Brian Cannon Talks Oasis And More

Brian Cannon, the man behind some of the most iconic sleeve designs in the history of British music this year celebrates 20 years in the business. Over the past two decades, Brian’s company Microdot has worked with bands such as The Verve, Suede, Insprial Carpets, Super Furry Animals and of course Oasis.

After training as a graphic designer, Brian set up Microdot in 1990 and first came to prominence working with The Verve. Sleeve designs such as those for singles ‘She’s A Superstar’, ‘Gravity Grave’ and the band’s debut album ‘A Storm In Heaven’ are still regarded as some of the most innovative and original of the last two decades. The company eclipsed their own early success however with their work with Oasis in the mid-nineties.

From the iconic white on black logo Oasis to every single and album sleeve until 1998, Microdot’s designs were seen as a fitting visual companion to the bands music, often referencing both the songs themselves and giving a nod to band’s own influences. Brian is a central figure in Oasis history not just for his work with Microdot but as a friend of the band, he often made appearances on record and is one of the few ‘eye witnesses’ to the band’s early success.

In 4 short years, the company founded in a small office in the North West of England saw their work on the covers of multimillion selling records across the world in a not so distant era before technology diluted the prominence of sleeve designs and the skill of ‘man made’ cover art. Microdot resisted digitized artwork until the release of Super Furry Animal’s 1996 debut ‘Fuzzy Logic’ however Brian would still rely on traditional graphic design methods as would become their trademark in the years to come.

In a Q magazine poll of the Top 100 album covers of all time, Microdot were featured twice, for Definitely Maybe (Oasis) and This is Music (The Verve). As well as these classic pieces, Microdot also designed the StopCryingYourHeartOut logo, arguably the zenith of their 20 years in the business....

A retrospective of their work is currently on display at www.microdotcreative.co.uk and to celebrate the company’s 20th, Brian Cannon granted us an exclusive Q&A this month.

What's the strangest thing happened to you while shooting a band?

That has to be the Wonderwall story, originally Liam was the person seen through the picture frame. I had sent a message to Marcus Russell, Oasis manager to tell him and Noel about the shoot, a message he obviously didn’t receive. Mid shoot, and this is totally true, Noel just happened purely by chance to be passing in a taxi!! Next thing you know an irate Noel Gallagher jumps out the taxi which screeched to halt and shouted ‘What the f****s going on here?’ he put a halt to proceedings saying it had to be a girl in the shot!

Are there any recent bands that you'd like to work with?

I’d absolutely love to work on Noel’s new stuff, and seeing as he, probably more than any other rock star, values the opinions of his fans – get a petition going!! Other than that, I think the Arctic Monkeys are ace and The Whip.

Besides photography have you tried any other kind of art, like painting?

I am actually trained as a graphic designer, photography is just one of the disciplines I enjoy. I haven’t painted for a while and used to really enjoy printmaking. Compiling collages is also something I enjoy.




















What in your opinion are the top three album/single covers you have worked on?

Can I have four?... The Verve - A Storm In Heaven, Oasis – Some Might Say, Oasis - Definitely Maybe and The Verve – This Is Music.

What album covers first inspired you to take up the profession?

It was all about The Sex Pistols for me as a young lad, Never Mind The Bollocks is, in my opinion, the greatest typographical album sleeve of all time. It was punk generally and the Pistols in particular that inspired me to do the job.









On a overwhelming majority of Microdot sleeves NO digitisation was used. Why was this so important to you?

A lot of it was down to the fact that in the early days I simply couldn’t afford the technology!! Then when we could we still resisted as it became our trademark. It gives me great satisfaction to look back on all those great sleeves and think, ‘we actually DID that.’




















For the cover of The Verve 'She’s A Superstar' how much food colouring did you add to the water to get that effect? And did you have to get permission to do it?

It was a plastic dustbin full, the sort you’d have in your garden and no we didn’t ask for permission, it was after all bio degradable and caused no harm.

How involved was Noel in the creation of the album and single artwork. How much collaboration was there between him (or the band itself) and you?

It varied, but Noel and I ALWAYS got together before a sleeve project, he’d give me his thoughts then I’d turn it into reality. Communication was always the key, borne out by the fact that we NEVER had to re shoot a sleeve.

Would you work with the Gallagher's on any of their new projects?

See above.




















What is your favourite album artwork of all time?

Pink Floyd’s Ummagumma & The Sex Pistols Never Mind The Bollocks.

What is the hardest part in doing an album sleeve?

I don’t find any of it ‘hard’, I love doing it and I’m good at it. I suppose it only ever becomes a bit difficult if the band I’m working with has no ideas and the communication between us is lacking – something that never happened while working with Oasis or The Verve or most of the bands I have worked with.











How/when did you meet Noel and what were your first impressions of him?

I first met Noel in 1992/3, I had a tiny office in the same building as the Inspiral Carpets in Manchester for whom Noel worked as a roadie. Noel and I would see each other around the building but we were too cool to actually speak to each other. That was until one day when I got into the lift at work wearing a pair of trainers unavailable in England at the time, Adidas Indoor Super, which I had bought in Rome when I took my Mum for her 60th birthday. The first thing Noel Gallagher ever said to me was ‘Alright, I put me hands up, where the F***k did you get them trainers?!’ We got talking and he asked what I did, I told him I was into designing record sleeves – he asked me what I had done, I told him about the early Verve stuff, he was impressed as he liked The Verve and their artwork. As he was leaving the lift he said ‘I’m in a band, and when we get signed I want you to do the artwork’ That literally is it, talk about being in the right place at the right time!!!!!!

What made you commit to working with him?

I thought he was not only cool, but a really good laugh and very likeable. Oh .... and his band were brilliant!

What process did you and Noel use for creating the artwork? Did you see Noel becoming more confident in it as you worked with him, or was he always confident about it?

He’d tell me his ideas, I’d listen to the music, study the lyrics, dunno how it happened really – I just got it, you have to realise I didn’t just do the artwork for Oasis, I was a MASSIVE fan too. Noel was always confident about everything, everything related to Oasis at least.

Did Noel always have the final say in what artwork was used?

Of course, he was, as he was known within the inner circle – ‘The Chief’




















Which Oasis artwork are you most proud of?

I love Some Might Say, a great literal interpretation of the lyrics, and my Mum and Dad are on it too! Definitely Maybe has become a classic, I also think Roll With It is top, we had a great laugh doing that.

Are there any covers which, with hindsight, you would have designed differently?

No. They are what they are, no point looking back and thinking ‘Oh I wish....’

Noel said in November 2006 that his favourite Oasis covers were Shakermaker and Who Feels Love. Could you talk through the process for creating Shakermaker and what do you think about Who Feels Love?

The concept behind the Shakermaker artwork was kind of based on the lyric about Mr. Soft and this imaginary wibbly wobbly world. If you look at the back sleeve everything is normal and there is no music being played through the cassette player. On the front you can see my hand pressing play on an Oasis cassette, the music comes out and melts all the objects in the room! As you know we never used any photoshop effects and the most difficult thing was sourcing all objects that were plastic and thus meltable, the most difficult being the plastic picture frames that looked like wood. We did the back sleeve then took everything outside and I literally got an industrial blowtorch and melted everything. Funnily enough at this point of the process Bonehead and Liam turned up and saw me having the time of my life playing with fire and stated ‘Cannon, you’ve got the best job in the world!’. With regards Who Feels Love, I think it’s the best Oasis sleeve I didn’t do.




Which Oasis recordings do you appear on?

I do handclaps on All Around The World, I speak on the end of the Warchild version of Fade Away, I play keyboards on the title track of Morning Glory and my footsteps can be heard on the end of Be Here Now.

Did the other members of the band ever show any interest in, or have any input to the artwork at all?

They were all very interested, they didn’t have input as such, that was all down to Noel, but we always had a laugh doing them.

Which Oasis era was the most memorable for you and why?

94 -96, I worked with them till 98, but the first 2 years when I saw them go from nothing to being almost as big as The Beatles was amazing. It was just such an incredibly exciting time and we all knew it was something special. Also they were making great music which people absolutely loved – it was ace!

Noel often used to criticise previous albums (with the exception of Definitely Maybe) when there was a new release. He did the same with the artwork a few times, how did you feel about this criticism?

I look at is this way, he approved it all in the first place – no artwork would have ever made a sleeve if Noel hadn’t been happy about it at the time



















You were thanked in Paul Mathur's book "Take Me There". What did you think about the book?

I designed that book as well, I think it’s an honest account of the time, Paul was really the first journalist to get onto Oasis and be accepted by them. When we finished designing the book I treated all the Microdot team to a weekend in New York, Paul came with us and he STILL owes me £300 that I lent him!!

Did you like the artwork for Oasis' singles collection, Time Flies... What concept would you have used for it?

I think it’s good, probably because it looks like something we would have done at Microdot and it uses my logo.

Would you like to work with either Noel or Beady Eye on their new projects in the future, or would you prefer to keep the Oasis connection as the perfect memory that it is?

Oasis will always be the perfect memory, but I would love to work with Noel again.

Of all the artists you have worked with, with whom did you feel the greatest connection? Did this make for the best work?

The best work I ever did was for both The Verve and Oasis, we were great friends and I think it shows.

For more details of Brian's work visit www.microdotcreative.co.uk

Bonehead Talks About The Vortex, Oasis And More

We caught up with Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, founder member and former guitarist with Oasis, who is about to start a UK and European tour with Manchester’s most talked-about new band, The Vortex.

The band and are currently recording their debut album with Bonehead on production duties.

The Vortex consist of John Mackie (vocals), Bonehead (guitar), Maz Bedjet (guitar), Nick Repton (bass), Sean O'Donnell (drums) and Jaxx* (backing vocals). JAXX (Heather Small/Cotton Club vocalist) has also joined the Vortex full-time, and will be touring with the band.

He chatted to us at length about his past, present and future.

How are you?

I'm alright, I'm very good.

So how did you come about joining The Vortex?

Well our bass player, Nick, I got to know him a couple of years ago, I was doing a music show on BBC Radio Manchester. I had my own show on there that I was presenting, he was a friend with one of the people I was co-presenting with and I got to know him from there.

I just went to see them play live a couple of times in Manchester really and I liked them, they just asked me one day do I fancy coming on stage and guesting on a couple of songs. So I did that, I played two songs at a gig in Manchester, so it just sort of turned into a regular thing, where I would just come on, guest for them, one thing led to another and I joined them full time last January.

How would you best describe the band’s sound?

It always reminds me of early sort of early Primal Scream, there’s a lot of big guitars going on, but there’s a lot of dance loops. We got Jackie on backing vocals, she’s sort of the real Denise Johnston type thing. It's got a dancy feel to it, but it still has some big guitars upfront sort of thing with a lot of dance loops going on. I hate to say it's a sort of dance cross over, what a stupid fucking thing that is to say. It's Rock 'N' Roll but with dance elements in it.

You have a new lead singer, how’s he settling in?

He's really settling in, we have done about four gigs with him now, he did about two rehearsals and they just dived him into his first gig. Which was brilliant, we did a gig in London last week it was the best gig I think we have played as a band as a unit. He's really coming to his own, and he's totally lifted the band, especially Jackie on backing vocals she sort of upped a gear as well now. The two voices together, Jackie and John's are totally fluid, it's brilliant, he's settled right in.



You have a busy few months coming up with gigs and festival appearances, are rehearsals going well? And can we expect any new material?

Yes it's cool, we are recording at the moment, we have no company behind us at the moment, so we are in the middle of doing that ourselves. We’re in rehearsals tonight, it's all looking good at the moment. We are looking forward to doing Europe, we got a gig in Dunfermline on Saturday that's a pretty good one, that's sold out so that should be cool. So I'm looking forward to that, after that we are off to Europe so I'm really looking forward to that. We did a few weeks last autumn in Europe that went down really well, packed it out, and we’re looking forward to doing it again.

You've been getting good reviews for your live performances, what tracks do you love to play live?

I like playing them all, I wouldn't pick a particular one, but at the moment we have a song called 'All Over Now' which I have always loved it as a song but it just seems that every gig we do it goes from strength to strength. The more we play it, the better it gets, now John's on board I think he put the final piece to the song and it just sounds absolutely amazing live. So I always love to play that, all of them, really, but at the moment it's 'All Over Now', I love to do it, it's great.

What’s the most distinctive element of the new songs?

The most distinctive element? Me... I was joking.... I don't know, I think it's the mix of guitars and that it's a sort of dance feel with the loops going and the samples as well. I think that's the most distinctive part of it. Its real upfront guitars, sitting behind them you have these real dancy loops and samples going. That's the most distinctive part of it, I would say

Have you written any tracks for the album? Any titles you can tell us?

I've done one, it's a really old one, it's a song called 'Moondog', we are doing that live at the moment. I'm busy working on a few at home as well, Maz and Sean, the guitarist and drummer, they write the songs. We just brought one in that John co wrote with Sean years ago, they used to play together, that's come into the set. There’s a lot of the new stuff at the moment being written and stuff, pretty soon there will be a mix of everyone but it's mainly Maz and Sean.

Is there anywhere that the band has not played live that you would like to go to? Would you come to Wales?

Yes we got to look into why we are not doing Cardiff, I don't know, I want to do Cardiff. We got a lot going on, we are booked up until October, but hopefully by September that's when we are really going to go for it so yes, we will be coming to Wales.

I still have not played in Glasgow with the band yet, and I really want to do Glasgow with the band. Cause it's my favourite city in the world, it really is the best place to play. I love playing in Scotland, but particularly Glasgow, it's just every time I've done a gig in Glasgow it's been up there with the best, I really want to go there with the band. The band have played Glasgow but that was before I joined, but since I have joined we have not done it.

There’s a lot, New York, you got to do old New York haven't you, Toyko but let’s get real for the moment, Glasgow is on my list, I absolutely love playing there.



For people who have not yet listened to your band what track would you recommend they listen to and why?

Well I'd say 'All Over Now' but the reason I'd say that is because at the moment it's my particular favourite to play and to listen to really. We got a track called 'Revolution Sometime' another track called 'Never Negotiate'. I think if you listen to them two it gives you a pretty good idea what the bands about, but then there’s another song called 'Dirty Soul' which is up there, as well, I think that's an amazing track. It has to be between them three I think.

Have you had any mad moments on the tour bus yet?

Too many to mention mate, too many to put into print. Nothing mad, it's alright, it’s all good fun on the bus, like I said we all went to Europe last Autumn. And that was the first time the band, myself not included, it was the first time they had been away out of the country on a tour bus gigging around. It was a new thing for them, we had a lot of fun, it was just a laugh from start to finish. But a couple of mad moments but nothing that would hit the tabloids, but there is always time.



You now do club nights as a well respected DJ, and have played in clubs all over the UK and around the world. How did you first get into it, and what tunes do you play in your live set?

I don't really do it anymore now, I'm solely concentrating on The Vortex full time now. I got into it purely for the love of playing records. The reason I got into it was Mike Joyce, the drummer out of 'The Smiths', he does a lot of it and he asked me to do one in the south of England, a sort of joint one me and him DJing together.
And I just thought, “fuck it why do I want to do that?” But I just thought, “why not go out and play records, it's what you love. You love listening to music, so why not and play music for people to enjoy?” It's how I got the bug really, it was good...but it's not something I'm doing at the moment, I'm giving that a break now I'm really concentrating on the Vortex.

I think the end of May, the 29th of May, I'm going out to Milan with Alan McGee, we are doing a joint one, there it's a bit of a mad Oasis night really, I think, I don't know, but we are going to be like guest DJ's, I'm going to be doing that as a bit of a one off really. But the reason I got into it was just the love of playing records.

In my set list I play anything, dance music to rock 'n' roll, 60s, 70s 80's, 90's a whole mixed bag. I just don't play one type of music. I play whatever goes down well on the night I play, really. 15,000 tunes in a bag and away you go, whatever goes down well on the night, I'm not stuck to one particular type of music.

You formed your first band 'Pleasure And Pain' in 1984, can you tell us a bit about your time with them? And the style of music that they played?

Well, I was playing keyboards at the time so I think the singer at the time, fucking hell, this is fucking years ago. The singer we had had a bit of a Jim Morrison obsession I'd say, I was on keyboards and I was really into 'The Doors' at that time so I'd play Doors style keyboards. It was all a bit Doorsey, you know, in the style of music we were playing it was alright, pretty cool. It just sort of fizzled out after a year or two and didn't go anywhere.

After 'Pleasure And Pain' you formed 'The Rain' with Guigsy, Tony McCaroll and Chris Hutton, are there any recordings/footage of the band laying around?

You know what, I think there is, somebody somewhere has got a really dodgy tape we played a pub. It was before Tony McCaroll, so we just had a drum machine. Guigsy was on Bass and me on Guitar with Chris Hutton singing. We played one night in a pub, somebody has got a video of it it's got onto the Internet yet I don't know.

I've not come across it.

Well I know for a fact somebody has a copy of the tape.

I will keep looking.

You know what, I'm fucking sure that Noel Gallagher had a copy of it at one point, cause I said, “give me that tape back.” I'm sure he may still have it, I'm sure he got hold of a copy but thank god it has not appeared on the Internet..... It's that bad I'm telling you.

How did you first meet Guigsy and Tony?

Guigsy, we all came from the same area of Manchester, all the lads knew each other, he was just part of the crowd. I don't know, maybe when I was 20 or something like that, he sort of came in with all the crowd of people we hung about with so I just got to know him, we went drinking together. Same with Tony, someone knew him from the area it was just generally living and growing up in the same area, that's about it.



When Liam joined the band and you and him teamed up as co-songwriters. Can you remember any of the song titles you wrote together? And are there any recordings/footage of them?

We wrote one, he did the words and I did the music it, was called 'Take Me' it's a pretty good song. I've heard recordings of it on the Internet is around. We only had three fucking songs and that was our whole bag. God help us but.... What were the other ones called?, I can't remember I don't know. There’s two others but I can’t think off the top of my head. But one was called 'Take Me', that was alright, not a bad song you know.

I have pictures of you on my site by Ian Tilton, with you at the 'Stone Roses' at Spike Island. Whatever happened to the Bonemobile that was pictured? And did Guigsy really do the fabulous paint job on it?

I scrapped it, it fell apart, yes he did cause I had that roof and I never really used to use that roof and it was stuck in the garage. I think we were all sleeping out in the van that night we sort of camped out over night. So we needed a roof in case it rained so I stuck the roof on. I think Guigsy had turned up that evening and fucking spray painted it with all different colours, did a Jackson Pollock on it so I was like, “what they fuck have you done to my van, you dick.”

That van fell apart, it never had a key either, what you used to have to do was stick a screwdriver in the hole where the key should have gone and that would turn the ignition and away you go. But I used to hide the screwdriver under the drivers seat, what I used to do is go to a pub in Manchester, I'd drive the van, have a few pints. I'd leave the van outside the pub until the next day, of course everyone in south Manchester knew that it was Bonehead's van and they knew if you opened the door and took the screw driver from under the seats, stuck it in the hole, it would just go.

So I used to wake up the next day and it would not be there, someone had nicked it to get home. My Saturday or Sunday mornings were generally spent walking around south Manchester trying to find the van. Because of that it just generally fell apart, I scrapped it for £20.

You have worked with Andy Rourke on a few occasions for the Versus Cancer charity, is that a charity that is close to your heart?

Cancer really yes, that is the one that close to my heart and I know a lot of people who have died from it. I know a lot of friends of mine who have had really close people who died from Cancer. If I'm going to pick a particular charity to play for, donate or to raise money for, it's always cancer for me.

You played yourself in a scene in the film 'Freight' with Billy Murray and Craig Fairbrass? How did this come about?

Mike Price was actually working on the set doing a bit of driving, not as a stunt driver but he drove the cars in a scene or something. I think 'The Padingtons' were originally going to do it. What it was was a scene when a band comes off stage But 'The Padingtons' couldn't fulfil the commitment. they weren't available and the producer just said to Mike, “any chance you could get 'The Vortex' in to do it?” Which of course we said yes, but it came about through Mike, it was just good fun to do it.

So you enjoyed the experience? Is there any chance we could one day see you popping into Coronation Street for a pint at the Rovers?

No, fuck that, I've just been getting into 'The Sopranos', I never watched it when it was about, but I just got the box-set. I'm totally absolutely addicted, I'm totally a Sopranos man, I'm telling you. Have you ever watched it?

I've never seen it, a couple of people have said about it but I have never watched it.

If that ever came out again, another series, I'd be in there like a shot, if they let me, definitely.

Have you ever been asked to appear in any reality shows?

Yes.

Can you name what ones you have been asked to appear in?

It's wierd, I don't watch TV, It does my head in, it's crap, ain't it? I'm watching 'The Sopranos' on DVD box set, but apart from that I just watch the news and that's it for me. But I can't remember the name of it.

Celebrity Big Brother, that was the name of it, I got a email before Christmas from Alan McGee he just said, “Bonehead, do you fancy doing Celebrity Big Brother?” I think the producer got hold of McGee and said did me and him fancy doing it? I just said, “No, fuck that mate”, I think they offered us about £100,000 each to do it. But I wouldn't do it for £100 fucking million. Sad... sad... I wouldn't do it.

That show does get worse though

I've not watched it, I tell a lie, I watched it about twice when Terry Christian was on it as I used to co-present a radio show with him. I watched it as I knew him, I watched about 20 minutes of each show, it's rubbish, No, I would not do it, I've been approached once and no, I would not do it.

Were you shocked when Liam thanked you and the other members of the band during his acceptance speech At the Brits?

Shocked no, not at all, no, it's nice to be thanked, of course he was going to thank us, it was alright. I'm not surprised he did not thank Noel, there’s no surprises there.

What did you make of Liam's gesture to give the award away?

I didn't think anything of it, cause the Brit Awards don't mean shit to me. So what? I think it was late that night my phone went, I just got so many texts saying stuff like, “Oh God, he's done it again” and “Bonehead, did you watch it?” And I'm like, “What's happened?” I knew we had won the award, I knew weeks before that we had won it. So I got all these texts and I thought, God whats he done?, so I went on YouTube and I watched it and I thought so what?

The media made a big deal out of it really

Well, they made a big thing, what did he do? He came on thanked the band, he thanked the fans, live forever. He gave the award to the audience fair enough, he didn't want it sitting on his shelf, know what I mean? In my eyes he was just giving it back to the fans, that's who deserved it, so whatever, big deal. I have seen him do worse, put it that way, I've stood next to him at award ceremonies where he has been fucking worse than that. I think he was just totally fucking honest, so what? But deep down they would have loved him to smash the place up, wouldn't they? But he's mellowed out. He did no wrong in my eyes, it's just Liam being Liam.

We're you happy to see so many of the songs that you played on feature so heavily on Stop The Clocks?

Yes absolutely, you know absolutely... I look back on them days as the proudest days of my life, I wouldn't rewind the clock and not do it again. That's an absolutely brilliant time of my life to be a part of it, yes, I'm dead proud when you walk in a shop and you hear a record you played on. Absolutely, to say you were a part of that band and what they achieved and what they did and recorded, then it's just a massive thing, so definitely, I absolutely love it man.

Are there any songs that you recorded with Oasis that have never seen the light of day? If so can you tell us any titles?

That we recorded, I don't think so that we recorded, we used to do a lot of things there used to be a lot of stuff we used to do in France. Noel was bringing a lot of ideas, really good ideas... And what we would generally do in sound checks and so on was play them and work them out or whatever. And they would just get recorded just live from the death. There was a lot of stuff that didn't see the light of day or didn't evolve into a song. Noel would turn it into something else that went out as a release. We also used to do a lot of stuff in the studio just jamming about. I can't remember any titles but generally there weren’t any working titles. Lots of stuff just jamming and whatever, tons of it, I got a box full of tapes at home with stuff on there, labelled 'new ideas', 'Noel new ideas'. I got tons of stuff that has never been heard and probably never will. I'm certainly not going to air it's not my songs to do, but there is plenty of stuff like that.

Noel has called several songs (Acquiesce and Some Might Say, for example) those that "defined Oasis". Which ones do you consider as the definitive Oasis songs?

Lets sum them up, I think I'd go for the obvious 'Cigarettes & Alcohol', 'Rock 'n' Roll Star', I think they are, 'Bring It On Down' has just got that real edge that the band had in the early days, sounds really raw and punky. I love that song 'Bring It On Down' but I think if you really want to define them it's got to be 'Cigarettes & Alcohol', 'Rock 'n' Roll Star' but then 'Live Forever', 'Wonderwall' there’s just so many. 'Slide Away'. If you want to get a good presentation of Liam's vocals then 'Slide Away' for me, that songs always been up there with the best vocals take he has ever done. If you really sit down and listen to Liam on that, it's amazing man. it really is.



It is well known that you cried when you first heard Champagne Supernova, which other Oasis songs made you particularly emotional when you first heard them?

I don't know, probably a lot of them, I think 'Live Forever' as it was so early on. Noel came in and played us 'Live Forever' before we even signed a deal. He played us 'All Around The World', that really hit me. He played that so long ago and I remember thinking, “wow, that is a fucking amazing song” and that really hit me emotionally just for that piece of music.

I was like, “God, I can't wait to get that recorded”, Noel always said we are not going to record that song till we can get enough money for a 40 piece orchestra in. And we were all laughing like fuck, we are never going to see that day. A couple of years later there we were in a studio, recording 'All Around The World' with a 40 piece orchestra and I just remember that was pretty emotional, 'All Around The World' has sort of hit me that way.

'Champagne Supernova' when he first played that on the back of the tour bus with an acoustic guitar and went through the whole album with us and it was like pretty heavy listening to it for the first time like that with just him singing.

I love that song it's one of my favourites.

It's amazing, 'The Masterplan' is another one that still gets me, I still listen to that now and does the same sort of thing.



Do you now wish you had sung lead vocals on Boneheads Bank Holiday?

I fucking did, I sang it about 800 times in the space of two hours mate. But I was too drunk to put it out on release. It's good I'm there in the background being drunk with Liam, it was a good laugh doing it but fortunately I was far too drunk. Why the fuck was he asking me to sing a song for anyway? I just woke up one day in the studio and Noel's like, “Get in there, you’re singing a song”, and I was like, “what? Fucking hell I can't sing.” He's like, “You’re doing it mate, I've wrote a song and you’re going to sing it.” So I went to the pub with Liam and we had about sixteen cans of cider each and the rest is history, as they say. I've got about three hours of outtakes of me and Liam singing that and you have never heard anything like it in your life, if you think I was bad you should have heard Liam.

You should put them on YouTube

Oh God no no no, you do not want to hear it... It's really funny but no.



Which Oasis gig was your favourite ever and why?

I get this question so many times and I can't say one gig, I could rattle off so many, an obvious one would be Knebworth just for the sheer scale and vastness and flying in by helicopter and 7,000 people backstage at your after show party, 250,000 people, yes, you are never going to forget that one.

But if it comes down to it, it's probably one of the smaller ones like Glasgow Barrowlands, you know with however many people it holds, 1500 to 2000 people just bouncing up and down.

Sort of in the earlier days gigs like that, I'll always remember the first time we went over to Japan not knowing what to expect. You’re on the other side of the world and you’re in this small little club and you go over there and you just got this idea of Japanese people being really reserved and polite and sat there. They just went ape shit, they were just jumping and screaming and we didn't know what to do, it's the first time we had been there, you’re never going to forget that, any one of the early Japanese gigs would stick into my mind.

But then Loch Lomond, that was pretty amazing, Maine Road in the space of a couple of years you’re playing for 40,000 people in your home city, even though I didn't support Manchester City but that was amazing. It was all amazing, man, you just can't sit down and think about it as it was all amazing, all of it, mate... all of it.

Do you still keep in contact with any of the former members?

I was in London the other week and I had a couple of meetings and stuff, I met up with Alan White, it was the first time I had seen him for years. So we went out and went to his house. I spent the day and night with Alan and that was alright, it was cool, first time I had seen him in ages but I live in Manchester, they live in London. I've not seen Guigsy in ages, but we still keep in touch by phone.
I've meet up with Liam a couple of times down in London, the last time I seen him was a few years back, a good few years back. I went to see Richard Ashcroft with him down in Camden.

The last time I saw Noel was when I played the Versus Cancer gig, he headlined it and I was playing on the bill that night with The Happy Mondays and some other bands. I caught up with Noel then, but we just don't see each other, I live in Manchester, they live in London. It's pretty rare, but you know, we see each other. We meet up generally, it's pretty rare, it’s few and far between with the things we do.

It was reported in 1997, you purchased a personalised car numberplate which read. "S1 SAO" which when viewed in a rear view mirror read 'OASIS'. Is this true? and do you still have it?

Yes it's true, I've still got it.... It's not on my car, but I do own it. I still own the registration number, I took it off the car ages ago. Everybody knew, when you seen it was quite obvious what it was, and who was driving it. I still own it, I still got it. If anyone wants to buy it, put me in a serious offer.

Stick it on eBay

Well do you know what, I was going to sell it cause I don't use it, but I'm sure someone out there might like to own it, so yes, send a serious offer in to stopcryingyourheartout.com and I will think about it.

You will be inundated with offers now

Well let's get a serious offer in and I might sell it.



What is your favourite Oasis song since you left the band?

Since I left, mmmmm that's a hard one ain't it, cause if I say a Noel song Liam will get the hump, and if I say a Liam one Noel will get the hump. so none of them, they’re all a bag of shit. I tell you what, I really love 'Mucky Fingers', I really love that one and that fucking Liam one 'I'm Outta Time', I absolutely love that one. I just love everything they do, I'm still the world’s number one Oasis fan, it's hard when people say, I don't like that, I say fuck off, I love it but I do.
I do love 'Mucky Fingers' and I don't know why. It's something about it, it has a real 'Velvet Underground' feel to it. There’s something about that song that I love. But 'I'm Outta Time' I really love.

I like hearing Liam and always look forward to listening to Liam's new stuff , I feel proud for him as he's come from 'Little James' to 'Im Outta Time' and you can just see Liam writing songs that he never did. I just sort of feel really proud for him when I hear 'Im Outta Time', for the first time it was a real proud moment for me and for Liam. It's a really, really nice song, I love it.

What was the real reason of you walking out of the recording for "Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants"? There are so many rumours......

There’s millions of rumours, loads of rumours... Legally you don't leave Oasis overnight, you don't wake up one morning and think “I'm walking, I'm going”, it just doesn't happen. There were lots of reasons but the main reason was, for me personally was there was a definite spark to that band. When we first came out in 1994 to sign that deal we were just five lads of the street, there was a real sort of energy in that band. A lot happened very fast and we reached a great height very fast, by the time we came to record 'Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants' we were all living and rented this big chateau in the south of France that belonged to Christian Dior.

And we set up a studio in there on our own, and we started recording an album there. It had a swimming pool, we were driving big sports cars, you know, we had the world at our feet. To reach that stage then you should be having so much fun, and that should have been so much fun and for me personally there was no fun there and that spark has gone. The original spark didn't feel like it was there, it really didn't. I don't know it had just gone.

I'm not saying I didn't enjoy being there, but it was just a feeling that had gone on over time with me. And I did a lot of serious thinking, and that sort of nailed it for me. And I just thought, that's it for me, the old gang thing had gone for me and it does not feel right. And if I had carried on and finished that session and then gone on and done a two year world tour to promote it I would not have been giving 100% to the band and the fans. And I have said it before you can't be in a band like 'Oasis' or you can’t be in 'Oasis' full stop if you're not giving 100%.

Now, I could have finished the album, I could have gone out on tour but I would have been giving 90% and that's not good enough, you got to be giving your all. So I would have been lying to the band, lying to the fans. I'd have been lying to myself and that's what really made me make my decision. I just thought I can’t go on with this, to sort of kid people I'm giving my all when I won't be so I just made my decision, that was the main reason.

It's not an easy decision, believe me, but I had to do it. But once I made it there was no going back. I was set... I certainly don't regret one minute of what I did in Oasis, absolutely not. I look back and think proudest/best moments of my life ever. But I could not carry on by not giving 100%, I just couldn't do it. I mean the truth be told, I think when we did Knebworth that was such a massive thing to reach in such a short space of time. And I have said it before and I will say it again, I think we should have done Knebworth and on that second night we should have all taken a bow and said, thank you and good night, we were Oasis.

We should have bowed out but we didn't, we carried on, it was a bit of a struggle after Knebworth, fucking hell. To go over to America and play to a few thousand people, when you just played to a quarter of a million. I think we reached that point and more that we ever dreamed we could have reached. I think we should have bowed out after Knebworth, but then again, I think the band did pick up after I left.

After I left I think they got better, got better, got better, then, unfortunately they split. But I do think they were progressing back to their roots as it were.

Would you ever consider working with Liam or Noel again in the future?

If I was asked to do something with them, course I'd do it, but it's not my priority. I'm not going to sit down and wait for a phone call or, “Oh shit I want to do it”.

But certainly if Liam would ring me tomorrow and said, “Do you want to play on guitar on this track?”, I'd be there like a shot, of course I'd do it. But you know what, at the moment I'm playing with The Vortex and I got the same feeling with The Vortex and the same vibe that I had in 1993/94 with Oasis, it feels like that for me now. I'm really enjoying what I'm doing, this is what I want to do, and this is where I'm going.

It's full time for The Vortex for me, I don’t sit around dwelling on the past and wish for a phone call for sure, but if I was asked, sure, I would do it.



What do you miss the most about being in Oasis?

Noel and Liam fights, they were pretty good.

I can imagine.

I don't miss it....The first year or two years really after I left the band you missed it all. The whole lot, you miss being in the studio, you miss waking up in hotels, going to airports, you miss doing the gigs, you miss the crowds, you miss the people. Noel, Liam, Guigsy and Alan, it took two years to get over that, it really did. You sort of find yourself again, now I don't miss anything. I just look back with good memories. I don't miss it in the sense you dwell on it and think, “I really miss that”, I just look back fondly on it.

Okay and finally, Do you think that Oasis will reform in a few years, or is that it for them?

No I think that’s it, unfortunately. I think that’s it, but good you know. I was pretty sad when they split up. I wouldn’t say I was shocked, I think it was probably on the fucking cards they weren’t going to go on forever. And I'm glad they didn’t go for ever. Cause I'd hate to see Noel and Liam being Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, grown men touring around the world. So I’m glad they didn’t keep going.

It was sad to see they split with a fight, and I hope they make it up, of course.

But I think this is going to be for the better, cause it’s going to be good for music now. Just to see what Noel comes up with, to see what Liam comes up with on their own individual selves... I'm looking forward to that.

And I think it's going to be good for Liam, especially Liam, I really, really, really can't wait to hear what Liam comes out with. Cause I think when Noel comes out, and this is nothing against Noel, but I think when Noel comes out with his new stuff people will say it sounds like Noel Gallagher, it's definitely a Noel Gallagher song. And it does, and we know it's going to be good... we know it is.

But I think Liam won't be scared to put a little twist to what he does. Liam will experiment a bit more, he will stick his little Liam twist to it, and I think it will be pretty interesting. I'm really looking forward to it, it's going to be good for music, it's going to be good for young bands coming up, I think, pretty influential on all, I'm sure, I hope.

For more information on The Vortex visit the bands MySpace page here.

Special thanks to Bonehead for taking the time to answer the question and special thanks to the visitors to the site for sending so many good questions in. Also thanks to Justine & Damian at www.brave-music-agency.co.uk for arranging the interview on the websites behalf.

Visit Ian Tilton's website here, for some very early Oasis shots.

Liam Gallagher On Pretty Green, Manchester City And Working With Jay-Z

As promised, we have another exclusive here on StopCryingYourHeartOut.com!

Friend of the site Liam Gallagher granted us a few precious minutes to discuss the new Pretty Green line coming out this month.

Liam was in good form, though he kept his cards close to his chest on the subject of his new band, he let us in on his plans for Pretty Green, what happened at the Brits and who's on his transfer wish list for Man City this summer.

Myself: One thing that I'm amazed by is that everything with Pretty Green has happened so fast. In less then a year from the first ideas, you are about to release another collection. Have you been surprised how quickly things have moved?

Liam: No, we don’t fuck about.

Myself: The range has been well received, has that surprised you?

Liam: It does surprise me considering I’ve got something to do with it, there are a lot of people who try to kill things before they even become alive.

Myself: What are the stand out items from the forthcoming range?

Liam: The camouflage parka, stands out to me personally and the button down shirts.

Myself: What's the feedback been like from fans who have ordered items from the range?

Liam: They all comment on the quality and the fit of the clothes.

Myself: Are there any specific items from the range that customers are asking for more of?

Liam: A lot of girls are asking if we will be doing a range for them, and the answer to that is YES once we have got rid of all the lads stuff.

Myself: Do you still have a big involvement with the designing of the clothes and all the materials used?

Liam: Of course 100%.

Myself: You spoke to me in Cardiff last year about bringing out accessories like sunglasses, belts etc are these still being planned?

Liam: Yes we will be adding to the range, ie accessories.

Myself: Are there any plans to bring out accessories on the female range of Pretty Green? Personally I would definitely buy a Pretty Green Handbag?

Liam: Are you taking the piss? Handbags!!! course we are!

(I somehow think Liam was joking on this one)

Myself: You are releasing the Desert Boots later this year in a joint venture with Clarks, what did they think to the suttle changes you made to such a classic boot?

Liam: They were over the moon.

Myself: Are there any other joint ventures in the pipeline you can tell us about?

Liam: Theres lots but I cant tell you about them at the moment.

Myself: Are there still plans for a flagship Pretty Green store?

Liam: At the moment, we are looking in Manchester, London, Glasgow and Tokyo.

Myself: It's been rumoured that you plan to visit more countries to promote the upcoming range. Are these still going ahead? and can you tell us any of the countries you plan to visit?

Liam: We have just got back from Japan, and will be heading to New York this month and Europe after that.

Myself: How do you decide which designs to offer to stores? And the ones to sell exclusively on the Pretty Green website?

Liam: We sit down and talk about it, but always want to keep certain pieces back for the people who are members of Pretty Green like the green desert boot. That’s only available online.

Myself: You gave Paul Weller one of the limited edition Black Parka jackets, Has he given you any feedback on it?

Liam: He loved it, we also gave him a white one but were still waiting for the cheque in the post.

Myself: How has your website grown? Are you seeing more people purchasing online now than before?

Liam: Yeah, its growing all the time.

Myself: When will the new collection be shown to fans around the world?

Liam: March 22nd on our site.

Myself: What were the best selling items from the launch collection?

Liam: We sold out of everything.

Myself: Why didn’t you mention Noel in your speech at the Brits?

Liam: I'm sick of it all being about me and Noel, the last couple of months has pretty much been all about me and him so I thought it was only right to mention the other lads who played on the album and the best fans in the world.

Myself: What was the reason behind you throwing the Oasis award into the crowd at the Brits?

Liam: I thought it was a nice Gesture to give this to the fans, obviously it was misinterpreted as per usual.

How are the plans for the new band coming along, do you still plan to put out a album and tour this year?

Liam: Its all going really good.

Have you decided on a name for the band yet?

Liam: Not yet.

Do you have any song titles that you can tell us about?

Liam: No.

Will you play any Oasis songs when you eventually tour? Or will it all be new material?

Liam: Too fucking right! Don’t Look Back In Anger in acapella.

Roger Daltrey said in an interview that he had contacted you for the TCT but you were otherwise engaged, can we expect to see you and your new band at the Teenage Cancer Trust next year?

Liam: Without a doubt Teenage Cancer Trust is a charity close to my heart, Oasis played it a couple times and I'd like to think we can carry this on with the new band.

Do you think Manchester City can now grab a Champions League place, after the convincing win against Chelsea?

Liam: Without a doubt!

What two players would you like to see sign for City in the summer?

Liam: There’s a young lad called Harry Grant who plays for Swindon and Mario Belatelli who plays for Inter Milan.

Do you think England can win the World Cup?

Liam: Yeah!

You have worked with The Prodigy and Death in Vegas would you ever work with the Gorrilaz?

Liam: I've been told many times never to work with animals, far too dangerous.

Jay-Z said in a interview earlier this year that he would love to work with you? would you ever do something like that?

Liam: If the tunes right and its not too far out of my comfort zone, then yeah, fucking right!

Thanks to Liam for taking the time to answer the questions, the new collection from Pretty Green will go on sale on www.prettygreen.com from March 22nd.

Ricky Hatton Interview With StopCryingYourHeartOut.com

StopCryingYourHeartOut.com caught up with legendary British boxer Ricky 'The Hitman' Hatton recently to discuss his new fight night: 'The Boys Are Back In Town'. The event will feature some of the top up and coming names in British Boxing and is being promoted by Ricky's own Hatton Promotions.

Here's what Ricky had to say about all things Boxing, Oasis and Man City.

Q: Hi Ricky hows things? and thanks for taking the time to do this.

Thanks for inviting me to answer some questions. I am taking advantage of the great British summer and resting at the moment

Q: You're friendship with Oasis goes back a long way, did you enjoy introducing the band in Liverpool for the first night of the UK tour last year. Was that a bit daunting for you? And did you enjoy the experience?

I have always been a massive Oasis fan. After my Family, Boxing and City the other passion in my life is Oasis. Through boxing I am fortunate to have appeared in front of big crowds, when I got asked to announce the lads at Liverpool it was a massive honour. It was just after some clown had had a go at Noel so I was bubbling inside with excitement. I jokingly warned that if anybody tried anything in Liverpool they would have to answer with me. Luckily nobody got up.

Q: Do you own any Oasis memorabilia, if you do whats your favorite piece?

I save all my laminates but the best thing I have is a Manchester City guitar signed by Noel and Liam and Mani from The Stone Roses. It has pride of place in my games room. I have a signed photograph from Noel and Liam where we are all together in the ring after the Malignaggi fight.

Q: Noel told us in a interview he did with us earlier this year, that after your fight with Malignaggi you went on a almighty piss-up spanning two continents. What was it like to be on the road with Oasis? And do you have any good stories to tell us?

It was brilliant being on the road, I was in Mexico City, I was like Gulliver because the Mexicans are all small. Its a good job I was there, I made sure they were in bed early, only joking. Then three weeks later I was in Las Vegas for the De La Hoya fight and we rushed straight over to the Palms to watch the lads. I met up with them backstage and I went for a quiet pint or two with Noel and Russell Brand in the Playboy Club. On the way up I borrowed a wheel chair and made my entrance to the club with my leg in the air. Noel creased himself, after Vegas I think they must have thought I was stalking them.

Q: What did Liam say to Malignaggi when he thrusted one of your belts into his face? As he looked a bit annoyed at what Liam said to him.

From what I can recall, Liam went over to Malignaggi and shoved one of my belts in front of them and said something like "what do you think of that" that got me a bit worried because Paulie is an Italian from New York and he had half the Sopranos with him. To make things worse some clown arranged for Oasis and there security to be sat behind the Malignaggi corner during the fight, but it was absolutely amazing to have all the lads at the fight. They came in the dressing room before the fight. Imagine having Oasis the full band, Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, David Beckham all in the same room at the same time brilliant. It was an honour for me to have Liam and Noel walk me out with the belts.

Q: Liam gave you some items from his Pretty Green label, what did you think of them? And have you given Liam any of your own range as he does quite a bit of jogging these days?

I love the Pretty Green stuff just up my street, I wear the hats all the time. I didn't know he was out jogging I will send him some kit.

Q: What's your favorite album by Oasis? And Why?

I think my favourite album is Don't Believe The Truth, it has tracks like Lyla and A Bell Will Ring which was dedicated to me when Oasis played Manchester City's ground a couple of years back. I was in Tenerife and all my mates phoned me to tell me.

Q: What's your favorite track by Oasis? And Why?

Its hard to pick one tune, I would say Cigarettes And Alcohol, Live Forever and Rock 'n' Roll Star.

Q: You are now promoting fights with your own stable of fighters, do you think you can find the next big thing?

I will let people decide for themselves on that but I know that with my boxing experience and I have a great team around me that there is no reason why in the coming years Hatton Promotions will be a force to be reckoned with. We already have 8 Sky TV dates for the next year starting in September.

Q: What have you learned from previous promoters, that you will use in your new career?

I have seen a lot on the way up some good and some not so good. But the thing that stands out for me is the model that Goldenboy uses. I want to be the same show the fighters exactly what is on the table so they know what they are getting. I want transparency.

Q: If you could promote any boxer current or past, who would it be and why?

Roberto Duran my hero, he was always in an exciting fight and a great ticket seller, just what a promoter needs

Q: Regardless of weight, if you could choose to fight anyone in history who would it be?

Again if I could fight him Roberto Duran. It would have been an honour and I would have seen just how good he really was.

Q: Who is the most talented natural fighter you've ever stepped into the ring with?
Its a toss up between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather sadly they both beat me but they are without doubt the best.

Q: You have launched your own clothing range and have recently opened a brand new gym too. Are there any other projects you are working on at the moment that you can tell us about?

I am very busy at the moment one of my projects is www.hattonboxing.tv I have my own TV show on the Internet and they film the fights at my promotions and do some great interviews, check it out

Q: Out of Liam and Noel who would make the better boxer?

Liam or Noel, that's a tricky one I don't know who would win but I wouldn't mind promoting it.

Q: What other band's/artists do you like?

Apart from Oasis, I like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Stone Roses, James, Kings Of Leon but I also like all types of music from Sinatra and Elvis through to Johnny Cash

Q: What was the first album you bought?

Oasis Be Here Now was the first album I bought

Q: In certain parts of Manchester you are known as the Karaoke King with renditions of Elvis classics. Do you do any Oasis numbers?

I have been known to do Oasis, I would say Wonderwall is my karaoke song from Oasis

Q: Manchester City have made some great signings this summer, who are you most excited about joining you and why?

City have signed some world class players I think I will be looking forward to seeing Tevez, he has come from the dark side and he is no nonsense and a grafter, but like I said we have a lot of world class players

Q: If they made a film of your life, who would you like to play you and why?

If they made a film of me they would need two actors, Tom Cruise in training and Johnny Vegas out of training.

Q: I have read in several newspapers a few years ago you bought a Only Fool And Horse 3 Wheeled Van, complete with a blow up doll and a Dell Boy suit and hat. Do you drive around in it, or is it kept locked up in the garage?

I have the Trotters van in my garage. when it comes to television that is without doubt my favourite programme. I have it in the garage. I got it mot' d lately so I can go for a spin in it. I even starred in a spin off of Only Fools And Horses called Green Grass. I met Boycie and Marlene, luvley jubbly.

Ricky Hatton has a Fight Night coming up with The Boys Are Back In Town Fight Night on August 21st at the Manchester Velodrome for mor information visit www.hattonboxing.tv

The first picture shown in the post is Owned by Getty Images and under licence with Punch Promotions.

All other images included in the post are used by the kind permission of Punch Promotions.

Thanks to Ricky Hatton for taking the time to do this, and a extra special thanks to Paul Speak :)

Oasis at the iTunes Festival is now available to download on iTunes, for more details click here.

Exclusive! Liam Gallagher Interview

stopcryingyourheartout.com were invited by Liam Gallagher to have a chat and a look at the Pretty Green Clothing Range at Cardiff's Millenium Stadium on Friday.

We were rushed backstage to Liam's dressing room and we spent around 40 minutes with Liam talking about the Pretty Green range, plans for the future and more.

We were given unrestricted access to inspect the clothes and to ask Liam questions face to face on the range, we were also given a chance to get a sneak peak at some of the items in the range that have yet to be shown to the public.

The items we seen that are currently on sale at www.prettygreen.com were of a very high standard and were not what I was expecting if I'm honest with you.

The tshirts were made of some of the finest quality cotton I have ever seen. When I commented on how nice the material was Liam told me "I was adamant that it was made of Egyptian cotton and that fans don't pay the normal £90-100 that other companies charge on the high street for something similar."

The print on the tshirt is also of high standard, I thought it would just be printed with some cheap printer and turned out in the thousands like band tshirts but I was pleasently surprised.

I asked Liam about the printing and he told us why he wanted it to be printed to a superior standard he said 'If you buy a designer tshirt you don't want the logo to wash off after after a few washes, I went through 19 different tshirts before I found one that I liked".

Liam also let me have a closer look at the Parka that will be on sale soon, and that is my favorate item in the collection now. It is one of the best feeling jackets I have ever felt. Liam told me he was adamant that it was made with the best materials and to be around half the price of other leading jackets on the market.

We spoke about the concerns from fans on the price of delivery worldwide within two to three working days and we were told they are in negotiations with a number of couriers at the moment.

Liam gave me a tshirt and two hats from the collection a red and a blue one, one for Cardiff City games and one for Wales games.

They are also made with great materials and fit well. I was questioned where I had got it from by Oasis fans attending the concert in Cardiff on Friday. I don't think they believed me when I told them Liam had given it to me.

The packaging of the items is also very impressive, great detail has gone into everything.

I felt in an elite group of people who have worn items from the range inluding Paul Weller, Ricky Hatton, Kasabian, Steve Cradock and Mani from the Stone Roses all have Pretty Green clothing, the tshirt Liam had given me earlier was in the same range worn by Gem and Liam in Cardiff that night.

I was wary of ordering the collection before I had seen it, and from what I seen on Friday I'm definitely not maybe going to order a few more things.

It is just the tip of the iceberg and the next range is shaping up to be a fine collection indeed.

Here is the Exclusive interview with Liam from Friday....

Myself: Hi Liam, How are you?

Liam: Good man, I've had a bit of the flu since them Manchester gigs, it was just like in a field and that. I was a bit run down, better now man.

Myself: How did you get the idea to start up Pretty Green?

Liam: In the 90's people were asking me like to do clothes and put my name to clothes, but I think putting your name to it, with your name on clothes is a bit shit and that. So sitting down by the pool one day.... having a couple of beers, Steve said do you fancy doing a clothing line I said well you know I will see man. And he sort of knew a few people and that was it, over a couple of beers really, and I thought let's go for it...

Myself: So how long did it take from when you first decided to do it?

Liam: November wasn't it Steve?

Steve (PRETTY GREEN): End of November we sat down, agreed it and started to get the ball rolling, sat by a pool:

Liam: Obviously we got the name, it's a Jam thing and that. It's not mainly a Jam thing, but it is yeah, people will go its a Jam thing a mod thing. We started sitting down and designing the logo based on the shape of this pendant I got here like. I wanted it to be round, and I wanted it sort of like Pretty Green put into that and we did, and we messed around with it a bit and away we went.

Steve: There are some powerful lyrics in the song Pretty Green " and they didn't teach me that in school, its something that I've learnt on my own" which are poignant and also had influence on the name...

Myself: How big was your involvement with the designing of the clothes and all the materials used?

Liam: Designing of the clothes, I'm still on it man, I'm still doing it now. T-shirts I've got T-shirts at home, I don't like thick tshirts these are super fine. So I was involved with that, manufacturers were bringing tshirts that were like tour tshirts, I'm thinking I'm not having that shit... big thick tshirts, nah... So I'm into it, the clothes man, If it don't fit right, or feel right on me, it's going back.

Myself: So the Quality is really important to you then?

Liam: Without a doubt, Without a doubt. I mean it all started with the shoes you know. I mean the desert boots, and I hate pointy shoes, I wanted to bring back the square toes ones, but a bit more not so pointy like the Clark's ones. Definitely I'm mad on it....

Myself: So the packaging is obviously really important to you as well?

Liam: Without a doubt man, I mean Nick Holland came up with that idea, the guy I'm doing the clothes with, and it's important, I would not want to put it out any other way. I got to give him the dues on that.

Myself: Is it true that each colour for the the collection will only be available for a limited time?

Liam: What is the scoop with that Steve?

Steve: This is an online launch capsule collection, these colours are only going to be available up until September. Come October it's a new colour wave, this is purely for the launch...

Myself: And then they will be gone, and then there will be new ones.

Liam: There will be a best sellers area, so If a certain colour proves very popular, the one that people really like all the time, that will stay...

Myself: Like A Manchester City blue?

Liam: We haven't done that yet we got some more ideas for jumpers and that I think coming out in Manchester in October. I don't want to alienate anyone either, i just don't want city fans to buy them, I want everyone to buy them and get involved too... know what I mean? ..

Myself: Do you plan to sell the clothes on the high street, or are you going to leave it to being online?

Liam: Doing the online thing at the moment, I think in October, end of October it's going into Selfridges in the UK. Is that right?

Steve: We go into Selfridges in the UK mid October, we are currently looking at countries in South America, United States, Canada, Japan, Italy, Germany, Sweden, France, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Korea, China, Russia and Denmark. Liam will also visit countries for in-store appearances to promote the brand...

Myself: Will the ones in the stores be different to the ones online or will it just be sort of the same collection?

Steve: Different, it's what we are calling the premier collection. The reason we started with online was so everyone can access it because Liam's popularity is worldwide. We didn't want to open a store in England and alienate every one else around the planet, this way everyone gets a opportunity to wear Pretty Green. The strategy for stores has always been in place as the demand is there.

Liam: We have already got other stuff for the stores already, and we have been working on that for the last like 4 month's, and it's good!

Myself: Are you thinking of bringing anything out with your picture on?

Liam: Maybe man, I don't mind if that would happen, we will have to see what the pictures like. I wanna steer clear of my boat race it's been around to much.

Myself: Are you thinking of bringing out any accessories like sunglasses, belts?
Liam: Yeah we are doing everything man, we are going to cane it. We will see how it goes with the clothes first. We have got this leather, round sofa, that opens up, made the other day A Pretty Green one, From Italy shaped like a target with the Pretty Green logo in the middle, and it's the fucking nuts man.

Myself: Would you think about doing a woman's range, I don't know maybe ask Nicole for some input?

Liam: Yeah We'll see man, we'll see, I don't want to start getting into any of that just yet.... she can design a Parker or something, I don't know about girls clothes man, I like it when girls dress pretty fucking scally anyway know what I mean? I don't do stiletto's and shit. We will see, well see man...

Myself: Whats your favourite item from the range and why?

Liam: Mine is the Parka because you can't get them anymore, because everyone makes fancy Parker's that cost about £900 quid and just look like fucking, there shit. This one is like old vintage stuff, so it's my favourite, the tshirts and the scarfs are good and the polo necks we got coming out soon are amazing. The desert boots obviously as you cant fucking get them like that.

Myself: So What do the other members of the band think about the clothing range?

Liam: Everybody buzzing off it, I've just given Noel his free bit now, whether he wears it or not, or he throws it in the bin, we'll wait see won't we.

Myself: So they had them free they didn't have to pay?

Liam: Yes, I said he wasn't getting any but, you got to give him something, everyone is loving it though...

Myself: In the video you did in Brighton for the Pretty Green launch, did you get to ride the bike that was used in Quadrophenia or did you only get to pose on it?

Liam: I did, I rode the Jimmy one not the Sting one didn't ride that one but the Jimmy one yeah...

Myself: So the song Man Of Misery, was that written especially for the launch of Pretty Green?

Liam: No I wrote it a couple of years ago, then we used that Pop Levi song, then we needed a different song to use on the new film, I thought I'm not giving him any more fucking credit cause he got a bit fresh and whatever with the money so i thought fuck that, I've got this song lying around, you know, I don't think it will go on Oasis stuff and fuck it why not, it's only a demo but it seemed to fit the mood.

Myself: Will you plan to release it as a promotional thing?

Liam: I doubt it man, I reckon it will stay where it is until maybe our kid hears it, and likes it, and thinks he can tart it up and it could go on a Oasis record, I suppose then, but I no I doubt it man...

Myself: Your passion is for music and clothes, haircuts must come into it. What's your favourite hair cut you have had over the years?

Liam: That I've had... I don't know I've liked them all or I wouldn't have fucking had them but just the normal one, the normal fucking one, the feathery normal one, I don't know if there is a name for it but I like them all. I like to change it every now and again. I like the bowl cut man, that was a couple of months ago it was a bit ahead of it's time. I like them all otherwise I wouldn't have got them done.

Myself: So how is the tour going now so far after what happened in Manchester?

Liam: Excellent, but I thought about Manchester, after the three gigs when you look back at it on the first night it was fucking rubbish. Everyone was fucking flapping and stuff. I don't think anyone should be waiting about for 40 minutes in the fucking cold for a band this size... If it happens in a fucking club then shit happens. Where we are at it shouldn't be happening. So someone needed to be fucking told the gigs fucking free now. I don't know who's pocket it is coming out of but it ain't mine. Anyway after that and the next two gigs they went off alright and were good, I enjoyed them. I actually preferred the fucking first one to be honest, I like it when shit happens at Oasis gigs otherwise it's the same gig really.
Myself: We went to Manchester when the barrier cracked
Liam: Yes I like shit like that, as long as noone dies or gets hurt or gets the fucking fever cause there to,cold. I like it when shit happens like that because I think once you have seen Oasis once, you have sort of seen we don't really do that much know what I mean.

Myself: So if Noel decides now to take five years off are you going to release music on your own or focus on fashion?

Liam: I'm going to get my fucking tshirts from back off him. I wouldn't call it fashion man, I hate every one going on about fashion. I fucking hate fashion. Im not doing fashion, Im just doing the clothes that I dig and that I want to wear, but I'm not going to take five years off I'll probably do this or do music, cause I'm in Oasis and that's the way it goes. I don't want to do anything else but I suppose I will do a bit of this and chill at home know what I mean?.

Myself: Do you enjoy coming to Wales and playing in Cardiff?
Liam: I do when you get in for nowt Yeah, I don't know about that fucking paying to get in, but we got in tonight for nowt...
Myself: Was that over the bridge?
Liam: Yes, we were stuck in traffic and the police came and helped us in so it was nice, we had our money ready and everything but they just went your alright so Miracles do happen.

Myself: What do you think of the Welsh Music Scene?

Liam: Is there One?
Myself: We got Duffy, Tom Jones, The Peth..
Liam: Not heard the fucking Peth man I got here late, I like Rhys, I like The Super Furry Animals and all that stuff, Stereophonics are cool, Manic Street Preachers. Duffy she was alright till she opened her mouth, the musics alright....know what I mean till she done that fucking stupid advert and things like that.
Myself: I don't like that advert
Liam: It's fucking ridiculous.

Myself: Have you ever thought about telling your story in a autobiography?

Liam: No
Myself: It'd be a interesting read
Liam: Yeah not for me would it, it would fucking bore the arse of me. I suppose it would be, you never know, who knows man it depends how fucking skint I am.

Myself: So out of all the great songs you have written whats you favourite?

Liam: I've written or the band Oasis you mean?
Myself: You
Liam: Me, I suppose it's gotta be 'Out Of Time' that's pretty up there...or 'Songbird' (as Nicole will kill me).

I've had numerous emails from visitors asking how it was meeting Liam and how the interview went and I just want to say Liam was such a pleasure to meet. He was really nice and down to earth and made me feel at ease during the intervew.

He was nothing like I expected him to be and I wasn't made to feel like I had to rush at all.

Liam is a true Rock'n'Roll star!

For more information on Pretty Green visit www.prettygreen.com

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.