More On Gibson Guitartown

Today I received an email from www.petemckee.com containing more pictures of the giant Les Paul Gibson guitar that Paul McKee designed for Noel Gallagher.

The unique guitar will form part of the Gibson Guitartown London charity campaign and be displayed publicly at More London by Tower Bridge, London SE1 from June 25th for ten weeks.

Following the display, Noel Gallagher’s signed guitar will be auctioned off to raise money for The Prince’s Trust, Teenage Cancer Trust and Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy.


















The guitar was based on Peter's "Good Education" picture that was sent to Noel.

I'm told "You can purchase the very same print from our website that Noel Gallagher has over his fireplace at his home!"

Asked what was Noel's response to the guitar. Pete said that "Noel was absolutely thrilled with his guitar and Paul Weller was apparently quite envious when he saw it too!!"

Source: Email from www.petemckee.com

Tonight On The BBC

The show will be shown on tonight, 9pm BBC Two and repeated tomorrow, 11pm BBC One (UK Only)

The story of British indie, beginning with The Smiths, the archetypal indie group. The film follows The Stone Roses as the heirs to the indie crown, Suede's dark sexuality and the media saturation of Brit-pop's Blur v Oasis. What The World Is Waiting For explores how indie ultimately lost its once cherished intimacy and integrity in front of 250,000 fans at Oasis's Knebworth spectacle in 1996 and how, by returning to its roots in clubs and bars (and even front rooms) with bands such as Franz Ferdinand, The Libertines and The Arctic Monkeys, indie became respectable again.

Featured events in the show

10th September 1994
Oasis release Definitely Maybe

Following the singles, "Live Forever", "Shakermaker", and "Supersonic", this album catapulted Oasis into the top of the charts and announced them as the new kings of British rock. It was radically different from the dance tinged rock or grunge that had come before it, sporting a swagger and Britishness that instantly connected with the indie crowd. Noel Gallagher: "It's all about escapism - a pint in one hand, your best mate in the other, whoever that may be, and just having a good time."

14th August 1995
Blur v Oasis

At the peak of the 'Britpop' years, Blur and Oasis' respective labels decided that as a big marketing stunt they would release their new singles on the same day. This created a huge head to head battle between the two bands. The resulting news coverage turned this event into a bitter class war between the Northern working class Oasis and the Southern middle class Blur. Damon Albarn ended up being interviewed on the Ten O'clock news. In the end Blur's "Country House" won over Oasis' "Roll with it", though neither were the strongest offerings from each of the albums.

11th August 1996
Knebworth Park

At this stage of Oasis's career they were top of the Britpop pile and were looking for the next big conquest. Knebworth was a venue that had long been associated with the biggest acts in rock history; Queen, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones had all played there to vast audiences. Oasis now saw themselves as part of this rock legacy and there were only few UK locations left that could handle the crowds that followed them. Oasis wanted to set a new benchmark for an open-air performance; they hired the biggest PA, the biggest video screens, and reportedly sold over 250,000 tickets for 2 consecutive performances. This moment could be seen as the last great Britpop performance; nothing after would match its scale

The show will include new interviews with Noel Gallagher and Bonehead

More information click Here

Also after the programme

Later Presents Brit Beat
On: BBC 4
Date: Saturday 30th June 2007
Time: 11:15 pm to 12:15 am

Jools Holland introduces a compilation of live studio performances by British guitar-pop bands. Featuring Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Manic Street Preachers, Radiohead, Ash, Ocean Colour Scene, Cast, the Bluetones, and Super Furry Animals.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Noel Gallagher: 'Johnny Marr Made Me Pick Up A Guitar'

Oasis leader admits The Smiths inspired him to form a band

Oasis leader Noel Gallagher has admitted that The Smiths inspired him to pick up a guitar.

The star claims that seeing the Manchester legends on 'Top Of The Pops' for the first time turned his head.

"I remember seeing The Smiths on Top Of The Pops, and I don't mean this in a sycophantic way, but I wanted to be Johnny Marr," he said. "He had the Brian Jones haircut, the turtleneck, and the big red semi-acoustic guitar and he was cool as fuck."

Gallagher made the admission on this week's Britpop edition of '7 Ages Of Rock'.

The show will also recall the rise of a host of indie bands including Blur, Suede, The Stone Roses, The Libertines and will document Oasis's legendary Knebworth gigs.

Reflecting on their famous gigs Gallagher added: "Knebworth House is Batman's house in the films. Did you know that? Well, when you see the Batman films and they drive through the big gates, well that's Knebworth House. So there I was driving into Batman's fucking gaff right, in a Rolls Royce, off my head!

"And I remember driving into this big field, and sitting on my Rolls Royce thinking I was Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, and nearly having a panic attack cos I'd been up all night drinking, and going yeah! I'll take it. Where do I sign?"

'7 Ages Of Rock' will be aired on BBC 2 on Saturday at 9pm and on BBC 1 on Sunday at 11.05pm.

Source: www.nme.com

Blur Star Albarn Premieres Opera In Oasis's Backyard

It has been interpreted by some as an Essex boy's ultimate act of revenge on his old Mancunian rivals. Damon Albarn, whose feuding with Manchester's Oasis was legendary back in the 1990s, takes centre stage in the Gallagher brothers' own back yard tomorrow night when the premiere of his first opera launches the inaugural Manchester International Festival.

But Albarn's opera, which is based on the Chinese legend of the Monkey King's enlightenment and premieres at the city's Palace Theatre, has been inspired by something far bigger than settling old scores. It is the centrepiece of a biennial festival featuring only original and new work which, for pure modernity and pizzazz, has given the Edinburgh International Festival's new director, Jonathan Mills, much to think about even before the first curtain goes up.

Manchester's own festival director, Alex Poots, knows a bit about innovation, having taken the English National Opera to sing Wagner at Glastonbury in his last job but getting Albarn to write Monkey: Journey to the West was audacious. Albarn has been to only one opera in his life - Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, directed by Shi-Zheng, the director and original conceiver of the new work.

But Monkey: Journey to the West promises to be one of the great cultural spectaculars of the year, building on a story made famous by the 1980s cult television show Monkey. Although it will travel to a number of international cities, Manchester will be its only UK venue.

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Oasis Should Ride This 90's Wave

With the Verve and the Spice Girls garnering well deserved attention for coming back it is time for Oasis to pull out all stops and release a classic album that rivals 'Whats the Story Morning Glory'. Fans of the band know that they have it in them and with the 90's revival in full swing Noel Gallagher should pull all his efforts into this one. Sell out to a record label if he has to because the bands legacy is at stake here.

Oasis came in with so much hype that the media was determined to knock them down when they had the chance. They did just that 10 years ago when the band released 'Be Here Now' and was met with reviews that called the effort 'bloated', 'excessive', and 'lazy'. They have not gone away and have released quality albums since but they have never been able to regain the pedestal they once stood in the Rock N Roll Pantheon. This is their chance and hopefully they take heed for the sake of their legacy which should be much greater stateside than just "the band who sang 'Wonderwall'.

Source: www.clevelandleader.com

Alex James Gives Wonderwall Props

Blur bassist Alex James wishes he wrote classic Oasis hit 'Wonderwall'.

The musician, whose band famously feuded with the Manchester rockers during their Britpop battle of the 90s, is envious of the song's magic.

He said: "The first time I heard it, I thought it was a really great song. I wish I'd written it to be honest.

"Liam Gallagher has got a great voice, and I think that's their finest moment."

After the two bands' epic 1995 UK chart battle - in which Blur's single 'Country House' beat Oasis' 'Roll With It' to the coveted number one spot - 'Wonderwall' propelled Oasis to worldwide success, while Blur's career faltered.

Alex, 38, recently admitted that beating Oasis to the top spot was one of the highlights of his career.

He wrote in his book 'Bit of a Blur': "I can't deny it, sitting in the car and hearing that we'd won the battle, I felt very smug.

"I couldn't stop smirking for weeks afterwards and there was a lot of satisfaction in knowing how upset Oasis were about it."

Source: www.people.monstersandcritics.com

Noel: Be Here Now Followed "Too Quick"

Noel Gallagher has explained why Oasis' third album, Be Here Now, was 'bloated' saying it followed their second record "too quick".

Speaking on the BBC's Seven Ages of Rock programme, shown on BBC2 this Saturday at 21:00 BST, Noel described the immense freedom thrust upon the band which was mismanaged.

"It was too quick after Morning Glory," Noel said. "There was no kind of time to sit down and think, right, what are we going to do next."

He added: "We were given … unlimited studio time, wherever you want. 'Can I have a 40-piece orhestra?' 'Have a 100'. Why not? At the time we all thought it was the … greatest thing that had ever been committed to tape, but we were all on drugs."

The Oasis elder statesman described what was supposed to be the first single from the album, clocking in at over eight minutes and taking two minutes for the drums to kick in. "It's all feedback," Noel added.

The band also went on what Noel described as a "ridiculous" tour with Be Here Now, emerging from a "12ft phone box" every night.

Concluding the BBC's seven-part series, What the World is Waiting For will document the rise of British indie music from the Smiths to Arctic Monkeys.

Previous episodes have included punk rock, stadium rock and the likes of David Bowie, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan.

Source: www.contactmusic.com

Why Ordinary Life Provided McKee's Inspiration

McKee's inspiration comes from what he calls the 'Golden Age' of working class life.

He uses his memories of Sheffield in the late 1960s and early 70s to create universal themes.

His paintings are full of Wednesday and United shirts, lads on bikes, women in headscarves, fairgrounds, pubs, sunshine in Hillsborough, rainy days at Chapel St Leonards.

"My pictures are of normal working-class people doing what they do," said Pete, whose business recently become a limited company.

"It all started for me in Chapel St Leonards when I was five years old. That's where my strongest memories come from.

"I think there was a Golden Age of working class life and my memories are mainly from 1971 and 1972, it's a generational thing but there were a lot of feelgood factors about being working class then.

"People were just starting to be able to afford colour TVs and foreign holidays – before people started wearing tracksuits. It all went a bit wrong after that.
"When I show my paintings elsewhere, people relate to them."

At the moment he is busy finishing a Common People exhibition for Sheffield and 60 paintings to go in an exhbition in Scunthorpe – and he's thinking of hiring an old-fashioned charabanc to take a party of friends to go and see it.

The Good Education picture he sent to Noel Gallagher shows a young boy practising guitar in his bedroom surrounded by posters and album covers of his heroes.

"I thought Noel would like it and when I spoke to him I told him that I had practised guitar like that and he had too. I also told him that my son Charley practices while he's listening to Oasis. He liked that."

The Guitartown painting may be the launchpad for McKee's career to go mega but he has already earned enough to fulfil a couple of long-standing ambitions.

"I am into style and I notice the way people dress. I had always promised myself I would get a made-to-measure suit one day, and a pair of leather brogues that would last me a lifetime.

My Dad used to go to the pub in his made-to-measure suit on Friday and Saturday nights.

"I've done those things now. It feels great."

Source: Sheffied Star

Blur Love Oasis Hit

Blur's Alex James has confessed he wishes he had written Oasis's 1995 hit Wonderwall.

His claim marks an amazing twist in one of the biggest rivalries in pop music history.

The bands often swapped insults in the 90s when they regularly battled for the No1 spot.

But speaking about hearing Wonderwall for the first time, Alex, 38, said: "I thought it was a really good song. Wish I'd written it.

"He's got a great voice Liam (Gallagher) and I think that's their finest moment."

Alex's revelation comes on BBC show The Seven Ages of Rock this week.

Source: www.mirror.co.uk

The Verve To Reunite

Oasis pal Richard Ashcroft reunites with band and writes new songs.

The Verve are set for a winter tour.

The original band of Richard Ashcroft, Nick McCabe,Simon Jones and Pete Sailsbury have got together for the first time in almost a decade.

In a statement, the band have announced they were: "Getting back together for the joy of the music."

It is believed they will take a summer break and then return to the studio to complete their next album.

The band broke up in 1999, with the tumultuous relationship between Ashcroft and McCabe being well documented with the two exiting the band repeatedly since they began in 1993.

The band are set to play:

Glasgow Academy (November 2,3)
Blackpool Empress Ballroom (November 5,6)
London Roundhouse (November 8,9)

Tickets are set to go on sale on July 6.

Source: www.nme.com

Old Trafford Goes Mad For Classics

Old Trafford will be dancing to the sound of Madchester tonight during Lancashire's Twenty20 clash with old rivals Yorkshire.

Classics from New Order, Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Smiths, Inspiral Carpets, Ian Brown, Happy Mondays and other Manchester acts like Simply Red, M People, Richard Ashcroft will all be blasted out over the speakers tonight.

The idea came from former Lancashire coach and player, and MEN Sport columnist David Lloyd.

During the recent Test Match, ex-England coach Bumble, who will be on commentary duty tonight, said how great it would be to hear the best of Manchester music blasting around the ground.

Tickets will be available on all main entrances (Great Stone Road, Brian Statham Way and Talbot Road) on a first come, first served basis from 3.30pm this afternoon. Ticket prices on the day are £15 Adults, £7.50 Juniors.

Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

More On Pete Mckee's 10ft Gibson Les Paul

He's mixing with some pretty exalted company these days.

The man who once worked for years behind the counter in Sheffield's HMV record shop -and played in local bands Miami Dolphins and Times Will Change - is now rubbing shoulders with musical and artistic legends.

The Gibson Guitartown charity appeal involves some of rock's biggest names - Rod Stewart, Roxy Music, New Order, Gorrilaz, Dirty Pretty Things, Magic Numbers, Ozzy Osbourne, Corinne Bailey Rae, Sir Cliff Richard and James Blunt - who are all having a 10ft guitar hand painted in the theme of their choice.

The thirty Gibson Les Paul guitars will be displayed around More London at Tower Bridge from late June 2007 for ten weeks.

Mckee's work will line up alongside some of the biggest names in art and design world.

Sir Peter Drake, who did The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper album cover, is doing Paul Weller's Guitar, Roald Dahl illustrator Quentin Blake will illustrate Ozzy Osbourne's.

"When I heard who else was involved I was stunned" said Pete, who is hoping to open his own gallery on Ecclesall Road later this year.

"Peter Blake is a legend and Noel could have got any number of big names to do this. I'm really grateful that he gave me this chance and I'm delighted to be able to make some contribution to the charities."

It took Pete around two weeks to paint and vanish the guitar - with a few changes - in the conservatory of his manager's house in Dore.

The guitars will be auctioned off in September with all proceeds being split between three associated charities - The Teenage Cancer Trust, The Prince's Trust and Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy.

Gallagher's Influences Depicted by McKee are

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
The Smiths - Meat Is Murder
The Damned - The Damned
The Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks
Bod Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
Neil Young - Neil Young
The Beatles - Revolver
The La's - The La's
The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request
The Kinks - Village Green Preservation Society
The Jam - Sound Affects
The Who - My Generation

Source: Sheffield Star

Noel Gallagher Signs His 10 Foot Les Paul For Gibson Guitartown London

One half of the legendary Oasis, Noel Gallagher dropped by the Gibson Guitar Studio in London to sign his hand painted 10 foot Gibson Les Paul replica guitar. The free standing fiber glass guitar was specially designed by Sheffield based visual artist Pete McKee. The guitar features Noel as a child surrounded by the albums that inspired him to form one of Britain’s most successful bands of all time. The albums featured on the guitar include classics by The Stone Roses, The Smiths, The La’s and Neil Young”. Noel signed the guitar with the inscription “Peace, Love, Jelly & Ice Cream”.

The unique guitar will form part of the Gibson Guitartown London charity campaign and be displayed publicly at More London by Tower Bridge, London SE1 from June 25th for ten weeks. Following the display, Noel Gallagher’s signed guitar will be auctioned off to raise money for The Prince’s Trust, Teenage Cancer Trust and Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy.

Source: www.gibsoneurope.com

More On The Oasis Giant Guitar

Sheffield Star artist Pete McKee was making tea in the kitchen at home in when he got the call that might just make him an international star.

It was Noel Gallagher.

The brains behind Rock 'n' Roll superstars Oasis was ringing to let Pete know he liked the painting he had sent him.

"Alright Pete, It's Noel here, how's it going?" said Gallagher in his finest Mancunian.

"I've just got this Good Education picture you sent me. It's brilliant. It will look f***ing great on the wall in my new house."

Pete held his nerve, apologised for being presumptuous in sending the picture, thanked him for his kind words and said if there was ever any artwork for album covers or publicity that needed doing, he was the man.

Five minutes later Gallagher rang back.

He wanted to know if Pete would paint a similar picture on a 10ft model guitar for a Gibson Guitartown charity appeal.

Would he!

"It took me about a nano-second to make up my mind," said 41-year-old former Tesco delivery driver Pete.

"There he was pitching the idea to me. I couldn't believe it. With all that has happened to me in the past two years I have never let myself get excited.

"But this time I actually punched the air when I got off the phone. He just rang to thank me for the picture I had sent him in the first place. I recognised his voice straight away. We were chatting and I was telling him the story behind the picture then I got nervous half way through when I thought about who I was talking to. I decided to stop talking too much before I said something really stupid."

Since then Pete has spoken to Noel Gallagher on the phone a couple of times and exchanged text messages and e-mails

"He seems a really nice, down-to-earth bloke," said Pete. "I was a bit star-struck at first thinking 'Oh God, I'm talking to Noel Gallagher', but there's no edge to him at all and I'm sort of used to it now."

He might have to get used to a whole lot more attention too.Throughout history almost every successful painter has needed a celebrity patron to make money – in their own lifetime.

Even the greats needed help.

The Medicis of Florence were patrons of Michelangelo, King George II supported William Hogarth, Charles Saatchi sponsored Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst.

Pete McKee is hoping Noel Gallagher's backing will take his career on to a new level.

"Every artist or anyone in this kind of work needs an endorsement, Banksy was doing well then Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt bought some of his stuff and it went ballistic for him," said Sheffield Telegraph cartoonist Pete, who only started painting full-time 18 months ago.

"Getting some celebrity endorsement helps to push your profile sky high. It's always been the same, I'm no different to any other artist. We're all the same in some respects, we do good and bad paintings. It's who is buying them that makes the difference.

"I hoped this year would be the year when things took off.

Source: Sheffield Star

Oasis To Exhibit Giant Guitar On London Streets

Kasabian and Razorlight also feature in Gibson Guitartown

Oasis leader Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller and Graham Coxon are among the guitarists exhibiting giant guitars across London as part of a free art exhibition.

The skyline of South Bank's More London area by City Hall has been transformed for a 10 week out door public art display from today (June 26).

There are 30 hand-painted 10ft high free-standing replica Gibson Les Paul guitars will celebrate a host of bands including Razorlight, Kasabian, Keane, Kaiser Chiefs and Dirty Pretty Things all decorating them with unique designs.

Legends including Rod Stewart and Robert Plant have also contributed to the event.

All guitars, including an additional 30 hand-painted regular Gibson SG guitars on display within The O2, will be available to view for 10 weeks, with a charity auction planned for later this year.

All funds raised from the sale of the guitars will benefit Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy, The Prince's Trust and Teenage Cancer Trust.

For more information and guitar locations go to www.londonguitartown.com

Source: www.nme.com

Noel Gallagher On Russell Brand's Radio Show

Noel Gallagher was yet again a guest on Russell Brand's show on BBC Radio 2 on Saturday night.
He said that he has been in meetings discussing where to record the album, amongst other things.

He also said he thought the album would take 3 months to record, although that wouldn't be in one solid block as he would be taking a break from recording for the birth of his and Sara's child later this year.

Listen again to the show by clicking here.

Source: Mr Monobrow

A Modest Guide To Really Good Bad Albums

I am putting on my boxing gloves and dare anyone to challenge me on the musical merit of Oasis's Be Here Now or U2's Pop. Round One—let’s go.

It happens every time: the conversations halts, a sudden hush descends upon the room, the stares, the uncomfortably long silences, the "you-know-I-think-I-left-a-burner-on-at-home"s. Some people tell me straight up I don't know what I'm talking about, I don't know good from bad and have no business being a music reviewer. Others just scurry away from me, meanwhile throwing me awkward glances over their retreating shoulders.

Mentioning that you like an album that the rest of the world hates can make you a freak in a room full of strangers or even among your best friends.

Now let me make clear that I appreciate and even love the beauty of Houses of the Holy (appreciate) and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (love) and Disintegration (fair to midland in a grandiose sort of way). But I also happen to think that some of the albums you have to fight the hardest for to actually like and understand are the ones with which you can develop the most satisfactory, long-lasting relationships. I'm willing to take crap for admitting that Street Legal is my favorite Bob Dylan album. Not that I think "Like a Rolling Stone" or "Queen Jane Approximately" aren't great songs (they are), but I've always felt more of an emotional connection to the human sentiments expressed on Street Legal than to the intricate wordplay of, say, Bringing It All Back Home, even though the latter album is clearly genius (as is much of His Bobness's output).

So below is a sampling of albums that are mostly viewed as low points in the artists' careers, that, in fact, are really not that bad. Let me get one disclaimer out of the way, though: I'm sure that some of the bands listed here have released worse albums than the ones I've singled out. The goal is really to select a handful of records that are very likable if you give them a chance but that are too easily overlooked because of their bad reputations.

Now then, I am putting on my boxing gloves and dare anyone to challenge me on the musical merit of these albums. Round One—let's go.

1. Oasis – Be Here Now

If you take a moment to remember what Oasis was all about during their three-year heyday (1995-1997), you might begin to appreciate Be Here Now: it's seeped in the Gallaghers brothers' arrogance, bombast, idolization of The Beatles, drugs, fistfights and watery English beer. Be Here Now stands not as a statement of musical cunning but of ego and arrogance. The fingerprints of the Gallagher brothers—mainly Noel's—are all over every screeching guitar lick and seven-minute epic. The average song length is 6 minutes, which is an awfully long time for a band that is not known for its lyrical astuteness or sonic genius. The album offers everything that is quintessentially Oasis, but with the amps turned up to 11. It unashamedly rips off not just British rock heritage but also the Gallaghers' own back catalogue: the chord progressions of "D'You Know…" and "Be Here Now" mirror those of "Wonderwall" and "Columbia" respectively. And hey, Johnny Depp makes an appearance too! You have to learn to appreciate the pompousness of "D'You Know What I Mean" with its multiple layers of guitars and vocals, some of them in reverse, warbling what sounds like "F*ck me," to understand and value this album. When you do, you might even come to see it as Oasis's Last Great Album. They sure haven't written anything as rocking as "My Big Mouth," as menacing as "Fade In-Out," or as touching as "Don't Go Away" since.

2. U2 – Pop

It's hard defending an album that even its creators are reportedly discontent with. U2 has always said they didn't have enough time to mix and finalize Pop due to their upcoming world tour. After ordering tailored-to-fit muscle shirts and constructing a giant lemon, the band apparently had a hard time justifying postpone the whole ordeal in order to fine-tune the album they would spend the next year or so supporting. I remember Pop being sold at a local store in my hometown that was basically a downgraded Walgreens. The disc was priced at only $5 and I was actually nauseated at the sight of the hopeful, undiminishing stacks of CDs. Nevertheless, despite lacking in sonic refinement, Pop offers plenty of gems. Even U2 seemed to think so, for they redid three songs for The Best of 1990-2000 (naturally, after polishing them up a bit). Pop's key track, "If God Will Send His Angels," matches the band's best work. It is a spiritual journey and moving as such, and it completes the fine trilogy started with "One" and continued with "Stay (Faraway So Close!)". The problem with U2 is that after Achtung Baby every album has been slightly disappointing, even their majestic claim for world domination, Everything You Can't Leave Behind. Pop, however, is unique: it is quirky ("Discotheque" gave us what is perhaps the funniest video in the U2 catalogue), it is downright sexual rather than merely sensual ("Miami," "If You Wear that Velvet Dress"), and, ultimately, it's redeeming, offering Bono's finest exploration to date of faith and spirituality ("Wake Up, Dead Man").

3. David Bowie – Outside

The title of this record is actually 1. Outside. It was initially going to be the first installment of a series of albums that would relate the sinister adventures of detective Nathan Adler. After the less-than-lukewarm reception of the album, however, plans for a follow-up were shelved. True enough, the album isn't entirely successful, but overall it's a reprieve, a desert oasis, after the barrenness of Bowie's output in the Eighties. Skip the segues, the cameos of suspects and witnesses in a mostly incomprehensible bizarre murder story, forget the Nathan Adler character altogether, and you're left with a solid album. Bowie is on a journey here. He experiments with song structure and sonic themes. Most of these songs sound unlike anything else in the Bowie catalogue. Take the brooding shuffle of "The Heart's Filthy Lesson," or the explosive "Hallo Spaceboy," which spawned a minor hit in Europe in the version remixed by the Pet Shop Boys. It's surprising that Outside was met with so much derision, especially since throughout his career Bowie has displayed a chameleon-like ability to reinvent himself, always traveling down new, surprising (okay, with a few missteps here and there) avenues. Outside is a fascinating record. It's dark and twisted: witness the silent despair of "The Motel" or the disorienting "I'm Deranged" (which was included on the soundtrack of the equally disorienting David Lynch movie Lost Highway). It's a hard pill to swallow whole, but some of the songs on the record scale those lonely heights of his last real masterpiece, Scary Monsters.

Full article can be found here

Source: www.411mania.com

Oasis On Seven Ages Of Rock And More

The show will be shown on Sat 30 June 2007, 9pm BBC Two and repeated Sun 1 July 2007, 11pm BBC One (UK Only)

The story of British indie, beginning with The Smiths, the archetypal indie group. The film follows The Stone Roses as the heirs to the indie crown, Suede's dark sexuality and the media saturation of Brit-pop's Blur v Oasis. What The World Is Waiting For explores how indie ultimately lost its once cherished intimacy and integrity in front of 250,000 fans at Oasis's Knebworth spectacle in 1996 and how, by returning to its roots in clubs and bars (and even front rooms) with bands such as Franz Ferdinand, The Libertines and The Arctic Monkeys, indie became respectable again.

Featured events in the show

10th September 1994
Oasis release Definitely Maybe

Following the singles, "Live Forever", "Shakermaker", and "Supersonic", this album catapulted Oasis into the top of the charts and announced them as the new kings of British rock. It was radically different from the dance tinged rock or grunge that had come before it, sporting a swagger and Britishness that instantly connected with the indie crowd. Noel Gallagher: "It's all about escapism - a pint in one hand, your best mate in the other, whoever that may be, and just having a good time."

14th August 1995
Blur v Oasis

At the peak of the 'Britpop' years, Blur and Oasis' respective labels decided that as a big marketing stunt they would release their new singles on the same day. This created a huge head to head battle between the two bands. The resulting news coverage turned this event into a bitter class war between the Northern working class Oasis and the Southern middle class Blur. Damon Albarn ended up being interviewed on the Ten O'clock news. In the end Blur's "Country House" won over Oasis' "Roll with it", though neither were the strongest offerings from each of the albums.

11th August 1996
Knebworth Park

At this stage of Oasis's career they were top of the Britpop pile and were looking for the next big conquest. Knebworth was a venue that had long been associated with the biggest acts in rock history; Queen, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones had all played there to vast audiences. Oasis now saw themselves as part of this rock legacy and there were only few UK locations left that could handle the crowds that followed them. Oasis wanted to set a new benchmark for an open-air performance; they hired the biggest PA, the biggest video screens, and reportedly sold over 250,000 tickets for 2 consecutive performances. This moment could be seen as the last great Britpop performance; nothing after would match its scale

The show will include new interviews with Noel Gallagher and Bonehead

More information click Here

Later Presents Brit Beat
On: BBC 4
Date: Saturday 30th June 2007
Time: 11:15 pm to 12:15 am

Jools Holland introduces a compilation of live studio performances by British guitar-pop bands. Featuring Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Manic Street Preachers, Radiohead, Ash, Ocean Colour Scene, Cast, the Bluetones, and Super Furry Animals.

MUSIC: George Lamb
On: BBC 6 Music
Date: Tuesday 3rd July 2007
Time: 10:00 pm to 1:00 am

The Main Event is Oasis' Britpop-peak performance in front of 250,000 fans at Knebworth in 1996. The Featured Session is from Mystery Jets, recorded in the 6 Music Hub. Keane's take on U2's With or Without You is tonight's Mutton Dressed as Lamb.

7 Ages of Rock is a landmark BBC 2 series examining rock music's evolution. Here at 6 Music, we have taken a specific look at four of the genres covered in the series to bring you a four part documentary.

Our documentary features highlights from the TV series as well as extra interviews which aren't shown. We're also offering a 30 minute 'best bits' download, which will be available at the bottom of this page, for you to keep.

Part 4 - Indie ft. Noel Gallagher and Johnny Marr
On: BBC 6 Music
Thu Jun 28, 21:30 - 22:00 (listen again for 7 days)
Looking at the journey indie went on to finally return to its roots.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Study Finds Elder Siblings Are The Brightest

Noel Gallagher would no doubt agree with a study showing that elder siblings really are more intelligent than their younger brothers or sisters.

An analysis of almost a quarter of a million teenagers found that first-born children have a noticeably higher IQ on average than their siblings.

Scientists believe that although the difference in IQ is small, it is still big enough to impart significant benefits to older brothers and sisters during the course of their life.

They also believe that the difference is not due to the birth order alone - caused for example by differences in nutrition in the womb - but rather it is due to the fact that older siblings experience a different childhood upbringing than their younger family members.

One theory is that elder siblings take on the role of unofficial tutors to their younger relatives which makes the elder child more mature and intelligent.

Sir Francis Galton, the 19th-century scientist and father of the eugenics movement, was the first person to seriously study the apparent superiority of first-born sons who, he had noticed, tended to be appointed to prominent positions in society.

In the early 1970s, Dutch scientists showed more scientifically that birth order is associated with higher intelligence, with first-borns tending to score better on IQ tests. But some scholars believed that the findings were simply phantom artefacts resulting from uncontrolled differences between families caused by such things as family size, socio-economic status, parental IQ and other confounding factors.

However, the latest study by Petter Kristensen of the University of Oslo and Tor Bjerkedal of the Norwegian Armed Forces Medical Services, suggests that there really is a statistically significant difference.

They studied the military records of 241,310 Norwegian conscripts aged between 18 and 19 to see if birth order could be linked with intelligence as measured by the results of their IQ tests on enrolment.

They also included in the study second-born children whose elder sibling had died when very young to see if these second-borns had a higher IQ than other second-borns who had remained the second eldest child in the family.

What they found, in a study published in the journal Science, was that it was not merely the fact of being the first-born that was important. Being raised as the eldest child was also important for second-borns whose elder sibling had died in early life. "This study provides evidence that the relation between birth order and IQ scores is dependent on the social rank in the family and not birth order as such," the scientists said.

Frank Sulloway, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, said the difference in IQ between first and second-born siblings of 2.3 points was big enough to result in major differences in achievement.

One possible explanation for the findings, he said, is that elder children acting as tutors to their young siblings begin to benefit from this teaching role.

"Through the organisation and expression of thoughts, teaching younger siblings is posited to benefit the tutor more than the learner, especially since last-borns have no one to tutor," he said.

Sibling rivalry

Smarter older sibling: Noel and Liam Gallagher

The talent in this Mancunian duo is fairly one-sided. While younger brother Liam causes havoc, starts fights and occasionally sings, it is widely believed that Noel is the one who brought Oasis success and kept the band on track. Noel, who plays guitar in the band, is credited with writing almost all the songs that brought them critical acclaim.

In the balance: Jonathan and David Dimbleby

The children of the esteemed broadcaster Richard Dimbleby are evenly matched. David, the older of the two, has had a succession of highbrow current affairs jobs at the BBC, including Panorama and Question Time. Jonathan, who studied philosophy at University College London, is also a broadcaster and presents the Radio 4 programme Any Questions?

Smarter younger sibling: David and Richard Attenborough

While hardly an under-achiever, actor and director Richard lacks the intellectual clout of his younger brother, David. While Richard went straight from school to RADA, David won a scholarship to Cambridge and has succeeded in a variety of fields, first as the director of BBC2, then as one of the world's most famous television nature experts

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Gallagher Cancels Kasabian Gig

British rockers Kasabian were left disappointed when Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher pulled out of a one-off collaboration at the Glastonbury Festival.

Gallagher - whose long-awaited rockumentary Lord Don't Slow Me Down premieres at the English festival later on Sunday (24Jun07) - was forced to cancel his duet with the band in favour of time in the studio.

Kasabian bassist Chris Edwards says, "It's the only weekend Noel can work with a U.S. producer on his new album."

Source: www.contactmusic.com