Photo Of Noel Gallagher At Leicester v Manchester City

Noel Gallagher at the Leicester City v Manchester City game today.

Andy King struck the equaliser as Leicester took Manchester City to a replay after a pulsating FA Cup third-round tie that ended 2-2.

See tomorrow's Leicester Mercury for more...

Source: plixi.com

Brother's Attempt To Recreate Oasis Is Merely Depressing

The band's bid to relive 1996 might fare better if they had an ounce of wit or originality

In the summer of 2009, a T4 interview with Raygun did the rounds of the Twittersphere. It seemed to present a real-life Spinal Tap with a fondness for "drinking Mojitos at 11am – what the hell, man!" that displayed a mesmerising lack of self-awareness. Last year produced nothing quite so cringeworthy, though a promo film of the hotly tipped Brother came close.

Documenting the lad-rock band's attempts to play for "the people", it showed the quartet setting up their equipment at two locations in their native Slough, only to have their first gig shut down by "the man" (translation: an old man tells them they need permission to play and the boys pack up their stuff and leave politely), while their second attempt is met with mild bemusement by some schoolgirls. A tale of rock'n'roll shenanigans that could make Keith Richards blush this was not. None the less, Brother have excited a great deal of interest, starring on the cover of the NME last week with a strapline hailing "the return of the great British guitar band".

How has this happened? At their debut gig in London a few months ago, Brother took the stage with the hilarious boast: "If anyone here doesn't want to see the future of music, leave now!" Leaving aside the daftness of the question (did anyone shuffle towards the door muttering: "Future of music? Not for me, mate, I thought this was the quarter-final of the Nuneaton tiddly winks championship…") such an attitude tells you a lot about Brother and their desire to revisit Britpop.

Just take the name, which seems to have arisen from a challenge to invoke Oasis in as many ways as possible using just one word: Oasis were based around two brothers, the band's label was called Big Brother and "Brother" was the sponsor splashed across the Manchester City football shirts worn in those famous early photos.

Then there's their sound, a bold, eclectic cocktail that dares to ask the question no other band dare tackle, namely: "What happens if we combine the Seahorses with Mansun?"

It's hardly surprising that a band would feel the time was right to exhume Britpop. Blur and Suede have recently performed triumphant reunion shows, and Pulp caused a stir last year when they announced a string of 2011 festival dates with the "classic" Britpop line-up. Elsewhere, there's a debut album due from Liam Gallagher's new band, Beady Eye, a group who aim to rise above the memories of Oasis by, er, recruiting every single member of Oasis bar that guy who played guitar. And that's before we've mentioned Shed Seven, Kula Shaker and the Bluetones, who it turns out never went away.

There's nothing wrong with a revival, as long as the artists involved do enough to make it seem fresh. Just look at how Zola Jesus and new Domino signing Anna Calvi have breathed life into the corpse of goth with tremendous debuts. And let's not forget that Britpop itself was perhaps the ultimate revival, although for all the "Oasis sound like Beatles" comments, the most memorable bands all brought something new to the table, be it attitude (Oasis), wit (Pulp) or only being able to play two chords (Menswear).

The depressing thing about Brother is that they seem genuinely to believe that it's still 1996. When they played recently at the Met Bar (where else?), they demanded that the DJ "turn that dubstep shit off". In terms of sonic invention, their music makes Noel Gallagher look like Shostakovich. But it's their unintentionally hilarious attempts to act up to the Brit rocker image that really make you despair.

Studying Oasis (again), Brother clearly think that outrageous statements about sex, drugs and rock'n'roll are the way to get noticed. Unfortunately, they don't seem to have a member with the bizarre comedy persona of a Liam Gallagher to deliver said messages. That's why recently you found them telling the Guardian that they would soon be heading for a world of "drugs and prostitutes". Prostitutes? I'm sure countless budding bands dream of the day when they can finally afford to pay for sex.

If anything, these misfiring quotes are perhaps Brother's only redeeming feature. It's an almost lovable stupidity that makes you hope they might stick around for entertainment value, if nothing else. How could you not when they told the NME: "We're sick of all these American bands" while posing for an accompanying photograph wearing a jumper emblazoned with the Stars and Stripes?

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Spanish Oasis Podcast

Part eight of the Spanish Oasis related podcast has been launched, and is by rocknrollstars.

It features news, band history and so much more. For more information and to download the podcast click here.

Interview With Liam Gallagher In Glasgow

Interview with Liam Gallagher at the rescheduled opening of Pretty Green in Glasgow.

Glasgow Is Mad Fer'It As Liam Gallagher Rolls Into Town

Liam Gallagher was pleased to be back in Glasgow, a city he has fond memories of, as his old band Oasis was discovered in Glasgow pub King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut. He had returned north of the border to open a new clothing store Pretty Green.

He said: “It’s good to be back in Glasgow. We got signed here, that’s where it all began for us.”

The store is the first of its kind in Scotland and like it's sister stores in London and Manchester it sells only Liam’s Pretty Green clothing range. The store which is on Ingram Street has proven popular with customers since its opening in December 2010.

When asked why he opened a store in Scotland Liam said: “Why not? I like Scotland in general, people like the same things football, music, they like a little drink or two. So why not?”

The line is designed by Liam and respected menswear designer Nick Holland. The name Pretty Green comes from a Jam song written by influential singer Paul Weller. The range itself is inspired greatly by 60’s culture and the mod movement of that era.

Liam said: “[The clothing line is] 60s, mod influenced. It’s smart but not fairy smart, it’s worn in smart. Me and Nick Holland design it, he comes round my house and we sit there and go through the wardrobe and see what’s had its time. We design in that kind of style.”

More than 100 fans turned out to see Liam at his new store where he chatted and signed autographs for them. Liam was quick to point out his clothing line is for everyone and that he will keep going as long as people want to wear his designs.

He said: “If people don’t like it we close it and move on, if people like it we stay here. I’m not gonna ram it down people’s throats, if people like it we’ll carry on.”

Liam started a new band Beady Eye with his ex-Oasis band mates, they have been working on a new album called Different Gear, Still Speeding and have an upcoming tour. The tour starts with two nights in Glasgow at The Barrowlands.

Liam said: “The album is done, all the videos are done and we start rehearsing next week for a month. I am excited about it it’s nice to get back in the ring, that’s where I belong singing songs. The gigs are on sale, we start at The Barrowlands, we’re excited, we’re loud and it’s rocking”

Liam doesn’t think the fans have too much to worry about with the style of music they have been playing he doesn’t think it is that different from what they created with Oasis. There are obviously some changes but Liam is really happy with what Beady Eye has become.

He said: “I don’t think it’s that different. It’s a little bit different but I wouldn’t say it’s that different. I’m still singing the way I sing, the band are still playing guitars the way they do. We’re still having it”.

It’s for the fans to decide though in Liam’s opinion, he pointed out: “It’s not for me it’s for other people to say if it’s different or not. It feels different obviously because Noel is not there but it doesn’t feel that different to me when the microphone is in front of me I’m ready to go.”

When asked if brother Noel wears his clothes he joked “probably”. He and his brother are not in touch at the moment, he said: “I’ve not spoken to him but I’m sure he’s happy in his little world. He does his thing and I do mine.”

Source: stv.tv

Liam Gallagher's Beady Babies

A Beady Eye single was announced yesterday but there is already a Beady Eye Juniors group in the offing.

Liam Gallagher says his son Gene, who's nine, is learning to play drums, while his bandmate Gem Archer says his lad Joel, 14, is more interested in dubstep.

Gem told Radio 1: "My son's already making his own dubstep tracks and I'm encouraging the generation gap - I tell him it sounds like two radios playing at the same time."

Liam couldn't resist a dig at old rival Damon Albarn when talking about his boy's music taste. He said: "My kids are into that Gorillaz stuff - and that is music for kids, with all those videos."

There's a compliment in there somewhere.

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

On This Day In Oasis History...

The above video is from January 8th 1996, when Noel Gallagher performed 'Don't Look Back In Anger' on Hotel Babylon.

Liam Gallagher Is Pretty In Green

More than 500 fans turned out yesterday to catch a glimpse of former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher as he made a flying visit to officially open his new clothing store.

The 38-year-old jetted in to visit Pretty Green, one month after his planned visit on December 8 was cancelled due to bad weather.

Wearing a black trilby hat, khaki parka and drainpipe trousers, his arrival – and departure just over an hour an a half later – brought Ingram Street in Glasgow to a standstill.

Gallagher met around 100 fans with emailed invites, but hundreds more fans were left disappointed.

Paul Hannah, 24, from Coatbridge, and his girlfriend Cara Urban, 19, met Gallagher.

Cara said: “Paul told him that I’m having a baby this Sunday and he congratulated us and gave us a cuddle: I’m overwhelmed by it.”

Paul added: “I can’t believe it. That’s made my year – and the baby will make it even better. He’s my hero.”

The 4080 square foot shop, housed in the former GPO building has a six-month lease.

Store manager Raymond Meade said: “It’s been hectic, we didn’t expect the turnout that we got. Liam was in good spirits and on good form – he loved the shop. He said he’s looking forward to seeing us again.”

After he opened the new Pretty Green store in Glasgow yesterday, Liam Gallagher spoke exclusively to The Herald about his new band Beady Eye, working without his brother, and why Glasgow had to be the first stop on the new group’s debut tour in March. Read the interview in Monday’s Herald.

Source: www.heraldscotland.com