He won plaudits for his portrayal of the young John Lennon in the hit film Nowhere Boy and now it seems actor Aaron Johnson could be reprising the role of the legendary star in Liam Gallagher’s forthcoming Beatles biopic.
Gallagher, 39, is backing an adaptation of the book The Longest Cocktail Party by Richard DiLello, which highlights the excessive goings on at the Beatles’ company Apple Corps in the late Sixties.
With filming expected to begin next year, it’s emerged that Johnson, 21, is the favourite to land the part of Lennon, whom he last played in 2009. “Aaron is the one they want and it seems there’s a good chance he’ll come on board,” we’re told.
“Liam was impressed with Aaron in Nowhere Boy. He really seemed to capture Lennon’s spirit better than any other actor. Aaron became very attached to the role and the feeling is he’d jump at the chance to play him again if the circumstances are right. It probably all depends on schedules now.”
Johnson’s partner is Nowhere Boy director Sam Taylor-Wood, who is 23 years his senior. They have a one-year-old daughter Wylda Rae. He has also starred in the hit film Kick-Ass. It is hoped that British director Michael Winterbottom will be at the helm for the new Beatles film and Gallagher has also announced he would like Johnny Depp to play the band’s publicist Derek Taylor.
Click here and here for pictures from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds at the 22nd annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, USA yesterday.
Below is the setlist from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds at The 22nd Annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, USA yesterday.
Everybody's On The Run If I Had A Gun... AKA... What A Life! Wonderwall The Death Of You And Me (I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine Don't Look Back In Anger
Below is the setlist from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds at 91X Wrex The Halls in San Diego, USA on December 10th.
Mucky Fingers Everybody's On The Run Dream On The Death Of You And Me The Good Rebel Wonderwall (I Wanna Live In A Dream in My) Record Machine AKA... What A Life! If I Had A Gun... Don't Look Back In Anger
A bit misguided but totally admirable, Liam Gallagher kept his word and did not play any songs by his former band Oasis during the tour by his new group, Beady Eye, which concluded Saturday at the House of Blues.
Beady Eye is loaded with Oasis, having that band’s guitar tandem of Gem Archer and Andy Bell as well as latter-day drummer Chris Sharrock. Beady Eye’s sturdy debut, “Different Gear, Still Speeding’’ is likewise not far afield from the glimmering Brit-pop of Oasis. Liam’s brother Noel is tapping the Oasis catalog with his own new outfit. So all of that probably fed into Liam Gallagher’s decision to avoid the past and turn the concerts into matters of trust.
And for the most part, Beady Eye pulled it off. The opening “Four Letter Word’’ came off as a declaration of renewal, with Gallagher relishing the line “nothing lasts forever’’ as the band raged behind him.
Beady Eye didn’t take its listeners to places they hadn’t been before with these musicians. The melodic hooks learned from the Beatles; the swagger picked up from the Rolling Stones; and the muscular playing championed by the Who all flowed together in Beady Eye. The only thing different was how the group left behind the layer of stardom that grew over Oasis and attacked the set like a band trying to make a name for itself.
The downside was having to sit through a couple of unremarkable songs such as the B-side “Two of a Kind.’’ that’s frustrating when you know the band has a stash of tunes you’d otherwise love to hear.
But Beady Eye songs ably carried the set. With bassist Jeff Wootton and keyboard player Matt Jones joining the touring lineup, Beady Eye ran from the light touch of “For Anyone’’- driven by Archer’s chiming 12-string acoustic - to the psychedelic sprawl of “The Morning Son.’’
Gallagher struck familiar poses - standing at the microphone, chin out, arms behind his back - as he delivered lyrics like bits of sermon.
The temperamental singer could have gone off the rails when he missed a cue on the transcendent “Kill for a Dream’’ but instead regained his footing and conjured all of the song’s beguiling charms. Beady Eye was clearly making its music in the moment, which proved satisfying even knowing the band’s past.
The guitar-and-drum duo Black Box Revelation opened with a bit of stripped-down garage rock.
From Noel Gallagher's 'Tales From The Middle Of Nowhere' tour diary.
Now then… Woke up yesterday to the news that there'd been - and I quote - a shooting rampage not five minutes from my hotel!!
A SHOOTING RAMPAGE!!!!!!!!!!
Apparently some kid (27) just randomly shot seven people in the street before he was himself shot in the head by the cops!!!!
What the fuck?? I love this place, but fuck me, that's insane.
Had a three hour drive to the gig that was in San Diego. I have to say it was a rather enjoyable journey. Pacific coast highway, beautiful sunshine, listening to tunes on headphones for three hours? I forgot when the last time was I had the pleasure of that experience.
The gig was in some big fuck off arena. It was the local radio station's Christmas festival thing. They have a lot of them over here. They invite the acts that get the most airplay over the year and they must've been hammering the record. Haven't been invited to one for over 10 years, maybe even longer!!!! You only do 30 mins so it's a piece of piss and all. All the hits, thank you and goodnight.
Got another one tonight for that radio station KROQ? Looking forward to it. It's only up the street here so the journey won't be anywhere near as enjoyable but it'll have the added thrill of maybe getting shot at!!!
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 'Ride The Tiger' is on MTV Rocks on Sky channel 354 (UK Only) tonight at 22:30 and tomorrow at 22:35.
'Ride The Tiger' includes the videos for 'The Death Of You And Me', 'AKA…What A Life!' and 'If I Had A Gun'.
All three videos were directed by Mike Bruce and Blake West, have been cut together to make one incredible trilogy including previously unreleased footage.
Below are a number of videos from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds at the 91X Wrex The Halls Festival at the Valley View Casino Cente in San Diego, USA yesterday.