Kelly Jones: Stereophonics' Mr. Writer turned Noel Gallagher's head instantly

29 October 2021, 14:00 | Updated: 2 November 2021, 15:37

Kelly Jones and Noel Gallagher — Kelly Jones has recalled how Mr. Writer got Noel Gallagher's attention when he played it to him. Picture: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

By Jenny Mensah

The Stereophonics frontman has recalled how he played the track to the Oasis rocker before it was released on a drunken night out.

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Kelly Jones has recalled how Noel Gallagher gave Mr. Writer the thumbs up on a drunken night out.

The Stereophonics frontman has written a special piece about the band's Just Enough Education To Perform (J.E.E.P) album to celebrate its 20 year anniversary and reminisced giving the Oasis rocker a listen of one of its biggest tracks.

"Noel Gallagher around this time had become a friend," he explained in Rolling Stone UK. "He got me tickets for Leeds v Man City in the Cup, in the Man City end.

"Then he came by the studio to rehearse for the John Lennon at 60 ‘Shine On’ show that Jools Holland was putting on at Air Studios in London. I’d been out the night before with a few of the girls who worked at the studio and we went to many local pubs in Box and Bath. I was feeling pretty ropey, so we halted rehearsals and went back to the pub with Noel, Gem and Richard and it was one of the funniest days we had."

The Dakota rocker added: "That night I played Noel some of the album. 'Mr Writer’ turned his head instantly and the Mancunian finger slap approval rose to the air from a drunken slump in a swivel chair.

"It meant a lot to me as we’d watched Oasis all through the mid 90s on TV, right up to us signing our record deal. We could never work out if we wanted to fight them or be like them."

Kelly Jones on the new album

Meanwhile, Kelly Jones and co have shared their plans to to celebrate J.E.E.P with intimate live dates in 2021, which will see them play the album in-full along with hits from across their career.

The dates take place this November and December and include a homecoming show at Llandudno's Venue Cymru and a gig at London's O2 Shepherds Bush Empire.

Just Enough Education To Perform was released on 11 April 2001 and included the hits Mr. Writer, Have A Nice Day and Handbags and Gladrags, which was later added to a reissue of the record after the single's success.

The album debuted at number one in the UK album charts, where it stayed for two weeks, becoming the fourth biggest-selling album in the UK that year.

It topped the charts for another fortnight in the second week of January 2022 then went on to re-enter the charts several times before disappearing from the Top 100 in 2003.