We've just been on the phone to Guigsy, ex-Oasis, who's premiering a reggae band called the Nazarites - playing In The City in the Late Room at 11pm in Manchester tonight, and we spoke to him about his involvement with them, his feelings about Oasis, as well as his involvement with The Band Agency.

So Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan, why are you at In the City?

"I've got a band playing tonight - the Nazarites."

You're playing again?

"I'm not, I'm producing and arranging. I've known the guys for ages, so on and off I've been working with them for about a year now. I've just been recording an album in the studio really. It'll be a good laugh actually. A couple of guys, a couple of me ol' mates'll be coming down."

Who's that then?

"John Squire, and Mani and all that lot. The usual suspects for a nice drink and a bit of reggae."

Guisgy picked the band up when they were an instrumental three piece, and managed to turn the bass player into the singer, and expand them to a five piece. He says he doesn't want to sign them to his own label "because they're me mates and I don't want to be the boss"

The Nazarites, who Guigsy describes as "exceptional musicians" play their first In the City gig, and only their second gig or third gig ever.

Concerning Oasis we asked Guigsy if he'd been playing himself at all lately, since leaving the band four years ago.

"Not really," he admitted, "I liked being in a band, I can't see it anyway, not in a band as good as that [Oasis]."

He's played in a few bands but admits "it'll never be Oasis and it's not me mates, that I grew up with, so yeah, you know..."

Err, do you think Oasis are Oasis now?
"Yeah, course I do" he says matter of factly.

And are they as good as Oasis were when you were in the band?

"I get that question asked to me all the time - it's impossible to tell. I can't tell you if what we was doing was any good. It's all part of you so...you can't be objective about it, in anyway. I was out with Andy Bell a few months ago in Sweden. I get on with all the guys. He's a lovely man, he's nice."

He added: "I actually know they're working at the moment and I think the new album might be quite stunning."

Have you heard any of it yet?

"No, not all of it, just some bits and pieces, but I...you know what I mean. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to get into the roles, but they've had a few years now..."

And does he miss the buzz of it?

"I miss me mates," he says matter of factly, "more than anything else. That's it. I mean the gigs were brilliant and everything. When you're with your mates, someone gives you licence not to do proper work and you're kind of at school for the rest of your life, you know, drinking and getting up to mischief. I miss my boys and having a crack. I was never particularly looking for the limelight that much, it was never something that interested me. When we were in a band with no money it was great. When we did have money it just meant we could do shitloads more things...If you're in a band to try and make money you might as well forget it. Because it's all very few people who actually make money in the end. But if you're in a band for love, then you're off and running..."

Guigsy has also joined forces with The Band Agency (part of the National Music Network) which is a non-profit, volunteer organisation giving advice and support to new and unsigned bands. They will be taking over the Urbis building in Manchester’s city centre for 2 days of free advice, showcases, panel discussions and demo reviews from Sept 12-14 as part of In The City. This event is completely free and open to all new bands, musicians and general public wanting advice about the music industry, from legal issues, to how to produce the best demo.

He was so much nicer than that Coxon knob'ead - TALK!

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