www.shortlist.com/entertainment/music/the-world-through-liams-eyesThe World Through Liam's Eyes
Speaking his mind. For once.
He may be a devoted dad, but Liam Gallagher is still berating everything in sight, including his gLouis Walshh-esque brother. Jimi Famurewa ducks for cover
With a frightening snarl on his lips and his hand an inch from our face, Liam Gallagher is looming aggressively over ShortList. Donft worry: things havenft taken a turn for the worse after we criticised Songbird or revealed a pair of novelty Manchester United socks. The former Oasis frontman is merely re-enacting what itfs like to be confronted by a pushy paparazzo.
Rude snappers arenft the only ones to feel his expletive-laden ire during our frenzied 30-minute interview at a west London hotel. Unbowed by Beady Eyefs modest record sales and celebrity detractors, the younger Gallagher brother still has plenty to get off his parka-clad chest. And hefs doing it in his usual delicate mannerc
Itfs been a year since you formed Beady Eye. How do you think itfs gone?The first six gigs [we did] were a bit nervous but the pressurefs off now. Wefre sh*t-hot live and wefve been working on some new stuff. The next album will have bigger and better songs on it. This album was definitely a debut because there are certain songs that are just up and at you. But the next one is going to be mega \ wefre not here to mess about.
Have you had to eject people yelling for Oasis songs at gigs?I havenft heard them, but they can do what they want. It ainft going to happen. And thatfs not because we donft love Oasis, but because itfs over and wefve got to move on. I think that 90 per cent of people want to move on too. Oasis had its f*cking time. People can go, gThey were sh*t after the second album,h but I think we made some good [later] albums. We ended when we ended but up until that point we put out some good tunes, we were real and we didnft take any sh*t. You need a band like that, so hopefully Beady Eye will carry that on.
Do you rate nu-folk bands such as Mumford & Sons?Ifm sure theyfre all nice lads but thatfs not for me, man. They look like f*cking Amish people. You know them ones with the big sideys that donft use electricity? Growing their own food and putting barns up. I need music to be a bit more sexy and played by people who look a bit f*cking dangerous.
Brother are being compared to Oasis quite a bit...Ifve heard a couple of tunes and it reminds me of Blur and Elastica. That to me is Britpop. Oasis werenft that. Brother sound like theyfre a bit more Camden than anything else. Itfs not my cup of tea. I said, gIfm not having posh lads with tattoos,h but at least theyfre playing guitar music. I was just seeing what they were made of, really.
So did they come back at you?Yeah, they came back and said, gWe donft care what he says, we want to know what Noel says.h I wouldnft give a f*ck what hefs got to say. Our kid looks more like Louis Walsh these days.
Youfve also recently been critical of Glastonbury. Are you not interested in playing it again?Ifm not, mate. Listen, I donft wake up in the morning and go, gHere you are, the world according to Liam Gallagher.h Someone asked me about Glastonbury so I told them that last time I played there it was sh*t. You can hear the crowd talking while youfre playing, they donft put any money into the PA and itfs just full of f*cking idiots. Itfs like Bond Street with mud.
Were you disappointed with the low chart position of Beady Eyefs singles?Ifm not even worried. Ifm certainly not arsed whether we go in at No1 or No71. Ifve been No1. If I was in a young band now then Ifd be worried about it, but Ifve been there and had a look over the wall at what it is. Itfs not guitar musicfs time right now and thatfs the way it is. You canft force it to be in the charts and just because it is in the charts or at No1 doesnft mean itfs any f*cking good. The f*cking Birdie Song nearly went to No1 and that wasnft any good.
What do you think about people such as Lady Gaga?I f*cking like her. Some of itfs bordering on ridiculous, but she brings it back around again because she can sing, she can dance, shefs out there taking chances and shefs not like all the other girl acts. She seems like shefs a bit f*cking mad and I like that. I like her, man.
After Oasis split, did you ever consider quitting music?No. No way. Noel, for whatever reasons hefs f*cking spinning this week, left the band. We didnft split up. He decided he wanted to get off and show the world he could turn a light switch on and off and write a tune. Everyone knows he can write songs and he was the main man in Oasis, but obviously that wasnft enough for him. But I never thought, gThatfs me. Ifve had my 18 years or whatever in the sun.h Music has always been a very big part of me. Ifm going to do it until the day I die, man. And, hopefully, do some clothes at the same time. And look cool as f*ck until the day I die.
Since starting your clothing label Pretty Green, have the free clothes stretched your wardrobe to bursting point?Yeah, man. Since I started Pretty Green my missus hasnft been happy. Ifve always had more shoes than her [laughs]. I like my shoes. I just have to go through it every now and again and think, gDfyou know what? Ifll give that to charity.h That makes me feel good. Therefs loads of f*cking cool-looking tramps round our way now, mate.
How do you feel about celebrities wearing Pretty Green?A few people like it. A lot of footballers, and Lewis Hamiltonfs into it. Therefs something in there for everyone. The prices could be a little bit expensive for people who havenft got that much money, which is why we do the Green Label, but the Black Label looks f*cking tasty.
Any people you wouldnft want wearing it?Well, I would say [Manchester] United players, but they seem to like it a lot so wefll leave them. Just f*cking axe murderers, paedophiles and people like that.
What about Jedward?I donft mind them little f*ckers. They donft take themselves too seriously, do they?
Who were your style heroes when you were younger, then?For me growing up in Manchester it was The Stone Roses. They always looked cool.
Where do you stand on The Stone Roses reunion rumours?Ifd love the Roses to get back, play that album and make a sh*tload of money for themselves, because Ifm sure they didnft make that much [before]. Do some great f*cking gigs, see what the reaction is and go make a new record. We come on to I Am The Resurrection at all of our gigs and the crowd go nuts. Apparently, Ian Brownfs worried about singing but he wouldnft even have to \ wefd sing it for him.
And what about an Oasis reunion?What would be the point? We donft get on with each other. Noelfs going down his path and Ifm going down mine.
Do you miss singing those old songs?No, because the songs wefre doing are equally good, I think. Itfs early days. We only put the album out in February and some of those songs are going to grow into classics. I had a great time singing Oasis songs, without a doubt. But I think Oasis is beatable, man. There were certain things Oasis lacked.
Such as?A bit more adventure. Ifm not saying like Radiohead, where they go experimenting \ a lot of that sh*t is barking up the wrong tree. With Oasis we did experiment but Noel was holding back the reins a bit. The thing for me is rockfnfroll isnft about analysing it. Itfs about if it makes you jump up and go, gYeah! Thatfs a tune.h I could do you a well-crafted tune tomorrow, but if it just goes over your head, who cares? I donft want to make lift music. Noel would write a song, itfd cover all the bases but it lacks that killer punch. And thatfs what wefve got with me. The people that go, gOh, Beady Eye is not Oasis,h well, Ifll tell you what \ you wait until you hear Noelfs music because that ainft gonna be Oasis either. It might remind you of it but therefll be something missing. And whatfll be missing is f*cking me.
Do you think youfve mellowed with age?Yeah, without a doubt. People live in the past \ Ifm 20 years older than that person they talk about. Ifve still got bits of that guy, but Ifve grown up as well.
What else do you get up to away from music?Ifm into that Rastamouse, mate. But I donft watch it too much because my kids are a bit too old for it now. The usual, man. Ifve been to watch the new Pirates Of The Caribbean. Ifm into my little sausage dogs \ Ifve got a new chocolate-dappled one called Brigitte Bardot. Itfs mega.
Have you seen Peter Kay since his jibe at you at last yearfs Brits?Ifve not bumped into that c*nt, but youfd know it if I did. How could you miss that idiot? The thing with him is he says it behind your back. I didnft throw the award into the crowd to be a gknobheadh [like Kay said]. I threw it in to give it to the fans because Oasis was over and it was theirs now. It was like a José Mourinho thing. But obviously that f*cking idiot took it the wrong way because hefs not worldly and he doesnft come down to London. He just lives in eBoooorltonf.
Howfs the Beatles film youfre working on coming along?
Ifve seen the first script and itfs f*cking funny. Itfs not Austin Powers-y but itfs got great humour in it. Itfs going to be mega. We need an actor to play Derek Taylor [The Beatlesf press officer and lead role in the film] and Ifm going for Johnny Depp. Hefs a big star, hefs a great actor and hefs got that quirky sh*t we need. Derek Taylorfs a bit like hefs always tripping his head off.
Finally, was there any truth to the rumour that you burgled Richard and Judy when you were younger?Saying that I robbed their housec Are you taking the p*ss? Itfs a good job I f*cking like them otherwise theyfd have heard from our lawyers. I woke up that morning, saw it in the papers and went, gYou f*cking what?h Some other c*nt could get uptight about that, I just laughed at it. I know who did rob their house, mind [laughs].
The second Pretty Green store is now open at 4 East Piazza, Covent Garden, London, WC2; prettygreen.com