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On this day, 17 April 2003, rock band Placebo played Cardiff University with support provided by the wonderfully titled Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster.
Formed in London in 1994 by vocalist-guitarist Brian Molko and bassist–guitarist Stefan Olsdal. Drummer Robert Schultzberg joined in late 1994, but left in 1996 shortly after the release of the band's eponymous debut album due to conflicts with Molko, and was replaced the same year by Steve Hewitt.
Placebo released their fourth album, named Sleeping with Ghosts, on 24 March 2003. The sound of the album was described in a Billboard review as being infused with "edgy electronic flourishes".
Molko explained the title of an album in an interview:
“It is romantic without being sentimental. It's an album full of colour.
It's also the first time when we recorded an album during the summer, after a long break.
Before, we were in a sort of rock'n'roll bubble, we were alternating the studio sessions and the live concerts, we were pretty much cut off from the real world.
It's dangerous to live too much in this kind of bubble. We had the chance to distance ourselves a bit from everything that happened since 1996 up until now.
I also had the occasion to reflect on the Montagne Russe that is my personal life after these seven years. The ghosts I'm talking about are the people, the events you're wearing into your soul consciously or not.”
The album went to No. 11 in the UK and sold 1.4 million copies worldwide.