Stereophonics deny Christmas duet

By Ruth Barnes BBC 6 Music reporter

Stereophonics are celebrating more than a decade in the spotlight

Stereophonics have denied reports that they will record a Christmas single with Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe.

They were rumoured to be teaming up with Calzaghe in a bid for number one, up against fellow boxer Ricky Hatton, who was said to have enlisted Oasis.

But Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones told BBC 6 Music: "I know Joe but I haven't seen him for a few years.

"We used to play charity football matches together but I don't know where that story's come from."

Speaking ahead of Monday's Mencap Little Noise Session in London, bassist Richard Jones said he had a theory about where the story could have come from.

"We were going to go over to New York and play a gig for all Calzaghe's fans in Madison Square Gardens or somewhere like that," he said.

"It didn't come together, so maybe somebody put two and two together and came back with 16."

It's a celebration, it's a party, we are very proud of what we have done Kelly Jones on Stereophonics' greatest hits album

The band released their greatest hits album A Decade In The Sun this week and will head out on a UK tour in December.

Fans will be treated to all their hits on tour, according to Kelly.

"We've never ever played a set list with, like, 25 singles in a row before," he said.

"You always try to do stuff from the albums or B sides. We are literally going to try and do that kind of hit-mungous night.

"I am quite curious to see what it does to the crowd because when you do the big favourite ones, people have a great time. So to do a whole evening of that, it's going to be great."

And they have been around long enough to release a greatest hits album, the singer believes.

'Right time'

"I think greatest hits albums have a stigma attached to them," he said. "A lot of bands put them out after having two albums thinking they have loads of hits.

"For us, this is something that we are completely part of, we have been asked about five or six times over the years to do it, and it never felt like the right time.

"But 10 years down the line, it does feel like a good time."

It's going good, the writing, I'm very pleased with it Kelly Jones on new Stereophonics material

And he is quick to reassure fans it is not a swansong for the band.

"The two new songs on it are an indication that we are still doing new stuff," he said.

"It's not just like closing the chapter. To us it's a celebration, it's a party, we are very proud of what we have done."

The band were asked to record new material for the greatest hits album, and say they went a bit overboard.

"We wanted to show we are still doing new stuff, the last album only came out about a year ago anyway," the frontman said.

"We went into the studio to write two or three and ended up writing eight or nine.

"We are going to continue recording in March for a new album to come out next year. It's going good, the writing, I'm very pleased with it."

The 15-date tour kicks off in Bristol on 28 November, rounding up at the O2 Arena in London on 20 December.