Liam Gallagher Calls Calvin Harris "The Most Boring F*cking Person"

An insult from Liam Gallagher is a badge of honour. Whether he's calling Chris Martin "a geography teacher" or laying into the "fucking Amish people" that make up Mumford and Sons, the former frontman's acid tongue is only reserved for those at the top of their game.

So Calvin Harris will be happy to hear that Gallagher has a few choice words for him.

When asked about whether DJs had become the new rock stars in an interview with Huck magazine, the former Oasis singer said: "Not in my world, they haven't. What, Calvin fuckin' Harris? The most boring fucking person? Fuck off, mate... I'll tell you what they've become: the new accountants"

He was then asked if he believed himself to be the greatest living rock icon, to which he replied: "Others have said it and I do believe they're not fucking wrong".

"I think people are starting to realise what they've been missing.

"Someone who's completely 100 percent into it; someone who doesn't bullshit people or stand for bullshit."

Needless to say he took some time out to target Noel, too. He labelled his brother a "Tory boy" and accused him of arranging meetings with Johnny Marr and Paul Weller before Oasis broke up.

"I certainly didn't ruin Oasis," Liam said. "I fucking love Oasis. Why would I want to split it up? It proper fuckin' riles me, that. But real Oasis fans haven't picked sides. They're just like, 'Fuckin' hell, them two.'."

Source: www.esquire.co.uk

Broadcast Times: Noel Gallagher On Later With Jools Holland

Tuesday 21st April 2015 
10pm - 10:30pm BBC Two (UK Time)

Jools presents performances by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, with tracks from their latest album Chasing Yesterday, and funk legend George Clinton with Parliament Funkadelic. They are joined on the bill by London folk-rockers Mumford & Sons, Finnish blues singer Mirel Wagner, Senegalese musician Cheikh Lo and South London's Obaro Ejimiwe, better known as Ghostpoet. An extended edition can be seen on Friday.

Friday 24th April 2015
11:35pm - 12:40am BBC Two (UK Time)

Jools presents performances by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, with tracks from their latest album Chasing Yesterday, and funk legend George Clinton with Parliament Funkadelic. They are joined on the bill by London folk-rockers Mumford & Sons, Finnish blues singer Mirel Wagner, Senegalese musician Cheikh Lo and South London's Obaro Ejimiwe, better known as Ghostpoet. Extended version of Tuesday's live show.

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Noel Gallagher To Play On Jools Holland Later This Month

Noel Gallagher is set to perform live on Jools Holland in later this month.

Gallagher is set to appear on the show on 21 April on BBC 2 alongside Kendrick Lamar, George Clinton, Mumford & Sons and Finnish Delta Blues act Mirel Wagner.

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20 Years Of Gallagher Wit And Wisdom

Can it really be two decades since Oasis released their debut album? The music may not have always hit the same highs since, but Noel and Liam Gallagher have delivered some classic soundbites down the years. Here are some of their best...

NOEL ON LIAM...

“Liam’s the angriest man you’ll ever meet. He’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup.”

“To work with members of your family is pretty difficult. Especially when one of the members of your family is Liam Gallagher.”

“I remember him being furious that day (shooting the Whatever video) because it’s the one time I’ve been more drunk than he has.”

LIAM ON NOEL...

“The best bit about the early days was when our kid got chinned.”

“We get on better when we don’t see each other and don’t speak to each other.”

“His songs? They’re what gets me out of bed in the morning. He’s top. A fantastic songwriter. He’s the devil, isn’t he man?”

ON THEIR RIVALS...

“Mumford and Sons look like they’ve all got nits. Bloc Party look like they belong on University Challenge.”

“Just because you sell lots of records doesn’t mean to say you’re any good. Look at Phil Collins.”

“I’m sure she (Florence and the Machine) is a nice girl... but she sounds like someone has stood on her foot.”

ON OTHER STARS...

“For Michael Jackson to come over to this country and dress in a white robe thinking he’s the Messiah – I mean who does he think he is? Me?”

“Why is Posh Beckham writing a book of her memoirs? She can’t even chew gum and walk in a straight line at the same time, let alone write a book.”

“Wayne Rooney looks like a balloon with Weetabix crushed on top.”

ON POLITICS...

“Are they hoping one of these guys from the G8 sees Annie Lennox singing Sweet Dreams (at Live8) and thinks, “She might have a point there, you know”?

“Politics is like football for me. Labour is my team and even if you don’t like a striker you don’t give up supporting the whole team.”

“I asked him (Tony Blair) how he managed to stay up all night for the election and he said, ‘Probably not by the same means you did.’”

ON THEIR SUCCESS...

“I was a superhero in the 90s. McCartney, Weller, Townsend, Richards... my first album’s better than all their first albums. Even they’d admit that.”

“If I knew how to write another Definitely Maybe, I’d do one every year. It astounds me that I wrote those songs.”

“I wanted the big hairdo, big shades, big car, big house, swimming pool, jet, a mirrored top hat and a chimp. All of it.”

ON BEING FAMOUS...

“I stand in the queue at Waitrose. More rock stars should do that. The staff are really blase about me now. They’ll be like, ‘Him? Oh he’s in here all the time. And between me and you, he doesn’t eat very well.’”

“Without sounding arrogant, success fits my ego. I’d feel cheated without it.”

“Liam got a Rolex. I got a Rolls Royce. Which is brilliant, because I can’t drive and Liam can’t tell the time.”

ON A REUNION...

“You can never predict what you’ll be doing in 20 years’ time, but I guess if everyone remains vaguely slim and hasn’t gone bald, then it’s on the cards. Forever.”

Source: www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

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Members Of Beady Eye, The Vaccines And The Charlatans Perform At Jon Brookes Tribute Concert

Bonehead along with members of Mumford & Sons, New Order and Manic Street Preachers joined charity celebration.

The Charlatans headlined A Night For Jon Brookes, a tribute concert for their late drummer, at London's Royal Albert Hall last night (October 18).

The evening started with Birmingham band Dumb, followed by Tim & Friends, a line-up featuring New Order's Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert, Mumford and Sons' Winston Marshall, The Vaccines' Freddie Cowan and Arni Arnason, and The Pretenders' James Walbourn, with Tim Burgess on vocals.

They performed New Order's 'Love Vigilantes', The Vaccines' 'Melody Calling' and finally Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', with Burgess explaining how the band came to be. "I asked The Vaccines, but the singer was on holiday. I asked New Order, but the singer was on holiday. That wasn't going to stop us, so I said I'd sing."

Manic Street Preachers' James Dean Bradfield was up next, delivering a three-song acoustic set comprising 'Motorcycle Emptiness', 'A Design For Life' and 'If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next'. Speaking between songs, Bradfield said: "I don't want to get too deep because there are people here who knew Jon a lot better than I. But we met a fair few times over the years, and he was always fucking beautiful. And the boy had groove."

Liam & Friends came next, essentially Beady Eye without injured guitarist Gem Archer who, incidentally, was in the audience, walking with a crutch but otherwise looking to be in good shape. Instead of Archer, former Oasis guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs performed with the band as they ripped through Oasis songs 'Live Forever' and 'Columbia'.

Finally, The Charlatans came to the stage, with former The Verve drummer Pete Salisbury filling in for Brookes. Speaking to NME before the concert, Charlatans bassist Martin Blunt said: "There was a tour when Jon was ill and wasn't going to be able to play. We asked who he wanted to replace him, and his first choice was Pete Salisbury."

Blunt added: "There is one special song in the setlist, for Jon, but I've found since he passed that every song has taken on a new meaning. Lyrics that I never thought about before have suddenly become really poignant. The whole evening had to be a celebration. A big send-off, as well as a big thank you to everyone for their support and a chance to raise money for an under-funded charity. We've learned since Jon was ill that brain tumours are being detected a lot more, but research, care systems and funding is severely lacking."

The band's singer Tim Burgess said he'd been "amazed" by the support from musicians following Brookes's death. He said: "I'll think about Jon during every line of every song."

They began their set with 'Forever', and moved through some of their best-known songs including 'North Country Boy', 'Just Lookin'', 'The Only One I Know', 'One To Another' and 'How High'. There was also a particularly moving version of 'My Beautiful Friend', before which Burgess said: "I think we can all guess who this is for."

After 'How High', three of The Charlatans left the stage, leaving guitarist Mark Collins and keyboard player Tony Rogers with Liam & Friends, who returned for a version of George Harrison's 'My Sweet Lord', dedicated by Gallagher to "Jon's missus Debbie". Finally The Charlatans returned for their traditional encore of 'Sproston Green'.

Jon Brookes passed away in August, aged 44. He was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2010 and underwent several operations and treatment for the condition. Proceeds from the night went to The Brain Tumour Charity, of which The Charlatans are now patrons. The charity say more than 9,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year in the UK, with the condition being the biggest cancer killer among those under 40. The charity have also set up The Jon Brookes Fund as a lasting tribute to the drummer.

The Charlatans played:

'Forever'
'Just When You're Thinking Things Over'
'North Country Boy'
'Blackened Blue Eyes'
'Just Lookin''
'The Only One I Know’'‘Oh Vanity'
'One To Another'
'Here Comes A Soulsaver'
'My Beautiful Friend'
'Then'
'How High'
'Sproston Green’

Source: www.nme.com

Mumfords & Sons Member To Join Liam Gallagher At Tribute To Late Charlatans Drummer

'I’ll be thinking of Jon Brookes in every line of every song,' says Charlatans singer Tim Burgess.

The line-up for the benefit concert to honour The Charlatans' late drummer Jon Brookes, taking place in London today, has been bolstered by the addition of members of Mumford & Sons and the Pretenders.

The Vaccines' guitarist Freddie Cowan recruited Mumfords banjo player Winston Marshall and Pretenders guitarist James Walbourne to back him and Vaccines bassist Arni Arnason at A Night For Jon Brookes, which takes place at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Friday. Proceeds go to The Brain Tumour Charity; Brookes died of brain cancer in August.

Charlatans singer Tim Burgess, who is hosting and fronting the celebration, told NME: "The Vaccines all wanted to take part, but Justin Young and their drummer Pete Robertson are on holiday, so Freddie kindly got some friends to help back me up. I love The Vaccines, it'll be great to sing a couple of their songs."

Also on the bill are Manic Street Preachers' singer James Dean Bradfield, New Order's Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert, a Chemical Brothers DJ set, Birmingham band Dumb.

Beady Eye will be joined by original Oasis rhythm guitarist Bonehead, appearing on stage with Liam for the first time since he left Oasis in 1999. He replaces Beady Eye's Gem Archer, who is recovering from a fractured skull.

Burgess said he's been "amazed" by the support from musicians following Brookes' death. He said: “I'll think about Jon during every line of every song. It’s a celebration of Jon’s life, and I’m going into the show thinking that I won’t struggle through any of the songs.

"Thinking about Jon doesn’t make me break down, it makes me straighten my back instead. I’m a Manchester United fan, and having Jon in my band was like having Roy Keane in my team."

According to the frontman, only Johnny Marr – who plays at the nearby Roundhouse on Friday – and Julian Cope – who has a deadline of Monday to finish writing a new book – were unavailable to play at the benefit. "The number of musicians who loved Jon has touched me, and Jon's family are blown away," he added.

Burgess also revealed that The Charlatans began work on a new album with Brookes shortly before his death, which will be released next year. "We started recording because Jon wanted to be involved on it,” said Burgess. "The more Jon’s cancer progressed, the more he wanted to be involved. We had to tell him sometimes he couldn’t do it – in his head, Jon felt fine, but he physically couldn’t play. But, whenever he could, we’d get Jon into play."

Burgess compared the album, which will be the band’s 12th, to their 1990 debut 'Some Friendly'. He said: "An album is only good if it’s not a struggle, and there was no effort to the optimism in that record, which I think has happened in these songs too." Of the album's sound, he said: "It’s a very light-sounding record, considering what was going on. It’s inspired by the sunshine and sounds like 1960s California, brought forward to today."

Songs on the new album will include 'Emily' and 'I Would Never Leave You Ever'. The band will produce the album themselves. “It’s hard when you’ve got an allotted amount of time with a producer," said Burgess. "If we’ve got eight weeks to make something, you know it’s going to take us 10."

Source: www.nme.com

Mumford & Sons Love Liam Gallagher

Mumford & Sons love Liam Gallagher despite him insulting the band.

Frontman Marcus Mumford thinks the Beady Eye singer is "always really funny", and was glad to be recognised by the legendary musician even though he slammed the group for being boring.

Liam famously said the band - which also includes Ted Dwayne, Winston Marshall and Ben Lovett - "look like fucking Amish people, as rock and roll as a blue rinse".

Marcus, 26, was amused, however, and told Q magazine: "I fucking love him. The fact that we're on his radar is awesome."

Source: channel24.co.za

Life After Oasis: Beady Eye Frontman Liam Gallagher Looks Back In Anger

"Cheeky bastard." Liam Gallagher is glowering – I think so, anyway – behind his stay-put Ray-Bans. But who is the subject of his ire this time? Is it traitorous brother Noel? Is it Mumford & Sons, this mouth-almighty's current favourite whipping boys ("Looks like they've got fucking nits and eat lentil soup")? It it, perhaps, Sir Alex Ferguson, who, on the day of our meeting in a north London rehearsal facility, has announced his triumphant retirement as manager of Manchester United, enemies of Liam's cherished City? Or is Liam addressing me?

The answer: none of the above. Right now, Liam's goat is got by a sweet.

"It was a fucking blue M&M," tuts Beady Eye's frontman, and readers should presume from hereon that every other utterance out of the Gallagher gob contains a "fuck", "fucking" or "fucker". Or, rather, via a Manc accent undimmed by 20 years 'avin' it in London, a "fook", "fooking" or "fooker".

"I was out," continues this stoutly, proudly unreconstructed rock star, "had a peanut M&M, the next thing I know, me mouth went weird. Felt like I'd been stung. Go to the toilet to have some hot water – and my mouth had swelled up, breathing got all weird, head went… Went to the doctor and they gave me a blood test and they said, 'Peanut allergy.' Never had that, mate," Liam grumps in his staccato, blunt-weapon speaking style. "Got to go back this week [to see] if there's anything else, but it's proper pickled my head for over a week. So I've got a prescription for the needles. Not good, man."

Head-pickling upset aside, Liam Gallagher is today in great and fighting form. He should be 'n' all. The 40-year-old is in the happy thick of rehearsals for the first shows in support of the second album by Beady Eye, the band formed by the rump of Oasis left after Noel exited stage-right-angry in August 2009. (The reasons proffered by the elder Gallagher, in a peanutshell: one argument too many with his brother.)

Titled with quasi-cosmic simplicity BE (see what they did there?), it's a cracker. No, really. Following the meat'n'potatoes stodge of their hastily recorded debut Different Gear, Still Speeding, Beady Eyes's follow-up is an entirely tastier proposition.

Gallagher and his bandmates Andy Bell and Gem Archer have together written an album of songs that fly with sky-scraping electronic adventurism, rootle around with poppy psychedelia, and generally have a right old ding-dong with the four-square trad-rock that bogged down the past decade or so of the principals' musical day jobs.

Liam's voice vibrates with close-mic intimacy and bristles with ragged glory. In particular "Flick of the Finger" and "Second Bite of the Apple", the first songs released from the album, explode with a vigour not heard round these parts since… well, since (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. And that came out 18 years ago.

"I've always dreamed of using the studio in a free way," states Bell, the guitarist who joined Oasis on bass in 1999, "and this was freedom. And the key to that was Dave," he adds of the London recording sessions produced by Dave Sitek, the out-there American who plays guitar in the band TV on the Radio and who has previously worked his wayward studio magic for Scarlett Johansson and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

"He came in and just put the key in that door and opened it wide," adds Bell. "But what he brought to it worked because we came in like a crack commando team with 21 songs that we'd rehearsed like bastards for ages."

To the thumpingly pragmatic Liam, Sitek could be a little too out-there, however. "We'd have to sort of go, 'Earth to Dave, get back to making some noise.'"

"There's a lot of people out there who maybe we could have or should have worked with," adds Archer, the guitarist who joined Oasis shortly before Bell. "But this is where we're at. And the idea of throwing Dave into the situation may have been a disaster – or glorious."

There are, then, ebullience and forward-looking good vibes in the room when I talk, first to Liam, and then to Archer and Bell together. But there is, of course, a ghost at the table. Someone who will always haunt Liam Gallagher…

Liam, what if Dave Sitek had produced 'Be Here Now' (Oasis's huge-selling but cocaine-clouded and much-maligned third album). Would that have worked?

"Yeah. It would have, definitely. Why not?"

Was adventurousness lacking in Oasis?

"Without a doubt."

Why? Did size take over?

"Maybe. I don't know, mate. There was always a bit of stiffness about Oasis that pissed me right off. It was a bit like, 'No, we're not doing it that way. We're doing it this way.' It's like, come on man, we're better than that. That's not having a pop at Noel, that's the way it was."

You describe 'BE' song 'Don't Brother Me' ('Sick of all your lying, your scheming and your crying…') as containing 'a diss… but it's not a hatred song'. Has Noel heard it?

"Don't speak to him, so I don't know. Sure, he's been fishing about for it… but I don't think he cares. But who knows? I don't know where Our Kid's head is at the moment. You see him and he looks like he's had a make-over, doesn't he?"

Did 'The Death of You and Me' (as featured on Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' self-titled debut) bother you?

"Not one bit. The title's good, though – when I first heard it I thought, 'You cheeky…' But that's life, innit? 'Don't Brother Me' is not a dig – it's not slagging. There's a lot of love in there."

It's not a character assassination?

"No, I'll leave that to this [points to tape recorder]. I don't need to do it through music. Once I've got everything off my chest and people get it, then I'll be quiet. There are still a few things that, with Our Kid, people have just got blinkers on about…"

Like what?

"He wanted the band split up. End of. And he was planning it for years. Cos I heard it, him and his manager [Marcus Russell, Oasis's manager, who quit as Beady Eye's manager during their last tour; he still manages Noel], I heard them planning it backstage at Bridlington Spa [the week before Noel left the band]. There was just bullshit going around. He'd been trying to get his little solo thing for ages." k

Did he have some of the tunes already written?

"Without a doubt. Loads of 'em. We recorded loads for the last [Oasis] album and he whipped 'em off – he went, 'Oh no, we're gonna keep that back.' I can't remember which ones but there was a few [on High Flying Birds]. He's just a sneaky little… I was hard work to work with, cos, whatever… But you don't just wake up in the morning and go, 'Oh, this is all a bit too rock'n'roll for me now.' That's what we built our career on, what you on about? So, yeah, once I've got everything off me chest – which I'm coming to a point [of doing] – I'll crack on and shut me mouth. But he is a conniving little bastard. He's always wanted to be a solo star. It was always in his head. He loved his little moment in the spotlight when he did his little thing [in the middle of Oasis sets]."

Why didn't he come out and split the band earlier?

"Cos he's a shitbag. He sacked Bonehead [Paul Arthurs, original Oasis bass player, pushed out in 1999], he sacked Guigsy [bass player Paul McGuigan, also out the door in 1999], he sacked Whitey [drummer Alan White, out on his ear as of 2004]. Next thing is, 'Oh, I'm gonna get rid of the fucking singer… Well, I'm not gonna get rid of him cos he's gonna knock me clean out. So what do I do? I just… conjure shit up.' That's in my head anyway."

Gem Archer was out socially with Noel Gallagher the other week. They went to see a band, Temples. They've maintained a friendship in the teeth of the brothers' mutual hostility. Bell, too, retains "enormous love and respect" for the man who led Oasis from their formation in 1991. Both guitarists miss Noel, and would love to see a fraternal reunion. What about an Oasis reunion? "I'm not hanging on for it," says Bell. "If it happened, I'd damn well enjoy it," nods Archer. "But if it didn't, I wouldn't be gutted." Liam, meanwhile, insists he doesn't miss Noel – not as a musical foil, not even as a brother. "I don't miss all the bullshit."

Do your kids miss him as an uncle, Liam?

"Never really knew him, mate. I don't know his kids either."

Would you recommend life in a band to your sons (Lennon, aged 13, and Gene, 11)?

"Without a doubt. I'd recommend it to anyone. It's the best gig in the world, man. Gene is up in his room drumming every day. Oh, mate, he loves it. Lennon does guitar lessons in school, and fancies himself as a bit of a singer."

Does he have your vocal skills?

"I don't know, mate. His life's a bit easier than mine – he's got to wait for something to piss him off. I've still got the arse. And that's what comes out in the voice."

Where did your teenage anger come from?

"Fuck knows, man. But I can do both – I can sing beautiful at home, but when it comes to guitars and live, when you're in a rock'n'roll band, you've got to be belting it out. I just sing every song like it's the last time I'm ever gonna sing it."

What music do your boys like?

"Lennon's a massive Who fan. It's got nothing to do with me, he's just obsessed with Quadrophenia."

No Justin Bieber?

"No. They have their moments, though – a lot of their mates are into Rizzle Kicks, shit like that."

What if Gene comes in and says, 'Dad, I love Mumford & Sons'?

"Right, well, you've got to let kids do what they gotta do. Obviously I'd have a laugh and go, 'Fuck that!' But Mumford & Sons write some good songs, man. They just look like gyppos."

Are they a good choice for a Glastonbury headline slot?

"Is that where they're playing? Headlining? About time. They've done well, man."

What about the Rolling Stones?

"Never seen them, ever. Am I interested? Not at £500 a pop. Tried to get on the guest list [for the O2], couldn't. I was not having it. Fuck that, mate, it's not rock'n'roll paying all that money for a ticket. I wouldn't pay £500 to see anyone."

Right now, Beady Eye are in training for a tour that all concerned hope will be a long one. Liam Gallagher is even up for having another crack at America – "Yep, but with the right stab," he qualifies, "without getting caught up in licking arse" – even though his antics (missing planes, spitting on stage) helped sabotage Oasis's attempts at "breaking" the US.

At the studio, Bell and Archer have been putting new bass player Jay Mehler, formerly of Kasabian, through his paces (Oasis's final drummer Chris Sharrock completes the line-up), and working out how to translate the imaginative textures of BE into a live show. The core trio ring with the raring-to-go enthusiasm of a band who have, rather against the odds, proved themselves.

Liam has been working on his match fitness by maintaining his near-daily running routine: one hour, 6am to 7am, Hampstead Heath, before heading home to make breakfast and do the school run. Interspersed, it must be noted, with the occasional appearance of the traditional Liam dust-up: some argy-bargy with actor Idris Elba after February's NME Awards and, the following month, being ejected from Crouch End pub The Queens for drunkenness – twice in one week. He is, in vintage Liam Gallagher style, living it large in every corner of his life. But now, at last, he's once again punting music that's equally entertaining.

Given Beady Eye's dietary requirements (Bell is also allergic to nuts), have you been giving your rider the once over?

"It's just the usual: vodka, tequila. I like tequila – there's no hangover. After a gig I can drink a whole bottle on me jack. Then at 12 o'clock the next day, I'm on it again. It's red wine and Guinness that make you feel crap the next day."

Do you still do drugs?

"Every now and again, mate. Don't want to be going on about it. Not as much as I used to. It's shit, isn't it – there's no good stuff out there. I will when a new batch comes in. But it takes me three days to recover. I try not to anyway. A good night for me is going out and coming home pissed, and knowing I haven't touched the gear."

Will Beady Eye still be touring this time next year?

"It's [down to] whether people dig BE. I've got a feeling that a lot of people are just like, 'Fuck off, whatever.' They're just not into it. They just want Oasis back together."

Do you want Oasis back together?

"No."

Never?

"No. Not yet. But I don't think about it, man. I want Beady Eye to be successful so we don't have to go down that road ever again. But if… you know… we'll see how it goes."

'BE' is out tomorrow on Columbia Records

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ed Sheeran Explains Noel Gallagher Charity Gig Snub

Ed Sheeran has defended himself after Noel Gallagher revealed he has pulled out of a verbally-agreed charity performance.

The 'Lego House' performer agreed to play a headline set at this year's series of Teenage Cancer Trust shows, before realising that it fell on the same week as his sold-out tour in Australia.

"I actually told him I would do the gig whenever he wanted, but the week they were planned I was in Australia with gigs already booked and sold out," Sheeran tweeted.

"Had it been any other time I would have made it happen but I found this out after I'd said yes.

"I think it would be worse saying no instantly without knowing, to be honest, and I said any other time he wants to do a show and I'm not on tour, I will 100 per cent do it."

Gallagher - who curated this year's charity shows at the Royal Albert Hall - previously outed acts who had pulled out at the last minute.

"I'd talk to Ed Sheeran and Mumford & Sons... and I got let down a lot," he said. "Everybody says yes to your face.

"And then the agent will call and say, 'Ah, they're going to be in Australia at the time'. Really? Well, they never said that to me."

He added: "But if the people that blew me off but said they'll do it next year actually do, it might be the greatest event since Woodstock."

Gallagher performed with Blur's Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon for this year's events, which also saw performances from Kasabian, Labrinth and Rizzle Kicks.

Source: www.digitalspy.co.uk

Liam Gallagher Says Beady Eye Have Gone For The Full Pink Floyd Trip On New Album

In Oasis's heyday a call going out to a brass band to join a studio session would have been a sign the drug threshold had been reached.

But Liam Gallagher insists his new band Beady Eye are willing to do things a bit differently on their second album in a quest for more rock ’n’ roll success.

Last week he had a pop at Mumford & Sons for looking like they might have nits — but the brass section isn’t a sign he’s joining a colliery band.

Speaking at the launch of his new fashion range for Pretty Green, he said: “We’ve gone for the full Pink Floyd trip, man.

“There’s the psychedelic stuff and then the rock ’n’ roll bangers.

“Our producer Dave called up our manager and told him to get a brass band round sharpish one day.

“If it makes it a better record, I’m having it man. I’m buzzing for it. It’s going to blow people’s minds.”

It was a brave move getting Dave Sitek on board. He’s in a band called TV On The Radio and produced Foals and Yeah Yeah Yeahs records.

They are the kind of characters you might expect to be mingling with the Derek Zoolander fashion crowd with ironic facial hair.

But Liam and his team have done the business slipping into the fashion world over the last four or five years — and they are cashing in.

Pretty Green unveiled the new face of their brand, Jesse Wood, the guitarist son of Rolling Stone Ronnie.

He’s a top bloke and a great shout for the brand. He brought his heavily preggers missus Fearne Cotton along, but they did the back door shuffle when her feet couldn’t take any more.

Inbetweeners hero James Buckley was in his element, too.

The actor, who owns so much he must keep Liam’s label ticking over, joked that he was trying to steal some threads. He tweeted: “Tried to walk out with those suit jackets.”

Speaking about being newly married to Scottish girlfriend CLAIR MEEK, he said: “My father-in-law came over to me at the wedding and said, ‘Don’t you ever be doing a Scottish accent in any films now, you hear me?’ I got the message loud and clear.”

Kasabian’s Tom Meighan was out for the night too. And being out for the night, he’s probably still going as you read this.

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

Mumford and Sons: 'We Don't Want To Be As Big As Oasis'

Band say they dream of a life in the countryside as 'Babel' storms the album charts.

Mumford and Sons have said they don't want to be as big as Oasis.

The band, who stormed straight into the Number One slot in this week's Official UK Album Chart with their second album 'Babel', say they don't want to get as big as bands like Oasis.

'Babel' racked up sales of 159,000 copies last week to become 2012's fastest-selling album, according to the Official Charts Company.

Speaking to NME about the band's increasing stature, multi-instrumentalist Ted Dwane said: "We don't want to be as big as Oasis! I think we’re bigger than we ever wanted to be. I don’t think we want to get any bigger now."

Mumford and Sons have also just announced a mammoth UK and Irish tour, which will see them play some of their biggest headline shows to date, including London's O2 Arena.

Speaking about their growing gig schedule, Dwane said: "We want to deserve the place that we've got to and be good to the people who've been good to us. We're interested in travelling and sharing the music with as many people as possible - there are some places where 'Sigh No More' has done quite well that we haven’t actually been yet, like Japan - but I couldn't imagine it getting any bigger really. Then again, I said that after we sold out Shepherd’s Bush Empire so who knows."

Dwane also revealed the band have little interest in living a celebrity lifestyle, preferring the calm of the country to A-list parties. He explained: "Pretty much all of our dreams sit around the countryside and having a small little bit of land to do something with. I think when that desire takes over our desires to travel and play gigs, that's probably where we'll end up. [Celebrity] holds no interest for us."

Source: www.nme.com

Q Magazine On Sale Now With Noel Gallagher On The Cover

The print edition of Q316 is available to buy in stores from today (25 September).

The digital version of the issue, Q316, is on sale right now for iPad.

Featuring a cover story interview with Noel Gallagher, the issue also includes Mumford & Sons, Lady Gaga, Madness, Green Day, Ellie Goulding and much more.

To get the issue on iPad, head to iTunes get the Q iPad App and then you can download the new edition.

The first generation of Q on the iPad is a reader featuring the whole of the print issue - plus a series of bonus content, which this month includes extra questions and a gallery with Noel, tracks from our New To Q acts, an audio interview with Mumford & Sons and more.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds embark on a UK tour in September and will tour the US and Canada alongside Snow Patrol and Jake Bugg later this year.

More details on the above dates and more can be found by clicking here.

Noel Gallagher, Coldplay And Foo Fighters Revealed As Biggest Selling Rock Acts Of 2011

Noah & The Whale, Florence And The Machine and Snow Patrol also enjoyed strong sales in 2011.

Coldplay, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and Florence And The Machine have been revealed as the biggest selling rock acts of 2011.

According to The Official Charts Company, Coldplay scored both the biggest selling rock single of 2011 with 'Paradise', which sold over 410,000 copies and the biggest selling album with their fifth effort 'Mylo Xyloto', which sold over 900,000 copies despite only being released in October.

Noel Gallagher's debut solo effort was the second biggest seller in the album stakes with sales just shy of 500,000. He was followed by Florence And The Machine, who were narrowly in front of Foo Fighters and Mumford and Sons.

Elbow were sixth, Kasabian seventh, Snow Patrol in eighth and in their best ever sales year Noah And The Whale were ninth, just ahead of Arctic Monkeys' 'Suck It And See', which was in 10th place.

In the singles chart, Goo Goo Dolls' 'Iris', which was first released in 1998, sold 264,000 copies in 2011 after it was brought back to life by an X Factor performance to become the second biggest selling rock single of the year.

Birdy was the third largest seller with her cover of Bon Iver's 'Skinny Love', while Coldplay made their second appearance in the chart at Number Four, just ahead of Noah And The Whale, who were fifth with 'L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N.'

James Morrison, Foster The People, Snow Patrol, Florence And The Machine and The Calling made up the rest of the Top 10.

The Top 10 selling rock singles of 2011 were as follows:

1. Coldplay - Paradise (410,000)
2. Goo Goo Dolls - Iris (264,000)
3. Birdy - Skinny Love (259,000)
4. Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall (247,000)
5. Noah & The Whale - L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. (242,000)
6. James Morrison - I Won't Let You Go (228,000)
7. Foster The People - Pumped Up Kicks (225,000)
8. Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars (128,000)
9. Florence And The Machine - Shake It Out (127,000)
10. The Calling - Wherever You Will Go (125,000)

The Top 10 selling rock albums of 2011 were as follows:

1. Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto (908,000)
2. Noel Gallagher - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (492,000)
3. Florence & The Machine - Ceremonials (384,000)
4. Foo Fighters - Wasting Light (380,000)
5. Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More (373,000)
6. Elbow - Build A Rocket Boys (327,000)
7. Kasabian - Velociraptor (279,000)
8. Snow Patrol - Fallen Empires (269,000)
9. Noah & The Whale - Last Night On Earth (261,000)
10. Arctic Monkeys - Suck It And See (223,000)

Source: www.nme.com

Tickets For KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas On Sale Today

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds have confirmed their addition to the second night of this year's KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas.

The two day festival, set to happen over the weekend of 10th-11th December, takes place at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are set to perform on Sunday 11th December, other acts confirmed for the day include Jane's Addiction, The Black Keys and Mumford & Sons.

Tickets go on sale today 10am (local time) HERE!

For info on the festival head over to KROQ's website HERE!

Noel Gallagher On Mumford & Sons, Radiohead, Amy Winehouse And His Brother

Noel Gallagher knows that interviews get him in trouble. "I can't help but offend people," he says. "I've got a certain turn of phrase and way with words, that when written down, they look bad. They look fucking bad. But I live with that shit. It's a constant tightrope, but I just walk it every day . . . I'm probably one of the only fucking people you will speak with in the flesh where you don't get a list of things not to talk about."

That is certainly true. During the course of a 30-minute phone interview with the 44-year-old former Oasis guitarist, we talked about his new group Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, the possibility of an Oasis reunion, Radiohead, drugs, Amy Winehouse, Mumford & Sons and a lot more. Earlier this week, we wrote about Gallagher's upcoming album and tour. Here's more from our chat.

What do you think about Radiohead?

They're an odd bunch, aren't they? They've been making the same record since Kid A. But this needs to be said. I don't own any of their records, but every time I've seen them live, they've fucking blown me away. It was like, "Wow, fucking listen to that! How do you fucking make that shit come out of those speakers?" It's fucking amazing. But have I ever had a moment where I fucking sat down and thought, "Do you know what this calls for? This calls for 'Paranoid Android!' Get it on!" No. I've never had that moment. Give me "Mony Mony" or "Runaround Sue." Something you can sing to.

How about Mumford & Sons?

What's the first big song they had? I love that. [Hums "The Cave."] I don't know what the fuck it's called. I haven't heard anything that sounds as good as that. I don't mind them. A lot of fucking people hate them in England. I think it's the waistcoat and facial hair. I don't mind them. I think that guy's got a good voice . . . I wish had written that song. That's the biggest compliment I can pay whoever wrote that.

Is there any chance that Oasis will ever reunite?

Liam has said that the idea makes him vomit and it would never happen, so I don't need to add anything to that. I don't need the fucking money, but I think it's a shame that songs like "Champagne Supernova," "Rock and Roll Star," "The Importance of Being Idle" and "The Shock of the Lightning" will never be played again. In a stadium. That kind of fills me with sadness. The money is kind of irrelevant.

There's bands that say, "We don't want to get back together. We'd have to make a new record." Why? Fuck a new record. No one gives a shit about your new record. Play the fucking old ones. The Led Zeppelin guys are like, "There will have to be a new record." Really? Yeah, because that would be fucking great, wouldn't it? Play fucking "Whole Lotta Love." Get over it.

So, you're saying there won't ever be a reunion? Most groups say 'never ever' and then 10 years later, they do it.

I'm saying that the singer has said "Never ever." So we'll leave it at that.

Do you talk to the guys at all?

I speak to Gem and the drummer Chris, but I never really hung out with them anyway. I was more of a loner. They always had their own . . . they always hung out with each other, and their wives and girlfriends are all friends as well.

Do you speak with Liam at all?

No. No.

Do you like the Beady Eye album? Have you heard it?

I haven't sat down and heard it as an album, but I've seen stuff on the telly and I've heard pretty much most of it on the radio. I've obviously not sat down and listened to it as as an album, but I'm aware of all of the songs, and it's all right.

The Kings of Leon are going through a rough patch right now. It's just hard for brothers to be in bands I guess. They canceled their tour and their singer might be going to rehab.

Well, I can't speak for them, but I've never been in a band with people who weren't . . . I mean, I've always had Liam. I'll never know what it's like to be in a band with just guys. I don't know whether or not it's difficult. But people deal with it in different ways. I took a lot of drugs in the 1990s, but it never really got a grip on me like that where I was like, "I fucking need to go to rehab." I'd literally done all the drugs that I'd had. There was none left in London. I'd done them all. And I was like, "Right, well, that fucking was interesting. Okay, we'll I've done that now. Can we buy me a bike?" But people deal with things differently. There's three things that are really hard to deal with: drugs, alcohol and the worst one is success. Because with success comes with a lot of real subtle things that you can't see and you can't feel and you can't talk to and you don't know what they are, but it comes down to pressure pressure pressure pressure pressure pressure pressure.

Do you think that explains Amy Winehouse?

I don't know. I wouldn't like to say. It's got to hit solo artists worse because they're on their own effectively, and she's only a little girl. But success is a fucking weird thing because you suffer so much to get it and when you get it you try to fucking hold onto it for dear life. And it's a fleeting thing, you know what I mean? Add all that and you still have to be creative and all that shit and then drugs and alcohol become involved. It's fucking tough, man. It's hard.

You guys were so young and you got so massively big so quickly.

Yeah, each individual is different. We come from a very tough part of the world. Then I had people following me around with cameras and people sticking dictaphones at me. That was like paradise, if you had fucking seen where I was born and what I had to to through go get there in the first place. That was like, "Fucking bring it on! Give me more. What? I get free drugs?" It was fucking unbelievable! "And free clothes! And what's this check for? You get money! Fuck me, this is unbelievable!" But some people are not cut out for it. Take Keith Richards, for instance. What a fucking pirate. The guy has lived it. Fucking rotten. He's lived it large and he wrote a book about it. Then there's people like Janis Joplin who didn't fucking make it. Success is a weird thing. Not fame so much. Fame is bullshit. But success and how people around you perceive it and how you perceive it.

Source: www.rollingstone.com