Sky News Christmas Greeting To The Gallagher Brothers

Broadcast over the Christmas period, on Sky News.

Thanks to Mr Monobrow.

Vote For Your Favourite Oasis Track Ever

You can vote for your favourite Oasis track ever on NME.COM.

Current top 10

01: Live Forever
02: Don't Look Back In Anger
03: Slide Away
04: Champagne Supernova
05: The Masterplan
06: Rock 'N' Roll Star
07: Supersonic
08: Wonderwall
09: Acquiesce
10: Whatever

The Winner Of The Limited Edition 'Pretty Green' iPod Is?

The winner of the Limited Edition Pretty Green iPod is Stuart Lambert, the unique iPod complete with a special video message from the man himself.

Source: www.prettygreen.com

Oasis Fan Lined Up To Join Band

A story has appeared today in the News Of The World falsely claiming that I'm joining Liam Gallagher's new band, and to start recording later this month at Abbey Road studios.

Where they get there information from is beyond me.

Nelly Furtado Sings Oasis' Wonderwall

Source: www.myspace.com/nellyfurtado

Exclusive Oasis 'Amorphous Androgynous' Remix In Current Issue Of Mojo

The Feb 2010 issue of Mojo has an interview with Amorphous Androgynous and comes with a CD compiled and mixed by the aforementioned which includes an 'Exclusive to this CD' version of Falling Down by the Amorphous Androgynous.

''We didn't intend to cover it'' says Cobain of AA's life-affirming re-recording of Oasis' 2008 single. ''Noel Gallagher asked us to remix Falling Down and make it 'worthy' to be on our Monstrous Psychedelic Bubble...! We delivered a 22 minute psychedelic mix with flutes and sitar''.

Alisha Sufit (of 70's folk rockers Magic Carpet) revocaled the song and it became a kind of cover version with Noel on backing vocals! Here's the first recording of it.''.

CD in full:
01 Pop Levi- Blue Honey
02-The Yellow Moon Band-Entangled
03-July- Dandelion Seeds
04-The A.A.-Falling Down
05-Dungen- Satt Se (Instrumental)
06-Donovan- Three Kingfishers
07-Can-Flow Motion
08-White Noise-Love Without Sound
09-Betty Davis-Game Is My Middle Name
10-Ed Askew-Love Is Everyone.
11-Jean Claude Vannier- Les Mouches
12-Comus-Diana
13-Shogun Kinotichi-Mulberg
14-The A.A. Opus Of The Black Sun

Source: www.mojo4music.com

Film To Immortalise Lords Of Creation Records

Upside Down charts drink and drug-fuelled years of label that signed Oasis, Primal Scream and My Bloody Valentine.

When an unsigned Noel Gallagher took the train from Manchester to meet the bosses of Creation records in 1993, he had little idea what to expect.

In a room above a sweatshop in the back streets of east London, surrounded by self-confessed "misfits, drug addicts and sociopaths", the Oasis songwriter found his spiritual home.

"He came to the Creation office and saw the words Northern Ignorance scrawled in magic marker across the roof of the reception," said Tim Abbott, the label's former managing director. "I'd done it the week before, when I was off my head on ecstasy, walking on the tables and drinking champagne. Noel saw it and went: 'Fucking 'ell, I'm having that. I like it here.'"

The full extent of the debauchery, precarious nature and genius of the independent label is to be laid bare in the most revealing rock'n'roll film since 24 Hour Party People, the story of the "Madchester" scene. Upside Down, due out in spring, reveals the label's unusual method of making sure new bands came on board, according to Abbot. "We often used to drink and drug the bands into submission," he said.

After the initial bond formed, Abbott said, Gallagher was frog-marched to the pub where, unsurprisingly, all involved got "stuck into a session".

A decade after Creation closed, and 25 years since the release of its first single, Upside Down charts the heady 15-year existence of the label that launched Primal Scream, Ride and My Bloody Valentine, as well as Oasis.

The label veered from one financial precipice to another, he said. Even after Primal Scream won the Mercury music prize in 1992, the resulting visibility did not translate into financial viability.

"We were always skint. It was like spinning plates, we were always trying to dodge the bailiffs," he said. "It was my job to go out and see them, probably because I was the smallest. Dick [co-founder Dick Green] would see to the manufacturers who we couldn't pay and Alan [co-founder Alan McGee] would just try to blag it. It couldn't go on like that."

Upside Down's director, Danny O'Connor, who admitted to going through "near bankruptcy and dementia and all the other things that come with Creation" during the making of the film, said he was drawn to telling the story of the label that had provided the soundtrack to his life.

"No one does excess like Creation, no one does great records like Creation," he said. "Creation was an indie, but it didn't wear a cardigan, it didn't apologise. There was a real power in its punch. If you think that rock'n'roll is all about swagger — this is your film."

And few do swagger like McGee. In a trailer for the film he admits: "I was absolutely delusional. I actually thought I was up there with Beethoven and Shakespeare, creating metaphysical history by running Creation."

The company behaved like the "ultimate dysfunctional family" but still managed to make great and intelligent records, said O'Connor.

Abbot agreed: "We were dysfunctional people working with dysfunctional bands but somehow we still managed to function — we got results. There were a whole cast of characters at Creation and the sum was greater than its parts."

For Abbot, when Sony bought 49% of the label in 1992, it spelled the end of its glory days. "When McGee sold creation to Sony, it was a curse," he said. "It took the pressure off financially but it changed everything. Sony brought in accountants and a major label culture. The offices moved from Hackney to Primrose Hill and it got stupid.Knebworth [Oasis's 2005 Knebworth concert] was a gig too far. It signed off the old culture."

He holds few regrets about the eventual closure of the label in 1999. "When the label folded it was sad, but it had been consumed by a monster. It stopped being a vehicle for music and started being a vehicle for egos. Alan and Dick sold the soul of Creation to the devil, and the devil wanted it back with interest."

He added: "I have no regrets. In its heyday Creation produced fantastic music and art, and I was lucky enough to be there. It's like asking Ronaldo if he regrets playing for United. If you get to play for the best team in the world, you can't ask for anything else."

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A Chat With Former Oasis Man Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs

The hot sun is beaming down on the face of the rhythm guitarist playing onstage in Mexico in 1999. On occasions he gazes up to the sun, he is slightly blinded by its glare and he is annoyed that he has left his sunglasses behind in the dressing room but happy he is no longer a plasterer from Manchester.

The congregation of fans sing in unison to the hits, even though the rhythm guitarist is feeling an overwhelming sense of joy and fulfillment with each chord, he cannot afford to show his emotions. That is not the rock and roll way, you must stay cool and not appear fazed by the occasion.

He glances across the stage and gazes at his friends, as the powerful music pumps out of the speakers. They gaze back but with no acknowledgement nor a smile, that is not the rock and roll way. He bows his head and out of eye shot he smiles as he fondly recalls the journey the band have taken to get here. As the song comes to an end, the crowd applauds, while the lead singer acknowledges their delight. The rhythm guitarist thinks, this is a good life, but also he knows for himself it is time to say goodbye to Oasis.

Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthur, (born 23 June 1965, Burnage, Manchester, England) left Oasis at the tail end of 1999, after eight years of being one of the most important and exciting bands the world had ever seen. The reason for his departure may vary, but the fact remains the same, Bonehead was no longer in Oasis. Oasis would carry on for a further ten years without him, until they came to the end of their journey in August 2009.

Oasis were without doubt the classic and talented lad’s band from Manchester. Stylish outsiders in dapper clothes, oozing with self-belief and attitude and with a love for Mod, The Beatles, Punk and terrace culture. Oasis certainly took the world by storm, with their anthemic music and rock and roll antics. They seem destined to break the US, with record sales of around ten million, but alas they never became a household name like their predecessors The Beatles, a band they so badly wanted to emulate. Yet it has not stopped Oasis from being an influential and important band.

With money in the bank after living the high life and after a stint in a variety of bands, DJ-ing , acting and being a BBC broadcaster, Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthur’s life has gone full circle, returning as rhythm guitarist with fellow Manchester band, The Vortex.

The Vortex is a band following in the tradition of most great Manchester groups like The Stone Roses, The Smiths, Inspiral Carpets, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Oasis and many more. Sharp and intelligent musicians, with us and against world mentally and with powerful songs that demonstrated their drive and determination.

The Vortex uses the traditional line up of drums, bass, guitars, vocals with a blend of soul music and samples. Their sound is raw, rocking, soulful, ‘poppy’, fresh and very much in your face. No wonder they are creating quite a stir on the live scene. With a new album recorded, a string of dates and a growing fan base, 2010 could prove to be a good year for the band and take them onto greater things.

With a massive love for Oasis, and being converted to the sound of The Vortex in 2009, ZANI thought it would be good to chat to the cool rhythm guitarist of these bands, Bonehead.

Live4ever’s contributing writer Matteo Sedazzari from ZANI caught up with Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthur at a Snooker Hall on the outskirts of Manchester, as he was shooting a few frames in-between recording and playing live. He was keen to talk about The Vortex, Oasis and much more.

ZANI – Paul you joined Vortex Christmas 2008, please tell us a little about the band, I take it you are happy there?

Paul – Really enjoying it, the band have been going a couple of years. I knew of them around the gig scene in Manchester, went to see them one night and I was asked to join them on stage for a couple of numbers which I loved. This became a bit of habit that I would join the band for a couple of numbers and that is how I joined The Vortex.

ZANI – Being at the right place at the right time?

Paul – You could say that.

ZANI- You said recently that The Vortex are the first band that have turned you on in the last ten years why is that?

Paul – Yeah they are. I have been in few bands since leaving Oasis in 1999. But with The Vortex, I never thought I would capture that feeling I had with Oasis in 93/94. The whole attitude and passion, that whole gang mentality-with The Vortex I am getting that feeling again.

ZANI – A second wind

Paul – For sure.

ZANI - Tell us about the other band members, I heard they are real characters.

Paul – It is like chalk and cheese, and everyone is their own character. I got to know them really well last year, we’ve got Jackie the backing singer, who is the professional, she gets up there and does her thing, and she has got a good voice. We’ve got Nick on Bass, personally I think he looks as cool as fuck on stage, when he is doing his bit, he looks like he owns the fucking place. As a person he is a strong character, as he lost three close family members in a two month period, to come through that and still believe in the band, shows strength and determination.

ZANI – He seems a very strong minded person.

Paul - We’ve also got Mike the singer. He has grown from strength to strength this year. Maz the guitarist writes the songs with Sean the drummer. Maz has got a job in the office, I don’t know what the fuck he does, but I think it is with computers. In the day, a mild manner office worker, in the evening a rock and roller.

Ah, Sean the drummer, you might need two hours on him. He is passionate. He is passionate beyond passion. He is 100 per cent rock and roll, when he is let on the loose on a drum kit, he rocks. He believes in The Vortex, and nothing will stand in his way.

ZANI – I like it, the way a good band should be. I heard that The Vortex has that Manchester swagger, I assume that goes along with the likes of The Stone Roses and The Happy Mondays, is that right?

Paul – Everyone goes on about this Manchester sound and swagger, it’s an attitude that doesn’t necessarily come from Manchester , Primal Scream aren’t from Manchester , and they have what is called that Manchester swagger, whatever it is.

ZANI – One of my favourite albums of all time is Screamadelica by Primal Scream, which uses a lot of samples , and that is something that The Vortex are doing.

Paul – Yeah we use a lot of dance loops, and we’ve got Jackie, the wonderful backing soulful vocals. It’s more of an attitude then a swagger, Oasis had it. It’s confidence and a passionate thing, and The Vortex have got in abundance.

ZANI – I hear The Vortex are in the process of recording an album, do you know when it be will be released?

Paul – There is no release date yet and remember we are just an unsigned band from Manchester. When I joined the band in December 2008, I said we need to gig and develop, which we are doing now, and we are doing everything in-house, without any record company or management support. Any money we earn we just put back into the pot, and without giving anyone their commission. We have an album recorded, whether we release it ourselves or via a record company, we don’t know at the moment.

ZANI – It sounds like it is a good co-op of creative people.

Paul – It is and It’s working. I said to the band we don’t need a Manager, we can do this ourselves. It’s not hard to badger or phone people, I will look after the money side. At the end of the day, if-and it is a big if-a record company wants to sign us, then that’s cool, but you know what the record industry is like at the moment? It’s shit. But do we need a record company? Do they really exist? I don’t know.

ZANI – You know that, you can release the album via your own MySpace, FaceBook or even your own website?

Paul– We are slowly doing that, getting our name about without a record company. We did a two week tour of Europe with no press or any promotion. I said to the band, let’s do the tour, back to back with no days off. Let’s see how we function as a band, I even drove the fucking bus during the tour.

ZANI – You drove the bus?

Paul – Oh yes, we had no outside influences, no mates no wives, no girlfriends, just us and “let’s have it”. If we come out of that, we move to the next level. We came out of that tour smiling, and every night we packed out the venues. After the short European tour, we knew we could do this on our own.

ZANI – So you have taken the role of the Tour Manager/ Manager in The Vortex?

Paul – Tour Manager, Roadie, Guitar Tech, Psychologist

ZANI –The Father figure, so to speak. But management is a group thing.

Paul – Yes and I play guitar in the band as well. But I am really enjoying it. I don’t mind taking these roles on to make The Vortex work. But management is a group thing

ZANI - Alan McGee says your stance is better then Slash’s. So as a young boy did you practice your stance in the mirror after watching Top Of The Pops?

Paul – Never practiced my stance in my life, it’s not in my blood to practice a stance or trounce around on stage.

ZANI - What are your ambitions with The Vortex, are you taking it day by day or is there a Master Plan?

Paul – We are taking it day by day, but the band is growing, with word of mouth, usage of the Internet and we are not pushing it on the press side yet. We are not hounding NME, The Guardian and other papers like that.

ZANI - You were in a band called Moondog One named after Johnny and the Moondogs, an early band name used by The Beatles which you could describe as a super group as it had Andy Rourke and Mick Joyce formerly of The Smiths in there, were you a big Smiths fan?

Paul – I am a massive Smiths fan

ZANI – Would you say The Smiths were a strong representative of the Northern Subculture?

Paul - No, not really. I would say Oasis were representative of Northern attitude then The Smiths. A lot of people around Manchester frown upon The Smiths, as they saw them as a student’s band, and I would say “you are not getting it.” They missed the irony and the wit of The Smiths.

ZANI – I know, and to me Johnny Marr is a great guitarist and snappy dresser. Another scene from Manchester that was brilliant, was the ‘Madchester’ scene, were you a regular at Factory’s Records The Hacienda ?

Paul – Yeah I went in 1984, before the ‘Madchester’ thing and I was in a band with my brother at this time. We used to play at local bands on a Tuesday night at The Hacienda, which you would get around 30 people. But I used to go every Friday and Saturday for a good night out with me mates.

ZANI – I suppose it was the common goal for all local bands to sign to The Factory Records?

Paul – Yes everybody wanted to sign to Factory, and me and my brother were no different.

ZANI – How come Oasis never signed to Factory Records?

Paul - Tony Wilson passed us by.

ZANI – His lost. The name Vortex is a good name, it stays with that English heritage of great band names like The Who, The Sex Pistols, The Jam, and many more. Does the name derive from the Noel Coward’s play, about a London socialite and her coke addicted son, called The Vortex?

Paul – I thought that myself, but I haven’t asked the band where the name came from, if I mentioned the play to the band, then the band would say “What?”

ZANI - Staying with Manchester, the city is always associated with producing great bands, now The Vortex are carrying on this tradition. What is it about Manchester that it produces such great music?

Paul – I think the city has got Celtic roots. There is a big Irish community in Manchester, as there is in Liverpool. Every body back in Ireland plays a musical instrument, so they bought that heritage to cities like Manchester. People would learn an instrument out of boredom or a way of escaping. People would get the guitars out and have a sing song on a Friday night with a few beers, as a way of release. That has always been my take on it.

ZANI - Good point. You had a dabble in acting, as you have appeared in the Internet Comedy Svengali. Did you enjoy appearing in the show?

Paul - I loved doing it; It was a laugh a minute.

ZANI - Do you still watch Svengali on the net? I had a cameo in the show.

Paul – All the time, I can’t wait for the next episode. I have seen your cameo as well, with your blue hat on.

ZANI - Do you think their insight into the music industry is correct?

Paul – I think it is perfect, it sums it up exactly the way it is. Alan McGee says that everybody knows a Dixie. I was a Dixie, Liam was a Dixie and Noel was a Dixie. When we walked into Creation Record’s office to be signed, we were all like Dixie’s. When we came down to London on a train, and got to Creation Record’s office, I was expecting a big skyscraper building. But when the taxi took us to a back street in East London, I said to the others (Liam and Noel), “Are we in the right fucking place or what?” We were like three Dixies getting out of the taxi, saying it must be the right place because it is the right address. We started walking up these old stairs with these photographs of Neil Young, Marc Bolan and we made a mental note.

We walked into the office, and Alan McGee was sitting behind his desk, he said to us, “What are you into to?” Straight away, we went “Oh you know Neil Young, Marc Bolan” reeling off all the pictures we had seen on the wall, McGee goes “Genius, man that is what we are into to”. We really blagged it.

ZANI - I like it. The Vortex have been described as the band Oasis should have become. I suppose as a founder member of Oasis, and The Vortex coming from Manchester, the association is always going to be there. Does that bother you?
Paul – No, we were saying this the other day. We were doing a gig, and the poster outside the gig, said ‘LIVE TONIGHT, BONEHEAD’ in big capital letters. Then in small letters The Vortex underneath it. We were laughing, and I said “One day they will get over the fact that I was in Oasis” But that will be a long way into the future, and we have to accept that I was in Oasis.

But there is a lot of curiosity value in that, people will come and see an ex-member of Oasis, and it seems to be working.

ZANI - Let’s talk about Rain a band named after a Beatles song. Before you became Oasis and Noel joined, did you have the drive, discipline and determination that was so apparent in Oasis?

Paul – No, it only came in, when Noel joined. Rain was all about having a jam at the weekend, after working all week, a release. It was a couple of beers, and a muck about. That’s before Liam joined. But when he joined, we thought “hold on we have now got a front man” but we only had three songs. But then Noel joined, it was then “Hang on, we’ve now got the front man and the songwriter” with songs like Live Forever and Shakermaker.

Then we started to develop the songs that Noel had written, the whole attitude and belief started to come together and we knew we could do this.

ZANI – That sounds exciting. Are their any early bootlegs of Rain, knocking about?

Paul – There might be, but it wouldn’t be much cop.

ZANI - I won’t stay with Oasis too long, but I read you said Oasis should have bowed out after the second night of Knebworth. Do still stand by that statement?

Paul – Absolutely. Always will and I will keep saying it. So much happened from getting the record deal with Creation to playing Knebworth, it happened so quick. But we knew and believed we were going to achieve something. We knew it would be big. But if someone had said to me that you will have a quarter of million people in a field shouting your name, I would have never believed them.

Knebworth was a pinnacle, it went beyond what we believed we could achieve. I mean it was up there. After that I just thought, where else do you go? I think if we had just bowed down and at the end of night, said “Thank you, good night, thanks for coming along for the ride and we are Oasis” we would have gone down in History, as ‘oh what a band’ We would have never been forgotten man.

ZANI - Last question on Oasis. You saw them with a new line-up at Birmingham, but you would have liked to have done one gig or at least one more song with them, to quote you, “you still know the chords to ‘Rock and Roll Star’”

Paul – I would have loved to have been asked, but I don’t think it would have been a good think to do, because by that stage, I had already got over the fact that I had left Oasis. It took me two and half years to get back on track and be me.

ZANI – I can well imagine that. What record made you want to become a musician?

Paul – I started playing the piano at four. I used go through my brother’s record collections. I suppose I used to play along to a lot of Bob Dylan records, but it was music in general that made me want to play the guitar and my older brother’s amazing record collection. But there was no particular record that made me what to pick up the guitar.

ZANI – The famous older brother-mine was always a big influence on me. Final question, what makes you happy?

Paul – Life at the moment, and what I am doing.

Well ‘Bonehead’ seems happy, revitalized, enthusiastic and persistent. He relishes the mentor come Rhythm Guitarist role. The Vortex has given him a new lease of life as a musician and being one of the lads, something that maybe he has been secretly missing for many years since he left the Gallagher brothers. In addition The Vortex are learning the ropes fast from a man who really has seen and done it in rock and roll.

As an individual Paul is warm, humble, bright, generous and hard working. He is far from resting on his laurels. He is forward thinking, and that is refreshing to see.

So when The Vortex are playing a packed stadium, their rhythm guitarist may very well be seen to bow his head out of every one’s sight, smile and fondly recall the journey they have taken to get here.

That is the rock and roll way.

Source: www.zani.co.uk

You Gotta Roll With It Liam Gallagher

Talk About walking in a winter wonder-wall.

Oasis singer Liam Gallagher trots out in the snow near his home in London's Hampstead Heath.

But the moody rocker, 37 carried a snowball - just in case anyone dared to take his picture.

Source: The Sun Newspaper

Thanks to Nico for the scan

New Interview With Ride For Nightshift Magazine

The Oxford music magazine Nightshift has an interview with Andy Bell and the other members of Ride in their Jan 2010 issue marking 20 years since Rides first recordings.

It can be downloaded for free by clicking here.

Source nightshift.oxfordmusic.net

2010's Musical Comebacks

From Sade to Paul Weller, an eclectic range of musical veterans are returning to the fray in 2010.

Plenty of veterans are returning to the recording studios. We can look forward to new music from the reclusive Sade (it’s hard to believe that the ice queen of Brit soul has been a star for three decades now), the ancient genius of Leonard Cohen, a rock opera from Pete Townshend, a further collaboration between Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, and new music from Plant’s Led Zeppelin colleague, Jimmy Page.

Now in the sixth decade of their existence, the Rolling Stones will be keeping their hat in the ring by re-releasing their greatest album, 1972’s Exile on Main Street, with long-lost extra tracks.

Paul Weller remains as prolific as any youngster, returning with his 22nd studio album, the urgently titled Wake Up the Nation, which features Jam bassist Bruce Foxton.

Pick of the oldies may be 60-year-old jazz, blues and soul fusion adventurer Gil Scott-Heron, with his first release in 16 years, which promises to be as bold and original as his pioneering classic work.

Plenty of other returning stars get the new decade off on a good foot. We can look forward to the return of Hot Chip, Goldfrapp, Nick Cave’s rocking side-project Grinderman, Glasvegas, Mark Ronson (following up Versions with his first set of originals), Amy Winehouse (if she can keep it together in the studio), Babyshambles (if Pete Doherty can stay out of jail), MIA (can the experimental UK rapper replicate her US success at home?), LCD Soundsystem, MGMT, Vampire Weekend, the Strokes, Eminem and Kanye West.

Later in the year we should hear new music from Britain’s rock elite: Elbow, Coldplay and Radiohead. And, if Liam Gallagher is true to his word, there may even be a new album from the surviving members of Oasis. But what are they going to call themselves without big brother Noel? I propose Noasis.

Whether it proves to be a triumph or a tragedy, its sure to be interesting. Indeed, from this end of the year, 2010 has the makings of an eclectic classic.

Let the games commence…

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Liam Gallagher Goes For A Jog In The Snow

Liam Gallagher prepares to throw a snowball whilst jogging on Hampstead Heath in London, earlier today.

Photo Credit: (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Ask Liam Gallagher Returns

Ask Liam Gallagher is back - www.prettygreen.com - Liam is answering your questions via video.

You can ask your own question - either email askliam@prettygreen.com, tweet it adding #askliam, or post it here on youtube as a video question.

Watch Matt Lewis On Celebrity Mastermind

Matt Lewis on Celebrity Mastermind
by motnacnud

Last night actor Matt Lewis (Neville Longbottom) made an appearance on the BBC One quiz show 'Celebrity Mastermind' to play for the CAFOD charitable organization.

CAFOD works to end poverty and make a just world, helping the poor regardless of race or religion, campaigning for a fairer world, putting faith into action ...

The show featured Matt along with actors Stewart Lee, John Thomson, and Sascha Kindred.

Matt scored a total of 22 points answering questions about Oasis.

During the program, Matt Lewis spoke briefly on the subject of filming "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," as well as the changes of his character for the final film.

Readers in the UK are able to watch this episode 'Celebrity Mastermind' on the BBC iPlayer via this link.

Noel Gallagher On TalkSport

For those who could not listen to the interview outside the UK.

Noel Gallagher talks to TalkSport about the sacking of Mark Hughes, the interview took place on the 19th of December.

Thanks to GoWaysis

Matthew Lewis On Celebrity Mastermind Tonight

Matthew Lewis had taken part in Celebrity Mastermind.

The episode in which he features, will air tonight at 7pm (GMT) on BBC1.

Matt will compete with other celebrities to win money for their chosen charity.

Presented by John Humphrys, the programme involves contestants answering questions on a specialised subject for two minutes, followed by general knowledge trivia for the same length of time.

Matt's chosen subject is 'the life and music of Oasis.

Photos of Matt on the show can be seen here.

Source: www.snitchseeker.com

Who Will Win Battle For Oasis' Soul?

It was a smart move by the NME to beat those Christmas deadlines - and I really enjoyed this week's Oasis tribute issue.

No band has ever given such consistently great interviews, from Liam Gallagher's "madferit!" stream-of-consciousness to Noel's sharp wit and forthright opinions.

Reading the best of them from over the years is almost as entertaining as putting on their old records - more so if we're talking Be Here Now onwards.

The withering put downs of their rivals are great, even if they became harder to justify as, post-millennium, the bands they were berating were generally making much better records (it was much easier to badmouth Shed Seven and Menswear).

Still, my favourite was Liam's verdict on Bloc Party as "a band off University Challenge". He sneered: "You see them and you're just waiting for some geezer to start asking them questions."

It strikes you as amazing how it took them so long to split up, considering how many times the brothers used a certain word to describe each other.

It'll be fascinating to see what they do next - much more interesting than the prospect of another Oasis record (those promo interviews aside).

Everyone's expecting Noel to go solo and I expect he will when he feels the time's right. I suspect it will be collaborations and guest spots for the moment though while he gets his stuff together.

He's still a great songwriter, just one who hasn't written a great song for a while. It might do him a lot of good to write a song without imagining what an Oasis song should sound like or how Liam will sing it.

As for Liam, it's harder to call. He's a great singer and frontman and probably always will be. He could just sing Oasis songs for the rest of his career if he wanted. I'm sure he'll hang on to many of them.

The younger Gallagher seems in much more of a rush and it looks like he's taking his old bandmates Gem Archer and Andy Bell with him, but the key to their future as a new act is the quality of the songwriting.

I haven't heard anything particularly good written by any of those three in the latter Oasis albums (no, not even Songbird).

It's hardly an uncommon view, but to me it looks like Noel has got the brighter, more interesting future. But you never know. Who would have thought Ian Brown would have left John Squire behind like he has?

The only certainty is that there will be some entertaining utterances from both camps as it all plays out. You just have to hope the music does them justice - and that they don't feel the need to get back together just yet.

Source: www.eadt.co.uk

Alan McGee Has A Big Interest In Following Liam & Noel Gallagher In 2010

Excerpt from Alan McGee Interview on Zani.com

A new year is upon us and an atmosphere of optimism is certainly in the air. No surprise since 2009 was certainly a depressing year for many. While it may have been a year of economic disaster, with the recession weighing heavily on everyone’s minds, for many it was also a year of famine with regards to quality music, with the X-Factor 'refuse' still dominating the charts and the apparent demise of live music and raw new talent. Now, with a new year dawning, many look to a brighter future.

With this in mind ZANI caught up with Alan McGee to discuss what his plans are for the year, his perspective on nostalgia, technology, ZANI and the future for Britain’s music scene.

ZANI – Happy New Year Alan
Alan McGee – Happy New Year.

ZANI – So tell us about your new projects for 2010
Alan McGee- There is a lot. Let’s talk about Death Disco, Greasy Lips, Too Cool To Young, Svengali and ZANI.

ZANI – OK before we talk about that, how’s this year gone?
Alan McGee – I have developed a real interest in seeing live bands again, and a big interest in established bands, but if I was being incredibly honest, the only bands that I have interest is, the Gallagher’s and Glasvegas. Not being horrible about any other bands, I am just interested in what Noel is doing and what James Allen is doing, and see what Liam comes up with. But other then that, it is really about new bands. Because seeing Agile Beast, Violet May, on my club nights with Jamie Jam and Danny Watson, you hear so much new music, and the same goes with ZANI and Too Cool To Die.

All the kids-no not kids-all the musicians do send me new music and I do listen to it , but there is a filter to what bands I listen to because it vaguely has to come through somebody I vaguely know, either mates or some I respect. But there has to be a filter.

At the moment there seems to be a lot of demand for me to DJ at these new band nights, so I am seeing all the good new talent that is coming through. But Death Disco has always been like that, and Greasy Lips seems to be evolving.

For the rest of the interview click here

The Killers Triumph In Xfm Poll

The Killers have once again come top of an Xfm poll, with their 2004 song ‘Mr Brightside’.

Xfm listeners voted on what they thought were the top 1000 songs ever recorded and chose the Brandon Flowers penned song as the number 1.

The track appeared on the band’s début album Hot Fuss, released In the same year, and also won the X FM best song of the decade.

Oasis featured twice in the top ten along with the Arcitc Monkeys and Joy Division. The complete top 10 is below:

10 Oasis - Don’t Look Back In Anger
09 Muse - Plug In Baby
08 Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
07 Oasis - Wonderwall
06 Elbow - One Day Like This
05 Kings Of Leon - Sex On Fire
04 Muse - Knights Of Cydonia
03 Oasis - Live Forever
02 Arctic Monkeys - I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor

Source: www.addictmusic.co.uk

Vote For Oasis In The 2010 NME Awards

We're well into the awards season now with it being the end of the year AND decade!

NME have just opened the voting for their 2010 Awards next February.

Oasis are eligible in quite a few of the categories so if you have a few minutes free, why not head on over to the voting page HERE to show some love.