Hosts: Neil & Chris

Chris arrives early and prepared, an event so unprecedented that Neil suspects a parallel universe shift. The pair dive into Stereophonics' second album Performance and Cocktails, whose title came from a business card handed to Kelly Jones at Shine, a bizarre New York club featuring trapeze artists in pig heads. Chris calls this record his "comfort blanket," while Neil makes the bold claim it's "one of the greatest sounding records." Both recall it being a touchstone of their school friendship alongside Eels and NOFX, back when they made homemade radio shows on cassette decks with fictional bands like Powerhead.

The album sold 1.7 million copies in the Napster year of 1999, debuting at number one and spending 101 weeks in the UK top 100. Recorded across four studios (Courtyard, Parkgate, Real World, and Rockfield) and produced by Bird and Bush, it launched Stereophonics from club dates to arena headliners. The hosts marvel at how the record sounds both massive in the car and intimately detailed through headphones, a feat rarely achieved. Kelly Jones wrote most tracks on a 60 quid Tanglewood guitar and the band came straight off the road into the studio, capturing their live tightness across those sessions.

The Bartender and the Thief kicks things off with Richard Jones literally drunk and falling over his guitar to create that intro. Just Looking showcases Kelly's voice carrying the song with beautiful texture and detail. I Stopped To Fill My Car Up brings atmospheric Massive Attack drum loops and piano, told as a Twilight Zone twist tale that became Stuart Cable's favorite because he loved Kelly's lyrics. The album balances big stomp with nuance, recorded live in few takes to capture the band's road-tightened chemistry. Kelly wrote most of it on tour buses during FIFA 97 sessions, Marshall Bird added organ and Mellotron layers, and Astrid provided backing vocals including her Counting Crows connection on Sullivan Street.

Performance and Cocktails captured Welsh rock at its commercial peak, proving bands could craft records that worked everywhere from car speakers to audiophile headphones. The album's 1.7 million sales matched their next record despite Napster killing the industry, showing Stereophonics' staying power. Kelly Jones' storytelling evolved from Word Gets Around's village tales to broader observations while keeping emotional authenticity. Recording across multiple studios yet maintaining sonic coherence was extraordinary, and the live-tracked approach preserved the band chemistry that made 93 gigs in 1999 possible. This episode also honors Stuart Cable's legacy with Kelly's moving tribute, showing how band splits can heal and friendships endure beyond the music.

Perfect for: Welsh rock devotees, audiophiles who appreciate warm yet detailed production, Kelly Jones vocal worshippers, apocalyptic music video enthusiasts, people who make stuff in their childhood bedrooms that becomes their career decades later, anyone who needs reminding that even legendary musicians doubt themselves, and listeners who appreciate when hosts honor fallen friends with grace and honesty.