Super Furry Animals

Founded in Cardiff, Wales, this 60s retro-pop offbeat indie pop band comprise Gruff Rhys (vocals/guitar), Dafydd Ieuan (drums), Cian Ciaran (electronics), Guto Pryce (bass) and Huw “Bunf” Bunford (guitar/vocals).

The band were formed in 1993 and the first evidence of the band’s distinctive sound came with the release of the Welsh Concept EP for Cardiff independent Ankst Records in June 1995.

Fully-titled (In Space) was the name of the EP and the follow-up EP, Moog Droog, drew more praise. Occasional London shows brought the band to the attention of Creation Records.

Their decision to sing in English attracted some criticism but their debut album, Fuzzy Logic included their debut single for Creation, “Hometown Unicorn’ (the story of a French barrow-boy who was allegedly abducted by aliens in 1979) and the album”s second single, “God! Show Me Magic”.

Follow-up singles “Something 4 The Weekend” and “If You Don’t Want Me To Destroy You” took the band into the UK Top 20.

The singles were greeted with critical approval as the fanbase of the group continued to grow.

The song “Radiator”drew comparisons with the Beach Boys. The band released the “Ice Hockey Hair” EP in May 1998, while reggae-influenced “Northern Lites” provided the band with the big May 1999 UK hit. This was followed by “Guerilla.”

The band then released their first Welsh-language album in May 2000 on their own record label while “Rings Around the World” was released in March 2002.

Super Furry Animals’ first appearance of 2003 was in March, when new single “Golden Retriever” was performed on the pitch at the Millennium Stadium, prior to the Wales v Azerbaijan European Championship Qualifying match.