Blur Defeat Not All Bad

Blur star Alex James, 38, reckons losing out to Oasis during their famous 90s feud had its compensations: "It was fine while we were winning, but suddenly Oasis were top dogs. And that was horrible.

"Though the shagging got better, oddly, so it wasn't all bad."

Source: www.mirror.co.uk

Paul Weller Collaborates With Beatles And Oasis Artist

The modfather is bringing out annotated lyric book

Paul Weller has collaborated with legendary Beatles artist Peter Blake on a new book.

Blake, famous for designing the cover of the 1967 classic 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', the cover of Oasis' best of 'Stop The Clocks' plus Weller's own 'Stanley Road' album, has created the cover for 'Suburban 100', a collection of Weller lyrics.

The volume, out September 6, will bring together lyrics from 100 of the star's songs, and features personal annotations by Weller himself.

Source: www.nme.com

The Enemy Were Raised On Oasis

I couldn't care what journalists think," says Tom, who in real life is so itsy bitsy tiny, Katie Holmes would probably marry him.

"They'll come up to you and say 'I love you music', but it's all bull. One week they love you and the next week they don't.

They're paid to change their opinion. But someone like Noel Gallagher or Tom Meighan coming up to you and saying they're into us, that means something.

Having been raised on Oasis' Definitely Maybe and The Verve ("I couldn't afford new CDs, they were really the only two cassettes I'd listen to"), he thinks that since then music has gone off the boil.

Mixing Oasis's snarling attitude with the social outrage of early Manics, their songs are born out of the economic decline of hometown Coventry, an area crippled by the closure of its major employer, Peugeot.

"We're just making good music, proper music. It's not about what you wear or what you look like, it's about what you do and what you stand for."

Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Ban Gets Liam All Fired Up

I can reveal the real reason Liam Gallagher threw a strop at Live Earth.

Reports yesterday said he stormed out of the Wembley gig because his kids were playing up.

But the Oasis frontman was actually desperate to have a ciggie after the new ban kicked in.

He told me: “I want a fag, you can’t smoke anywhere in here.”

The Cigarettes And Alcohol singer watched the show backstage with fiancée Nicole Appleton and their son Gene.

His ex Patsy Kensit and their son Lennon were also there.

The kids played together while Liam downed bottles of Dom Perignon.

He turned up to watch his mates in Kasabian.

Nicole said: “Gene loves Kasabian too. He likes Keane but there’s no way his dad would let him watch them. I want to stay to see Madonna but the kids are tired and need to get home.”

Liam recently moved to posh Henley-on-Thames.

The former wildman said: “With all the bombs and security stuff in London, it’s a better place to be.”

But he has no desire to make friends with naff neighbours, magician Paul Daniels and wife Debbie McGee.

He said: “They live in the cheap part. We live near George Harrison's old place.”

Liam’s definitely calmed down . . . but as Daniels would say: “Not a lot.”.

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

Paul Weller, Graham Coxon, Zak Starkey & Mani Perform This Old Town On The Friday Night With Jonathan Ross Show

Click here to watch Paul Weller, Graham Coxon, Zak Starkey & Mani perform This Old Town on The Friday Night With Jonathan Ross Show, Friday 6th July 2007.

Thanks to JBtheManchesterMod

I Look Back In Laughter

T In The Park 2007 Alex goes from monkeying Oasis to top of the bill

Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner prepared for life as a pop star by impersonating Oasis at his school dance.

Relaxing in his dressing room at T In The Park, the singer revealed he "learned his chops" as a guitarist by taking off Oasis's original axeman, Bonehead.

Speaking before his band played to a rain-soaked and mud-spattered crowd on Friday night, Alex said: "I never playedmy tennis racket in front of the mirror, pretending to be a pop star. But when I was in sixth year at school, we did Oasis at our dance.

"Our drummer Matt was Liam Gallagher, my mate Clarky was Noel and I was Bonehead. I felt more famous then than I do now.

"We had rounders bases for microphones and tennis rackets as guitars."

Comparing life then with fame now, he added: "I think I've managed to dodge a lot of that pop star stuff. I don't want to be seen as a face.

"It wasn't even a case of pop stardom living up to my expectations because I don't think I had any in the first place."

The Monkeys snubbed the chance to appear at yesterday's Live Earth gig at Wembley in favour of Balado.

Source: www.sundaymail.co.uk

Liam Gallagher At Live Earth

Liam Gallagher yesterday at Live Earth, Wembley Stadium London.

Thanks to Jono

On This Day In Oasis History...

"D'You Know What I Mean?" is a song by British rock band Oasis. And was realesed on 7 July 1997.

It was the first single from their third album Be Here Now. In the UK, its highest chart position was #1. The song was written by Noel Gallagher.

At the time "D'You Know What I Mean" was released, Oasis were at the height of their fame, and as a result, the single, along with the album, was highly anticipated. Upon its release it was critically and commercially successful, but as was the case with Be Here Now, once the hype died down, the single was seen as bloated and indulgent, embellished with lyrics and guitar parts played backwards and strange morse code and airplane sound effects. All Music Guide labelled it "Oasis' first boring single".

The guitar chords on both the verse and the chorus are essentially the same as the chords used for the verse in the Oasis single "Wonderwall" (Em7/G/Dsus4/Asus).

The song also shows more of Noel's influences. While the lyrics may seem inane and banal, reference are included to Bob Dylan ("Blood on the tracks and it must be mine"), and The Beatles ("Fool on the hill and I feel fine"), and even their own earlier work ("Don't look back cos you know what you may see"). The song also features a drum loop from N.W.A.

The Morse code in the background translates to include such sayings as "Bugger All", "Pork Pies" and "Strawberry Fields Forever."

However, despite the critical coldness to the A-side, one of the B-sides, "Stay Young", has become a popular Oasis song, so much so that fans voted it onto the B-sides collection The Masterplan - one of only two B-sides from the Be Here Now period which made the album. The song was originally intended to be the "Digsy's Dinner" of Be Here Now (the lighthearted novelty track, such as "Digsy's Dinner" on Definitely Maybe and "She's Electric" on (What's the Story) Morning Glory?), until Noel set it aside in favour of "Magic Pie". Gallagher claims not to be particularly fond of the track.

In an interview with the BBC for their documentary Seven Ages of Rock, Gallagher said of the song, "Its eight and a half minutes, the first single, the drums havent fuckin' come in for two minutes- its all feedback!". He also says that he expected someone to ask them to edit the introduction to the song down, but such was their status in Britain at the time, nobody did. They even performed the song on Top of the Pops, still playing most of the lengthy introduction.

Cover Information

The single cover photograph, by Michael Spencer Jones and directed by Brian Cannon of Microdot, was taken in front of the 'Blind Steps', a staircase in Wigan so called because they run past the Blind Workshop, which can be seen to the left of the shot. The steps can still be found on Darlington Street.

The shoot was shrouded in secrecy to protect mass media coverage, but newspaper The Wigan Evening Post got exclusive rights to cover the event and subsequently sold the photos to the Daily Mirror. At a lunchtime break, Liam Gallagher and sleeve designer Brian Cannon enjoyed a pint of beer in the nearby Crispin Arms pub by Birkett Bank.

Click here to watch the promo video, or here for a live performance.

Source: Wikipedia

Bands That Should Break Up

It’s not that British rock band Oasis has been around forever like the Stones. But to say that this band (formed in 1993) was both blessed and cursed from the start would be an understatement. When Noel Gallagher agreed to join his brother Liam’s band, he did so with the understanding that he would have complete control. And so, the band was immensely talented, signed almost immediately, and saw their debut become the fastest seller in British history at the time. But the dark side of stardom reared its ugly head, and the two brothers were always in the news. Why? Because they kept beating the shit out of each other.

To this day, there has never been a more dysfunctional relationship in music than that of the Gallagher brothers. Over the course of the decade that followed the band’s debut, more success bred more dysfunction. In addition to the bickering, bad things happened to these guys – a cab accident that forced the cancellation of U.S. tour dates, and a street scuffle in Munich, among others. But the worst thing that has happened to the Gallagher brothers is that where great bands fight and out of that tension comes great records (Rumours, Abbey Road), the Gallaghers fight…and have made one record in the last 10 years that wasn’t crap. Familiar to millions, maybe, but these days they’re loved by hundreds. Time to give up the ghost. – Mike Farley

Click here to see the full list, that includes U2, Aerosmith, The Cure, REM, Beastie Boys, Korn and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Source: www.bullz-eye.com

10 Wembley Stadium Greats

If the wind changes Noel your face will stick! Noel Gallagher of Oasis at Wembley Stadium, July 2000.

To see the 10 Wembley Stadium Greats click here.

That include The Rolling Stones, U2, Gun's 'N' Roses, Muse and more.

Source: www.nme.com

Angry Look From Liam

He's hit 40 but Noel Gallagher is still feuding with younger brother Liam.

The Oasis songwriter reopened old wounds when he claimed that Liam is upset about not singing lead on Don't Look Back in Anger - their most popular hit.

Noel said: "When we were recording Wonderwall and Don't Look Back In Anger I was originally gonna sing Wonderwall but Liam said 'I wanna sing it!' So I said 'pick between the two'. It does Liam's head in but it makes me feel good."

Oh do grow up, boys...

Source: www.mirror.co.uk

Liam Gallagher Wants To Record Next Oasis Album In London

Liam Gallagher wants to record the next Oasis album in London - so he can be near his children.
The one-time hellraiser is ready to start work on the band's seventh studio effort with producer Dave Sardy - who helmed 2005's critically acclaimed 'Don't Believe The Truth.'

However, Liam, 34, isn't prepared to decamp to Sardy's Los Angeles studio like the band did last time, because he can't be apart from his kids, seven-year-old Lennon, Gene, six, and Molly, 10

He told Britain's Daily Star newspaper, "We want to do the record in London, because of the kids, you know? But we're getting started as soon as Sardy finishes what he's working on."

Lennon is Liam's son with ex-wife Patsy Kensit, Gene's mother is the rocker' s fiancée Nicole Appleton, while daughter Molly was conceived after Liam had a brief fling with British singer Lisa Moorish - who also has son Estile with Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty.

Liam's brother Noel and his girlfriend Sara MacDonald are currently expecting their first child together, due in September. The 40-year-old guitarist already has a seven-year-old daughter, Anais, with ex-wife Meg Matthews.

Noel has previously insisted there will be no new Oasis album in 2007, because he wants to prepare for his new arrival.

He said, "It definitely won't be out this year, although I think it will get started.

Source: www.azcentral.com

Pictures Of Liam Gallagher At John Squire's Art Exhibition

Some pictures from the opening of a new art exhibition by Stone Roses legend John Squire.

Source: Oasis Fanatic

The Making Of....Don't Look Back In Anger By Oasis

How Noel Gallagher's 1996 Lennon-loving No1 fuelled the brothers' simmering rivalry and became the new yardstick for British stadium rock.

Fact File
Written By Noel Gallagher
Performers Noel Gallagher (Vocals, lead guitar), Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs (rhythn guitar, piano), Paul McGuigan (bass), Alan White (Drums)
Recorded at Rockfield Studios, South Wales
Produced by Owen Morris and Noel Gallagher
Released as a single February 19, 1996
Highest UK chart position 1
Highest US chart position 55

By September 1994, Oasis led the mood of the times. Definitely Maybe was the fastest-selling British debut album in history. Liam and Noel's fractious relationship was gleefully chronicled in the tabloids, while their ferocious consumption of drugs and alcohol chimed with Britpop's most hedonistic urges. How do you follow that?

Regrouping in early '95 - after a few disastrous, fight-stewn US dates - they recorded their first No 1 single "Some Might Say". A month later, Noel led the band into Rockfield studios to record songs for their second album (What's The Story) Morning Glory?

Overseen by New Order engineer Owen Morris, Noel promised an LP big on choruses. On the forth day, they cut "Don't Look Back In Anger", Noel's attempt to capture the vibe of Weller's Stanley Roadbookend "Wings Of Speed".

But as with much of Oasis' best work, the influence was more Lennon. The piano intro came via "Imagine", while he admitted pinching lines from bootleg recordings of Lennon's memoirs. One of the tapes, apparently from a batch originally stolen from the Dakota building, found Lennon talking about "Trying to start a revolution from my bed, because they said the brains I had went to my head."

Released in February 1996, "Don't Look Back In Anger" was the forth single lifted from What's The Story Morning Glory... Vast hands aloft rock'n'roll, it gave Oasis their second and became their biggest-selling single ever, a crossover hit that you could hear played everywhere from student discos to the white-stiletto-packed clubs of streatham.

And fueling the sibling rivalry between the Gallaghers, it's Noel who sang it. "It's our most famous song," saysNoel today. "Which must do Liam's head in..."

Rob Hughes










Noel Gallagher
Lyrics, Vocals and Guitar

We were in Paris playing with The Verve, and I had the chords for that song, and I'd started writing it. We were due to play two days later. Our first-ever big arena gig, it's called Sheffield Arena now. At the soundcheck, I was strumming away on the acoustic guitar, and our kid said, "What's that you're f**king singing, I wasn't singing anyway, I was just making it up. And our kid said "Are you singing 'So Sally can't wait'?" And I was like f**king hell that's genius!

I remember going back to the dressing room, [The title] "Don't Look Back In Anger" just popped out. We wrote the words out in the dressing room, and we actually played it that night. In front of like, f**king 18,000 people. On acoustic guitar. Sat on a stool. Like an idiot. I never f**king do that now.

When we were coming off recording "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back In Anger", I was originally gonna sing "Wonderwall", and Liam said, "I wanna sing it!" And I was like, "I'm singing one of them so taake your f**king pick." He chose "Wonderwall" and I chose the other one. then it came out as a single. And on that [BBC TV] series Our Friends In The North - the last ever one where they all meet up, when they're all older and have all got kids and they're all alcoholics - that was the music over the end credits. And I still haven't seen that episode, but loads of people have come up to me, saying "Man, it was so f**king powerful."

And it kinda took on a life of it's own after that. It took over from "Wonderwall" in England as our most famous song. And it's the biggest song of the night now, when we play it live. Which must do Liam's head in - as he doesn't get to sing it - but it makes me feel pretty good.

If Andy [Bell, Oasis' bassist] call's "Cigarettes And Alcohol" the British national anthem, then "Don't Look Back In Anger" is the one where every f**king body will sing at an Oasis gig, particularly the first chorus.

When I went to see Ian Brown a couple of years ago in some forest, this girl, a complete stranger, came up to us. We were all completely trolleyed and she said "You know 'Don't Look Back In Anger'. You know the girl, Sally is about [Stone Roses'] 'Sally Cinnamon'? And she had this whole f**king theory, how Sally had left her love letters on the bus. She came out with this f**king elaborate story, and it all made perfect sense. I was like, f**king hell, that is genius! I wish I'd thought of that before the song came out.

Owen Morris
Producer

Going into record (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, Noel said the album would be all about big choruses. I Think that "Don't Look Back In Anger", along with "Wonderwall, "Champagne Supernova" and "Morning Glory" are where he really did that. The atmosphere was fantastic going into the album.

Everyone wanted to be there and was doing it for the right reasons. The first week was one of my favourite sessions ever. We recorded and completed a track a day. On the Monday we did "Roll With It", on Tuesday we did "Hello", Wednesday we did "Wonderwall", Thursday we did "Don't Look Back In Anger" and on Friday we did "Champagne Supernova".

We partied on Saturday. Liam brought back everyone from the pub in Monmouth [actually the four piece band Cable], and the band split up for a couple of weeks on Sunday.

For "Don't Look Back In Anger", Noel put a guide acoustic and vocal down to a click track. Alan played along and got his drums within two or three takes. It was all very matter-of-fact. Noel gave Liam the choice of singing "Wonderwall" or "Don't Look Back In Anger", and Liam chose "Wonderwall". So "Don't Look Back In Anger" became Noel's. At the time, I wasn't sure if it was the right decision, but it absolutely became Noel's song. I think it always works better live than it did on record. It's just got the greatest sing-along chorus.

The person in the studio who was most excited by the songs was Noel's guitar roadie, the legendry Mr Jason Rhodes. He was convinced it was Oasis' best song. I think the happiest part of recording the song was when we did the sing-along backing vocals on the last chorus, and Jason proudly led the drunken crowd.

Sonically, like the rest of Morning Glory, 'Don't Look Back In Anger' is pretty ropey. I was recording things very basically. Alan had some dodgy old drum kit. We got away with it because of the quality of the songwriting and the conviction in the singing and guitar playing. It's not a recording I've ever listened to and could claim to be proud of the 'production,.

I guess it was the biggest single because Oasis were on such a roll by then. People were buying the singles for the B-sides> On "Wonderwall", the previous single, we'd put "The Masterplan". I can't remember what's on "Don't Look Back In Anger"[it's "Step Out"], but I think we'd peaked with the B-sides then.









Alan McGee
Creation Records MD

At that point, after Oasis had sold three or four million Definitely Maybes, we just put them in the studio. And we got "Don't Look Back In Anger" back. I'm not sure if his songwriting around the time of ...Morning Glory had evolved as such, because he'd always written great songs. For example, "Live Forever" is unbeatable, too. You could go on and on. But "Don't Look Back In Anger" is the best-ever Oasis song.

In the last 25 years, there have been three genius songwriters: Noel Gallagher, Elliott Smith and Sean Lennon. I worked with Noel for six or seven years and if it's marks out of ten, then he's a 12. As the years go on, I love his voice more and more. But "Don't Look Back In Anger" is the ultimate song. What's genius about that song is that there's a descending chord change as the vocals keep accelerating up.And that's the brilliance of the anthemic chorus.

I didn't want to carry on with Creation Records and that's why I started Poptones. I wanted to get back into managing bands again. But it was never anything to do with Oasis. I'd come to the end of the decade and wanted to change my life. But if I regret anything, it's not working with Noel. the guy has f**king genius in his genes, if you know what I mean. Whenever I DJ the one Oasis song I always play is "Don't Look Back In Anger".

It was a shame that my relationship with Noel wasn't quite what it had been when they were making that record. But I suppose it was inevitable. I had cleaned up while he carried on partying. We were going down different roads. But you know what? We're in a really good place with each other now. We don't see each other much, but we send each other texts every so often.

Our relationship is as good as it can be. it's not like we were ever huge friends - we never had anything to fall out over - but music-wise. I've got two hundred-and-f**king fifty-per cent respect for the man.

He is a songwriting genius and I love great talent.

Source: Uncut

Roses Legend Gives Up Music

He admits he's barely strummed a guitar in the past year, but who needs rock 'n' roll when you can take the art world by storm instead?

Former Stone Roses legend John Squire unveiled his new artwork this week to critical and commercial acclaim.

I hear that just a day after the launch he's already sold more than half of his collection - with pieces ranging from £2,000 up to £28,000.

And John tells me he's enjoying his art so much that he's now shelved - for good - any more music projects.

He says: "Music and art are both disciplines that fulfil the same need, that is the need to create. I get the same buzz from creating a successful painting as writing a great song - it comes from the same place.

"But music has been put to one side for good. I'm enjoying this far too much to go back to music."

Hmm, rather scuppers any idea of a future Stone Roses reunion - of which he says: "A reunion is highly unlikely. I'd have to stop painting and that's just not in my plans."

Stars including fellow Manc music legend Liam Gallagher (pictured with John) and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver attended the glittering private viewing of John's brushwork at the Smithfield Gallery in London.

Jamie - a huge Stone Roses' fan - was among those snapping up pieces from the collection.

However, poor old Liam was bemoaning the fact that he wanted to buy a painting but his 'missus', All Saints singer Nicole Appleton, had banned him from buying any more art.

John tells me: "Liam's favourite painting was one called The Year of the Pig but he said he couldn't buy it because Nicole would kill him and they need a new kitchen."

John's artwork first came to prominence through the iconic album covers of the late 1980s and early '90s. His new works, created over the past three years, show a departure from past styles, working on large-scale canvases and built up of layers of plaster, sand, glue and oil paint.

John, who still lives in the region, has his own art studio in a converted outbuilding in the farm he lives on with his wife and children.

He's busy creating a whole raft of new artworks for a second London exhibition later in the year. He laughs: "I've got to take the kids to Portugal and do 30 paintings before September so I'd better get my skates on."

Source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Liam Lays Down The Law

...Sweetly to our Kim

Liam Gallagher has asked me to boot the behinds of Boy Kill Boy as they are halting work on the new Oasis album.

I chatted with the singer over a glass of wine where I told him Boy Kill Boy are laying down the follow-up to Civilian in producer Dave Sardy's LA Studio.

Liam, 34, confirmed - as I told you last month - that Sardy, who made the last Oasis record, 2005's Don't Believe The Truth, will be back on board again.

He laughed: "Well, kick their a*se and tell 'em to get a f***in' move on, like."

In their heyday Oasis would record more than slightly the worse for wear and drink and drugs benders.

Now family man Liam is more concerned about not being away from "our Kids".

He said: "We're getting started with Sardy as soon as he finishes what he's working on."

As we spoke at the Smithfield Gallery in London, where former Stone Roses ace John Squire, 44, was showing an exhibition of his paintings, I remarked it would be nice to swap the torrential rain sweeping Britain for the LA sunshine.

Sardy prefers to work in his own studio and along with Boy Kill Boy he has had Jet and Wolfmother through the doors.

Liam added: "We want to do the record in London; we have the kids y'know."

Along with Liam's nippers, Gene, six, Lennon, seven and Molly, 10, brother Noel has Anais, eight, and his girlfriend Sara MacDonald, 31, is pregnant with their first child together.

Surely making an album is much more preferable when there's the lure of a private pool to dip into between sessions?

Liam chuckled: "If we did, I'd be by the pool all the time, man. They'd say: 'Liam, come and do this vocal' and I'd like: 'Put some more suntan lotion on me back. I'm sure gettin' brown first'."

Even in this job it's not every day I get to talk to a proper rock and roll legend like Liam and he was the coolest I've met.

Charming and funny, he was equally as charismatic in the flesh as he is when he is on stage.

before arriving at the gallery we had a drink at a nearby pub where Liam posed for a photo with a fan.

The guy was overwhelmed and to break the anxiety Liam grabbed his bum - the result was a picture that will impress his mates.

I told Liam I'm more of a music than art connoisseur. While Squire's paintings looked very nice, I couldn't explain why they pleased the eye.

Liam told me: "I like the white painting best. You could always colour it in if you got bored with it. The orange one looks like sausages going mad in Ibiza."

Liam Gallagher - music legend and wise, charming man.

Source: Daily Star

'7 Ages Of Rock' Covers Indie

Watch the show here

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.

Thanks to AverageMan06

Liam Is A Cop Idol

It's a double Bill for Liam Gallagher as he poses with two cops.

The Oasis singer was snapped with the pair after the opening of a new art exhibition by Stone Roses legend John Squire.

Liam went to see the guitarist’s new works at a hip gallery in London’s Shoreditch. I didn’t see him get his wallet out but he seemed to be enjoying the free wine.

TV chef Jamie Oliver also showed up and bought two of the 20 canvases that were selling for between £2,000 and £28,000.

John flogged eight of the canvases on show.

That should keep the bank manager happy...

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

Zak Starkey Joins Paul Weller, Graham Coxon And Mani On Jonathan Ross Show This Friday

Paul Weller and former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon have enlisted the help of ex-Stone Roses bassist Mani and Oasis drummer Zak Starkey to perform tracks from their new special edition single on a British TV chat show.

The supergroup will play on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross later this week (06Jul07).

The show is on BBC 1 and starts at 10:35PM (UK), other guests on the show are Bob Hoskins and Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling.

Source: www.contactmusic.com

This Month's Copy Of Uncut

This month's copy of Uncut features a two page article on the the writing and recording of Oasis's classic track Don't Look Back In Anger.

It features Noel Gallagher, Owen Morris and Alan McGee.

In Stores now