Stuart James Cable (19 May 1970 – 7 June 2010) was a Welsh rock drummer and broadcaster, best known as the original drummer for the band Stereophonics.

Early life

Cable was born in Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, on 19 May 1970. When he was 10, his father died. Thereafter, Cable and his elder brother, Paul, were raised by their mother Mabel (1930–2018) on her own. He attended Blaengwawr Comprehensive School with his friend, Stereophonics singer-songwriter and guitarist Kelly Jones, who also lived on the same street. who were the first band to play the new Liberty Stadium in Swansea, supporting The Who.

Media career

thumb|Cable with [[Alex Zane co-presenting the 2008 XFM Awards]]

In 2002, Cable was given his own TV chat show, Cable TV, by BBC Wales. He was sacked by Stereophonics in September 2003, because it was claimed he was spending too much time on his new media career at the expense of rehearsals. After that, he had another television series of his own, Cable Connects (2005) and had his own radio show on BBC Radio Wales: Cable Rock.

Cable was the spokesperson of a 2002 BBC Wales campaign (called BLLCKS) to raise awareness of testicular cancer.

In 2005, Cable co-hosted the Kerrang! Awards, and also presented two shows on Kerrang! 105.2: the Cable and Caroline Show with Caroline Beavon on Sunday mornings and The Rock 'n' Roll Years on weekday mornings until 2010. In November 2007, he joined XFM South Wales and hosted weekend shows until the station was sold on 30 May 2008. After leaving Kerrang! Radio, in April 2010 Cable returned to BBC Radio Wales as the presenter of Saturday Night Cable, a show playing both old and new rock music. Cable interviewed Slash from Guns N' Roses as a presenter and was scheduled to interview his favourite band, AC/DC, on the weekend following his death, at the Download Festival (where his new band were also scheduled to play).

Personal life

thumb|170px|Cable live with Killing for Company in May 2010, several weeks before his death

Cable owned a flat in Cardiff Bay, and partly lived in Abernant, before moving to the neighbouring village of Llwydcoed in a Tudor-style house. In 1999, he married Nicola In 2003, he had an affair with television presenter Lisa Rogers. Cable claims that it was differences between Rogers and Kelly Jones' partner at the time which violently came to a head publicly at a restaurant in Paris, eventually leading to his dismissal after he made a sarcastic joke about the incident the following day. Around 2003, Cable and his wife divorced. In his autobiography, he stated that he had been a hard drinker and drug user, particularly whisky and cocaine. He claimed his close friend, Dirty Sanchez star Mathew Pritchard, enjoyed wild parties and drugs.

Death

Cable was found dead at his home in Llwydcoed at 5:30 am on 7 June 2010, aged 40. Cable was said to have been presenting on the radio at the same time that Stereophonics were performing. The following day, he began drinking at Welsh Harp Inn in Trecynon. Cable walked home with friends,

References

  • BBC Wales Music tribute blog and fan memories