Gruff Rhys is the main songwriter in Super Furry Animals, and writes the vast majority of their lyrics.

Prior to SFA's formation, Gruff played in a number of bands, including the Creation Records-signed Emily, and Ffa Coffi Pawb. But his first musical venture occurred at the age of five, when he wrote a song about a train driver contemplating death. It was called Dwifn Mynd Yn Hen (I'm Getting Old).

The nucleus of the Super Furries came with a chance encounter with Bunf on the roof of a steam train in 1990. "I'd never spoken to him until then," Gruff told the Melody Maker. "We were on the way to the nearest town, because the pub we'd been at was closing. It was a beautiful day, so we simultaneously, from different sides of the carriage, went on the roof.

"The guard saw us, stopped the train. He comes to the carriage. By that time we were inside. We were in a group of 10 people. The guard said, Which ones were on the roof? And they all pointed... And me and Bunf were taken off the train and had to walk three miles along the track."