Great Scot - It's The Next Oasis

The Fratellis are dark horses in the Breakthrough Act category.

They slipped in at No2 in the album charts last year with Costello Music without the help of internet or record label hype.

The Scots rockers really want to win – but won’t be able to afford celebratory champagne.

Singer Jon Fratelli said: “We deserve it. We didn’t get hyped like other bands. We just play and give fans what they want.

“We are still skint though – I can just about buy a round. Now we’ve got a nomination I want first-class flights from the record company.”

The Fratellis got their break touring with Kasabian last year. Jon said: “We have friendly rivalry. They say they are like Oasis and we are like The Verve – but we want to be Oasis.

“We met Noel Gallagher at our Earls Court gig. I was drunk and tripped over. My head landed at his toe. He was dancing so I don’t think he noticed.”

But he reckons there won’t be any tour-style antics when they all reunite tonight. He added: “We’re playing Nottingham tomorrow so if we win we’ll have to start behaving.”

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

Look Back In Awe With Oasis

As Oasis prepare to accept the Outstanding Contribution To Music Award at this year's Brit Awards, it's hard to imagine a music scene without the outspoken Gallagher brothers at the forefront.

In fact, Liam and Noel are the only two surviving members from the original band line-up, who formed in 1991.

Supersonic was their first big hit in 1993, catapulting the band into the big time.

Their debut album Definitely Maybe was the fastest selling LP at the time and entered the album charts at No1.

Sales have now superceded an incredible 50 million albums worldwide and the boys have notched up an impressive eight UK number ones.

And throughout their 16 years in the limelight, Oasis have never shied away from controversy.

Their rivalry with fellow Britpop act Blur led Noel to shockingly declare he hoped singer Damon Albarn would "catch Aids and die," something he later apologised for.

The fiery relationship between the two brothers has frequently come to blows, and even threatened the future of the band on occasion.

Noel's frankness about cocaine indulgence has also hit the headlines.

Maybe an Outstanding Contribution To The Gossip Columns Award would be more apt!

The brothers have had a series of high-profile relationships, with the song Don't Look Back In Anger said to be about Noel's ex Meg Mathews, though he has always denied this.

Liam's marriage to Patsy Kensit in 1997 was doomed from the start, with the self-styled bad boy managing to impregnate Lisa Moorish just a week after his wedding.

Needless to say, they divorced in 2000 and he now lives with Nicole Appleton of the girl band All Saints.

The wilder days of the Gallaghers may now be behind them, but their music will undoubtedly Live Forever.

The brothers have given us some great quotes over the years. Here is a top ten:

1. Liam: "I’d never want to be that big in America as they’re all f***ing weirdos."

2. Noel on the influence of Arctic Monkeys: "It's gonna be c**ts with guitars going, 'And me mum works down the f**king chip shop, she met a geezer,' and all that. Great pop music is not about real life, it's about how great life can be. Real life's s**t."

3. Noel: "The middle classes 'experiment' with drugs; the working classes just get stuck in."

4. Noel: "If I ever get to go to the moon, I'll probably just stand on the moon and go 'Hmmm, yeah...fair enough...gotta go home now."

5. Noel on Robbie Williams: "He's just a fat tap-dancer from Stoke."

6. Noel: "The thing about us is we're honest. If we're asked whether we take drugs, we say yes. I was brought up by my mam not to be a liar."

7. Liam: "If I saw an alien, I'd tell it to f**k right off because whatever planet he came from they wouldn't have the Beatles or any decent f*****g music. So they can f**k right off, I ain't going anywhere with them."

8. Noel: "We're not arrogant, we just believe we're the best band in the world."

9. Liam: "I'm not getting married today. I'm in bed."

10. Noel: "Kylie Minogue is just a demonic little idiot as far as I'm concerned."

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

Videos From The Brits

I will post the others when I find them.

Noel Gallagher On BBC2 Newsnight

Gallagher: 'Williams Can't Stand The Heat'

Oasis rocker Noel Gallagher has criticised Robbie Williams for not being able to cope with his dependency on prescription drugs, just one day after the singer entered rehab.

Williams was admitted to a clinic in the US on Tuesday (13FEB07), his 33rd birthday, but Gallagher has little sympathy for him.

Speaking to UK radio station Heart yesterday (14FEB07), Gallagher said, "If you take drugs you end up in rehab unless you're a f**king rock like me - and then you just give them up. "We've all been there, but if you can't stand the heat..."

Source: www.contactmusic.com

Oasis Foul Rant On Air

Ungratefull Gallaghers Defy TV Bosses Warning

Bad-boy rockers Oasis turned the air blue in a foul-mouthed rant that had ITV bosses fuming and reaching for the mute switch.

The Gallagher brothers let rip with a string of expletives after accepting their Outstanding Contribution Award.

Directors had to blank out the majority of their speech - leaving TV audiences in the dark as to what they said.

Source: www.mirror.co.uk

Noel, Bigger Than Elvis

Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher hit out at identikit politicians tonight as he boasted he could be "bigger than Elvis" as a solo artist.

The rocker said he didn't expect Britain to get any better if Gordon Brown became the next Prime Minister because he was no different from David Cameron.

And he said the media had made Tony Blair into a "president", adding: "It's no wonder he acts like one."

Interviewed by BBC Two's Newsnight as his band received a Brit Award for its Outstanding Contribution, Noel said there was nothing left to vote for.

"David Cameron is no different from Tony Blair, and Gordon Brown is no different from David Cameron.

"So I don't really think there's anything left to vote for. That's why people don't vote."

Noel said he preferred to stay in a band rather than go solo, but left no doubt he felt he would be a great success on his own.

"Maybe for all the money in the world but you know... I wouldn't do it by choice.

"I could do it easily but if I was a solo artist I would be the biggest solo artist in the country easy, no messing, within a year... seriously... but I prefer being in a band.

"But don't ever think that I couldn't do it. I could. I'd be bigger than Elvis. I would."

Source: www.metro.co.uk

Oasis Conclude BRIT Awards With Live Show

Oasis have concluded this year's BRIT Awards collecting their Outstanding Contribution To Music gong tonight (February 14) at the ceremony in London.

The band were presented with the prize by ceremony host and friend Russell Brand

Collecting the award Liam Gallagher declared "Seeing as we don't get nominated for this shit any more I supposed this will have to do!"

Noel Gallagher meanwhile thanked "anyone who brought our records".

The band then concluded the ceremony playing a short set of the following songs:

'Cigarettes & Alcohol'
'The Meaning Of Soul'
'Morning Glory'
'Don't Look Back In Anger'
'Rock 'N' Roll Star'

Source: www.nme.com

Furtado: 'I Wouldn't Be Here Without Oasis'

Pop star Nelly Furtado was inspired to pursue a career in pop after falling for the music of Oasis - and wouldn't be in the charts if it wasn't for the lasting effect the British group had on her.

The Maneater singer credits the band with giving her the determination to succeed in the industry, and believes she shares a lot in common with the Manchester rockers.

She says, "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Oasis. I bought my first acoustic guitar because of them and the first tracks I learned to play were Live Forever and Wonderwall. "I was inspired by their working-class roots because that's the kind of background I come from."

Source: www.contactmusic.com

Liam: "B*llocks To The Brits!"

Oasis don't need gongs to know they rock, says Mr Gallagher...

Oasis are set to pick up the award for Outstanding Achievement at tonight's Brits (February 14) ceremony, but frontman Liam says he couldn't give a stuff about the gong.

“I don't need a f***ing award anyway, I don’t need a f***ing award to tell us how great we are," he told MTV. "People take what do they do with it too seriously - every time we've got an award it just ends up just slung in the f***ing corner.”

And after Noel recently said that U2 frontman Bono should, "Shut the f*ck up about Africa", Liam has reiterated that the lads won't be making any political comments in their acceptance speech.

“I’m not into that stuff, I’m not into that at all, I actually f***ing hate all that stuff," he told us. "There is a time and a place for that.”

Asked what inspiring words he might throw in instead, the monobrowed mouth-on-legs said, “The word 'b*llocks' and 'f***'. And maybe drop in 'God' every now and then.”

Watch Noel Gallagher, Take That and the host for tonights show, Russell Brand right here for free in our Countdown to the Brits.

Catch the Brit Awards tonight (Wednesday, February 14) on ITV 1 at 8pm

Source: www.mtv.co.uk

Oasis To Play Classic Tunes At Brits

Manchester rockers Oasis are set to play some of their classic hits at the Brit Awards tonight, where they will collect their Outstanding Achievement award from Beatles legend Ringo Starr.

Oasis will be performing CigarettesI & Alcohol and Rock 'N' Roll Star from their breakthrough album Definitely Maybe, which was released 12 years ago and opened the floodgates to the Britpop days of the mid 90s.

Other songs will include Don't Look Back In Anger and Morning Glory from their hugely popular second album, What's The Story (Morning Glory).

And the original indie rock 'n' rollers will be accepting their long-awaited Outstanding Achievement award from Starr, after deciding they may be getting too old to accept it in the future.

Source: www.contactmusic.com

And The Oasis Award Goes To…

One lucky person is going home with an Outstanding Contribution To Music Award tonight – and it looks like it won’t be a member of Oasis.

Songwriter Noel has revealed to brits.co.uk that, although delighted to receive it, he has no intention of keeping the trophy his band is about to win.

He says “We actually make a rule of not keeping any awards that we have. Because we only get one trophy and of course there are five of us in the group, we give our awards to someone else; it depends on who is with us on the night, it’ll be someone in our ‘organisation’. I don’t know who will get the gold one – but it’s not the kind of thing that we keep!”

In fact, Noel told us that he doesn’t have a trophy cabinet – or even a gold disc on display in his house. “You wouldn’t think it was a rock stars’ house when you come through my front door”, he explains. “I’m not Elvis or Ozzy Osbourne, with gold discs everywhere. I just turn on the radio and think ‘I’m better than all of this’”.

Source: www.brits.co.uk

'NME Should Be Very Proud Of Our Sucess'

NME: Congratulation on your BRIT award.
Noel: "Yeah, we're finally up there with Eurythmics, Sting and Bob Geldof, so I'm not really sure that congratulations are in order. We're taking it now because otherwise they're going to ask us every year. It seemed the right time. We'd put out ' Stop The Clocks' and we're all under 40. So we just decided, 'F**k it, let's do it now."

What have you got planned for the night?
"I hope people aren't waiting for us to smash the gaff up or something. We're just going to play five songs, have a party that night, get f**ked. We haven't got anything special planned, we're not that sort of band. They did say 'Can you do a medley of your greatest hits?' but I find that slightly pretentious. The NME Awards are more natural. You get in there, get pissed, go off and get more pissed."

How important was NME to your success?
"I think we should be very proud, but so should NME. I used to read it every week back in the '80s, and it would always say, 'Keep a look out for this lot, they'll take over the world' for once it actually happened! We're the band that came out of those pages, took Indie to the mainstream, gave every single band of the day ambition and inspired a whole generation of kids who are coming through now."

When did you realise Oasis were going to be huge?
"When we released 'Cigarettes & Alcohol'. I was dead against releasing a fourth single from the album, but it became the biggest-selling single off Definitely Maybe'. I think that album had the same effect as 'Never Mind The Bollocks'. Those two albums were the most important albums of the last 40 years. Bands are still forming today because of both those albums".

Where do you see your musical legacy in the current scene?
"It's difficult to say, but it's there because you get told how many bands formed because of that album. When I first met Arctic Monkeys they came into our dressing room and Alex (Turner) was saying he got a guitar because of Oasis. So I asked him, 'How old were you when 'Definitely Maybe' came out?'. He was nine! That f**king bent my head."

People are calling your Britpop rival Damon Albarn the Bowie of his generation - what does that make you?
"He's David Bowie because he is always changing? Oh well, we're Slade - I'm Noddy Holder (laughs) I've got a lot of respect for Damon, I really do mean it. Because I'm indifferent to Damon he thinks that I think he's c**t. Our Liam will talk to him, I won't because he's just another singer in a band to me, but I don't think he's a c**t. Good luck to him."

So what next? A new album?
"Our producer Dave Sardy is coming over for the Brit's so I guess we'll have a chat and kick around some ideas. I've got eight songs that I'm pretty happy with. Liam has one or two that he thinks are brilliant. I fancy doing something more elaborate with this one. It's about time".

Source: NME Magazine

Marked By Age

Mark Owen is thrilled Oasis are preforming at the BRIT's as the other acts make him feel old.

The 34-year-old singer said at rehearsals: "I'm glad Oasis are going to be there as most of the other bands weren't born when we were around first time.

"I feel calm now but two hours before the show I'm going to be surgically attached to the toilet.

Source: Daily Star

Noel: We're Up There With Sting

Noel Gallagher is unsure whether tonight’s Brit Award for Oasis is a compliment or not.

He will collect the gong for Outstanding Contribution To Music and the band will close tonight’s show with a live performance.

But Noel said he is now terrified he will be lumped in with all the boring old farts.

He said: “We’re finally up there with Eurythmics, Sting and Bob Geldof.

“So I’m not really sure that congratulations are in order.”

Noel said he and brother Liam decided to accept the honour because it seemed the logical thing to do, coming after the release of the band’s best of album.

He said: “Otherwise they’re going to ask us every year. It seemed the right time.

“We’d put out Stop The Clocks and we’re all under 40.

“So we just decided, ‘F*** it, let’s do it now.’ ”

And don’t expect fireworks when the Earls Court event is shown live on ITV1 at 8pm. Noel insists they will be on their best behaviour.

He continued: “I hope people aren’t waiting for us to smash the gaff up or something.

“We’re just going to play five songs, have a party, get f*****.

“We haven’t got anything special planned. We’re not that sort of band.

“They did say, ‘Can you do a medley of your greatest hits?’

“But I find all that slightly pretentious.”

Noel is in no doubt though that Oasis deserve the award.

He told NME: “Definitely Maybe had the same effect as Never Mind The Bollocks.

“Those two albums were the most important albums of the last 40 years.

“Bands are still forming today because of both those releases.

“When I first met Arctic Monkeys they came in our dressing room and Alex Turner was saying he got a guitar because of Oasis. So I asked him, ‘How old were you when Definitely Maybe came out?’. He was nine! That bent my head.”

Despite all the years passing, Noel is still not a big fan of Damon Albarn.

He added: “I’ve got a lot of respect for Damon, I really do mean it. Because I’m indifferent to Damon he thinks that I think he’s a ****.

“Our Liam will talk to him. I won’t because he’s just another singer in a band to me but I don’t think he’s a ****. Good luck to him.”

Tonight will be a watershed moment for Oasis, when they put their past behind them and start a new era.

Noel confirmed: “Our producer Dave Sardy is coming over (from the States) for the Brits so I guess we’ll have a chat and kick around some ideas.

“I’ve got eight songs that I’m pretty happy with. Liam has got one or two that he thinks are brilliant.

“I fancy doing something more elaborate. It’s about time.”

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

This Weeks NME

Special Oasis issue: A tribute to Britain's greatest living band. Three different covers to collect!

From All Around The World to Zak Starkey - the complete A to Z of Oasis. Today's bands pay tribute, Noel Speaks.

Source: www.nme.com

BRITS Rehearsals Day One

One band making quite an impression backstage is Oasis — they’ve been saying hi to all and sundry as they saunter around the corridors. Liam’s wearing a fetching crochet hat in black while Noel sports a rather more understated avaiator jacket in distressed brown. Both look super cool. And every spare bloke in the place is down the front in the audience pit when Manchester’s finest rock’n’roll band step ontstage to play.

Oasis run through their full setlist twice. We won’t tell you what it is, but we can tell you it’s unmissable, and much longer than Noel’s original estimate of three songs ( hint — watch the BRITS Encore show after the main awards). As a wall of screens behind them projects images of the band’s history, they are standing onstage, Liam in his crochet hat and Noel with his red guitar, making history once more. Noel sings one song alone. When he does this on the second run through, Liam bounds into the dining area, high above the stage, to watch his brother and band mates play, and survey the very scene the music industry’s VIPs will see when Oasis take to the stage to celebrate their Outstanding Contribution BRIT Awards win. Oasis — and all the other bands who rehearsed today — will return for the big show on Wednesday. Tomorrow a new set of stars come to Earls Court to play.


Source: www.brits.co.uk

Exclusive Noel Gallagher Interview And Live Tracks

After Christian O'Connell chatted to Noel Gallagher during The Breakfast Show, we acquired some exclusive, never-heard-before live tracks that the Mancunian legend performed at a charity show for Mencap at London's highly intimate Union Chapel in October 2006.

You can hear 'Cast No Shadow' and 'Slide Away' as well as the complete 30-minute version of the interview right here. Be warned, however, the interview has not been censored and some of the language that the Oasis guitarist uses is quite... industrial!

Gallagher still believes his band is the most important around at the moment and so does the British music industry as they are being presented with a lifetime achievement award at the BRIT Awards on 14 February.

He talks about the award and much more with Christian. If you're not easily offended then carry on and enjoy it!

Click HERE to listen to interview and live tracks, or to read the transcript click HERE

Source: www.virginradio.co.uk

Countdown To The Brits - Part Four

Oasis were to begin recording a sixth album in early 2004 with producers Death in Vegas at Sawmills Studios in Cornwall. It was originally slated for a September 2004 release to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the release of Definitely Maybe. However, longtime drummer Alan White, who at this time had played on nearly all of the band's material, left the band. At the time, his brother Steve White stated on his own website that "the spirit of being in a band was kicked out of him" and he wanted to be with his current girlfriend. In subsequent interviews, Noel seemed to agree, saying that he has nothing against Alan, but the latter's personal life was impeding on his professional commitments with Oasis.

Recording sessions continued with drummer Terence Kirkbride, brought in temporarily, who only performed on one track, "Mucky Fingers". Zak Starkey was later asked by the band to join them in the sessions. However, as he is still unconfirmed as a bandmember, he was not featured on the album's sleeve and did not appear in promotional activities such as interviews and photo-shoots. For the first time in the band's career, Oasis appeared as an official four-piece.



In June 2004, Oasis, with Starkey, headlined the Glastonbury Festival for the second time in their career and performed a greatest hits set, which included two new songs — Gem Archer's "A Bell Will Ring" and Liam's "The Meaning of Soul". The performance received mixed reviews as the brothers were reprising their roles as brawling siblings. Liam, having problems with his singing, walked offstage at the end of the concert, and Starkey was still getting to grips with the songs, which he had only played publicly for the first time a couple of days previously at Poole Lighthouse. After much turbulence, the band's sixth album was finally recorded in Los Angeles-based Capitol Studios from October to December the same year. Producer Dave Sardy took over the lead producing role from Noel, who decided to step back from these duties after a decade of producing leadership over the band.

In September 2004, the band released Definitely Maybe: The DVD commemorating the 10th anniversary of their debut album's release. The DVD contains an enhanced audio version of the album, four hours of live footage, and interviews with band members and the production team.



On May 30, 2005, after three years and as many scrapped recording sessions, the band released their sixth studio album, Don't Believe the Truth, fullfulling their contract with Sony BMG. It followed the path of Heathen Chemistry as being a collaborative project again, rather than a Noel-written album. It was also the band's first album in a decade not to feature the drumming of Alan White, with Zak Starkey taking his place. The record was generally hailed as the band's best effort since (What's the Story) Morning Glory? by fans and critics alike, spawning two UK #1 singles: "Lyla" and "The Importance of Being Idle" (the band's 7th and 8th #1 UK singles, respectively), whilst "Let There Be Love" entered at #2. Oasis picked up two awards at the Q Awards: one a special People's Choice Award and the second for Don't Believe the Truth as Best Album. Following in the footsteps of the previous five studio albums, Don't Believe the Truth also entered the UK album charts at #1.

In May 2005, the band embarked on a massive world tour — one of the biggest in their career. Beginning on May 10 at the London Astoria, and finishing on March 31, 2006 in front of a sold out gig in Mexico City, Oasis played more live shows than at any time since the Definitely Maybe tour of 1994–1995, visiting 26 countries, headlining 110 shows and playing to 1.7 million people. The tour passed without any major incidents and was the band's most successful in more than a decade. The tour included sold out shows at New York's Madison Square Garden and LA's Hollywood Bowl, two venues important to the Gallagher brothers because their idol, John Lennon, proclaimed them to be the two places a band must play if they visit the States.



Also in 2005, Oasis contributed to the original soundtrack of the film Goal! with a new song called "Who Put the Weight of the World on My Shoulders", written and sung by Noel Gallagher. The CD also contains a new version of "Cast No Shadow" completely re-recorded and produced by UNKLE which features Noel on vocals, as well as a remix by Dave Sardy of "Morning Glory".

In 2006, Oasis released a greatest hits double album entitled Stop the Clocks, which featured what the band consider to be their "definitive" songs. Though the band didn't want to release a 'Best of', their contract with Sony Music had just expired, forcing a release against the band's wishes. In November 2006 the band released "Lord Don't Slow Me Down", a rockumentary film looking back at the 2005–2006 world tour. That same month, Noel and Gem began a short tour to promote Stop the Clocks. They played around a dozen shows in various countries around the world.



On February 14, 2007, Oasis will receive the Brit Award for outstanding contribution to music. Although the award was first to be handed to them by actor Johnny Depp, a friend of Noel, he had to pull out because of his filming schedule. It was later confirmed that the award will be handed to Oasis by The Beatles' Ringo Starr.

Based on the absence of Zak, until after The Who end their world tour in June 2007, and after the extended break Noel has talked about in the press, new recording sessions won't begin until mid-2007. This was confirmed by Noel in the November 2006 issue of Hot Press: "There'll probably be an EP out in mid to late 2007, and a new studio album in 2008, which we can't postpone 'cause we haven't started it yet. We do have some rather excellent songs written though, so I think it'll be a good 'un". Oasis are not signed to any record label at the moment, which may complicate the release of their new album.

In January 2007, Noel said in an interview with NME that he would like to move in an "orchestral" direction with the band's seventh album: "We haven't done that since Be Here Now. I'd like to get, like, a 100-piece orchestra and choirs and all that stuff....I'd like to make an absolutely fucking colossal album. You know? Like literally two orchestras, stuff like that."

Source: Wikpedia

Galaxy Of 'Green' Stars To Perform At World's Biggest Charity Gig

U2, Oasis, Robbie Williams, Coldplay and Kylie Minogue are among the acts expected to wow crowds at the world's biggest ever concert to help save the planet.

Former US vice president Al Gore invited some of the world's most influential media figures to a top secret London meeting last Friday (09FEB07) to plan the record-breaking gig.

An insider says, "It was the most stellar array of media figures you could ever see but to get all those people in the room on a Friday night shows how willing they are to help." The 'Live Earth' show will be held on 7 July (07) at venues in England, America, South Africa, Japan and Brazil in a bid to raise environmental awareness.

Gore says, "Television hypnotises billions but it is a one-way conversation filling minds with junk food. The only way to breathe meaning back into our words is through music. We need you." The full line-up of artists will be announced next week (15FEB07)

Source: www.contactmusic.com