references to working on Gruff's solo album. But, as usual, there's no real information on the album. I think Gruff must have briefed both of them to just drop hints and tease us... He's a little flirt. Anyway, I'm guessing this solo album they're referring to is the soundtrack for 'Separado!'. But I assume that, if it is, then the film and soundtrack are tied in together and one won't be released without the other. In other words, I'm wondering if the solo album is dependent on 'Separado!' finding a distributor? As a stalwart of the Welsh music scene it must be a lot easier for him to release an album than a film... Gruff's an untested element when it comes to the film side of things.

Gorillaz
And Gruff continues his rent-a-vocal duties. (I mean that in the nicest possible way, who wouldn't want to rent those vocals?) This time he is appearing on the new Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach. In the new issue of Q, there's a feature on the Gorillaz album and Gruff has a little side-bar. He says he appears on 'Superfast Jellyfish' and 'Leviathan' but, looking at the tracklist, it would appear that 'Leviathan' has been dropped (how very dare they!). Anyway, that'll be one song to download from iTunes. Unless you have a thing for virtual bands and want to get the whole album...

Well, that's a lot of words to basically just say there's no news. I need something at the end of all this. Ah! A download! That'll do nicely.

Schubas Tavern interviews Gruff, September 2007

The sound is quite bad, so turn it up to 11!

No comments just links

Interview with Gruff and Guto (well...) in Brazil

Interview with Gruff about Seperado from the Guardian

Interview with Gruff

Interview with Gruff for Rizla (notice a pattern here?)

Very short interview with Gruff at Blissfields (fast forward 'till about 04:05)

Interview with... wait for it... Neon Neon!

And this glorious quote from BBC 6 Music's Twitter;

"Gruff Rhys says Super Furry's have started writing new material on the road. Drummer Dafydd's new band The Peth have finished another record"

Ah!

Gigs, gigs, gigs...

I'm losing track of the amount of gigs the Furries have announced. I can't afford to go to any more this year so I'm not even sure what's already happened and what's still to come. They haven't been to Dubai yet, I know that much. I'll be waiting for the scandal after that one...!

They're turning into a right bunch of jet-setters this year, a couple of new ones;

November 10, São Paulo, Brazil
November 13, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

and

'Recreation'
Imagine my surprise when the NME reported a couple of days ago about 'Recreation'... which is just the fancy title of SFAs Cardiff Soundtrack gig on November 20. They're as good as me at breaking old news; the 'Recreation' gig is now sold out as it's been on sale for about a month. BUT Gruff is definitely premiering 'Seperado!' at the Soundtrack festival, on November 19, for which tickets are still available. Plus it will be followed by 'a Q&A session with pop legend GRUFF RHYS (Super Furry Animals), Director Dyl 'Goch' Jones and Guardian journalist and author Will Hodgkinson.' All for £6.90. You lucky lucky Cardiff people.

And still they come nowhere near Norfolk. In fact, they seem to be travelling further and further away. My mind control techniques must not be working.

Oh, and Gruff talks a bit more about 'Seperado!' in Buzz Magazine (pages 10-11). Sounding good, sounding good. Sounds like a film for Cinema City in Norwich, to me. Or the Picturehouse in Cambridge. Either would be good.

And another

December 18, Manchester Central, Manchester
Another gig has been announced, this time as support (...!) to the Doves.

I can't believe the Furries are back to a support slot after 15 years. And not only support but supporting the Doves with another band (Delphic)! When did the Doves become bigger than SFA? And who was the jammy git who approached the Furries to see if they'd support?

As I cough and splutter, trying to swallow my indignation, here's the link for tickets;

Super Furry Animals supporting the Doves with Delphic

¡Seperado!

Only the other day I was wondering about Gruff's Patagonian documentary Seperado and now he has talked about the film in an interview with Agit Reader. Here's what he said about Seperado;

'We’re going to show the film for the first time in November and hopefully someone will help me put out a DVD for release sometime next year. The film’s going to be called “Seperado.” I also did a soundtrack for it, so that will be my next solo album by default.'

News on Seperado and news on a solo album?!

There's been speculation on the SFA list that he might be showing the film at the Soundtrack Festival in November, where the Furries are also playing. As the festival is celebrating the relationship between film and music that would make complete sense - but I also hope there is some form of general release for the film. Even just a limited release in art house cinemas would be very appreciated. Fingers crossed he'll be able to release it on DVD, too (packed full of extras, eh? ...I don't want much).

I'd recommend reading the rest of the interview as Gruff also talks about the fabled Furries instrumental/soundtrack album (looks like it's been put on the back-burner)!

Reading between the lines a couple of cool points; Gruff infers the Furries will still be together in ten years and he also seems to suggest that there is a good chance of even more solo work from him ('...my next solo album.' not just 'a solo album.') But then maybe I'm reading too much into his words. As usual.

For some reason I'm even more excited about Seperado and it's soundtrack than I was about the new Furries album.

And so my Gruff obsession continues.

Huw Stephens' Introducing

Thanks to the list, info on a Gruff Rhys DJ set in October;

October 13, 7pm-12am, FREE, The Social, London
Also with Yr Ods, Lousie Golbey + guests.

Huw Stephens' Introducing at The Social