Photos Of Oasis In Abbey Road Recording Within You Without You

Oasis record Within You Without You at Abbey Road Studios.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Oasis To Start Recording New Album

Noel Gallagher says the band will hit the studio very soon

Oasis are to start work on their seventh studio album on July 3.

Guitarist Noel Gallagher has named the date when the band will be recording a follow-up to 2005's 'Don't Believe The Truth'.

"The songs are written... but don't hold your breath because the last album took three-and-half-years and three goes," he told BBC News. "It would be great if it was done by the end of the year and we could get out on the road by next summer, but that's insane wishful thinking."

Previously the guitarist has told NME.COM that this album will be more experimental than Oasis' more recent efforts.

"For the next record I really fancy doing, you know, a record where we just completely throw the kitchen sink at it," Gallagher declared. "We haven't done that since 'Be Here Now' (in 1997)... get like a 100 piece orchestra and choirs and all that.

"I think since 'Standing on the Shoulders of Giants' (2000) we've been trying to prove a point of just bass, drums, guitar and vocals and nothing fancy. But I kind of fancy, like, making an absolutely fucking colossal album. You know? Like literally two orchestras, stuff like that."

Source: www.nme.com

Oasis In Lonely Hearts Club

Noel and Liam Gallagher have been celebrating another Macca birthday of sorts — the 40th anniversary of The Beatles' legendary album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Oasis have joined a project to re-record the album using original equipment and techniques in the famous Abbey Road studio for a Radio 2 show.

They chose the track Within You Without You.

Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight and Travis are among other top names who have recorded tracks, and there is a duet by Pete Doherty and Carl Barat. Noel said: “It’s a special album for me because I was born on May 29 (1967) and it came out on June 1.

“So when I was being born in St Mary’s Manchester it was being played on hospital radio.”

Noel couldn’t make it to Paul’s “secret” gig last week as he’s “confined to barracks” with pregnant missus Sara MacDonald.

He said: “I bumped into Paul that day in Selfridges. I was in the menswear department and I heard someone say quite loud ‘watch him, shoplifter’. I looked round and it was McCartney. I hadn’t seen him for a while and we had a chat.

“I was gutted about missing the gig but when your missus is pregnant, it’s like you’re pregnant, so I didn’t go out.”

Meanwhile, Babyshambles star Pete revealed how he persuaded his old bandmate Carl to join him in a cover of A Day In The Life.

It is the first time they’ve been in the studio together since they recorded the last Libertines album in 2004. Pete said: "I heard about it and thought this would be a great thing to do with Carl, so I called him up and left a message, so at least I could say I called him - you know, let bygones, auld lang syne and everything.

"He never called me back, but then he did and he thought it was a great idea, so here we are.

"I think A Day In The Life is the best song on the album.

"Sgt Pepper is one of my favorite albums in the mists of all the trite commercial pap and soulless generic crap some things strike you down dead when you first hear it and this album is one of those things.

"It just sucked me in and I decided I wanted to be in The Beatles."

Carl added: "I listened to it first when I was nine and I stole my dad’s cassette and listened to it over and over. I just listened to it incessantly

"We're just working out how to do the John and Paul bits."

The 40th Anniversary show is on Radio 2 tonight at 8pm. It also features The Zutons, Stereophonics and Jamie Cullum.

The first part of the show aired earlier this month.

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

More On Sgt Pepper's 40th Anniversary

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of The Beatles' legendary album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, multi award-winning engineer Geoff Emerick heads back into the studio to demonstrate the innovative techniques employed for the recording at Abbey Road studios back in 1967.

Part 2: Hear Oasis, Stereophonics, The Zutons and Jamie Cullum joining Geoff to witness and discuss how he first recorded the album tracks, as they record their own interpretations of one of the famous tracks, using the original analogue 4-track equipment.

Talking to BBC News about the recording, Noel Gallagher said: "Sgt. Pepper is special for me because I was born on the 29 May, and it came out on the 1 June, so when I was being born in St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, it was being played on hospital radio..... and it still contains some of the greatest Beatles songs, like A Day in the Life, and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

Part 1 of the documentary featured the Kaiser Chiefs, The Magic Numbers, Bryan Adams, Razorlight, The Fray and Travis.

Album Tracklist
The final tracks covered were as follows:

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band – Bryan Adams
With A Little Help From My Friends – Razorlight
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds - Athlete
Getting Better – Kaiser Chiefs
Fixing A Hole – The Fray
She’s Leaving Home – Magic Numbers
Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite - Jamie Cullum
Within You Without You - Oasis
When I'm Sixty Four - Russell Brand
Lovely Rita – Travis
Good Morning Good Morning - The Zutons
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) – Stereophonics

Click here for photos of recordings.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Noel Gallagher: '60s Music Meant More

Burnage-born Oasis star Noel Gallagher believes music does not mean as much as it used to.

The band are taking part in a Radio 2 programme celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Beatles' legendary album Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

And Gallagher told the station: "Music was the only outlet for kids at that time. Now it's all video games and all-day television. Music doesn't mean as much today as it did back then.

"At the time that the Beatles were exploding around the world, youth culture was exploding. Youth was in. You can't compare those days to today."

Oasis will join the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight and Travis on Saturday night's show.

Abbey Road

Each band has recorded their own version of a Sgt Pepper track, using the original equipment from the Abbey Road studios.

Oasis chose George Harrison track Within You, Without You.

Gallagher said of the album: "It's special for me because I was born on May 29 and it came out on June 1, so when I was being born in St Mary's, Manchester, it was being played on hospital radio.

"I'm 40 this year, like Sgt Pepper. It gets better with age, that album."

The Sgt Pepper 40th Anniversary documentary will be aired as part of the 60s Season in BBC Radio 2 on Saturday at 8pm.

Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Noel Gallagher: 'I Was Embarrassed For Kaisers And Razorlight'

Oasis man speaks after Beatles tribute album

Oasis star Noel Gallagher has revealed which 'Sgt Pepper' track they have covered for a Radio 2 special - but he's not so keen on some of the other artist who have tackled songs from the LP.

Oasis have recorded 'Within You Without You to celebrate 40 years since the release of 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'.

The George Harrison-written song was specially chosen by brother Liam Gallagher, as Noel explained, "I said if Liam wants to do it, I'll do it, so he was up for it and decided he was going to pick the song. I just assumed he would say 'A Day In The Life', but he came back with Within You Without You , and I was like 'What? There's no guitars on it!'"

The tribute record also features the talents of Razorlight and Kaiser Chiefs.

Speaking of the difficulties the bands faced, recording with the original Abbey Road recording equipment, Noel expressed his opinion on the performances of fellow contemporaries Razorlight and Kaiser Chiefs.

He said: "I was watching Kaiser Chiefs and Razorlight on the documentary and with the greatest respect to those two bands, it was embarrassing. I was embarrassed for them."

Speaking of why the record is so close to his heart, Noel revealed: "'Sgt Pepper' is special for me because I was born on the 29 May, and it came out on the 1 June. So when I was being born in St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, it was being played on hospital radio."

Meanwhile, 'Sgt Pepper''s 40th Anniversary special is on Radio 2 at 8pm on June 16.

Source: www.nme.com

Oasis' 'Special' Beatles' Session

Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher talks about covering the Beatles, and why there will never be another band like them.

Oasis have recorded a version of the Beatle's Within You Without You to celebrate 40 years since the release of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

They were among a number of bands - including Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs, Bryan Adams and The Magic Numbers - who recorded contemporary version of songs from the iconic 1967 album.

Gallagher - who also turned 40 this year - said it was an album close to his heart.

'Floaty And Dreamy'

"Sgt Pepper is special for me because I was born on the 29 May, and it came out on the 1 June," he said.

"So when I was being born in St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, it was being played on hospital radio.

He added: "Because the songs are not rocking or having it, it's very floaty and dreamy, I think the older you get the more you appreciate it.

"And it still contains some of the greatest Beatles songs like A Day in the Life, and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

Gallagher said his brother Liam chose to do their own version of the George Harrison solo Within You, Without You.

"When we were approached, I wasn't overly enthusiastic. I was thinking it was a bit pointless going there to copy the Beatles because it was never going to be as good.

"But I said if Liam wants to do it, I'll do it, so he was up for it and decided he was going to pick the song.

"I just assumed he would say A Day In The Life, but he came back with Within You Without You , and I was like 'what? There's no guitars on it!'

"There's nothing on it apart from singing and an Indian orchestra, but he said 'I can hear it in my head', and I said okay, brilliant.'"

Gallagher said the band was inspired by the Beatle's soundtrack compilation album Love, when it came to recording the song.

"The one good bit on the Love album, is a bit where they briefly cross Tomorrow Never and Always with Within You, Without You, so we said if we are going to do it, lets do it like that, because that sounds really exciting, and it also means we can all play on it."

While Geoff Emerick - the engineer in charge of the original 1967 sessions - used the same equipment to record the new versions, Gallagher says only Oasis got to use the original desk.

"We - maybe arrogantly on my behalf - said if we are going to do it we want to do it at Abbey Road, with the actual equipment or we are not interested," he said.

"The BBC bent over backwards and managed to book a couple of days in the studio.

"The desk was in Lenny Kravitz studio, and somehow they managed to convince him it would be a good idea to rip it out, ship it to England, let us work on it, and ship it back again."

Razorlight performed the track With A Little Help From My Friends, The Fray covered Fixing A Hole with the Magic Numbers playing She's Leaving Home.

Getting Better was sung by the Kaiser Chiefs.

Gallagher said the bands taking part in the recordings and working on the original equipment had a number of challenges to face.

"Number one - you've all got to be able to play in the same room together," he said.

"I was watching Kaiser Chiefs and Razorlight on the documentary and with the greatest respect to those two bands, it was embarrassing. I was embarrassed for them.

"Luckily for us we grew learning to play together in the same room, so we didn't do a great many takes. I think we got it on the sixth."

New Album

Gallagher said it was impossible to compare the bands of today with the Beatles.

"You can only be of your time," he said.

"The Beatles were of their time... you can't compare a bad from today with one from the 1960s. Music doesn't mean as much today as it did in the 1960s.

"That's why there will never be another Beatles."

Gallagher added that Oasis were due to start recording their seventh studio album on 3 July.

"The songs are written... but don't hold your breath because the last album took three-and-half-years and three goes!

"It would be great if it was done by the end of the year and we could get out on the road by next summer, but that's insane wishful thinking."

Noel Gallagher was talking to the BBC's Colin Paterson.

Sgt Pepper's 40th Anniversary is on BBC Radio 2 at 2000 on Saturday 16 June.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Oasis Take Part In Sgt. Pepper's Recording

SGT. PEPPER'S: PART 2
Saturday 16 June 2000-2100 (UK)
BBC Radio 2
Click here for more details and how to listen to the show online.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of The Beatles' legendary album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, multi award winning engineer Geoff Emerick heads back in to the studio to demonstrate the innovative techniques employed for the recording at Abbey Road studios back in 1967.

We hear from the artists about the importance of Sgt. Pepper's and listen in on the recording in action to see just how different the experience is for them.

In Part 2 on Sunday 16 June, Oasis, Stereophonics, The Zutons and Jamie Cullum join Geoff to witness and discuss how he first recorded the album tracks and record their own interpretations of one of the famous tracks, using the original analogue 4-track equipment.

Part 1 featured the Kaiser Chiefs, The Magic Numbers, Bryan Adams, Razorlight, Stereophonics, The Fray and Travis.

Source: Email from BBC Radio 2

Oasis Check Out The White Stripes At Hyde Park

Jack and Meg kick off the 02 Wireless Festival

The White Stripes were watched by the likes of Oasis and The View as they kicked off the London leg of the 02 Wireless Festival at Hyde Park tonight (June 14).

After two 'warm-up' gis in the UK capital this week, Jack and Meg White played their first gig 'proper' in front of a crowd that included Oasis bandmates Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer and The View's Kyle Falconer.

The White Stripes only played three songs from new LP 'Icky Thump', out next week (June 1 - the title track and single, 'I'm Slowly Turning Into You' and 'A Martyr For My Love For You'.

The rest of the set was made up of classics including the singles 'Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground', 'Hotel Yorba' and traditional closer 'Seven Nation Army'.

Jack and Meg had two big screens either side of them which showed them and the crowd in red and white monochrome. Jack rarely spoke, other than to express his pleasure at playing in the legendary park, and to express his awe at support act Queens Of The Stone Age's performance.

The White Stripes played:

'Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground'
'When I Hear My Name'
'Hotel Yorba'
'Icky Thump'
'I'm Slowly Turning Into You'
'I Think I Smell A Rat'
'I'm A Martyr For My Love For You'
'Death Letter'/'The Big Three Killed My Baby'
'In The Cold Cold Night'
'Jolene'
'Ball & Biscuit'
'Blue Orchid'
'The Denial Twist'
'I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself'
'We're Going To Be Friends'
'Seven Nation Army'

Earlier, Queens Of The Stone Age mixed songs from new album 'Era Vulgaris' with old classics like 'Go With The Flow' and 'Feel Good Hit Of The Summer'. Before that, Perry Farrell's new band Satellite Party dug out his old Jane's Addiction classic 'Been Caught Stealing' during their main stage set.

Other bands who performed on the day included XFM Stage headliners Air and The Bees, who both played to massive crowds.

Source: www.nme.com

Ozzy Osbourne Defends Oasis

Ozzy Osbourne has leaped to the defence of Oasis, whose critics claim they are a Beatles tribute band.

Osbourne believes the English rockers' music is original, despite claims to the contrary that they attempt to copy their idols John Lennon and Sir Paul MCCartney.

The former Black Sabbath frontman tells London's Time Out magazine, "Everybody says they rip them off, but I don't think so.

"It's dead easy to start a forest fire in this game. You say, 'Ozzy's got a false nose.' All of a sudden, everyone looks the same. Same thing with Oasis. Everyone just kept saying it and it stuck."

Source: www.contactmusic.com

Nice Guy Eddie Argos Now Pals With Okerere And Liam Gallagher

Longtime PlayLouder readers might remember the amusing little beef that was cooked up between Art Brut's Eddie Argos and po-faced Kelly from Bloc Party a few years back.

Now it seems everything is all alright between the two, with Argos explaining all to Alexis Petri Dish in The Guardian. "He went on the telly and called me Fatty Argos, which wasn't very nice," Argos said. "As I said at the time, that's the kind of comment that killed Karen Carpenter. But it's all in the past now, and we're friends."

But that's not all! Could there be a role for Argos as a kind of UN mediator of indie? For not only has he buried the hatchet with Okerere, the hero of Germany has had larks with the Bloc Party frontman's arch enemy, Liam Gallagher. Gallagher and Okerere, as you no doubt know, constantly sling insults like "thick" and "University clever bloke' at each other.

Anyway, Argos explained what happened when Art Brut supported Oasis on tour. "Liam Gallagher changed his clothes three times in one day, which I thought was pretty cool," Argos said. "I kept thinking, these must be his stage clothes now, but no. He watched our soundcheck and we were playing 'Modern Art', and he's going, 'Yeah, fuckin' 'ave it! This one's me favourite!' He loved it."

"Liam Gallagher's favourite Art Brut song is 'Modern Art'... I said to him, 'Us supporting you is like Half Man Half Biscuit supporting U2,' and he goes, 'Half Man Half Biscuit? Noel used to play them all the time.' Then he sang me a bit of 'Trumpton Riots'. I thought, Christ, this is strange, Liam Gallagher is singing 'Trumpton Riots' by Half Man Half Biscuit to me. It was brilliant."

Source: www.playlouder.com

Noel Gallagher Speaks His Mind On Manchester City

Suppose I asked you to name one Manchester City fan who would be prepared to say publicly that: a) he was amused by the problems besieging Thaksin Shinawatra's takeover bid, and b) Joey Barton is a damn good chap really. Yep, I think you know who.

Noel Gallagher and controversial statements go together like City and calamity. He's never apologised for it; he's not going to start now.

So when Radio Five Live reporter Colin Paterson caught up with him in the cafe at Abbey Road studios in London today and asked him for a few words about everything that's going on at City at the moment, Gallagher let rip - and then some.

The broadcast version of the interview lasted just 75 seconds, during which Gallagher claimed he was enjoying the takeover troubles, dismissing them as "pure Man City", joked about making a bid for the club itself (with Manchester DJ and M-People overlord Mike Pickering), described former Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock as "a Mickey Mouse manager", argued that Joey Barton is a good guy if you get to know him and stated that Richard Dunne will probably be the next big-name player to leave the Blues.

All the interview needed was a melancholy guitar track in the background and Oasis could have released it as a single. Maybe they will.

So, the highlights of the Gallagher interview were as follows:

On the takeover: "This takeover is never going to happen now, because the government has had his bank accounts frozen. It's pure Man City. I love it.

"The fixture list comes out on Thursday, we haven't got a manager, we've only got half-a-team and we haven't sold any season tickets. It's brilliant.

"I'm thinking of mounting a hostile takeover - me and Mike Pickering. I reckon we could scrape together about £400,000 in cash. I reckon we would get it for that."

On the lack of a manager: "In the dugout, I would like to have seen Sam Allardyce, but he went to Newcastle.

"It depends who's available now. It would be good if they got a foreign coach.

"But it all depends on the takeover. If there's no takeover, we'll get Neil Warnock - and a more Mickey Mouse manager than him you couldn't find anywhere."

On Joey Barton: "He's a good lad, Joey; he's a friend of mine. He gets a bad rap. But when you meet him, he's a really nice lad.

"It's good for him that he's moving to Newcastle. I'm made up for him. But I'm sad to see him go; he's our best player.

And on the future of the rest of the squad: "I was sad to lose Sylvain Distin; he was another of our best players. At least we haven't lost Richard Dunne yet, but I'm sure he'll be out of the door soon."

Ah, come on Noel, tell us what you really think.

Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

On This Day In Oasis History...

"Shakermaker" is a song by British rock group Oasis, written by their lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. First appearing as a single, released on the 13th June 1994, which peaked at number 11 in the UK charts, it was later released on Oasis' groundbreaking debut album Definitely Maybe. It was also the first song performed by the band on the UK's world famous music programme, Top Of The Pops.

The song, much like its predecessor - Supersonic - is a fine example of how Noel Gallagher is able to couple nonsensical lyrics with a catchy tune and create a popular song, in the vein of John Lennon of The Beatles. Noel admits the lyrics are taken from the world around him, for example, a Shaker maker was a popular toy in the 1970s, the character of "Mr Soft" was taken from a Trebour Soft Mints commercial, which featured Cockney Rebel's song "Mr Soft", "Mr. Clean" is a song by The Jam, one of Noel's favourite bands, "Mr Benn" is a British children's cartoon and the entire last verse - Mr Sifter sold me songs/When I was just 16/Now he stops at traffic lights/But only when they're green - was written in a taxi on the way to the recording studio to record the song. Apparently Liam Gallagher was pestering Noel to finish the song. At this point, the taxi stopped at the traffic lights outside 'Sifter's"' (a record shop in Burnage, Manchester). Noel penned the lyric and it became part of the song. Noel used to frequent the store to buy old records before Oasis started releasing albums and Mr Sifter refers to the owner of the record store. Sifter told Noel to mind his words if he ever got famous.

The song illustrates Noel Gallagher's habit of borrowing from the past, as the tune for the verse was originally taken from "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" (the song made famous from its use on Coca Cola adverts in the 1970s) by Roger Cook, Roger Greenway, Bill Backer and Billy Davis. However, this led to Oasis being successfully sued for the unlicensed use by The New Seekers and they had to pay out $A500,000 (Australian dollars). When asked about the incident, Noel Gallagher said, "We drink Pepsi now." Noel has also offered conflicting reports that he actually stole the song's melody from the Beatles' song "Flying" which is also quite possible.

Click here for the promo video or here for a live performance.

Source: Wikipedia

Noel Gallagher Talks Of Possible Take Over Of Manchester City Foootball Club

Noel Gallagher talks to BBC Five Live's Colin Paterson about the possible Manchester City takeover,and who he would like to manage the club.

Link HERE

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Noel's Not Rolling In Style

Some Might Say Noel Gallagher is losing grip of his rebellious, rock star roots.

The OASIS star was spotted at a Volkswagen showroom picking out a family-friendly Golf with pregnant missus Sara MacDonald. Non-driver Noel has owned a rare £100,000 Jaguar.

I know which motor I’d rather Roll With.

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

Calling All Oasis Fans and Budding Musicians

Oasisbrother is working on a belated birthday present for Noel Gallagher's 40th earlier this month.

He is looking for fans to send in acoustic Oasis tracks, that they have covered as part of a bootleg that he is going to send to Noel.

Send you're tracks to oasisbrother @ acusticonoel@gmail.com

Please include your full name and what country you are from.

Recordings have so far come from fans all around the world including Mexico, Spain, United States Of America, Great Britain, Peru and France.

Entries must be received by the 22nd of June.

Oasis & The Stone Roses Exhibition

Die hard music fans now have a chance to view some never before seen photos of Oasis & The Stone Roses by photographer Ian Tilton .

The Oasis images are from as early as 1990 performing in Manchester at venues such as the Hacienda. This is the first time Ian has released these images since they were taken.

If your interested come down to Stroon which is located at 40 Thomas St, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1ER.

Source: www.live4ever.us

Oasis Founder Launches New Music Channel

Alan McGee unveils Rockworld TV

The man who discovered Oasis, Alan McGee, has announced he is to join forces with radio DJ Gary Crowley.

The pair have teamed up with alternative music and lifestyle TV channel Rockworld.TV, which broadcasts on SKY Channel 368 and www.rockworld.tv, to produce a brace of new shows which will both aim to showcase the very best in new music.

McGee, founder of the legendary Creation Records and Poptones, will present a monthly TV version of his long running weekly club night 'Death Disco', which will be filmed in front of a live audience at The Cuckoo Club in London.

The show will feature three bands playing live per episode and already lined up for the first show, broadcast on July 20, are The Holloways, Reverend And The Makers and The Chavs.

Meanwhile, Crowley will be hosting monthly show, 'Gary Crowley Presents', which will mix live, acoustic performances and interviews featuring both new and established artists.

The first show, scheduled for broadcast on June 10, will feature performances from The Bishops and The Draytones as well as an interview with original Sex Pistols member Glen Matlock.

Source: www.nme.com

Paul McCartney Feels Sorry For Oasis

Do you ever look at any of these so-called biggest bands in the world—U2, or Coldplay, or Oasis—and think, Oh, please. You guys have no idea?

[Laughs] Well, I think they know that themselves. I actually don't think I have to point it out to them. When they started out, Oasis in particular, they said they were going to be bigger than the Beatles. And I felt sorry for them. Because everyone who says that, it's a prediction that doesn't come true. It's a fatal prediction. I sort of sit by and go, Good luck, son.

Many bands have been referred to as Beatle-esque—do you think any of them are particularly good?
I don't mean to be mean, but no.

Click here for the full interview.

Source: www.msnbc.msn.com

The Drinks Are On You Now, Alex

In Bit of a Blur, Alex James has written the definitive guide to Britpop, which for him included booze, cocaine and making passes at Marianne Faithfull, says Caspar LLewellyn Smith

Bit of a Blur
by Alex James
Little, Brown £16.99, pp288

In this tenth anniversary year of the New Labour government, the mid-1990s present themselves as a time when the champagne flute was always half-full. In Cool Britannia, London was swinging and, on the evening after Blur mimed their breakthrough hit 'Boys and Girls' on Top of the Pops, Vic Reeves and Jonathan Ross led their bass player to the Groucho Club for the first time. No one personifies that period quite like Alex James and it was in the Soho club that he did some of his best work as part of a different triumvirate leading the never-ending party.

It was supposed to be the brothers Gallagher rather than their ostensibly more fey rivals who ramped up the decadence; while it skirts around the Britpop wars, this effervescent memoir proves otherwise and also emerges as the most fascinating, as well as hilarious, document to date of those times. James cites Jeffrey Bernard as one of his idols, when des Esseintes might be more appropriate; either Huysmans's 19th-century decadent creation or, failing that, a member of Motley Crue. Put bluntly, there is an awful lot of shagging in Bit of a Blur.

On the band's first North American tour he strays from his childhood sweetheart for the third time when a journalist from Canadian Elle proffers a handjob by way of an interview; in New York he is led to bed by a model whose face he then recognises on the cover of Vogue. Later he will make a pass at Marianne Faithfull (rebuffed) and sleep with Courtney Love (recommended, apparently). 'I was an outlaw, a rebel,' he reflects. 'If I rationalised my decadence, I'd tell myself it was the duty of rock stars to indulge themselves beyond reasonable limits. If I couldn't be reckless and extreme, I wasn't doing my job properly.'

His 29th birthday ends with him soused in a balthazar of champagne, naked on his hotel bed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with the five prettiest fans he has picked up in the lobby. 'You need five girlfriends when your bottle is that big,' he notes.

In many ways, James's story follows the paradigm - the provincial, middle-class upbringing, the art school influence. His father ran a business that supplied waste-disposal equipment to supermarkets but otherwise occupied himself searching for shipwrecks off the Bournemouth coast, which inspired a sense of adventure as well as a lasting interest in science that would later lead James to involvement in the project to land a spaceship on Mars. His father was also socially adept. 'An ability to join in is the most important thing you can have if you want to play bass,' James writes, 'and I guess that comes from my dad.'

Studying French at Goldsmiths, he moved in the same circles as Damien Hirst and Keith Allen. It was at that time that he met the other members of the band who would become Blur and they lurched into early success. Blur embraced the attention. Like the character in the Blur song, James knew his claret from his beaujolais, as well as his Krug from his Dom Perignon.

It's easy to overlook his contribution to the band - Graham Coxon could well have been the best guitar player of his generation and Damon Albarn was always more than just a pretty face - but the bassist was the social glue that kept them together. He was the band's ambassador, flitting between different worlds with ease. In Monaco once, he is talking to royalty when Hirst's brother approaches, dripping wet from the sea, asking: 'Fuckin' 'ell, did you see them bazongers? Them were beauty.'

'Ah, Bradley, this is Prince Albert of Monaco.'

'Fuckin' 'ell, all right, mate. Did you see them tits?'

Prince Albert of Monaco was smiling.

For a generation that had grown up never knowing a Labour government and that had seen bands such as the Smiths falter outside the top five in the singles charts, the rise of Blair and the Britpop bands was exhilarating. Never mind that the scene never amounted to more than a couple of bands finding success, James contends; as for Oasis: 'I didn't really have any strong feelings about them. The singer had a good voice, but the music was honky.' Never mind that no one wanted to ask any hard questions.

The most telling moment in Bit of a Blur comes once James has sobered up - he estimates to have spent £1m on cocaine and booze - and Blur's first flush of success is behind them. Returning from passing his first set of flying exams to the Groucho, he finds Moby playing 'London Calling' on the piano and Wayne Sleep turning pirouettes on the bar. It all seems as ever, but things have changed. 'I was introduced to the bass player from Coldplay, who was a very serious man,' he recalls. 'He was observing the chaos with some hauteur. He explained that his band's reinvigorated North American promotional strategies would boost sales in key secondary markets, coast to coast, album on album. Fair to say it did.'

Damon Albarn ridiculed Noel Gallagher for meeting the PM at a No 10 drinks party in 1997. Fast-forward a decade and Blur's bass player visits Buckingham Palace for a music industry reception and finds himself awestruck by the Queen. 'It's tiring being anti-royal,' he writes. 'I've felt much better about everything since I had a chat with the boss.'

'I think all rock stars start by wanting to destroy the world,' he continues. 'Then their dreams come true and they end up trying to keep it like it was before they started.' The bass player lives now in a very big house in the country with his wife and three children - Geronimo and twins Artemis and Galileo - and writes a column for the Observer Food Monthly about cheese. James was never a rebel, but he remains a man of impeccable taste.

· Alex James will be in conversation with Miranda Sawyer at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London WC2 on Thu 7, 7pm. For tickets, call 0845 456 9876

Source: www.guardian.co.uk