British acts step up the battle to make it big in Japan


It has been a typically volatile week in the Japanese music charts. Straight in at number one is the empress of J-pop herself, Ayumi Hamasaki, with her new single, Glitter, followed by four new, home-grown, entries to make up the top five.

If the bands making it big in Japan - such as Porno Graffiti and Orange Range - are unfamiliar to you, it is because there is little evidence of British acts making any impression in Japan's Oricon charts, which are dominated by pubescent female singers and clean-cut boy bands.

But a delegation representing some of the biggest names in the independent British music scene is hoping to change all that. Led by the BPI, an umbrella organisation representing the British music industry, the heads of British record labels and companies offering expertise in everything from recording to marketing are going on a high-powered trade mission to Tokyo, backed by the British Council and the Government, where they will be banging the drum for British talent.

"Being big in Japan might have been a bit of a rock 'n' roll joke in the 1970s, but it was always a big and lucrative market," said Matt Phillips of the BPI. "Today, there is a real anglophile tendency there and bands that have traction in the market tend to be quirky and different. That said, the Japanese market is one of the most complex in the world and one of the hardest to break into," he added.

They will be hoping to build on the recent success of bands such as Oasis and Coldplay, who command loyal, if niche, followings.

Japan is a vital target for global music industry chiefs in the light of declining CD sales and the challenge posed by the digital music revolution. Behind the United States it is the second biggest market in the world and a key staging post for the mega-markets opening up across Asia, including China and its hundreds of millions of increasingly fashion-conscious young people.

Meanwhile, the British music scene is riding a wave of optimism, buoyed by marketable new talent from the Arctic Monkeys to Lily Allen and enjoying a much needed lift in sales volumes.

A quick glance at last weekend's Fuji Rock festival reveals that even if it is not reflected in the charts, there is a huge appetite for British music in Japan. Among the acts playing to a sell-out audience of 100,000 fans were The Cure, Muse, the Chemical Brothers and Ash.

Among those taking part in the five-day BPI mission are Liam Walsh of Manchester's Red Alert, who worked with Oasis and the Smiths, and Pete Gardiner of ZTT records.

Despite experiencing declining physical sales - down 9 per cent in the first half of this year to 129.6 million - the sheer scale of the Japanese market remains a massive lure.

Top-selling acts such as Mr Children have sold 50 million records, clocking up 26 consecutive number-one singles. EMI recently claimed that Utada Hikaru's "Flavor of Life" had become the biggest-selling digital single of all time, with sales in excess of seven million.

The Japanese music industry is a past master in multi-platform marketing. "Flavor of Life" was first launched as a ringtone tied in with a television series. It then sold as a ring video and a blog tag - allowing fans to paste it to their personal blogs - before being released as a physical single, by which time it had already sold two million copies.

Top 10 selling UK acts in Japan

* Oasis

* Coldplay

* Eric Clapton

* Craig David

* Chemical Brothers

* Gorillaz

* The Rolling Stones

* Queen

* Franz Ferdinand

* Rooster



source: independent.co.uk

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Liam and the missus catching some rays in Spain on vacation.

photo: SUN

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I HEAR that among the thousands at the Arctic Monkeys' eagerly anticipated gigs at Old Trafford this weekend could be Oasis star Noel Gallagher.

The Monkeys' drummer Matt Helders explains: "Our security guards are Noel's security, and we've obviously met him a few times and stuff, so he was saying he might come down, might visit home for a couple of days or whatever, so that'd be amazing if he came."

There is set to be all sorts of celeb activity round the Saturday and Sunday night gigs at Lancashire's cricket ground. There is even rumour of a reunion of sorts when former bassist Andy Nicholson DJs at the band's after-show party at Revolution bar, Deansgate Locks, on Sunday night.

Matt says: "He'll be at the gig I reckon, but I dunno about the after-show. I've DJed with him a few times."

For a full, exclusive interview with the Arctic Monkeys see CityLife this Friday in the M.E.N and online.

Arctic Monkeys play Old Trafford on Saturday, July 28 and Sunday, July 29. Gates open at 2pm. Tickets are priced £28.50. Call 0870 060 1768 or click here to check for returns.

source: Manchestereveningnews.co.uk

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Andy Bell and Mark Gardner joined The Brian Jamestown Massacre on Stage at a charity gig organized at Brookes University in Oxford. The open air event had to be moved inside due to heavy rain.

Eccentric front man Anton kept bowing to Andy and Mark who hung around for the full set and accompanied the band on guitars.

thanx@Louise stopcryingyourheartout.com

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Noel Gallagher mistaken for Liam

It's the Oasis faux pas to end Oasis faux pas - mistaking Noel Gallagher for younger brother Liam.

However according to today's (July 23) Mirror one unlucky 'fan' ruined an encounter with his hero after running into the guitarist in London last week.

Noel was apparently confused for his singing sibling in Camden kebab shop - and NME favourite - Marathon while queuing up for a takeaway.

"You're Liam," the hapless star-spotted is reported to have told the Oasis leader. "You're in that band."

At the height of Britpop who knows what flurry of abuse would have followed next? Swearing? V-signs? Fisticuffs? (although to be fair at the height of Britpop its unlikely you'd have seen Noel in what was clearly Blur territory).

But Noel it seems, is a mellowed man and according to the paper simply "shot the fan a thunderous glare", before declaring "I don't think so, mate."

After which he simply grabbed his kebab and left. Doner look back in anger, indeed.

source: NME

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Those down-to-earth Kasabaian boys have come over all diva.

We're told the Leicester lads had a security team almost as big as the crowd when playing Ibiza Rocks on Tuesday.

A spy said: "Support act Pull Tiger Tail were told that no girlfriends or friends were allowed backstage.

"After they performed they were banned from there themselves."

Even pal Noel Gallagher, 40, seemed to have trouble getting near Kasabian. The Oasis rocker mixed with the crowd before leaving.

source: Sun

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Noel Gallagher's ex-wife is selling his belongings on the internet.

Meg Mathews is selling items worth £14,000 on auction site eBay, many of which are from Supernova Heights, the London home she and Noel shared in the mid-90s.

A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "There are major Britpop artefacts now up for sale.

"The sofa in particular was the scene of a lot of big nights. There were some major celebrities on it."

Items up for grabs include a Gothic-style black PVC sofa, a dining room table, a chaise longue, a sideboard, lamps, a chandelier, a Gucci dinner service and even a pair of leather handcuffs.

The 41-year-old interior designer is also selling the black Gothic bed she once shared with the Oasis star.

The couple infamously hosted numerous drug-fuelled parties at Supernova Heights - named after classic Oasis song 'Champagne Supernova' - during the height of Britpop.

Meg - who is also offloading some of her designer clothes on the internet site - is moving out of her current home in North London's Primrose Hill. She sold items worth £26,000 on eBay earlier this year.

source: monsterandcritics.com

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For a group whose debut album went straight to the top of the charts, The Enemy have humble beginnings. Singer Tom Clarke told MTV:

“It came out of a drunken argument. One of our mates was trying to convince us that Slayer had made more money than Abba and he told me and Andy that we could never make a decent band.”

So the Coventry three-piece- Tom, Bassist Andy Hopkins and drummer Liam Watts- were determined to prove their drunken buddy wrong.

“We were doing the same every day,” said the front man Tom. “I worked for the Co-Op and Liam worked for Fed-Ex so we went and booked a rehearsal studio and we wrote 40 Days And 40 Nights.”

That became The Enemy’s first single released on legendary label Stiff Records that put out early punk and Elvis Costello classics. Soon after the group were snapped up by major Warners.

Tom told us their influences include The Rolling Stones, The Jam, The Clash, Oasis, and The Verve. Though “Liam loves Jazz fusion too.” It’s clear they’re also inspired by Staines rockers Hard-Fi. Like the Hard To Beat band The Enemy sing of small town alienation and a desire to get out.

“Coventry comes through in our lyrics,” says 19-year-old Clarke. “We just wrote about what we see on a daily basis here. We love it with all our hearts but it’s weird. It’s massive but it’s got an amazing sense of community.”

We’ll Live And Die In These Towns is not all like the rancour of recent single Had Enough with beautiful Happy Birthday Jane featuring and tender This Song likely to be a Christmas single

Singer Tom told MTV: “It’s got the essence of panic in places and it’s really full on but there’s a lot of slow songs that I like just as much. We’ve got 10 really individual sounding songs in there.”

Like their idols Oasis and Arctic Monkeys who they’ve also been compared to The Enemy have avid followers: “All credit to our fans they know how to ‘av it,” Clarke explained. “They do go mad at live shows and are absolutely brilliant.”

And after two top ten singles and a number 1 album before the age of 20 The Enemy have the world at their feet and most importantly time to get even better. As Tom says: “We have the belief that we can be the best band in the world!”

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Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher is being taught to swim by his young son Gene, according to The Star.

The paper claims Liam was spotted wearing children’s arm bands in a London pool!

“An Insider”, we’re not sure who, said: “Gene was at the side of the bank yelling encouragement. He threw some kids arm bands over to Liam, 34, and yelled at him to put them on.”

Sounds pretty embarrassing for the singer, who has a reputation as a no-nonsense party animal! We wish we’d seen it though….

MTV.co.uk

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Some joker has created a fake Facebook profile as Liam Gallagher and joined groups including 1,000 Reasons Why The North Is Better Than The South.

One of the eight friends included in the profile is Liam's real buddy, Jamiroquai bassist Stuart Zender - yes that would be legit

"Liam" lists Spongebob Squarepants as his favourite TV show, which "bends me f***ing mind". In the About Me section, he boasts: "I'm a rock and roll star - get on it or f*** off you d***."

The real giveaway was listing one of his friends as Paul Weller. "He doesn't even know how to send an email." says Paul Weller's camp.......funny anyway.

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Former Prime Minister Tony Blair was worried that Oasis would "do something crazy" when they attended a reception at 10 Downing Street in 1997.

The then newly-elected leader was holding a music industry reception when he discovered that the band's guitarist Noel Gallagher was attending.

However, according to the diaries of his spokesperson Alistair Campbell, which were published yesterday (July 8), Blair had no idea how the Oasis man had been invited, and was then worried he might be the victim of a spot of rock 'n' roll behaviour.

"TB (Tony Blair) was worried that Noel Gallagher was coming to the reception tomorrow. He said he had no idea he had been invited," wrote Campbell. "TB felt he was bound to do something crazy. I spoke to (Creation Records boss) Alan McGee and said can we be assured he would behave."

The record label boss assured them it would be fine, explaining had they invited frontman Liam they might have been in trouble.

"Alan said he would make sure he did. He said if we had invited Liam, it might have been different," said Campbell.

"(Noel) Gallagher arrived with his wife Meg, McGee and his girlfriend. Cherie (Blair[/b) met them and took them upstairs to see (the [b]Blair's children) Kathryn and Nicky, who was pretty gobsmacked when Gallagher walked in.

"He said he thought Number 10 was 'tops', said he couldn't believe that there was an ironing board in there."

source: NME.com

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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: Sundaymail.co.uk

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Mistersifter.com, the Oasis memorabilia web shop selling rare genuine and official Oasis merchandise, is offering a 15% discount to all live4ever.us readers. Just write "live4ever.us" under comments when making the order and your purchase will be discounted by the shop. All prices at mistersifter.com include free delivery worldwide.

This offer is on valid from the 7th of July to the 12th of July 2007.

source: mistersifter.com

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Liam takes in Live Earth at Wembley Stadium , London.



Liam Gallagher decided to leave the Live Earth gig early - because he couldn't find anywhere to smoke a cigarette.

The Oasis star attended Saturday's climate change concert at Wembley Stadium to watch Kasabian perform. Although his wife Nicole Appleton wanted to stay and see Madonna close the show, Liam told her that he couldn't cope without smoking for so long.

"I want a fag," Liam explained to a reporter for The Sun at the gig. "You can't smoke anywhere in here."

Gallagher and Appleton had been watching the show backstage with their son Gene.


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How Noel Gallagher's 1996 Lennon-loving No1 fueled 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 oh benny 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
special thanx @ stopcryingyourhearout.com

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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: Manchestereveningnews

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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
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