Stereophonics is a Welsh rock band formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman… Read Full Bio ↴Stereophonics is 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 (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.

Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereophonics

Studio albums
Word Gets Around (1997)
Performance and Cocktails (1999)
Just Enough Education to Perform (2001)
You Gotta Go There to Come Back (2003)
Language. Sex. Violence. Other? (2005)
Pull the Pin (2007)
Keep Calm and Carry On (2009)
Graffiti on the Train (2013)
Keep the Village Alive (2015)
Scream Above the Sounds (2017)
Kind (2019)
Oochya! (2022)

Plastic California
Stereophonics Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Plastic California
Looks like Blackpool
Outta date
Some love some hate
It's all your competition
It's not my occupation true
But it's what you do
Some love some hate

I like pink architecture
Flip back my red strip deck chair
Prove we got nothing to prove
Gin stroke amnesia problems
Overhearing talk of Hollywood
We wish we could ya should
Some love some hate
It's a beautiful place for nature
And all the beautiful people make it true
But you look good as you
Some love, some hate
Makes me feel great

I feel new d'ya feel new, ha, ha
Well I'm pleased to meet you

Overall Meaning

In "Plastic California," Stereophonics portrays the duplicity of the American Dream. To the singer, the eponymous town of Plastic California resembles a cheap, out-of-date British holiday resort rather than a place where dreams come true. Despite the obvious lack of authenticity and the sense of competition that permeates every aspect of life, California remains a place people aspire to be in. The singer may not see it as his occupation to compete, but he is aware that it is what everyone else does. He feels detached from the culture obsessed with fame, and the Gin stroke amnesia problems remind him of how superficial the place is. But, he recognizes that the people who live there are naturally beautiful, making it a place where nature mixes with beauty.

The singer appears to enjoy the irony of the place as he revels in pink architecture and red strip deck chairs. He notes that they can prove that they have nothing to prove, making readers question if this could be a statement about the people's lack of substance that looks to compensate with materialism. As the singer listens to conversations about Hollywood, he wishes he could be part of it, but deep down, he knows it is not what he desires. While the people around him hold different opinions about the place, the singer feels great as he feels new - making him feel alive.

Line by Line Meaning

Plastic California
The superficiality of California is implied through this line

Looks like Blackpool
Blackpool,a seaside resort town in England,is being compared to superficial California

Outta date
The singer believes that California is not really current

Some love some hate
People have mixed feelings about California

It's all your competition
The singer is indicating that everything in California is a competition

It's not my occupation true, but it's what you do
The singer does not work in California, but he is observing that being superficial and competitive is a common practice

I like pink architecture
The singer might appreciate the flashy construction works in California

Flip back my red strip deck chair
The singer seems to be enjoying himself in his red-striped deckchair

Prove we got nothing to prove
The singer is challenging those in California to prove their worth

Gin stroke amnesia problems
There may be an abundance of drinking in California culture

Overhearing talk of Hollywood
Hollywood, the land of the stars, is in California and is often talked about there

We wish we could ya should
The singer acknowledges the draw of the Hollywood lifestyle

It's a beautiful place for nature
California's climate and scenery are gorgeous

And all the beautiful people make it true
The beautiful people who live in California contribute to its beauty

But you look good as you
The singer is complementing his companion

Makes me feel great
California's beauty and his companion make the singer happy

I feel new d'ya feel new, ha, ha
California has given the singer a fresh beginning, and he is asking if his companion also feels similarly rejuvenated

Well I'm pleased to meet you
The singer is introducing himself to his companion and pleased to be there with her in California

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Kelly Jones, Stuart Cable, Richard Mark Jones

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Plastic California
Looks like Blackpool
Outta date
Some love some hate
It's all your competition
It's not my occupation true
But it's what you do

Some love some hate
Some love some hate

I like pink architecture
Flip back my red strip deck chair
Prove
we got nothing to prove
Gin stroke amnesia problems
Overhearing talk of Hollywood
We wish we could
Ya should

Some love some hate
Some love some hate

It's a beautiful place for nature
And all the beautiful people make it true
But you look good as you

Some love, some hate
Some love, some hate
Makes me feel great
Makes me feel great
I feel new, d'ya feel new, ha, ha
I feel new, ha, ha,
d'ya feel new, ha, ha, ha, ha
Well I'm pleased to meet you