"We're All Right Jacques!"

Oasis woo French locals as they work on new album

[alongside photos of the chateau; Bonehead in his Aston Martin overtaking a tractor; Liam walking outside the chateau looking unshaven,and wearing flip-flops, jeans and a red/pink striped shirt; a village map; and pictures of villagers who have come into contact with the band]

Oasis have decamped to a sleepy French village to record their new album. And despite their rabble-rousing behaviour at London parties, the locals say they're happy to have them.

The band have rented the 17th Century Chateau Dior in a medieval village which has less than 1,500 villagers, most of whom make their living from olive farming and who know nothing of the superstars they have in their midst. In fact, the local record shop owner has never even heard of them. Residents are more interested in their own local celebrity - a martial arts world champion called Jean Marc Brignone. He, perhaps worryingly, says he's looking forward to meeting Liam.

The band arrived in the village three weeks ago and have already settled in. They're paying over £32,000 per month to rent the 17-room chateau, once owned by clothes designer Christian Dior, which boasts tennis courts, a swimming pool and a tiny chapel. The band have moved all their gear and a 60s mixing desk into it. A massive container is in the driveway parked next to Bonehead's Aston Martin with the backwards-spelt Oasis plate [S 1 SAO].

The village is way off the tourist route, and is little more than a main-square and a few winding streets boasting just one post office, two bars, a mini-supermarket, a bread shop and a bank - all of which shut during the afternoon.

All of the band plus crew took over the local Bar du Clos for the recent Manchester United v Juventus game. After the match, the barman, Laurent Hernandez, sent a letter to the chateau challenging them to a five-a-side football match. He said: "They looked so relaxed, I thought they might just go for it. After all, football brings nations together, even the Germans and English got out of the trenches in the war for a kick around."

Meanwhile, Liam and Patsy are regulars at the boulangerie on the Avenue Camille Pays every morning and Bonehead has been doing battle with the local tractor drivers in his Aston Martin.

Despite all this, the band are working hard, beginning work at around 10.30 every morning. Music could still be heard from the chateau at 10pm each night. They're working with producer Mark "Spike"Stent who's most famously worked with The Spice Girls and also U2, Mansun and Massive Attack. Liam has already nicknamed him Spike Milligan and has jokingly referred to him as "a fat c***", adding, "I'm all for a bit of obesity."

Noel Gallagher worked on some of the songs while on holiday with Meg Mathews in Thailand earlier this year. The band worked them up in a rehearsal studio in south London in February. Sources say the songs are shorter and punkier than those featured on 'Be Here Now'. Despite the band's widely reported intention to move their sound on, our man in the village says, "If you stand outside the chateau you can hear Noel's trademark guitar."

The band are working up the song Liam Gallagher wrote for his stepson. It currently has the working title, 'Littel James'. Noel has said, "At this point, the songs sound pretty f***ing ropey!" The album is due for release next year, though there are rumours that a single is to be released at the end of this year.

The barman

Laurent Hernandez, barman at the Bar du Clos, challenged Oasis to a game of football after the band came in to watch the Man Utd v Juventus match. "We had a great night together. Liam was happy and joking even though he was only drinking coke. When Juventus scored we started ribbing him and he gave us a good-natured f-word. There were about 14 of them in all. They fitted in perfectly with the local lads. A few girls from the village had CDs and asked if they would sign them. They were more than pleased to do so. After that night, they started coming in here most days. Bonehead likes to sit outside in the sun and chat to the locals. You wouldn't even know they were millionaires if you didn't see the cars."

The tour guide

Denise Tallent now works as the tourist officer, but once worked as a cook when best-selling author Ken Follett rented the chateau. She said: "It's a stunning building. Dior built the pond so that when you look at the front of the house it reflects upside down in the water. It's also important for local employment because apart from the cook there is a gardener, handyman and maid. For a famous pop band, it is perfect. They will come back down from the clouds here. They have to be down to earth with people here."

The butcher

Yves Chiari (Virginie's dad) supplies meat to the chateau but says he hasn't had any special requests for meat and potato pie yet. "I don't think they are famous here anyway."

The fan

"They have gone over the top trying to look like normal folks," sayd Yvette Centofanti. "Liam is bordering on the unclean. His hair is long and scruffy. My friend started singing one of their songs in the bar and they cracked up. I put a can of Oasis on top of their car and Liam started laughing. They were all very kind and signed my CD."

The record dealer

Claude Avogardo sells tapes and CDs in his newsagent. "I only sell French artists' music and clasical. I have never heard of them. I am afraid I don't have popular English papers either. I wouldn't order special deliveries for them, it wouldn't really be worth it."

The baker

Seventeen-year-old Virginie Chiari runs the local boulangerie: "Liam comes in with Patsy for bread in the mornings. I have to say that he is not what you would expect from a pop star. He isgentle and relaxed and he always has a ready smile. I had heard Liam was wild. But here, he is just like the local lads."

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c 1998 Andrew Turner

aturner@interalpha.co.uk

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