Welsh rocker Gruff Rhys has backed up allegations John Lydon was involved in an assault on Bloc Party singer Kele Okereke.

Rhys, frontman of cult bands the Super Furry Animals and Neon Neon, agrees with Okereke's claims the Sex Pistol attacked him.

Okereke says Lydon and his entourage were involved in a racist assault on him backstage at the Summercase festival in Barcelona, Spain, last weekend.

Lydon has furiously denied the allegation, denouncing it as "lies" and branding Bloc Party "jealous fools."

But Rhys, whose Neon Neon album Stainless Style has been shortlisted for this year's Mercury Music Prize, claims he witnessed the fracas.

He tells MTV News, "It was horrific. Kele is a very brave man and what he said is exactly what happened. The statements Kele has said are absolutely true. It did happen."

In his statement, Lydon said of Okereke: "I feel very sorry for a man who needs to lie about what was a perfect evening."

-Super Furry Animals Discography

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)