Live4ever Media LLC (NYC / Leeds) are purveyors of new music, daily news, exclusive features and photo galleries on the world’s best Indie bands.
Live4ever also produces and promotes high quality live music events, and is enjoying a growing industry-wide reputation for both discovering and showcasing new bands.
Among the network of websites published are the acclaimed Live4ever and The Oasis Newsroom, the web’s most popular site reporting on the brothers Gallagher.
Live4ever was founded by 3-time Emmy Award winning cameraman and concert photographer, Paul Bachmann. Senior editor Dave Smith is based in Leeds, England and heads up Live4ever’s UK content, as well as overseeing all writing assignments for the site.
“I love Live4ever – It’s a great site and always bang on the button!”
Hundreds of Oasis' Peruvian fans gathered at Lima's Airport, wearing t-shirts and carrying banners , to welcome the band, which arrived in Lima after performing in Caracas.
Many of the fans were wearing surgical masks, since the media had previously reported the first confirmed swine flu case in Lima (in an Argentinian traveller).
Most of the fans said that they were not afraid of becoming infected, and that welcoming their idols (and expressing their admiration for Oasis' music) was way more important.
It was Liam Gallagher the one who gave a quick wave hi to the fans. However, not any other member of the band declared to the media nor greeted anyone else.
Oasis will perform tonight at the National Stadium of Lima, in a concert that has reportedly sold 40,000 tickets up to now.
If you haven't had a chance to see the Documentary about the Britpop music scene in the Nineties head on over to Hulu to stream it in high quality for free !
Live Forever features all the main bands of the scene exposing the truth behind the myths.
(Non US users watch this video on how to stream Hulu on your computer)
Hulu is an online video service that offers hit TV shows, movies and clips at Hulu.com and other online destination sites — all for free, anytime in the U.S. Hulu brings together a large selection of videos from nearly 150 leading content companies, including FOX, NBC Universal, Comedy Central, Lionsgate, MGM, MTV Networks, National Geographic, Paramount, PBS, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. and more.
After a ten year tight relationship with their local fans the Gallaghers are after the major prize: to fill River Plate stadium, Buenos Aires..
Are Oasis really a popular passion in Argentina or just one more band in the marketing gear of a global entertainment industry? Next Sunday, the Gallagher brothers will go for their biggest bragging act in this land: in their fourth visit to Buenos Aires in ten years, they will try to fill River Plate stadium and thus crown themselves with the title of "distinguished guests" as other long running artists did, including The Rolling Stones, Madonna, U2, The Police and The Ramones.
Did UK's largest British rock group of the last fifteen years finally manage to have their songs win over the Argentines on a massive scale as they did in the New World where they sold over 50 million copies of their albums? The posters around Buenos Aires announcing their concert at River appear to respond with a resounding yes to the question. Much more if one takes into account the special relationship that brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher have built with the country for a decade, an ant's work (and strategic marketing) which took them on visit after visit to horizons beyond their own call: two Luna Park shows for a total of 10,000 people in 1998, a show at the Campo Argentino de Polo in 2001 to 20,000 young people, as part of a festival with international artists, and at the same place, but with Oasis as the sole headliner of the day, before 40,000 fans in 2006.
By then, the popularity of the band in Argentina drew Q magazine's special attention , one of the most important in British scene, and together they traveled with a reporter and a photographer to cover "the Oasis phenomenon" including a photo shoot in the neighborhood of La Boca .
"It is hard to explain the Oasis phenomenon unless you see it by yourself. I can't speak for the Q journalist who traveled with us to Buenos Aires, but I think he was pleasantly surprised by what he encountered in those days," Noel told La Nacion in October 2006. "Argentina is a special place for us and there are few cities in the world which are similar to Buenos Aires, maybe some Italian, not much more: the public is totally crazy and loves football as much as we do," he concluded.
Alarm or promotion?
When the band announced on their MySpace that they would perform in the country one month ago, this time, in their words, " at the iconic and largest football stadium in Argentina, where the 1978 World Cup took place", many thought the stakes were dealt to high in the Gallaghers' hands.
To make matters worse, last week's alarming : "Tickets for the concert are not being sold yet as we expected," was rumored to be heard in the corridors of local promoters. A day later, Mario Pergolini echoed information of dubious provenance in his radio program Cual Es? and fired with sensationalism: "The show in Buenos Aires will be Oasis' last."
The news wires followed with the brother's usual phrases: that they no longer speak; Liam never knew Noel's 19 months old son; the band will take a break; and more and more and more.
Up until yesterday about 40,000 tickets for the show on Sunday were sold and no one predicts anything but a success.
Promotional strategy involving rock band split ups is nothing new and has been around since the Rolling Stones , but the Gallaghers took it a step further with visceral fights which sometimes ended up in cuffs while still riding the marketing wave: "When the record company released the greatest hits album in 2006, the Sony people thought it might be a good idea to announce that we were splitting, but I swear we didn't have anything to do," said Noel a couple of years ago.
By mere brutal honesty or precisely calculated plan, the fact is that Oasis did a good job in the south of America during the last decade. They first came to the country in 1998 at one of the highest points of their career (just published their third album, Be Here Now, the successor of super successful Definitely Maybe and (What's The Story) Morning Glory?)
They repeated the experience three years later, when they shared the bill with their idol Neil Young to promote their album "Don't Believe The Truth" (sic); in their last visit not only did they put on a show for 40,000 fans, but they also devoted an entire day to signing autographs in Musimundo (something unthinkable for a couple of grumpy folks like the Gallaghers) and in these ten years granted dozens of interviews for Argentine media every time they released a new album or announced a return visit.
This time Noel promised to speak with La Nacion face to face hours before the show on Sunday.
So, are the Gallaghers popular in Argentine or just pretend to be? Most likely, on Sunday, there will be a new name to add to the exclusive list of artists who filled the Nuñez's stadium's to capacity and Oasis will have won over one more country in that game they vowed to win when they first stepped on stage to conquer the world.
Noel Gallagher CD Helped Boost Sunday Times Circulation
Sunday Times' Rich List boosts circulation
LONDON - The Sunday Times Rich List, published last weekend, prompted a circulation spike of 140,000 copies, according to newspaper estimates.
The annual supplement free with The Sunday Times on 26 April is believed to have helped the market-leading quality title achieve a circulation in excess of 1.3 million.
Though the figure is not officially audited, sources claim it topped the previous week's issue that recorded an estimated circulation of 1,175,000 copies.
However, it is believed The Sunday Times' biggest circulation spike this year came courtesy of the Noel Gallagher CD giveaway, in March, which added 170,000 to its circulation.
The personal fortunes of the UK's wealthiest media moguls have been slashed by more than £3bn, according to the Rich List.
In recent years, The Sunday Times has switched emphasis away from promotions to retaining loyal readers, promoting its subscription services, although it still uses giveaways as a marketing tool.
In this month’s Q cover feature, Oasis’s Noel Gallagher holds forth on subjects many and varied. So much did the great man say, we didn’t have room for it all in the magazine. Here, then, are further words of wisdom – and inevitable Liam abuse – from The Chief.
Noel on .... the cancellation of Oasis's planned first visit to China … “I got a phone call saying we couldn’t go because I’d done that New York thing in 1997. For a good 15 minutes, I had no idea what they were talking about… I had no recollection of doing it. It was U2, Radiohead, Beastie Boys, a Tibetan concert in America. Sounds like a good gig! Anyway, I’d done some interviews on the day and the People’s Ministry Of Cultural Affairs had got hold of it… And they think now that I’m some kind of Tibetan trouble causer. F***ing outrageous. It’s a f***er for all the people who’ve bought tickets for the gigs, because how are they gonna their money back? It’s staggering, though. Those Communists have got long memories. You don’t f*** with ’em.”
Noel on ... being a rock star“I do enjoy it, yeah, it’s good. It’s important that the rock star thing, whatever that is, it gives kids that are starting off… It still gives them that, That’s what I wanna do. When you’re 13, you don’t want to be playing your guitar and looking at Sid Vicious. Who wants to be Sid Vicious? Who the fuck wants to be that fucked up on smack. Even the Stone Roses, they were a bit intense about it. They never really looked like they were having a laugh.
Now, the Mondays looked like they were having a good time. I’m glad we made it look like the best gig in the world, because it is. The guys from Kasabian… They told me that all that really kept them going at school was reading the papers, and seeing that Liam had been arrested or I’d said this or that. They said, We used to see you falling out of nightclubs and it was like, That’s it – that’s where we’ve got to be. It’s amazing to think, when we did those gigs in 1997 at Earl’s Court with The Verve, Tom and Serge were in the crowd. Their Mom and Dad had driven them to London and dropped them off. It blew my mind – it happened for them.”
Noel on ... the rest of the band “Gem and Andy came late, but fuck me, it was like the cavalry riding over the hill. Gem’s like me, he works backwards from the band. Me and him, I guess more than Liam and Andy, would drive it along at all costs because we know how to do it; we know how to find drummers when we need one, we know how to rehearse the band. Liam… He’s constantly thinking about what shoes to buy. Or developing new techniques of how to balance that f***ing tambourine on his head. Great, off you go.
“Andy? Don’t know. I think he sees himself as a bit of a Bill Wyman character. Sometimes I look at him onstage and think, He’s actually doing less than Duffy does. If I didn’t actually hear a sound coming out of the bass, I’d think that one of Kraftwerk had put one of their robots there. Is he actually moving? I’ll walk across the stage to him and he’ll go, What a gig! F***ing hell, man, you need a rocket up your arse.”
Noel on ... popular culture now Do you know when people say you’re a product of your parents? I think that’s true to a certain extent, but you’re also a product of the times. The times shape so much. The times now are a bit weird because of the internet and all that – there doesn’t seem to be one prevailing thing. Back in the ’70s and ’80s, there were three channels on the telly, so you had all these shared experiences. There was a massive shared experience of Fawlty Towers, or Are You Being Served?, and everything was available to everbody else. There was no Sky, no laptops or any of that shit. There was radio, TV and the news.
“Who watches the news now? I do, I watch it a lot. But kids don’t, because there’s other things to be doing – like trying to f*** that goblin up the arse with a laser beam on that game your Mam bought you. You can switch off now and become so desensitised to everything. You can choose to put the TV on and escape into Jamie Oliver’s f***ing kitchen, where he skins a midget chicken and makes the best risotto that has ever been. So f***ing what?
“On the face of it, it’s probably for the best, because now everybody seems to live a better life – they can afford a plasma screen, an iPod, a car on credit, which is why we’ve got into the mess we’re in now.”
Noel on ... his fondness for Speaker's Corner“I only live round the corner from it, go there all the time. It’s f***ing mental. It’s almost like a freakshow. When I first came to London, it was one of the first places I went to, because I’d read about it at school. It was where they denounced communism and fascism, f***ing brilliant. Now, it’s idiots up there talking about… And this is true, there was a guy trying to stop people birdwatching because it’s infringing on birds’ rights. Birds rights! And there was a group of people of stood round giving this guy the time of day.”
Noel on ... his lyrics“I’d love to be like Morrissey… But who wants to listen to a song about how sad you are? Who wants to listen to a song about how much you love your girlfriend? I look at the big picture. If I can write great lyrics, brilliant, but it’s not something that I ever worry about.
“The words are just part of the ingredients. They don’t fall out of the sky easily for me, I must say. They’re a real pain in the arse for me. If I were a lyric writer, like Elliott Smith, f*** me, I’d have had 28 albums out by now. I can write music and melody and arrangements for fun, but the words always slow everything down.”
Noel on ... what he still wants to achieve“We’re not a band that sets ourselves goals, or I’m not. In hindsight, it would have been nice to have had a Number One in America, so people would stop f***ing going on about us not cracking America. I’d still like to be here in five years' time. Stay vaguely slim.”
Noel on ... getting older “When you have your photograph taken as much as one does, and you see… Like, there was a picture of me on The Sunday Times cover recently that was taken five years ago, and you just look older. It is a cliché and all that, but I’m 42 this year, my bones already feel like they’re 52, but upstairs I’m at ease. I can’t really wait to get to the f***ing end of it. I don’t mean dead, I’m in it for the long run… But I look at Neil Young and think, I can’t f***ing wait to be you. That f***er blows me away every time I see him.
“But I’m lucky in a way. Even if it was all to end in a bizarre gardening accident tomorrow, I’ve lived. So I’m not getting older thinking that my time is slipping away. I will look back on my life at some point, I’ll be forced to, and fucking hell man, what a gig. So I’m really cool with it… I’m not here cos of my startling good looks, d’you know what I mean? That kind of thing doesn’t mean anything to me.
“Saying that, I’m the oldest person I know who’s yet to start dyeing his hair. Virtually everybody that I know gets the old Grecian 2000 out. So I’m doing alright. And anyway, I think of it in these terms – I’ll never be as old as Paul Weller. As long as he’s going, you can’t touch me.”
As he prepares for a string of massive summer Oasis shows, Noel Gallagher is the cover star on the new edition of Q, on sale now.
In the magazine you can read him holding court on all manner of things, but he can't help but bringing the subject round to brother - and nemesis - Liam again and again.
His appearance is part of an 'Icons' themed issue which also features such stars as Jarvis Cocker, Marianne Faithfull and the Manic Street Preachers (for more about the latest issue, click here).
For the online version this month we have a Noel mini-site with a video from the cover -shoot, outtakes from his magazine interview, a gallery of behind-the-scenes photos from the studio session and a quiz to test your mastery of Noel.
Video
For the cover shoot we teamed Noel up with top photographer John Wright. You can watch a video of the session here
Gallery
You can view a selection of behind the scenes shots taken by Q's Ian Whent here
Magazine Feature
Want more of Noel's wit and wisdom? You can read extra material which Q's editor in chief Paul Rees was unable to squeeze into his rather sizeable feature for the magazine here
Quiz
And finally, you can try our Noel Gallagher quiz here. Not too hard, couple of toughies; no prizes, it's just for fun. Head to the quiz here...
From Noel Gallagher's official tour diary on oasisinet.com
It's all got a bit mad over here. This swine flu malarky is freaking people out. Landed at Crack'arse airport yesterday. All the ground staff are wearing those little white face masks! ALL OF THEM. It was like something out of another Stephen King novel. I suddenly feel quite naked without one.
Then if that wasn't bad enough my mam called me at that very moment and tells me to be "careful" or I WILL die of pig flu. I swear at that point I did a massive sneeze and the entire airport fell silent and started to stare!! I WANT A MASK!!!
Crack'arse, it must be said, is not the most glamourous of destinations, despite what we were led to believe as kids from that film "Gregory's Girl".
I currently have an armed guard outside my room! What does that say? Am I vulnerable to a robbery from room service? Anyway, could be worse, at least the sun's out and I have a balcony and it's 86*. Mind you, what about snipers (as Bobby Gillespie once said to me as we were getting pissed in my back garden)??
The backstage requirements for Oasis in South America.
The dressing room should be clean and tidy and have a wide range of glasses for beer,larger, wine, spirits and champagne and various dishes and a number of bottle openers.
The band will require 30 white towels and 20 Marine Blue or Black towels to be used on stage and the dressing room and a large arrangement of flowers for the dressing room. With 1 large table with table cloth, chair or a seat cushion and a large mirror.
Note Case = 24 bottles/cans
3 cases of 500ml mineral water (IE Evian, Volic ETC) 5 bottles of quality wine 5 bottles of Pinot Grigio white wine 5 cases of good quality imported beer (Heineken, Corona & Becks local beer or 1 case) 1 case (24) cans of Guinness - must be in cans. 6 cans of Red Bull 1 bottle of quality Irish whiskey 3 bottles of vodka (IE Absolute, Smirnoff etc) 1 case of soft drinks (IE Coke, Sprite etc) 6 bottles of Gatorade or Lucozade - (room temperature) 2 large bottles of tonic water 3 litres of club soda 2 litres of Cranberry juice 1 litre of orange juice 1 x 200 pack of Marlboro Lights cigarettes 5 Cigarette Lighters 1 litre of milk 1 large jar of coffee of good quality (no taste )!!!! Tea - variations, English, traditional herbs, green 5 instant hot chocolate 1 x Mr. Coffee coffee or similar 1 x kettle (for hot water for tea) 9 cups Selection of sugar (packages, organic, granular) 1 jar of Honey 6 lemons and knives 2 large boxes of tissues 5 packs of gum (peppermint or spearmint flavors only) 1 x large cooler with ice Various bags of potato chips (at least 1 x organic) A mixture of organic nuts (especially almonds) Various bars of Cadbury chocolates A large bowl of organic fruit (apple, strawberry, blueberry, grapefruit, peaches, pears & bananas ...) 2 litres of water room temperature 1 jar of organic honey 9 teaspoons 2 packets of mint gum or packets of mints
LIAM GALLAGHER looks very Miami Vice as he sets off on tour with OASIS.The rocker looked like DON JOHNSON from the Eighties cop show as he teamed a cream suit with his favourite animal-print slippers.
But brother NOEL was nowhere to be seen as the band left Heathrow for an eight-day tour of South America. He’d flown out earlier so as not to share cabin space with lippy Liam.
I reckon the possibility of swine flu is the least of their problems.
Liam Gallagher gets pounced on by host of Venezuelan show La Bomba at airport. The Band is scheduled to appear at Campo de Futbol USB , Caracas later tonight.
We got a heads up from NME on their latest Oasis contest in this weeks NME magazine. Liam is giving away five limited edition signed T shirts to celebrate the start of his new fashion line Pretty Green. Look out for the new issue with the contest's question. Good Luck !
From Noel Gallagher's official tour diary on oasisinet.com
Yes, brothers and sisters. I trust things are well and all is good? Good.
Now.. that wasn't nearly enough time off for me. Didn't even really have a chance to get on Irie Nancy's tits! Caught up with Coronation St. though and I'm all up to speed with the football AND managed not to see a single second of that Britain's (not) Got (any) Talent. It's not allowed in our house. Weather was nice'n'all, eh? Was in London anyway.
Now, a frightening thing happened to me last week. I went into the HMV in Selfridges - I could spend 2 hours in there just looking at records - only to be told by one of the staff that they don't sell CDs anymore!! A fuckin' outrage.
"It's the future", said the kid. "Fuck the future", said I.
IT. IS. THE. END. OF. THE. WORLD.
So what happens now then? Do I actually have to buy a bastard computer to buy music? Where is it all gonna end? In all serious though, it's very sad. I may have to move to Japan!
Q Magazine? Have you seen the pictures? Have they got it in for me, or summat? I mean, admittedly, I did say to the person responsible for such things on the day that I demanded to be air-brushed to within an inch of my life, a bit like the Lily Allen / Green Day covers etc. What I don't remember is asking to look like something from a Tenacious D. video!! I don't have grey/blue skin!!! Not anymore anyway.
Today I am mostly in Miami. Just stopping off on the way to Venezuela. Crack'arse, to be exact. Only away for 2 and a bit weeks and this bit of the tour is usually good fun. But I'm actually not looking forward to it. Weird, eh? Mind you, we are rehearsing different songs for the set-list at the UK gigs. I won't tell you which ones in case they don't work out. Should be at least 2-3 though. Hopefully 4-5. But probably only 1! Such is the level of commitment to these kind of things in certain quarters. We shall see.
Would you let the Oasis singer, turned fashion designer, dress you, asks Joe O'Shea.
As an unlikely career change, Liam Gallagher, fashion designer must rank up there with Brian Cowen, pro snowboarder.
It's not just that the Oasis frontman has previously displayed a fashion sense as uninspiring and blokey as his dreary lad rock music.
We must also wonder how the serial snapper-basher, who has rarely met a cameraman he hasn't punched, would deal with all of those high-fashion photographers crowding around the runway of his first show.
But undeterred by his own long record of crimes against fashion (the parkas, the trainers, the Burberry check-shirts worn outside his jeans), Liam has now announced plans to launch his own designer label.
Details are, as yet, sketchy on the direction Gallagher's Pretty Green label will be taking.
But from what little Manchester's answer to Yves Saint Laurent has told us so far, we can guess that winkle pickers will not be featuring in his first collection.
Speaking about his new label, Liam said: "You know them shoes that just come at you like a fookin' snooker cue? It's like, 'leave it out man. You got a licence for them bastards or what?'"
Wise words indeed and seasoned fashionistas will probably spot the influence of Manolo Blahnik in Liam's musings on footwear. As to his motivation, the Oasis front man was forthright about the reasons why he is poised to unleash his creations on a waiting world. "Clothes and music are my passion," said Liam.
"I'm not here to rip anyone off and I'm not doing it for the money either. I'm doing it cuz there's a lack of stuff out there of the things I would wear."
Liam's style anguish might surprise those who had thought there was nothing out there that he wouldn't wear, as long as John Lennon, Paul Weller or his local bin man had worn it first.
The signature Gallagher style has always leaned heavily on blokey, laddish gear with the occasional nod to the Mod movement.
Jeans, trainers, Fred Perry shirts, shapeless cagoules and the odd Tootal paisley scarf (if they are feeling particularly wild), Liam and brother Noel are nothing if not predicable.
But with their best days long behind him, in music terms at least, Liam is only following in the long, dishonourable tradition of pop stars making a dramatic career change after the hits dried up.
Whether it's fashion, acting, creative writing, wine-making or wind-farming, fading celebs will turn their hands to anything in a bid to cling to fame and fortune. It usually starts with the singer/actress /model declaring "fashion/writing/ trout farming has always been my passion" and ends in bankruptcy and lawsuits..........
What's your take on stars creating their own product lines? Leave us a comment below!
via L4e /source: independent.ie / photo: prettygreen.com
According to the Venezuelan daily El Universal, whom Liam Gallagher gave a phone interview to, there will be no changes to the set on the South America Tour.
The Buenos Aires Show can be heard live at this Link May 3rd at 7pm local time. Click Metro951.coms "Radio en vivo" banner to listen.
Liam Gallagher (vocals), Noel Gallagher (guitar), Gem Archer (guitar), Andy Bell (bass), Jay Darlington (keyboards) and Chris Sharrock (drums) will offer two hours of concert including 21 classic songs like "Champagne Supernova", "Don't Look Back In Anger" and "Supersonic" mixed in with its latest tracks off 2008 release " Dig Out Your Soul ". In addition to a surprise they will cover "I am the Walrus" by The Beatles.
The band comes with its own sound equipment of last generation, brought in especially for the production of the musicians, there will be more than 125 moving lights and the stage will make use of four video screens and additional viewing tools.
Locals Turbópotamos are set to open for the Brit Rock legends in Lima Peru.
Schedueled Tour Stops
Tuesday 28th April 2009 : Caracas, Venezuela, Campo de Futbol USB
Thursday 30th April 2009: Lima, Peru, Estadio Nacional
Sunday 3rd May 2009: Buenos Aires , Argentina, River Plate Stadium
Tuesday 5th May 2009: Santiago, Chile , Movistar Arena
Thursday 7th May DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Citibank Hall
Saturday 9th May PAULO, Brazil - Arena Anhembi
Sunday 10th May CURITIBA, Brazil - Pedreira Paulo Leminski
Tuesday 12th May PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil - Gigantinho
Noel Gallagher's Attacker Scheduled in Court Today
Video
Daniel Sullivan, the 47-year-old Pickering man charged in an assault on Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher, was set to appear in court this morning. Sullivan was represented by his lawyer, John Collins, as the court scheduled a one-day preliminary trial for December 4, 2009.
The charges stem from an incident at a music festival on the Toronto Islands last September. A man jumped onstage in the middle of a performance by the British rock band, tackled Gallagher and left him with two broken ribs. The band subsequently cancelled a show the next night in London, Ont. Video footage of the incident was captured by concertgoers and went viral after it was uploaded to video-sharing sites like YouTube.
Sullivan is facing a charge of aggravated assault.
Liam Gallagher insists Oasis will never split, despite the tensions between him and bandmate brother Noel Gallagher - because they've hated each other for the past 15 years.
The pair has taken their feud public in recent weeks, starting with Noel's revelation that his brother has never met his 19 month old nephew Donovan.
The guitarist said, "Liam is... rude, arrogant, intimidating and lazy. He's the angriest man you'll ever meet. He's like a man with a fork in a world of soup."
But Liam wants to reassure fans the rift doesn't mean a split is likely - insisting the brothers have never got on.
He says, "(Things are) not good. Not good. He likes Oasis and I like Oasis, so I'm not leaving and he's not leaving, so we gotta do it, but we don't get on, so I can't be a**ed, man. He's different and I'm different. We've done well, 15 years at it - 15 years of having problems together, we've done pretty well.
And he insists the band feeds off the Gallaghers' tension: "I think the minute we start getting happy and holding hands and being like other bands then I think it'll be over. This is the tension, it's like he wants to outdo me and I want to outdo him
TalkSport With Noel Gallagher and Russel Brand Reviewed
Over on TalkSport, another foot-in-mouth broadcaster was making a return. Russell Brand hosted a two-hour football show with Noel Gallagher the Saturday before last.
It proved a joyful pairing, laugh-out-loud funny, with Gallagher's to-the-point humour skewering Brand's flowery waffle. "Generally, you're either making a gaffe, or coming back from one," he pointed out of his mate's career. Though weirdly cheap-sounding (no background music, no listener chats, an echoey sound to Brand's voice), this proved to be the only football show non-football fans could listen to other than Danny Baker's 6-0-6. More, please.
Oasis' Gallagher Brothers Weather Economic Storm - Worth £52 million
Music millionaires suffer huge losses in Sunday Times Rich List
Simon Cowell, Andrew Lloyd Webber and the producer of the Mamma Mia musical are some of only a handful of music millionaires to have weathered the economic storm and protected their wealth this year.
While most performers and producers have seen their fortunes nosedive by more than ten per cent, a select handful have escaped the worst of the recession, figures from the 2009 Sunday Times Rich List show.
Poorly performing investments and the slump in property prices have led to huge estimated losses, with Sir Elton John’s value down 26 per cent, Sir Tom Jones down 24 per cent, and Simon Fuller, the music mogul behind Pop Idol down 33 per cent.
Of the top 50 music millionaires only seven have avoided losing a chunk of their wealth, with only three - Cowell, the Gallagher brothers, and Judy Craymer, the Mamma Mia producer - posting an increase.
Craymer, whose Abba stage show and film have grossed more than $2.5 billion worldwide, increased her fortune by 29 per cent to £75 million, according to the Rich List.
Mamma Mia, starring Meryl Streep, is the biggest grossing film of all time in the United Kingdom, ahead of Titanic and the Harry Potter series. The DVD was also the fastest selling this country has ever seen, with an estimated one in four households owning a copy.
Philip Beresford, the Rich List compiler, said: “Some people think she might be worth more than £100 million, but we’re a bit more conservative because she doesn’t own all of her production company. There is huge value in the Mamma Mia brand.”
The continuing success of Simon Cowell’s talent shows, X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, have earned him a seven per cent wealth increase.
As artists signed to his Syco record label, including Leona Lewis, have also dominated the charts, Cowell’s fortune is vlaued at £120 million, up from £112 million, ranking him equal 15th in the list of wealthiest music millionaires.
Noel and Liam Gallagher, whose band Oasis released their seventh studio album, Dig Out Your Soul, last year, are reckoned to have increased their worth 16 per cent from £45 million to £52 million.
The top three are unchanged from last year. Clive Calder, the founder of Zomba Records, once a home to Britney Spears, is rated the most wealthy music millionaire, with an unchanged wealth of £1.3 billion. In 2002 he sold his company for £1.24 billion.
Second is Lord Lloyd-Webber, with an unchanged fortune of £750 million. Sir Paul McCartney clings on to third place, despite losing an estimated £60 million, bringing his wealth to £440 million.
Among the young music millionaires, defined as those under 30, Amy Winehouse’s fortune is estimated to have dropped 50 per cent to £5 million after speculation about her personal life.
Cheryl Cole, the Girls Aloud singer and X Factor judge, and her footballer husband Ashley, are new entries on the young list, with an estimated wealth of £13 million.
Joining the couple as another new entry on the list is Duffy, the Brit Award winning singer, with an estimated wealth of £4 million.
Dhani Harrison, son of George, the former Beatle, and his family, is rated the wealthiest young music millionaire, with a total wealth of £140 million.
Mr Beresford said: “We’ve all got to be very sober this year. It’s the first time I’ve ever had to do a rich list in a severe recession, some say near-depression. The biggest surprise looking at the whole music sector is the absence of any seriously rich young rock artists.
“It’s just the same old wrinkly rockers, but their income has changed to coming from touring. I presume it’s because record companies have become wiser and sharper in recent years and don’t give the same deals they used to.”
The full 2009 Sunday Times Rich List will be released on Sunday. The 112-page magazine charts the value of the assets in the country’s wealthiest individuals.
THE TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST MUSIC MILLIONAIRES
Liam Gallagher is the Angriest Man You'll Ever Meet
Noel Gallagher has suggested there may be no new Oasis album for at least five years, in an interview with Q.
The guitarist – who spoke to Q for the new edition on sale on April 28 – revealed that in the meantime he is planning a solo album when the band finish touring their current record, Dig Out Your Soul. Gallagher said he had built up a stockpile of tunes that date back to the Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants-era of the band in 2000.
“I’ve got a lot of songs lying around and some of them are really great,” says Gallagher. “But they’re not Oasis songs. They’re going to sit there and do nothing, so hopefully at the end of this tour I’m going to go and do something for myself.” Gallagher’s solo plans will result in an extended gap between Oasis albums.
“The last three albums have been three years in between,” he says, “but I see it as likely to be longer this time. We’ve arrived at the point I wanted to be at from when Gem [Archer] and Andy [Bell] joined the band. And the last time we did that was at the end of Be Here Now, and we rushed the next album [Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants]. There was no inspiration on it. Even before the end of making each Oasis album, I’ve always started writing the next one, and I haven’t this time. I don’t want to force it.”
He added: “By the time we make another record we’ll be five years older.”
Gallagher has performed solo in the past, most notably for a Teenage Cancer Trust show at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 2007; a set that is now available for download from iTunes. He insists that the break will do Oasis good and hopes the other members will also work on their own side-projects.
“It’d be really interesting for fans of the band to see how each individual makes up the whole,” he says. “I don’t think it’ll affect what Oasis do. Liam, on the other hand, will f***ing freak out.”
Noel revealed that his relationship with his brother is still fractious – and that Liam has never met his nephew Donovan, Noel and his partner Sara MacDonald’s son. “He’s never seen my little lad, just pictures," Noel said. "To a stranger it sounds ludicrous, but you wouldn’t have him in the house if he spoke to you the way he speaks to me and my family.
“He’s rude, arrogant, intimidating and lazy. He’s the angriest man you’ll ever meet. He’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup.”
Oasis will begin a UK tour on 4 June at Manchester’s Heaton Park, and have been announced as one of the V Festival headliners on 22 and 23 August (playing Staffordshire and Cheltenham respectively).
For the full interview, read the new edition of Q on sale on April 28. You will also be able to read extra material from the interview - and see behind the scenes photos and video from our photoshoot - at qthemusic.com from the same date
Does Noel Gallagher Even Have An Opinion On Tibet ?
You know that much hyped Oasis show that got canceled because of guitarist Noel Gallagher's opinion on Tibet? Well, in case you had any doubt, it seems like his opinion may have been a bit overstated.
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Noel admitted that he did indeed play a Free Tibet concert twelve years ago with the likes of U2, Radiohead, and the "f—ing Beastie Boys," but that beyond that he barely even remembers the show.
Furthermore when asked whether he has any strong feelings on the Tibet issue, Gallagher replied "No, not really, not one way or the other."
The lead guitarist for the self-proclaimed, greatest band in the world admits in the interview that while his music is "brilliant. It’s f—ing brilliant,” it rarely if ever touches on politics. Of course. Anyone who's listened to Oasis' music knows it rarely if ever touches on reality.
We're bummed that we didn't have the chance to sing along to "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova," and Noel sounds legitimately disappointed too, but its good to know that at least one band at least knows they're too strung out to care about politics. So thanks Oasis for just wanting to rock...and occasionally bicker with your siblings. At least you're not Bono.
Oasis' Dig Out Your Soul tour will make it's way to Caracas Venezuela on April 28th for a show at 30000 seat Campo de Futbol USB stadium. It's the band's second appearance in Caracas after headlining the Pop Festival there in 2001.
A look back at Oasis performing at the Pop Festival in Caracas , 2001 : "Go Let it Out" and "Who Feels Love"
Noel Gallagher's Solo Plans Will ' F**king Freak Liam Out'
Noel Gallagher has said that he is planning to release his own solo material and that his brother Liam would not be pleased at the prospect.
The Oasis guitarist told Q that he had written a number of songs that would not fit in with the style of the Liam-fronted band.
Gallagher said: "I've got a lot of songs lying around and some of them are really great. But they're not Oasis songs.
"They're going to sit there and do nothing, so hopefully at the end of this tour I'm going to go and do something for myself."
He added: "It would be really interesting for fans of the band to see how each individual makes up the whole. I don't think it'll affect what Oasis do. Liam, on the other hand, will f**king freak out."
Gallagher said that it would be more than three years until the release of the follow-up to Dig Out Your Soul because he did not want to "force" the writing of it.
Exclusive Noel Gallagher Performance Available Through Bono's (RED)WIRE
When Oasis played their sold-out Madison Square Gardens gig last December, photographer Josh Cheuse filmed Noel performing an exclusive acoustic version of 'Waiting For The Rapture' in an unusual backstage location. This performance will be available on 29th April exclusively through (RED)WIRE.
(RED)WIRE is a new digital magazine from Bono's (RED) organization that not only gives you great music, but also provides medicine for people who need it in Africa. For every five people that sign up, enough money is generated to keep one person living with HIV in Africa, so why not get your friends to sign up too.
TO SIGN-UP FOR THE (RED)WIRE MAGAZINE, VISIT www.redwire.com
Other artists involved with the charity include U2, Coldplay, Jay-Z, The Killers, Bob Dylan and REM. A preview of Noel's performance can be seen above.
Via L4E source: oasisinet.com
Noel's TCT gig 'The Dreams We Have As Children (Live For Teenage Cancer Trust)’ is available to download now, click here for more details.
L4e Forum member lgfaver edited this little tease clip for all the fans in Peru. The Band is scheduled to appear at Estadio Nacional in Lima on April 30th.
Visitors to Oasis' temporary homepage at myspace.com/oasis might have noticed a riddle in the band's info box today : "What do Noel and a shower in NYC have in common? "
Have your say , what are the band trying to tell us? Click the comment link to leave us your interpretation!
There were many (myself included) who expressed suspicion when Oasis’ Liam Gallagher became the latest Twitter convert.
His arrival last month was timed conveniently with the press launch of his new fashion label, Pretty Green. Consequently, a majority of the singer’s (presuming it was him, not a PR imposter) tweets were about fashion. Yes, fashion. “Desert boots will be available this summer,” he wrote on March 19th. Thanks Liam, I’ll make a note of that.
More of the same, including an update about the arrival of a dodgy Parka sample that he wasn’t “100% happy” with, followed. (Well, at least we know he’s a perfectionist.)
But more recently, Gallagher seems to have changed his tune on Twitter. Like many celebrities, he’s starting to use the micro-blogging service the way most of us do (and should): as a platform to say what we’re actually doing. His posts are now far more personal as a result. Earlier this month, for example, he painted us a wonderful image that, one presumes, was conjured up as he sat next to the pool sipping a Pina Colada. “In South Africa starting to look a bit like Des O’Connor, need to get out of the sun. Gig tonight.”
Most refreshingly, in becoming more potent on Twitter, Gallagher has also found a new way to mock his brother, Noel. The results are proving hilarious. In the last 24 hours alone, he’s called Noel and comedian Russell Brand “a pair of old housewife’s” (yes, his grammar is not quite perfect – but I’ll blame Twitteriffic’s spell checker) and also responded to direct and cutting criticism from his brother.
After Noel told a music magazine Liam was “rude, arrogant, intimidating and lazy”, the singer hit back – on Twitter. “Is it that time of month again rkid?” he wrote.
He might not realise it, but Liam Gallagher is helping to bring old-fashioned band rivalry into the 21st century.
I’ve been watching this brewing for a while on Twitter – not just with Liam, but a host of other musicians and celebrities as well. In telling fans and followers just what they are up to, they're often – maybe subconsciously – revealing a lot more. And, increasingly, it's these updates that are focussed on just which celebrity they're currently hating.
Last month, for example, a war of words erupted on Twitter between Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and singer Chris Cornell. After Reznor wrote: “Heard Chris Cornell's record? Jesus”, the singer responded with a Tweet of his own.
”What do you think Jesus would twitter?" Cornell pondered into his laptop. "‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone’ or ‘Has anyone seen Judas? He was here a minute ago’.”
We’ve also seen public beef between Lily Allen and gossip blogger Perez Hilton, which, at one stage, ironically saw Allen write: "Oh, I'm sorry, we've already cast the jealous and bitter lonely old queen role.” And, speaking of the world of celebrity, there’s a nice Twitter bitching session going on right now between the recently separated Lindsay Lohan and Sam Ronson.
It all begs the question - do musicians and celebrities not realise we can all read their messages? Or, has it yet to dawn on them that once posted, their comments can’t be taken back? (Well, not without a groveling Twitter apology as well.)
In Gallagher’s case, it’s like the mid-90s again, when the singer spoke without abandon. Twitter appears to have finally given him free reign - and it’s fabulous to watch. I just wonder how long it will be until Noel joins?
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has called his brother, Noel, and comedian Russell Brand a “pair of old housewives”.
It is thought Liam was referring to Brand and Noel’s recent radio show for Talk Sport.
The pre-recorded football show, which aired over the weekend, featured a guest appearance from Jonathan Ross.
Liam wrote on his Twitter account: “Noel Gallagher, Russell Brand, fucking hell...what a pair of old housewife's (sic),”
As previously reported on Gigwise, the show marked Brand's first return to radio since he quit BBC Radio 2 last year over a prank calls row involving Ross.
The broadcaster, who was himself suspended over the incident, said on the football special: "You're not back on the radio, are you?"
The programme also saw Brand leave an message on Barack Obama's answer phone enquiring as to whether the President was a West Ham fan.
Talk Sport are said to be considering making the show a more regular feature.
Oasis have announced they will be headlining the I-Days Festival in Milan on 30th August. The festival, in its ninth year, has moved from its former home in Bologna to its new home in Milan and marks the band's return to Italy after their sold-out tour earlier in the year.
Other acts to play the festival include Kasabian and The Kooks.
Tickets go on sale Wednesday 22nd April through www.ticketone.it
Oasis will take a Five Year break from recording after their huge stadium tour this summer.
Noel Gallagher wants the time off following his relationship with wildman brother Liam hitting rock bottom.
Things are so bad that Liam has never even met his 19-month-old nephew Donavon, Noel’s nipper by girlfriend Sara MacDonald.
Noel said: “He’s never seen my little lad, just pictures. To a stranger it sounds ludicrous, but you wouldn’t have him in the house if he spoke to you the way he speaks to me and my family.
“He’s rude, arrogant, intimidating and lazy. He’s the angriest man you’ll ever meet. He’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup.”
Their professional relationship has also been imploding since Liam went AWOL while recording album Dig Out Your Soul last year.
Fall-out
Noel and band-mates Gem Archer and Andy Bell were left twiddling their thumbs after Liam dodged off to marry Nicole Appleton in a secret Valentine’s Day ceremony — which Noel didn’t attend.
The rocker, who turns 42 next month, said: “There’s two great tracks lying there not finished from the last record, because Liam f***** off to get married. That annoys the f*** out of me. We’ve got a 50-piece choir on both, they’re enormous. There’s no talking to be done. Maybe that’s the problem — there’s no fall-out from it. I never said to him, ‘What are you doing, you ****?’
If albums mean that little to him, I don’t want to argue. He can f*** off as far as I’m concerned.
“By the time we make another record we’ll be five years older
In an interview with Q Magazine, Noel continued: “Liam is either having a nervous breakdown or he’s training for the Olympics. I’ve never seen anyone jog so much. Andy and Gem run too.
“I worry we’re all going to be in the gym at the same time. If that day comes, that’s it for me. It’s finished.”
Oasis splitting over conflicting exercise regimes? Of all the reasons for the Manc legends to break up, I never expected that.
Liam Gallagher Interview with The Times South Africa
One of Oaisis' recent stops was into South Africa for the Coca-Cola Zero Festival. Jason Von Berg (Times) caught up with Liam Gallagher from the band ahead of their performance at the festival.
Before the monumental gig in Seoul, Noel talks to Pop Magazine about Korean fans, being honest, Liam's songs, Oasis's music, world economy crisis, football match, and April fool's day :)
Noel Gallagher and Russell Brand Call The White House
Russell Brand and Noel Gallagher call Barack Obama and leave a message for him during their talkSPORT radio show tonight.
The pair are hosting a two-hour one-off special for the sport station to discuss the latest football news and call up the American President to ask if he really is a fan of West Ham football club.
They fail to get through to him but are asked to leave a message.
Russell says: “Dear Barack Obama, we are calling you to find out if you are in fact the world’s most-famous West Ham supporter as it is claimed.
“I haven’t ever seen you at Upton Park and what formation do you suggest Gian Franco Zola plays?”
Oasis guitarist Noel then says: “This answer phone message better not jeopardize my American visa situation.”
For comedian Russell tonight’s show marks his return to radio following the Andrew Sachs scandal when he and Jonathan Ross left an offensive message on the actor’s answer machine.
Russell quit his Radio 2 job and Jonathan was suspended from the BBC.
Brand discusses the subject tonight and thanks Noel and the listeners for joining him.
“I scarred not only myself but radio as a concept,” he says.
Noel replies: “Was it as unfunny as it seemed?”
Russell answers: “It was an event Noel. Remember those? You used to create them in the 90s.”
The pair also call up Jonathan Ross to interview him and joke about Noel making sure they don’t “go off limits”.
Noel Gallagher Interview with Milk Magazine Hong Kong
Interviewer: I was there when you came to Hong Kong to play in 1989!
N: Oh were you? Was a shit gig, wasn't it?
It was great...
N: (cuts in) I don't bloody think so! From what I remember we were awful....but it's gonna be much worse tonight I think!
Oh why'd you say that?
N: See for yourself - you'd know.
I loved the first part of the video. I still remember how at the end of , Liam walked on and shouted "Acquiesece" to the mic, while you striked the chords to kickstart the gig. It was unforgettable. Amazing.
N: Hmm that sure was a good show.
What do you think tonight's gig is gonna be like?
N: I think it'd be interesting! Our lead singer is in a funny mood now and we're probably gonna have a car crash tonite. I never try to predict anything. You know there's so much shit in life you're gonna be dragged down if you set your hopes too high, right? What I know is I'm gonna be brilliant, but I can't control the crowd to sing along, or clap or anything...I'll just make sure that I play well and sing well, that's what I'll try to do.
How do you prepare yourself for a show even when you know you're not at your best?
N: That's a difficult question...You don't really need to be in a good mood to play a gig you know. For me it's always do it first, and worry later, yeah.
Sometimes I feel so inconfident on stage.
N: Why? What's the worst thing that can happen?
Like, your monitor goes quiet, and all sorts of things...
N: I don't use a monitor. Never. Just shut it down, man.
What, really?
N: I only need one when I need to sing, rest of the time I'd switch it off and just listen with me ears. I mean what's the worst thing that can happen? People might get up and leave, big deal!
Not able to hear anything from the monitor...that freaks me out.
N: So what? You should know what you're playing anyway. Even if I can't hear anything, I'd still know how to play a song! You're never gonna, and you should never, never try to play a song as it sounds on the record! I'm never bothered with with that.
Any words of advice for people in a band?
N: Just don't think too damn much, you know? Just chill and enjoy it! Tell you what, I never give advices cos I don't take any. Just enjoy yourself....How old are u, son?
28.
N: 28, that's great, soon you'd be 50 and it's all gonna pass...so don't worry about anything.
Thanks for the advice!
Where do you get your inspirations from?
N: Man, I dunno. It just comes. I was not trained to be a musician or lyricist or anything like that. You just pick up the guitar and it'd come. I don't know where that's from. It just happens.
What are your plans after this tour?
N: We aint got any to be honest. Apart from a long break. No plans whatsoever for the next record or for other people.
Which songs would you recommend? Out of ?
N: The first one, , , .
What kind of music fans would you recommend these to?
N: I don't think like that. You should just get the sound right. It's to do with "What I do" and "Who I am" and not "Who YOU are". I think if I like something then someone else would probably agree it's good as well.
You mentioned in an interview that you liked this song by a 70s Hong Kong musician called Teddy Robins. It happens that is very psychedelic sounding as well. Did you get you inspirations from there somehow?
N: I got this record called in a record shop in London which was supposed to be a 60s psychedelic record from Asia. I thought there might be some good stuff in there and that track, , it fxxking blew me away! A bit like Jimi Hendrix or something, probably one of the best thing I've ever heard! But no I didn't get my inspirations from there, at least I probably don't play guitar as good as he does.
Are you familiar with other Asian music?
N: No to be honest I don't know anything about the music here. I'd listen to stuff from the US, India, Germany, Sweden and France though.
I got into Oasis since WSTMG, and I was crazy about it, singing 'Don't look back in anger' with my twin brother all the time...
N: You have a twin brother? Is he in the same band as you?
No...
N: He was, wasn't he?? Kick him out!!
Now you used to be working class...
N: I still am.
...well our band is sort of from the working level as well. We're still struggling. Do you have any things to say to young people and musicians here, cos most young people would just spend their time playing video games and stuff...
N: That's what it's about these days isn't it? In my days, people were into music like people are into video games now. If they want to sit in front of a computer all day long...then they could try to make some music on the computer. In fact, the guitar is one of the most difficult thing you can learn in the world. It's much easier with a computer. I started playing the guitar becos I had nothing better to do. My life was really shit.
And it took me around 15 years to really learn how to play it well. Even now I'm still spending all my time learning things about the guitar...compared to that...video games are much, much easier.
You know it's a wonderful thing to be...with music. Whether you're just singing it or playing it...it's all brilliant. But it's hard to get other people into music though, you have to try it and see if you'd like it.
So do you really not use a computer?
N: No I don't. Tell you what, there was this time I was at home and my missus went out, leaving the computer on in the kitchen. So she called me and asked me to shut it down for her and I said "alright". Then I went into the kitchen and I found out I didn't know how to bloody turn it off! So I just unplugged the thing from the socket, you know?! Then she came back and found out and was mad at me, saying how I was an idiot or something...But then you can live your life so so many years without using a computer, so I don't think I'd need one. I can't drive, can't swim, but I'm doing alright.
Don't you think the Internet can let you see more of the world?
N: Nah I'm not having that...What I mean is, I'd get up and go there if I want to be somewhere, you know what I mean?
Do you not use a computer to record demos either?
N: I don't do demos. I'd just play something and sing, keep it in my head, then go straight into the studio. Sometimes I think all this stuff on the Internet aren't really real, like you can't really know what Hong Kong is like with a single click. You have to be there to feel it. I think the kids might find it useful, how they can search stuff when they need it...but I come from a different time, I don't need to know how much does a tiger fxxking weight, how many nails an elephant's got or how many bricks was The Great Wall of China build with, you know? That's got nothing whatsoever with how I live my life now... but I know, kids are into that sort of stuff.
Fans can go and watch questions being put to Bonehead in London
Former Oasis guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs is set to give a live interview at the Notting Hill Arts Club in London on Monday (April 20).
He will be interviewed by former Creation Records and Oasis label boss Alan McGee, who is launching a new club night, Authentic, which will take place every Monday at the venue.
According to McGee, Bonehead will discuss "everything from UFOs to being bald" at the interview, which will start at 9pm (BST).
A different star will be interviewed every week at the club night, which will be free to enter. DJs will spin tunes for the rest of the night's entertainment.
See MySpace.com/authenticclubnight for more information.
Oasis played a sold-out tour of Germany at the beginning of the year and headline the Melt Festival in July. 'Dig Out Your Soul' is Oasis' best-selling album of the decade in Germany.
Welcome to the inaugural Russell Brand and Noel Gallagher Football Show on talkSPORT Radio.
It’s very important to us that listeners contribute and interact with the show. Therefore, why not take part now by sending us any interesting or funny info you have around the following areas…
1. We want you to send us your most embarrassing football related stories…whether you missed the birth or your first born because of a game or foolishly tried to start a chant with cringing results, we (and the nation) want to hear about it.
2. Faced with a tricky football related problem? Who better to offer sound advice than Russell Brand and Noel Gallagher? You may be beside yourself that your son supports the wrong team or need help to keep your wife happy on match days ….just send us your problem and Russell and Noel will offer a personal and quite unique solution.
3. Failing that, we’d just love to hear from you with any other football related questions you’d like to ask Russell and Noel or any other nuggets of gold that you have spotted and feel might contribute to the show.
Look forward to hearing from you, click here to contact the show.
The show will be available to listen on 1089/1053AM, DAB Digital Radio, Sky Digital 0108, Freeview 723, Digital Cable and at www.talksport.net
What's the story, morning glory? A Burnage pub is being turned into a trendy tribute bar dedicated to local wild rock and roll band Oasis.
The Farmers Arms, closed since earlier this year, has been snapped up by a neighbouring Irish dynasty which will feature a lounge dedicated to bad boys Liam and Noel Gallagher – in the hope they may visit for a nice peaceful Sunday lunch.
Its new owners, the well-established Levenshulme Pub Company that already has a strong community anchor in Levenshulme, has promised a whole range of family entertainment, live screening of premier football matches and horse-racing – and exciting job opportunities.
LPC boss Lawrence Hennigan, 51, is already urging local talent with get up-and-go to contact him with ideas of how to run the pub and even put themselves forward to work there.
Lawrence, who began his family business with wife Kath 25 years ago, pledged he would be committed to providing a "good old fashioned" pub similar to those he currently owns and runs in Levenshulme, plus work opportunities at a time of high unemployment.
"During this economic downturn when a pub is being closed each day we are determined to buck the recession and are expanding into Burnage," he said.
"We are looking to repeat the successful blueprint of our community pubs in Levenshulme which are at the hub of the community in the area."
He added: "We were one of the first pub companies in Manchester to introduce the live screening of premiership matches through Sky and have always been at the forefront of promoting contemporary and traditional Irish culture in the city."
And in a bid to attract an exciting new team, he said: "We are seeking a young and ambitious management team with lots of energy and enthusiasm to drive the community pub forward.
"Good old fashioned community pubs still have an important part to play in society and we hope to keep that going in Burnage.
"It is important that companies do their bit in the recession in providing local employment for local people and that the local community then do their bit in supporting local businesses."
Lawrence said the Farmers Arms – a brick built pub with its own eighteenth century stables located on cobbles next to the listed St Margaret’s Church and close to St Bernard’s RC Church which is twinned with St Mary’s Parish Church in Levenshulme – would be turned into a family orientated establishment.
"The area has a massive Irish community second only to Levenshulme. The pub is in a lovely spot and close to two churches so we already know a lot of our potential customers.
"We want to turn it into a real community pub with pub sports such as darts and the live screening of horse-racing and football, just like our other bars in Levenshulme.
"Part of it will be devoted to the Irish community along with a special lounge dedicated to the local super group Oasis."
Entrepreneur Lawrence is already planning a massive Irish music weekend and Oasisfest to launch the venue which will be raising money for local charities.
Anyone interested in managing the pub or working there or with an idea or two should email Lawrence at info@levenshulme.com or ring him on 07771782104.
Oasis man tells NME about his time in illegal Madchester club The Kitchen
Noel Gallagher has told NME how he once found himself partying with The Stone Roses bassist Mani at legendary Manchester squat-club The Kitchen.
Speaking to NME for this week's (April 18) cover feature, which celebrates the 20th anniversary of The Stone Roses' iconic debut album, Gallagher reminisced about what it was like living in Manchester in 1989, with The Stone Roses and the Madchester scene at its most potent.
Although The Hacienda is commonly acknowledged as being at the epicentre of the iconic scene, Gallagher explained that Hulme's Kitchen club was where the real fun was to be had.
"After The Hacienda we would go to the Kitchen parties in Hulme and we used to play the Roses' album on the journey every time," he said.
Situated in a police no-go zone on a notorious Hulme council estate, the dimly-lit Kitchen was made from three box flats that had been knocked into one space with pick axes.
"The Kitchen was this sort of homemade club that was pitch black inside," continued Gallagher, who also revealed that every now and then he'd bump into some of Manchester's most famous faces at the illegal parties.
"I remember one night I was passing a spliff to this guy all night and when the sun came up, I saw it was Mani and I thought, 'wow!' This guy, who was widely regarded as being in the biggest band in the country, was at an illegal house party at 7am dressing like me. That gave me so much faith in them [The Stone Roses]."
Gallagher also gives his opinion on The Stone Roses' classic debut album in the article, saying the 1989 release came out with "unbelievable timing".
You can read the full article on The Stone Roses, featuring the likes of Gallagher, Mani, Richard Ashcroft and Kaiser Chiefs' Nick Hodgson in this week's special 20th anniversary collectors' edition of NME, out now (April 15).
The magazine also features an exclusive replica of NME's legendary 1989 Stone Roses cover, which sees the band covered in paint (pictured above right). Both Liam Gallagher and Ashcroft selected the iconic Kevin Cummins' shot (originally dated November 18, 1989) as their favourite NME cover of all time.
Noel Gallagher Hates the Word Blog - But He's Addicted
He's never been known the most techno-savvy of rock stars. Hell, he doesn't even have a computer. But Oasis's Noel Gallagher has revealed he has developed an addiction to blogging.
The guitarist told Q it staves off the boredom of hotel rooms while he is on tour as he posts his regular blogs by texting them through his mobile phone.
He explained: “Emma (Greengrass) who runs our label, said 'We’re going to have to do something because every band in the entire history of rock now has a presence on the web, but you lot don’t do anything'. Someone said 'what about a blog'? I immediately hate that word. Blog.
"I was saying 'I haven’t got a computer so how am I going to do it'? Emma said I could write stuff down and someone else could email it, but that takes out all the fun. In the end I decided that I was going to text. And after about a week I was thinking, I quite like this, blogging. So I do it on the mobile phone.
“It was great until just before Christmas time when I met someone in London who’d read them all. I was in the queue at HMV to buy some Nintendo games for my little girl. The guy in the queue was telling me stuff about what I’d been doing. I was like, 'how do you know that'? ‘Read all your blogs, mate, f***ing hilarious'.
"Until that point I’d convinced myself that nobody read it. But as soon as he said that I thought I’ve got to stop doing this, it’s really embarrassing. But I can’t. It’s sort of addictive. And it’s something do in boring European hotel rooms.”
Brand and Gallagher are back on the radio this Sunday
TalkSport has confirmed that Russell Brand will make a return to radio with a new football show co-hosted with Noel Gallagher.
Brand, who quit BBC Radio 2 last October following the 'Sachsgate' scandal, will initially appear in a one-off show with Gallagher, entitled Brand and Gallagher, on Sunday 19 April from 9PM-11UK (UK).
The duo will tackle some of the biggest football stories of the season so far from both on and off the pitch, while adding their own irreverent twist to the latest team news, results and fixtures.
TalkSport programme director Moz Dee said: "TalkSport welcomes Russell back to radio. He's a unique talent who understands the medium brilliantly, and together with Noel Gallagher, it'll be a must listen. Both are proper football fans who just happen to be two of the most creative minds in popular culture."
Dee added that he hoped to secure the duo on a more regular basis.
Brand and Gallagher first struck up and on-air comradeship on Brand's award-winning Saturday Night Show on BBC Radio 2 in 2007, when Brand tracked down the Oasis guitarist by phone for almost every episode.
The show ran for over two years with each episode attracting around 300,000 listeners.
