Stereophonic: A Rock and Roll Tale Set in a Recording Studio in 1976

Published: 20 April 2024 at 06:10

Entertainment

David Adjmi's play, Stereophonic, delves into the dynamics of a five-piece band in a recording studio in 1976, exploring the clash between artistic expression and perfectionism. The story follows the band's struggles with relationships and conflicts, such as jealousy, substance abuse, and internal tensions, as they work on their next album. With a searing and documentary-like portrayal, the play captures the challenges faced by the group and the studio engineers in keeping the creative process intact amidst personal and professional strains.

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Broadway Play 'Stereophonic' Tracks the Creation of a Rock Album in the 1970s

Stereophonic is a new play on Broadway with music by Arcade Fire's Will Butler, following the volatile creation of a rock and roll album over the course of a year in the 1970s. The play features a fictional band resembling Fleetwood Mac and provides a hyper-realistic look at the challenges and rewards of making art, showcasing the intimate process in a working recording studio set. The original score by Will Butler will be released as a cast album, with the play premiering to critical acclaim at Playwrights Horizons.

Stereophonic (play) (Wikipedia)

Stereophonic is a dramatic stage play with music written by American playwright David Adjmi. Music written for the play was composed by Will Butler from the indie rock band Arcade Fire.The play follows a fictional 1970s rock band on the cusp of superstardom as they struggle through recording their new album.

David Adjmi (Wikipedia)

David Adjmi (born 1973) is an American playwright who is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Whiting Award, the inaugural Steinberg Playwright Award, a Bush Artists Fellowship, and the Kesselring Prize for Drama.

Stereophonics (Wikipedia)

Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in the Cynon Valley, Wales. The band consists of Kelly Jones (lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards), Richard Jones (no relation to Kelly; bass guitar, harmonica, backing vocals), Adam Zindani (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Jamie Morrison (drums, percussion) and touring member Tony Kirkham (keyboards). The group previously included Stuart Cable (1992–2003) and then Javier Weyler (2004–2012) on drums. Stereophonics have released twelve studio albums, including eight UK number one albums. A successful compilation album, Decade in the Sun, was released in November 2008 and charted at number two on the UK Album Chart.Described as "classic UK rock delivered with whiskey vocals", the band have been summarised as possessing a sound akin to the genres of alternative rock and "British traditional rock". Stereophonics' debut album, Word Gets Around, was released in August 1997 and charted at number six in the UK, aided by the singles "Local Boy in the Photograph", "More Life in a Tramps Vest" and "A Thousand Trees". The band reached mainstream success with the release of Performance and Cocktails (and its promotional singles "The Bartender and the Thief", "Just Looking" and "Pick a Part That's New") in 1999 and have achieved a total of ten top-ten singles as well as one number one: "Dakota" (2005). Having sold around 10 million copies worldwide by 2016, Stereophonics are one of the most successful Welsh rock acts. Upon their release of Pull the Pin, they achieved five consecutive UK number one albums.The band have also been praised for their live performances, which have landed them headlining slots at many of the UK and Ireland's most high-profile music festivals, including Reading and Leeds in 2000, Glastonbury in 2002, V Festival in 2002, the Isle of Wight in 2004 and 2009, Oxegen in 2010, Tramlines Festival and TRNSMT in 2018, and Latitude in 2019. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.