The Joy Formidable

The Joy Formidable are an indie rock band formed in 2007 in North Wales, United Kingdom, currently located in London, England. The group members are Ritzy Bryan (vocals, guitar), Rhydian Dafydd (bass, backing vocals), and Matt Thomas (drums). Their music has been described as “primal epic grunge rock à la The Breeders, Arcade Fire and Yeah Yeah Yeahs”.

Vocalist/guitarist Ritzy Bryan and bassist Rhydian Dafydd originally played together as part of indie rock band Tricky Nixon, which later reformed into a new wave/post-punk band Sidecar Kisses. In 2007 they regrouped on returning to Mold, Wales and formed The Joy Formidable, with Justin Stahley now on drums.

The release of The Joy Formidable’s debut album, ‘The Big Roar’, in January of this year kickstarted a remarkable rise to prominence over the last six months that has seen the trio playlisted across national radio, tipped as a band set to make 2011 their own by the likes of NME, The Fly, The Independent and Q, feted by Dave Grohl, who declared ‘Whirring’ his track of the year, and achieve that rarest of things for a UK band, sustained, increasing success in the USA.

Childhood friends Ritzy Bryan and bassist Rhydian Dafydd originally played together as part of Manchester, England indie rock band Tricky Nixon, which later reformed into a New Wave/post-punk band Sidecar Kisses. After Sidecar Kisses split up in 2007 they regrouped, returning to their home town of Mold, Wales, and formed The Joy Formidablewith Justin Stahley on drums.

For six months, the pair wrote together, experimenting with different sonic approaches. As the sessions began yielding, signature tunes like “Austere” and “Cradle” – tracks that combined the duo’s interest in thick, textured noises with clear, shimmering pop hooks – took form. “We’d always been into writing strong melodies,” Bryan says. “The sparks really flew when we started messing with things that were choral and symphonic, mixed with what both of us had already enjoyed separately: dirty, loud, rhythmic guitars and thick bass-lines.”