Jones lived in the village of Cwmaman, near Aberdare, where he became friends with neighbours, Stuart Cable and Richard Jones and they formed a covers band together. Showing a talent for writing in his youth, he considered being a scriptwriter before being a musician and studied film at college.

 

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The BBC showed an interest in some of his early work but, as the band progressed from a covers band to writing their original material, he decided to use his narrative side more towards writing lyrics.
Jones also flirted with the idea of boxing and was a successful boxer at youth level. Much of his early life is documented in the Stereophonics debut album, including his account of his teen years on a market stall. These are wryly documented in More Life in a Tramps Vest from the Stereophonics first album released in 1997, Word Gets Around.

Stereophonics made a big splash in 1996 as the first band to be signed to Richard Branson's new Virgin Records label V2. Their distinctive sound offered a blend of Oasis-inspired Britpop and '70s-influenced rock & roll earning them a series of big UK hits.

However, this did not come at once - their debut EP Looks Like Chaplin did not have enough copies made to enter the charts, their next single Local Boy in the Photograph was one place shy of making the UK Top 50. Although constant gigging and countless support slots earned them much praise and a growing fanbase.

Their debut LP Word Gets Around did however make it to #6 in the UK Album chart, something that in those days was unheard of for a small Welsh trio.

Since then the band have grown to arena sized proportions and have had numerous smash-hits with singles and albums.

Songbook Performances:

- Local Boy in the Photograph
- Just Looking
- Pick a Part That's New
- Maybe Tomorrow
- Dakota

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