This was posted by CNS member RocknRoll Star on the CNS forum, an interesting read :

Got backstage passes for the reading festival yesterday and while I was there I met Gem. He was there with Vernon Kay (TV presenter) and Paul Gallagher.

First time I approached him he signed his autograph and I told him he was in the best band in the world which he replied with thankyou very much mate, I also gave him my bands demo CD and he took it and said he'd give it a listen at which he askd for a contact number so my mate gave his mobie. We then started saying how we are influenced by Oasis and The Roses a lot which he sounded surprised saying how that's really impressive when I told him my age and its not often you find someone with such a great music taste of my age. We then had our photo taken with him (will get it developed soon) and because it seemed like he was in a rush I said thanks and it was good meeting you.

Afterwards he seemed to leave the site where I bumped into and chatted to the bassist and guitarist of the Black Rebel Motercycle Club, Alex James from Blur (whom I told to play This Is A Low and they did) and Dermot O' Leary who told me the football scores and brought me a drink because I was an Arsenal supporter.

We went to watch Doves, B.R.M.C. and Blur and I returned to the VIP area while my mate went off to meet these other festival goers who were camping. When I returned I talked to Damon Albarn when I said I enjoyed their set and one of the funniest moments of the day was when he fell off the stage during Beetlebum. He replied with I'm uncool and uncool people do things like that.

I then saw Gem drinking with Vernon Kay near the bar so I decided this will be one of the few chances I get so I went up to talk to him. I said to him that he looked like he'd had one too many and he replied "I am perfectly sober" in a posh voice, he was totally plastered but a very funny drunk.

I asked him why Noel and Liam hadn't turned up, and he said Liams at the pub and Noels in bed. Asking if he'd seen any bands today he said he'd seen the doves who were great and a bit of blur and he said the new songs were shite. I then asked him how the new album was coming along and he said its abolutly amazing and how 2004 is going to be their year. He said that Liams got 4 songs which are the best he's ever written, Andys got 3 songs that are outstanding and Noels and his songs are masterpieces as usual, He said Stop The Clocks is the best Oasis song since Hung In A Bad place to which I laughed but he said it'll defintely be out next year.

My mate arrived and we got drunken poses with Vernon Kay and Gem Archer. I didn't want to miss the last train home so I shook Gems hand to which he fell on top of me and I said its been an honer meeting you and told him to bring out the new album soon and listen to our demo and make us the biggest band in the world to which he did these karate chops towards my neck and hugged me again and said he will do, I left the festival on an ultimate high and I still can not quite believe that I've met him, hes a top bloke and really funny.

A top top day