"Bye Bye Bonehead"

on the front cover are pictures of Noel amd Bonehead

Oasis rhythm guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs has left the band. Noel Gallagher revealed last week that Bonehead, 34, quit Oasis after finishing his guitar parts for the band's next album.

"Yeah, he's gone," confirmed Gallagher. "He left in March. He wanted to spend more time with his family. He has two kids up in Manchester and he wanted to be with them - so we let him go. "It's hardly Paul McCartney leaving The Beatles. It happens, things happen. He did his thing for the record but that's that - so we have to find another guitarist now."

NME informally talked to Noel and brother Liam near Olympic Studios in London last week (August 5) where they are working on the mix for their forthcoming album, due out early next year. It will, according to Noel, be preceded by a single, 'Go Let It Out'.

When asked how long it would take to finish the mix, a jovial Noel said. "About three weeks, but we're not touring until next year so there's no rush to find a new guitarist just yet. And I won't get on standing here talking to you."

Earlier in the afternoon, Liam told NME that the album, which is being produced by Oasis newcomer Mark 'Spike' Stent, was "sound, going great". There have been persistent rumours of Bonehead's departure for months, and confusion remains on exactly when he quit. In spite of Noel claiming he left in March, Bonehead was sighted at the French chateau Oasis used as a recording studio in April. He did, however, fly back to the UK before the rest of the band and is not thought to have worked with them since.

NME last spoke to Bonehead in February at the Tommy Hilfiger shop launch party where he enthused about how the album was going. But later the same night, Bonehead was detained for four hours after being arrested for being drunk and disorderly at the London shop after shouting and swearing at staff. Despite being asked to stop by police officers, he continued and was bundled into a van where he was taken to West End Central police station. He was later released with a warning. Bonehead has been at home in Bowden, near Manchester, and well away from any studio for the past few weeks.

Two people have been tipped to step into Bonehead's shoes. The favourite is Paul 'Strangeboy' Stacey, who has played keyboards for Oasis live, and who played guitar with Noel at the Kosovo Benefit gig last month at London Kentish Town Forum. Aziz lbrahim, briefly in The Stone Roses and long-time lan Brown associate, has also been suggested, though he is soon to release his own solo album.

Bonehead, the only supporter of Manchester United rather than City in the band, formed the pre-Oasis band Rain in 1991 along with Liam Gallagher, Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and original drummer Tony McCarroll. Later that year, they changed their name to Oasis and Noel joined on condition he wrote all the music and lyrics. Bonehead was unavailable for comment as NME went to press.

public nme

Celebrity spottings of the week, meagre though they may be, include the domestic tableau of Liam, a hugely preggers Patsy and little Simple Minds-sprog James, who popped down to a Finchley Road cinema to check out Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Our spy missed the film, so scrupulously was he observing the Gallaghers for any sign of marital unrest, but felt his stalker-like ogling was rewarded when, in a dramatic gesture, Liam stood up and walked out of the cinema! Ooooh! Call the tabloids! Scoop! Scoop! Oh. Then he came back. Just went for a wee. Never mind.

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c 1999 Andrew Turner

aturner@interalpha.co.uk

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