During the American leg of their Winter 2008 tour Synthesis.net met up with SFA singer/guitarist Gruff Rhys and asked the soft-spoken native Welshman about the necessity of his and his band’s side-projects and how the Super Furry Animals operates within their chaotic cooperative. And if anyone out there speaks Welsh, a translation of Gruff’s final statement would be just splendid. Thanks
I can barely understand what gruff is saying most of the time though.. His low volume Welsh accent is almost incomprehensable for me.. Be that as it may..The man is still a legend..
Cheers charold3, i know some people that have interviewed him and didnt find it easy. A friend of mine’s cousin interviewed him when they played the Sea Sessions in Donegal and said he “was the most withdrawn person he’s ever met”? When i made my original comment a guy replied suggesting i had something against him smoking a joint or whatever. I have absolutely nothing against anyone smoking. Thanks mate!
Makes sense, budge, about the mental translation from Welsh to English. I think
–no, I know–that Rhys is a very smart man. He may be a stoner, but he is certainly not a knownothing.
Man the furry;s are such an influence to me. I wright songs in welsh and english(get me)dont like to brag there rubish realy but if you’re interested and wana chek it out there on youtube like markwhitby1 or something! but ye gruf is always like that, most people that creative and talented do find it hard puting sentenes together on camera, expesialy about their music! His accsent is tru north as wel! i met him in cardif, was absouloutly hamerd! Nos Da! x
why are u so adverse to him being ‘off his face?’ he quite obviously had been smokin a fair bit of green that day! duhr! yes he is one of the most unique underestimated clever and diverse songwriters of our time but still sucks on a roger. He chews on his words when spraffing in welsh anyway
He’s not off his face. His first language is Welsh and he’s said in the past that when he’s forming an answer in his mind it’s in Welsh and then he has to get it out in English. He has written some of the cleverest lyrics and dealt with subjects that havent been addressed. Gruff is totally unique. He’s soft spoken but never underestimate the man or try to infer that he’s some know nothing stoner.
…and that its probably harder to make SFA records compared to making Gruff records. Cos of how long theyve been in a band together. People change. Its just natural, maybe they’ll have conflicting views after a while. The hardest thing to admit, to himself more than anything, is that gruff is the real genius. Lets just hope that the furries arent past their best. Cos they are the best. The best band in the world. SFA OK.
His job isn’t to do interviews so he doesn’t have to be interesting in them but I feel sorry for the guy who is conducting it. He’s not rude but he’s not very chatty.
I don’t know if he’s monged, but imagining he is makes it really funny.
hahaha
he was so wasted it took near 10 minutes to answer 2 question
i love how you can hear his genius in the background
whilst he is totaly wasted on camera
not to say that wasn’t genius interview technique
what a guy!
Chwedl
I can barely understand what gruff is saying most of the time though.. His low volume Welsh accent is almost incomprehensable for me.. Be that as it may..The man is still a legend..
chilled to say the least,lol.
He is always like this. Look for the “Gruff Rhys – Cnex” video on YouTube to see him doing it in Welsh.
i so want that hat
no, Gruff is always like this. But a deviously clever chap though…
This was so funny to watch.
I think it isn’t his bad english that takes him time to answer I think he is just laid back and I think he is being sarcastic to a point
Cheers charold3, i know some people that have interviewed him and didnt find it easy. A friend of mine’s cousin interviewed him when they played the Sea Sessions in Donegal and said he “was the most withdrawn person he’s ever met”? When i made my original comment a guy replied suggesting i had something against him smoking a joint or whatever. I have absolutely nothing against anyone smoking. Thanks mate!
Makes sense, budge, about the mental translation from Welsh to English. I think
–no, I know–that Rhys is a very smart man. He may be a stoner, but he is certainly not a knownothing.
id say he drank a nagin before he went on that
“We’re pretty good at doing things,”
Choice.
Man the furry;s are such an influence to me. I wright songs in welsh and english(get me)dont like to brag there rubish realy but if you’re interested and wana chek it out there on youtube like markwhitby1 or something! but ye gruf is always like that, most people that creative and talented do find it hard puting sentenes together on camera, expesialy about their music! His accsent is tru north as wel! i met him in cardif, was absouloutly hamerd! Nos Da! x
why are u so adverse to him being ‘off his face?’ he quite obviously had been smokin a fair bit of green that day! duhr! yes he is one of the most unique underestimated clever and diverse songwriters of our time but still sucks on a roger. He chews on his words when spraffing in welsh anyway
haha is that interviewer real? haha is it a spoof interview? FRENCH BREAD!!
He’s not off his face. His first language is Welsh and he’s said in the past that when he’s forming an answer in his mind it’s in Welsh and then he has to get it out in English. He has written some of the cleverest lyrics and dealt with subjects that havent been addressed. Gruff is totally unique. He’s soft spoken but never underestimate the man or try to infer that he’s some know nothing stoner.
I speak Welsh and english or more correctly a mixture of both, Its great that the Furrys sing in both, and Gruf is just a legend!!
I think the Welsh statment is ‘Enthusiasm is the most important thing in life by reason’…I think.
I go to a Welsh school, so I roughly understand what he’s saying.
he mumbles a lot for a singer
No pressure, like! :p x
…and that its probably harder to make SFA records compared to making Gruff records. Cos of how long theyve been in a band together. People change. Its just natural, maybe they’ll have conflicting views after a while. The hardest thing to admit, to himself more than anything, is that gruff is the real genius. Lets just hope that the furries arent past their best. Cos they are the best. The best band in the world. SFA OK.
His job isn’t to do interviews so he doesn’t have to be interesting in them but I feel sorry for the guy who is conducting it. He’s not rude but he’s not very chatty.
I don’t know if he’s monged, but imagining he is makes it really funny.
hahaha
he was so wasted it took near 10 minutes to answer 2 question
i love how you can hear his genius in the background
whilst he is totaly wasted on camera
not to say that wasn’t genius interview technique
what a guy!
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