Gruff Rhys
Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys (born 18 July 1970) is a Welsh musician, composer, producer, filmmaker and author. He performs solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals, which obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip.
Also recorded as Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys
Gruff Rhys

Jim Ellis/Ochr 1/Antena · Antena · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Gruff Rhys
- Birth Name
- Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys
- Born
- 18 July 1970
- Birthplace
- Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales
- Occupation
- Musician, songwriter, filmmaker, author, producer
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Fields
- alternative rock
- Education
- Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen
- Honours
- Welsh Music Prize
- Languages
- English
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Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys (born 18 July 1970) is a Welsh musician, composer, producer, filmmaker and author. He performs solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals, which obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip.
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Note VALÉORINE
Gruff Rhys (born 1970) is a composer, film director and guitarist, among other activities, of British nationality. The composer was born in Haverfordwest. Gruff Rhys was educated at Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen.
The work spans alternative rock. Languages used include English. Honours include Welsh Music Prize.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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In this article
Biography
Biography
Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008 Nationwide Mercury Prize. He won the 2011 Welsh Music Prize for his album Hotel Shampoo, which was followed up by American Interior in 2014, accompanied by a film, a book and a mobile app. His most recent album, Dim Probs, was released in 2025. He is considered a figurehead of the era known as Cool Cymru.

Turning Tides
Paul Hudson from United Kingdom · Turning Tides Festival: Gruffest Rhys
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Gruff Rhys • Landscape — no • Birth Name — Gruffudd Maredudd Bowen Rhys • Born — 18 July 1970 • Birthplace — Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales • Origin — Bethesda, Wales • Occupation — Musician, songwriter, filmmaker, author, producer • Instrument — Guitar, vocals, keyboard, saz, harmonica, drums, bass • Years Active — 1988–present • Label — Turnstile, Rough Trade, Team Love • Current Member Of — * Super Furry Animals • Neon Neon • Past Member Of — Ffa Coffi Pawb • Website — gruffrhys.com
Early life
Early life
Rhys was born 18 July 1970 in Haverfordwest, Wales. He has a brother and a sister; his father was Ioan Bowen Rees (13 January 1929 – 4 May 1999), a "poet, essayist, polemicist, mountaineer, internationalist... and a White Robe Druid of the Gorsedd of Bards". Bowen Rees "campaigned all his life for Welsh rights, language and culture" although he did not believe in the narrow view of nationalism, glorifying one country over another, rather that the "battle for Wales is the battle for all small nations, all small communities, all individuals in the age of genocide". Rhys's mother, Margaret Wynn Meredith, shared his father's love of writing and was a poet. Rhys was educated at Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen, Bethesda, Gwynedd, North Wales and was awarded a degree in art at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Ffa Coffi Pawb
Ffa Coffi Pawb
As a teenager in 1985, Gruff Rhys played drums for the North Wales band, Machlud, appearing at the Pesda Roc festival in Bethesda. After playing drums for the band Emily, Rhys found fame in Wales as the front man of Ffa Coffi Pawb. Translated, the name means 'everyone's coffee beans', though if said quickly in Welsh, it can sound like 'fuck off everyone' in English and Welsh combined. On signing to Ankstmusik, Ffa Coffi Pawb became one of the leading bands on the Welsh music scene during the Cool Cymru movement, and released three albums – Clymhalio, Dalec Peilon and Hei Vidal!. Rhys plays the guitar in an unusual style. Although he is right-handed, he learned to play left-handed on his brother's left-handed guitar. Once his brother left home, Rhys only had access to a right-handed guitar. As he had already learned to play left-handed, and rather than invert the nut and re-string it, he taught himself to play the right-handed guitar upside down so the bass strings are on the bottom. Today, Rhys still plays left-handed on an upside down right-handed guitar.
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
When Ffa Coffi Pawb disbanded in 1993, Rhys and drummer Dafydd Ieuan, of Rhoscefnhir, Anglesey, who had played for Catatonia, Anhrefn, Hanner Pei and many other Welsh language bands, formed the basis of Super Furry Animals. They soon settled on a line-up consisting of Rhys on vocals and guitar, Ieuan on drums, his brother Cian Ciaran (formerly of WWZZ) on keyboards, Huw Bunford (formerly of U-Thant) on guitar and Guto Pryce on bass. This line-up has remained constant to the present day, although the role of each member has become more flexible, particularly in the studio. In 1995, following a couple of largely Welsh-language EPs on the Ankst label, they signed to Creation Records. Apparently, when offering them the deal after a gig, Alan McGee, head of Creation, asked that they sing more songs in English. Rhys pointed out that all the songs that night had been in English. Super Furry Animals went on to release their critically acclaimed first album, Fuzzy Logic, in 1996 – the first time Rhys had recorded in English. He later observed that his singing sounded like a random collection of accents – but it was nevertheless very successful. Follow-up albums included Radiator in 1997, Guerrilla in 1999 and Mwng in 2000. They also became particularly famous for their 40-foot inflatable bears and a blue tank with 'SFA' written upon it which toured summer festivals playing techno music at high volume. Super Furry Animals made a further mark on history in July 2001, when they released their first album for the Sony label, Rings Around the World, on CD and DVD simultaneously. They repeated this for 2003's Phantom Power. Unfortunately 2005's Love Kraft performed poorly commercially and Super Furry Animals agreed to leave Sony. They are presently signed to Rough Trade and released Hey Venus! in 2007 in the UK. In 2009 they released their latest record to date, entitled Dark Days/Light Years.
Solo
Solo
• Illustration — Gruff Rhys performing at End of the Road, Dorset, England on 30th August 2024 On 24 January 2005, Rhys released his first solo album, Yr Atal Genhedlaeth, on the Placid Casual label. It was a loose, sketchy, all-Welsh-language album, with most of the instruments played by Rhys. A tour of Wales and several festival appearances followed. After Super Furry Animals signed to Rough Trade, the new label agreed to take on his solo works as well, and on 8 January 2007 they released Candylion, a batch of acoustic pop songs in English, Spanish and Welsh, which Rhys wrote whilst touring Love Kraft but which did not fit with the direction of the new Super Furry Animals album. A third solo album by Rhys, Hotel Shampoo, was released on 14 February 2011. On 4 March 2011, it was announced that Rhys would be playing at Glastonbury 2011. In May 2014, Rhys released his new work, American Interior (I Grombil Cyfandir Pell), a combined project of an album, a film, a hardback book and an app for mobile devices. The film was co-directed by Dylan Goch, who also worked with Rhys on his previous film, Separado! (2010). From December 2015 to January 2016, Rhys fronted a co-production with National Theatre Wales titled "The Insatiable, Inflatable Candylion", featuring songs from Candylion and several new tracks. The music and lyrics were by Gruff Rhys and the play's text, which included audience participation, by Tim Price. The musicians appearing with Rhys were Lisa Jên Brown (who also sang on the original album), Sweet Baboo, Emma Daman Thomas and Kliph Scurlock. The show also included actors Remy Beasley, Matthew Bulgo, Dyfan Dwyfor, Natasha Lewis and Dyfrig Morris. On 21 April 2016, Rhys released a new song entitled "I Love EU", a song praising the European Union ahead of the EU Referendum on 23 June 2016. Rhys released his fifth album, entitled Babelsberg, on 8 June 2018. A further album, "Pang!", was released on 13 September 2019, produced by South African DJ Muzi.
Neon Neon
Neon Neon
In 2007 Rhys launched a new electro-pop collaborative project with Boom Bip under the collective moniker Neon Neon. Their album, titled Stainless Style, is a loose concept album based on the tumultuous life of DeLorean Motor Company founder John DeLorean, and was released on 18 March 2008 via Lex Records. The album includes a number of high-profile guest appearances from Fab Moretti of The Strokes, Har Mar Superstar, Yo Majesty, Spank Rock, Cate Le Bon and The Magic Numbers. The first single, "Raquel", was released on 26 November 2007. The follow-up single "I Lust U", featured fellow Welsh artist Cate Le Bon on vocals. The album was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize. On 29 April 2013, Neon Neon released their second studio album, Praxis Makes Perfect, followed by a limited run of live performances featuring actors from National Theatre Wales. The album and live show are based on the life of Giangiacomo Feltrinelli.
Collaborations with other artists
Collaborations with other artists
Rhys has occasionally collaborated with other artists, providing vocals for the track "Dial: Revenge" on the Mogwai album Rock Action as well as guesting on the songs "Fear of Guitars" (from the album Machine Says Yes by FC Kahuna) and "Do's and Don'ts" (by Boom Bip) as well as "Just War" from Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse's album Dark Night of the Soul. He has also featured on the Myspace remix track "I'm Not Lying" by Goldie Lookin' Chain. He features on the track "Cream Dream" from the 2009 Simian Mobile Disco album Temporary Pleasure. He also eats carrots on the Misty's Big Adventure album Television's People, continuing the vegetable relay started by Brian Wilson on Smile. Miles Kane has also called for him to produce the next album by his band the Rascals. Rhys also collaborated with influential hip-hop group De La Soul on the Gorillaz track "Superfast Jellyfish" from their third studio album, Plastic Beach. He later provided vocals on the song "Shadowy Light" on Gorillaz 2026 album, The Mountain. In 2011 he provided vocals on the song "We Won't be Broke Forever Baby" on Akira the Don's LP The Life Equation. In 2010 he released an album with Brazilian artist Tony da Gatorra on Turnstile Music. The album featured both compositions by Tony da Gatorra, who is relatively unknown in his native Brazil, and Gruff Rhys. On 17 December 2011, Rhys joined Manic Street Preachers on stage during the band's 38 song A Night of National Treasures one-off live event at the O2 Arena in London to provide the lead vocals for the song Let Robeson Sing. Introducing Rhys to the stage, lead singer James Dean Bradfield explained that Rhys had been set to perform the song at the band's 2001 performance in Havana, Cuba but circumstances had prevented this from happening.
Documentaries
Documentaries
In 2010, Dylan Goch's film Separado! premiered. It is a documentary about Gruff Rhys's trip to Patagonia to try to locate members of his family whose ancestors had emigrated in Victorian times. In 2014, the pair co-directed a film about the Welsh explorer John Evans, American Interior. It was released in cinemas in the UK on 9 May 2014.
Computer game music
Computer game music
In 2011 Rhys composed the music for the successful iOS and Android game Whale Trail which has been an iTunes game of the week.
Political music
Political music
In 2016 Rhys composed and sang "I Love EU" to support the Remain campaign in the UK European Membership Referendum.
Opera
Opera
Rhys wrote the libretto for the 2017 opera 2117/Hedd Wyn, with music by the composer Stephen McNeff. The story is inspired by the life of the Welsh poet Hedd Wyn; set in the year 2117, it imagines a group of schoolchildren in a post-apocalyptic Trawsfynydd learning about the life and work of the poet. It was recorded by Ty Cerdd Records and released in 2022.
Personal life
Personal life
He supports Bangor City F.C. of the League of Wales. He formed ieie Productions with his partner Catryn Ramasut in 2006 to produce film and television projects. In July 2015, Rhys received an Honorary Fellowship from Bangor University. Among those also receiving the honour that day was Rhys's cousin, DJ and music promoter Huw Stephens. Their mutual grandfather was president of the Students' Union at the university. Rhys is also the cousin of musician MC Mabon (Gruff Meredith).
Studio albums
Studio albums
List of studio albums, with relevant details • Title — Release details — Peak chart position • SCOT — UK — UK Indie • Yr Atal Genhedlaeth — * Released: 25 January 2005 * Label: Placid Casual — — — — — 13 • Candylion — * Released: 8 January 2007 * Label: Rough Trade — 51 — 50 — 1 • Hotel Shampoo — * Released: 14 February 2011 * Label: Ovni — 54 — 42 — 6 • American Interior — * Released: 5 May 2014 * Label: Turnstile — 32 — 24 — 28 • Babelsberg — * Released: 8 June 2018 * Label: Rough Trade — 22 — 23 — 5 • Pang! — * Released: 13 September 2019 * Label: Rough Trade — 32 — 81 — 8 • Seeking New Gods — * Released: 21 May 2021 * Label: Rough Trade — 8 — 10 — 3 • Sadness Sets Me Free — * Released: 26 January 2024 * Label: Rough Trade — 7 — 22 — 5 • Dim Probs — *Released: 12 September 2025 *Label: Rock Action — 44 — — — 4 • "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Soundtrack albums
Soundtrack albums
List of soundtrack albums, with relevant details • Title — Release details — Peak chart position • SCOT — UK Indie — UK Sound • Set Fire to the Stars — * Released: 30 September 2016 * Label: Twisted Nerve — — — — — 17 • The Almond & the Seahorse — * Released: 24 February 2023 * Label: Rough Trade — 69 — 22 — 1 • "—" denotes releases that did not chart.
Singles and extended plays
Singles and extended plays
• Year — Title — Label • 2005 — "Gwn Mi Wn" / "Ni Yw Y Byd" — Placid Casual • 2006 — "Candylion" b/w "Colossal Smile" — Rough Trade Records • 2007 — "Gyrru Gyrru Gyrru" b/w "Y Creadur" — Rough Trade Records • 2010 — "Shark Ridden Waters" b/w "I Totally Understand" — Ovni Records • 2011 — "Sensations in the Dark" b/w "Follow the Sunflower Trail (Theme Tune for a National Strike)" — Ovni Records • 2011 — "Honey All Over" b/w "Xenodocheionology" — Ovni Records • 2011 — "Space Dust #2" b/w "Whale Trail" — Ovni Records • 2011 — Atheist Xmas EP — Ovni Records • 2016 — "I Love EU" — Ovni Records/Turnstile Music • 2018 — "Bae Bae Bae" — Eisteddfod • 2021 — Loan Your Loneliness EP — Rough Trade Records • 2022 — "People Are Pissed" b/w "Arogldarth" — Rough Trade Records
Ffa Coffi Pawb
Ffa Coffi Pawb
• Year — Title — Label • 1988 — Dalec Peilon — Ankst • 1991 — Clymhalio — Ankst • 1992 — Hei Vidal! — Ankst • 2004 — Am Byth (Compilation) — Placid Casual
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
• Year — Title — Label • 1996 — Fuzzy Logic — Creation Records • 1997 — Radiator — Creation Records • 1999 — Guerrilla — Creation Records • 2000 — Mwng — Placid Casual • 2001 — Rings Around the World — Epic Records • 2003 — Phantom Power — Epic Records • 2005 — Love Kraft — Sony BMG • 2007 — Hey Venus! — Rough Trade Records • 2009 — Dark Days/Light Years — Rough Trade Records
Neon Neon
Neon Neon
• Year — Title — Label • 2008 — Stainless Style — Lex Records • 2013 — Praxis Makes Perfect — Lex Records
Tony da Gatorra vs Gruff Rhys
Tony da Gatorra vs Gruff Rhys
• Year — Title — Label • 2010 — The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness — Turnstile
Filmography
Filmography
• Beautiful Mistake (Welsh: Camgymeriad Gwych) (2000) - appearance with Super Furry Animals • 9 Songs (2004) – appearance with Super Furry Animals • Separado! (2010) • American Interior (I Grombil Cyfandir Pell) (2014)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
2025
Gruff Rhys: 2025-04-19 - Swedish American Hall, San Francisco, CA (2025) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
Film scores
In 2014, Rhys composed the film score for Set Fire to the Stars about Dylan Thomas and starring Celyn Jones and Elijah Wood. The jazz group he formed to record the music features drummer Chris Walmsley, double-bassist Jim Barr (Portishead), Gavin Fitzjohn on trumpet and pianist Osian Gwynedd (formerly of Big Leaves and Sybridion) on piano, with strings arranged by Gruff Ab Arwel (Y Niwl). Additional string music was recorded by the Elysian Quartet. In September 2015, Rhys won the 2015 BAFTA Cymru award for Original Music for the score.
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Where material relating to Gruff Rhys is held. Recorded as singer, songwriter, film director, composer and musician.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Duerden, Nick. Prince of Wales: Gruff Rhys on his rock odyssey, and the trouble with independence. The Independent. 14 December 2014.
- 2.Perrin, Jim. Obituaries – Ioan Bowen Rees. The Guardian. 7 June 1999.
- 3.Meic Stephens. Obituary: Ioan Bowen Rees. The Independent. 9 May 1999.
- 4.I Like The Idea of Creating Cultural Havoc. Melody Maker. 19–25 January 2000.
- 5.Naylor, Tony. Fidget, schranz, doom – what? Folktronica not leftfield enough? Try this beginner's guide to obscure music genres. The Guardian. 16 April 2010.
- 6.Owens, David. Cerys, Catatonia and the Rise of Welsh Pop. Random House. 2011. 9781448116362.
- 7.Elfyn, Bethan. Pre-Cool Cymru: the pioneering bands. BBC Wales. 9 July 2013.
- 8.Buckley, Peter. The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guide, Penguin. 1034–1035. 2003. 1843531054.
- 9.Hill, Sarah. Blerwytirhwng?: The Place of Welsh Pop Music. Ashgate. 200. September 2007. 978-0-7546-5898-6.
- 10.http://www.planetmagazine.org.uk/documents/PunkRockinBethesda-MalcolmLewis.pdf
- 11.Bbc.co.uk. BBC Radio 6 Music – Mary Anne Hobbs, Gruff Rhys returns, Gruff Rhys: Key of Life interview with Mary Anne Hobbs (Extended Cut). 12 May 2013.
- 12.National Theatre Wales. The Insatiable, Inflatable Candylion.
- 13.Rhys, Gruff. Gruff Rhys: hear his song I Love EU – and find out why he wrote it. The Guardian. 21 April 2016.
- 14.Kruger Magazine. Beck to the Future? Neon Neon hit 88MPH!.
- 15.spin.com. Super Furry Animals Frontman, Boom Bip Join Forces.
- 16.Super Furry Animals man to release brand new album in February. NME.
- 17.NME News Super Furry Animals/Neon Neon's Gruff Rhys in new collaboration. NME. 6 October 2008.
- 18.Bandcamp.com. The Life Equation. 16 May 2011.
- 19.Slater, Russ. Tony da Gatorra vs Gruff Rhys – The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness | Music Review | Sounds and Colours. Soundsandcolours.com. 12 December 2010.
- 20.Cragg, Michael. New music: Gruff Rhys – Whale Trail. The Guardian. 28 September 2011.
- 21.Whale Trail on the iTunes App Store. iTunes.
- 22.Channel 4 News. Official Brexit Campaign Songs. 23 April 2016.
- 23.Find out why Gruff Rhys wrote his I Love EU song. The Guardian. Music Section. 21 April 2016.
- 24.Owens, David. Gruff Rhys scores jazz soundtrack for new Dylan Thomas movie. Wales Online. 13 May 2014.
- 25.IMDb/Amazon. IMDb: Set Fire to the Stars (2014) Full Cast & Crew. 2014.
- 26.Winners Announced - British Academy Cymru Awards 2015. Bafta.org. 27 September 2015.
- 27.2117 / Hedd Wyn | Tŷ Cerdd Records. Tycerdd.org.
- 28.Super Furry Animals – Frequently Asked Questions. BBC. 29 January 2009.
- 29.Home - ieie Productions. Ieieproductions.com.
- 30.Owens, David. Watch our exclusive videos of Gruff Rhys – king of the wild frontier. Wales Online. 10 May 2014.
- 31.Pritchard, Heledd. Super Furry Animals' Gruff Rhys and Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens among those receiving Honorary Fellowships at Bangor University. WalesOnline. 15 July 2015.
- 32.YouTube G4fMPj5zl9Y Prifysgol Bangor yn anrhydeddu Gruff Rhys a Huw Stephens
- 33.McKeating, Scott. Bravecaptain's Martin Carr: The Stylus Magazine Interview Series. Stylusmagazine.com. 23 February 2004.
- 34.Official Charts Company. GRUFF RHYS | Artist.
- 35.Slingerland, Calum. Gruff Rhys Details Soundtrack for Elijah Wood's 'Set Fire to the Stars'. Exclaim!. 7 August 2016.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 1
- Gruff Rhys (2014) American Interior: The Quixotic Journey of John Evans, His Search for a Lost Tribe and How, Fuelled by Fantasy and (Possibly) Booze, He Accidentally Annexed a Third of North America (Hamish Hamilton, Penguin Books Ltd.)
References
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reference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q3050590: Gruff RhysWikimedia Foundation
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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