Mad For It: The Wit & Wisdom of The Brothers Gallagher is published by Aurum Press

In 1994 Oasis released their debut single, Supersonic.  Surprisingly it only reached no.31 in the UK singles chart but it was enough to get them noticed, and with their debut album, Definitely Maybe they burst onto a fairly dull UK music scene and immediately livened things up with their laddish ways, arrogant swagger and outspoken assaults.

The truth was the music industry and music journalists needed a group like Oasis.  They had invented the term BritPop in a bid to sell records and music papers but Blur and Suede only made good music and didn’t make headlines.  All news is good news.  So when Liam & Noel Gallagher spoke of becoming the biggest band in the world, obvious successors to The Beatles, and more poignantly happy to slag off other bands, everyone was happy.

By 1995 the music industry had pitted Blur against Oasis in a staged music rivalry not manufactured since The Beatles & The Rolling Stones.  At its peak, the two record labels went head-to-head and released new singles in the same week (Blur’s record label actually changed the proposed week of release of Country House) and it even made the BBC News.  Liam and Noel were only too happy to oblige.  At one point Noel Gallagher announced a personal apology with a donation to the Terence Higgins Trust after stating that the singer and guitarist of Blur were gay and he hoped they would die of aids!

Liam and Noel Gallagher continued to say outrageous, sometimes amusing things every time a microphone was switched on, but the abuse wasn’t just aimed at others, and Noel & Liam continued to fall out, fight and spit verbal abuse at each other too.  In August 2009, ten minutes before they were due to headline the French music festival Rock en Seine, following a fight where Liam apparently smashed one of Noel’s precious guitars, they finally split up.  Since then there has been less outrageous comments but no doubt they will always have something amusing or shocking to say whenever a journalist gives them the space to do so.

Mad For It: The Wit & Wisdom of The Brothers Gallagher is a compilation of amusing comments from the past 25 years. Some of the quotes are interesting but most are simply amusing, and in most cases, throw away comments that were said for effect only.  You don’t have to be a fan to enjoy this book, though it is probably only going to appeal to those who are.

Favourite quotes include …

‘John Lennon would probably hate us, then again who gives a fuck? He’s a scouser’ – Liam 2000

Noel on Paul Weller
‘People think he’s some deep god, but he’s a moany old bastard. He’s Victor Meldrew with a suntan’ – Noel 1995

Noel on Bono
‘Play ‘One’, shut the fuck up about Africa’ – Noel 2007

‘I never said I was wrong.  I’m just saying I wasn’t right at the time.’ – Noel 1998

And possibly my favourite, Noel speaking about Liam:
‘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’ – Noel 2009

Mad For It: The Wit & Wisdom of The Brothers Gallagher is published by Aurum Press

Next Wednesday Depeche Mode will take a break from their current ‘Sounds Of The Universe’ World Tour to start this year’s special concerts to raise money and awareness for this very worthy cause.

With such a star-studded line-up, Teenage Cancer Trust concert tickets are going to be gold dust.  Supporting Depeche Mode are The Horrors.  No surprise then that this opening concert has already sold out!

Nine concerts will follow at the end of March, starting with John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl & Josh Homme AKA Them Crooked Vultures on Monday 22^nd March and ending with a performance by rock legends The Who on Tuesday 30^th March.

This will be the fifth time The Who has performed for the Teenage Cancer Trust which is not surprising as the annual concerts were the brainchild of The Who’s lead singer Roger Daltrey.

He said “When The Who first got together in 2000 to raise money for this brilliant charity, I had no idea we’d achieve so much from these shows. In the last ten years we’ve raised over £8.7 million and counting. Teenage Cancer Trust has come such a long way since our first gig and I’m extremely proud of this event.”

Teenage Cancer Trust Concerts @ The Royal Albert Hall, London

Depeche Mode
The Horrors
Wednesday 17 February

Them Crooked Vultures
Monday 22 March

Comedy Night: Jimmy Carr
Noel Fielding
Rhod Gilbert
Tuesday 23 March

Suede
Wednesday 24 March

Noel Gallagher
Thursday 25 March

Noel Gallagher
Friday 26 March

Arctic Monkeys
Saturday 27 March

JLS
Sunday 28 March

The Specials
Monday 29 March

The Who
Tuesday 30 March

You can buy and sell Teenage Cancer Trust tickets on viagogo.com

viagogo is an online ticket exchange that allows people to buy and sell live event tickets in a safe and guaranteed way.

Prodigy @ Rock en Seine - photo: cougarmicrobes

The Bank Holiday weekend seemed very long and yet went quickly with a fantastic trip to Paris on the Eurostar and onto Rock en Seine in Boulogne by Metro.  A much more civilised way to travel to a music festival than queuing for hours in endless Somerset country lanes full of tractors and hippies.

Once in Boulogne (the one on the outskirts of Paris not the seaside resort) we were able to take a 15 minute walk to the festival which oddly but very conveniently was in the centre of town.

The festival was a friendly one, with most of the people working at the festival being able to speak English (which helped with my lack of French) and the festival-goers were of mixed age, plenty of families and absolutely drop-dead gorgeous French girls; all were very friendly and pleased that such a great line-up of bands, including some of their favourite artists, were playing in a suburb of Paris.

For me the music started with a great performance by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on Friday afternoon and ended with a fantastic show from rave culture veterans, The Prodigy on Sunday night. Both groups are renowned for their live performances and both played out of their skins.

In between there were crates of  champagne, good quality doner kebabs and great performances from the likes of Passion Pit, Metric, MGMT, Vampire Weekend, Klaxons, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis and Madness.  After playing to a large and very appreciative audience I would like everyone to know how good it was for Madness to go and play a second set in one day as they took the audience One Step Beyond by stepping in at short notice to dispel an angry crowd shocked by the selfless, arrogant and pathetic attitude of the Gallagher brothers.

There was also a polished & professional set from recently reformed Faith No More that started with an acapello set opening version of the classic Ashford & Simpson ballad Reunited & included the Eastenders theme tune which they also referenced – totally bizarre!

Over the course of three days the shows played out on three stages with performance times allowing the audience to get from one stage to another to catch almost every show.

Bloc Party put in a great show, as always on the second stage on Friday night and after several jibes from lead singer/guitarist Kelechukwu “Kele” Rowland Okereke at the “inbred twins” (Oasis) he was only too delighted to tell the audience that news had filtered through from his tour manager that the northern monkeys had just cancelled minutes before they were due to headline the main stage and officially split-up.  I wished they had imploded on stage rather than the dressing room and everyone was witness to how rubbish Noel & Liam Gallagher really are at fighting – and yes I would gladly take Liam on for charity, as long as it was televised.

I also wish I had told the angry mob where the two Oasis tour buses were.  Call me an old fashioned anarchist.  But there is nothing more beautiful than direct action.  I would have loved it (Kevin Keegan style) if the crowd had given Liam Gallagher an ultimatum – do or die.

There was No Waysis but the Rock en Seine show went on; and apart from digs and jokes like “we were thinking of splitting up today” (The Offspring) Friday evening was capped by a fantastic live set from techno wizard Vitalic.

Unfortunately I missed The Horrors, Birdy Nam Nam and Just Jack. But only wish I had not bothered with b who were hugely disappointing.  Before the performance I was asking everyone if they could suggest a better rhythm section than Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin).  After the performance I realised a super group also needs super songs and Les Petit Pois were a waste of time.  Next time can the super group be The Dead Weather?

The festival highlights for me were Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Prodigy (though I wish they had started with Wonderwall), meeting lots of beautiful people and a sterling performance from Calvin Harris which delighted the audience so much than one stripped down to his pants just minutes after I jokingly suggested to friend and writer of My Chemical Toilet, that he would.

One day all music festivals and trips to France will be this good.  Until then, there is always Rock en Seine.

Exclusive news this evening from our man in Paris says that Oasis who were due to headline at the Rock en Seine have cancelled their performance just half an hour before they were due on stage.

Following a fight between Noel and Liam Gallagher the pair said on their website that they have officially split.

Is it for real?

Rock en Seine Music Festival

As an alternative to Reading and Leeds Music Festivals over the Bank Holiday weekend, how about catching the Eurostar and travelling to Paris for the 7th Rock en Seine Music Festival?

Rock en Seine will take place on Friday 28th – Sunday 30th August at the Domaine De Saint-Cloud just outside Paris and features over 40 groups including Oasis, The Prodigy, MGMT, Faith No More, Vampire Weekend, Calvin Harris, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, Keane, Passion Pit, The Offspring, The Horrors, Klaxons and many more.

As well as the music, there is an photographic exhibition of rock music by French photographer, Robin; and for the younger festival-goers there is Mini Rock en Seinewhere 6-10 year olds can play and learn such as graphic design and learning to play musical instruments.

In an attempt to promote the local music scene, Rock en Seine will also include Les Avent Seine.  Six local bands have been selected by a panel to play amongst the more well known foreign artists in order to promote local music from Paris to a wider audience.

Aside from Amy Winehouse pulling out of the Friday schedule, it’s looking like this year will be another success for Rock en Seine.

Rock en Seine Ticket & Camping Prices

One Day tickets: €45

Three Day Pass: €99

Three Day Camping: €30 for two people

Tickets are available from www.rockenseine.com or www.lastminute.com

Eurostar

Travelling to Paris from the UK has been made all the easier with Eurostar.  Trains to Paris depart from St. Pancras station in London and also stop at Ashford International in Kent.

In the top quality film Liam Gallagher, Gem Archer and Andy Bell are seen around the streets of New York, teaching buskers to play Oasis songs. The US release of Dig Out Your Soul featured selected street buskers interpreting songs from the album.

Watch the documentary now at the Oasis MySpace page.

Oasis release exclusive EP on iTunes

Oasis I’m Outta Time EP was exclusively released on iTunes yesterday.

The Oasis I’m Outta Time EP includes previously unreleased material – a demo version of the current Liam Gallagher penned single I’m Outta Time and remix versions of The Shock of the Lightning and To Be Where There’s Life.

Oasis are currently on their Dig Out Your Soul US tour, playing to sold out audiences and receiving some great reviews.

“…it’s undeniable Oasis is at the top of its game again.” OC Register

“By combining the melodies of the Beatles with the thunder of the Who, Oasis has arguably defined the sound of British rock for the past 15 years.” Variety

“Oasis are a living jukebox…..their laddish swagger iconic.” LA Weekly

“Dig Out Your Soul has hints of psychedelic pop, blues rock and stands among this year’s best straight-up, old-school rock records.” New York Post

“Gallagher brothers’ heaviest record since 1997’s Be Here Now is also their best…..Oasis have their devil back.” Blender

“Oasis is back with one of its best albums in years…” NPR

“Oasis’ latest is heavier on groove than normal, and there are a couple of gripping moments, especially Liam’s stately, Lennonesque ballad I’m Outta Time.” Rolling Stone

Track Listing for Oasis I’m Outta Time iTunes Exclusive EP

I’m Outta Time (Album version)
I’m Outta Time (Remix)
I’m Outta Time (Demo)
The Shock Of The Lightning (The Jagz Kooner Remix)
To Be Where There’s Life (Neon Neon Remix)

For more information on Oasis, visit www.oasisinet.com

OASIS - Dig Out Your Songs

This week’s issue of NME Magazine comes with a special Oasis songbook and CD-ROM. In the songbook there’s lyrics and sheet music to three songs off of Oasis’ new album ‘Dig Out Your Soul’.

Fans can then video themselves playing the songs and upload their efforts tothe following web page:

www.oasisinet.com/digoutyoursoulsongs

Oasis will rifle through them and dig out their favourites.

Prizes including a pair of VIP tickets to an Oasis concert anywhere in the world, tickets to an Oasis gig and limited edition Oasis boxsets are all up for grabs!