Alan McGee Is Not A Fan Of Aurora's Cover Of Oasis' 'Half The World Away'

Former Oasis manager Alan McGee has dismissed the cover version of the band's single 'Half The World Away', used on a John Lewis advert, as "rubbish".

Little-known Norwegian singer Aurora was picked to cover the 1994 B-side for the annual Christmas advertising campaign.

However, McGee is not impressed and told Gigwise that he hopes the retailer paid Noel Gallagher a substantial fee for the rights to the song. “I think it’s rubbish," McGee said. "I don’t know what anybody else thinks of it, though. I’m pleased for Noel that he got his royalties, I hope they gave him a million quid but I thought actually it was rubbish."

McGee went on to say that he's still good friends with Noel Gallagher and is still a fan of his music: "You know as much as me. I don’t really talk to him much about what he’s doing with music. I buy the records and I go to the concerts and I’m friends with him. I met him in London in a club, he was on great form. We were talking about our children."

Interest in the John Lewis adverts has grown in recent years with contemporary artists covering older material in a stripped-back fashion. Last year, Tom Odell recorded 'Real Love' by John Lennon, while Lily Allen's cover of Keane's 'Somewhere Only We Know' was a hit in 2013.

The John Lewis advert cover-version trend took off in 2010 when Ellie Goulding's cover of 'Your Song' by Elton John hit Number One. However, the first John Lewis advert song came the year before with a folk cover of Guns N' Roses' 'Sweet Child O' Mine'.

Source: www.nme.com

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Oasis' 'Half The World Away' To Feature In John Lewis 2015 Christmas Advert?

Retailers John Lewis have declined to comment on reports that their Christmas 2015 advertising campaign will be soundtracked by an Oasis song.

Interest in the John Lewis adverts has increasingly grown in recent years with contemporary artists covering older material in a stripped-back fashion. Last year saw Tom Odell doing 'Real Love' by John Lennon while Lily Allen's cover of Keane's 'Somewhere Only We Know' was a hit in 2013.

Marketing Magazine reports that Oasis song 'Half The World Away', better known as the theme tune to BBC comedy The Royle Family is "in the running" for this year's advert. The advertising campaign traditionally kicks off in early November, meaning any song choices would likely have been made by this point in October.

However, a spokesperson for John Lewis said that "a number [of tracks are] still under consideration", adding: "Speculation about every element of our Christmas advert happens every year. However, we can confirm that at this point in time, neither the track nor the artist have been confirmed."

The John Lewis advert trend took off in 2010 when Ellie Goulding's cover of 'Your Song' by Elton John hit Number One. However, the first John Lewis advert song came the year before with a folk cover of Guns N' Roses' 'Sweet Child Of Mine'.

Source: www.nme.com

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Keane 'Put One Over' Noel Gallagher

Keane loved ''putting one over'' Noel Gallagher at the Q Awards, by beating him to win the trophy for Best Video.

The indie band beat the High Flying Birds musician to the Best Video gong for their track 'Disconnected' at Q magazine's annual awards this afternoon (22.10.12) and enjoyed beating their rival.

Singer Tom Chaplin told BANG Showbiz: ''It's always good to put one over Noel. Although I think secretly he loves us! Although I don't think these events should be competitive really.''

Tom - who is in the band with Tim Rice-Oxley, Richard Hughes and Jesse Quin - also admitted he had put some thought into his acceptance speech beforehand, although he promptly forgot what he wanted to say when it came to it.

He added: ''Q is one of the few magazines left that has real artistic integrity. It's nice that they've nominated us as part of that.

''Inevitably I think about what I might say. My brain throws up lots of ridiculous things that I'm going to say and then when I get there they all go out of my head.''

Also at the awards, Blur, Plan B, Johnny Marr, Underworld and many more also picked up awards.

Source: www.contactmusic.com

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds have released International Magic Live At The O2 DVD through Sour Mash Records.

They will embark on a number European dates before they tour the US and Canada alongside Snow Patrol and Jake Bugg.

For details on the above and more click here.

Noel Gallagher Says Beady Eye 'Were Great' At The Olympic Closing Ceremony

Noel Gallagher has revealed that he thought Beady Eye "were great" at the Olympic closing ceremony earlier this month.

Asked about his impression of 'Wonderwall', he said: "It was all right. David Arnold did a new string arrangement for it, which was like thanks very much. It was good. It was great, don't get me wrong. I sat and watched it and I thought it was great. I thought Beady Eye were great, I'm glad Oasis in some way was represented in it".

He continued: "I'm glad somebody did it, if they hadn't done it they would have got fucking Keane to do it or something. At least it was Liam and the lads, I was cool with it".

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds embark on a UK tour in September. He will also play the iTunes Festival on September 12 at London's Roundhouse and will tour the US alongside Snow Patrol later this year.

Noel Gallagher: Lady Gaga Hasn't Given Weirdos Any Decent Music

The former Oasis guitarist and songwriter is famed for his rants about other acts, with Blur, Robbie Williams, Scissor Sisters, Keane and Jack White among those on the receiving end of his volleys of disdain.

His latest target is Lady Gaga, despite his 11-year-old daughter being a big fan of the Bad Romance singer.

Noel told Q magazine: 'It's all about the meat suit and the controversy. Is it about the music? Really? She's got the publicity side sorted out, but where's the f****** music?

'Paparazzi? It's Madonna lite. Madonna was hardcore. She took it to the edge musically as well as everything else.

'Twenty years from now, will we listen to Lady Gaga? No. She might think she is making a stand for the freaks and the weirdos but they're not going to have any decent f****** music to play are they?'

Source: www.metro.co.uk

Keane Want To Bury The Hatchet With Oasis

Keane want to bury the hatchet with old foes Oasis by working together.

I caught up with Perfect Symmetry trio Tom Chaplin, 30, Tim Rice Oxley, 32, and Richard Hughes, 33, ahead of their headline slot at the Virgin Media V Festival in Chelmsford.

Singer Tom admitted he was stunned Oasis pulled out of performing because Liam Gallagher, 36, has laryngitis.

He told me: “It’s a bit worrying about Liam, as getting any kind of infection kills your voice immediately.

“If I get a cold that does it for me, but laryngitis is horrible so I wish him well.

“I’m not sure it would be the best idea to send a bunch of flowers.”

Noel Gallagher, 42, has been vocal about his dislike of the Battle boys, previously declaring: “No matter what direction Keane take, they’ll still be sh*t.”

But Tom wants to move on. He said: “I often wonder if Noel is almost resisting the truth that Keane and Oasis are alike in a lot of respects.

“I think we share a lot of fans. We are both bands of the people.

“People love coming to a Keane show and an Oasis show because there’s a directness to the songs and people come together in a very communal way.”

Despite joking during their Absolute Radio VIP secret stage session that Wonderwall wasn’t worth covering, Tom would consider a collaboration.

Tom, 30, said: “It would be great for Noel to produce us – I offer the olive branch. We’re huge fans.

“Whenever I go abroad people ask me what is so great about British music – and it’s that there’s room for everybody.”

Hear hear.

Source: www.dailystar.co.uk

Keane Cover Oasis

Keane cover the Oasis classic Cast No Shadow at the V Festival yesterday.

Tom Chaplin On Oasis V Blur

Keane frontman Tom Chaplin has revealed he sided with the Blur during their mid-nineties chart battle with Oasis.

He said: "I think, overall, given the body of work I would say I'm more of a Blur fan than an Oasis fan.

"I know that there is an idea that somehow we've got this thing or this weird war of words going on with Oasis which isn't true.

"Noel Gallagher said stuff about us in the past and I don't know if we've ever really reacted to it."

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

The Devendra Banhart remix of '(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady' and the Liam Gallagher-penned 'I Believe In All' and 'The Boy With The Blues' are now available to buy on iTunes.