a picture of Liam with mouth wide, shouting appears on the cover alongside the headlines "in the studio! in the headlines! in the nick! OASIS the noise is back in town!"

picture by Dave Benett

"We're The Best Band In The World"

Oasis re-establish their territory and head back to the recording studio

alongside is a colour picture of Liam and Bonehead arriving at the Tommy Hilfiger party

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picture by PA News

also are colour pictures of Noel with guitar arriving at the studio; Guigsy; Alan; fans

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picture by staff photographer

Oasis are back in the studio rehearsing for their next album which will be co-produced by Mark 'Spike' Stent, most recently known for this work on Mansun's 'Six'.

When NME tracked down the band to their rehearsal studios in south London, where they have been working since February 15th, Noel Gallagher revealed that the band were arranging and running through 22 songs for their fourth album proper, including the Liam Gallagher-penned 'Little James', written for his stepson, Patsy Kensit's child.

Noel, who will produce the album along with Stent, joked that, at this stage, the songs were "sounding pretty f*****g ropey. But it's going alright," he continued. "We've got titles, but we can't really tell you what they are at the moment. We're not recording yet."

When NME approached Liam, he said: "We're not talking about the album mate, we're talking about light bulbs. Just wait for it. You've just got to wait for it. I'm not telling you anything except we're rehearsing, we're not recording. Anyway, I'm only here to do some plumbing, 'cos there's some dodgy pulmbing in them buildings and I managed to fix it."

He added that Oasis would start laying down tracks for their their new album in April, after their impending court case with ex-drummer Tony McCarroll had finished.

Talking later at the launch of fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger's new shop in New Bond Street last Tuesday (February 23), Liam said: "It's wicked, man! We're the best band in the world as far as I'm concerned. If I told you anything more, I'd have to kil you wouldn't I? But it's all goiing great. I wouldn't do it if it wasn't great. I'm not telling you nothing more about the new stuff other than it'll frighten you when you hear it. The new stuff's awesome."

On the subject of the new producer, he claimed to be working with Spike Milligan. "I don't know anything about him, man," he said. "I just know he's Spike, he's a Man United fan and a fat c**t. I'm all for a bit of obesity. We've been out with him, he's cool."

When asked when the new album would be released or whether the band would be playing live this year, he replied: "You'll just have to wait and see."

Creation, the band's label, issued a statement last Wednesday (February 24) confirming what Noel and Liam had told NME. The statement announced that the band would "spend the better part of the summer recording and mixing" and concluded that it was "anticiapted that the album may be released sometime in the first half of next year."

However, industry insiders are saying that, although there was no hard news regarding Oasis live dates, an unannounced appearance by the band at Glastonbury Festival could not be discounted. And Noel had declared to fans waiting outside the rehearsal studios that Oasis would be playing live gigs in Britain before the end of the year.

The band have also publicly pledged to help Bono's effort to raise awareness for the Jubilee 2000 Drop The Debt campaign which could mean a live performance in Cologne, Germany, on June 19 to coincide with the GB Conference, a high level meeting of governments and banks to plan international fiscal strategies.

Bassist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, who was also at the Hilfiger party, refused to confirm that Noel's earlier hint that the first single from the new album would be released in September.

"We know exactly when," teased Bonehead, "but I'm not telling you. I'm telling you f*** all, other than it's going tops at the moment. I haven't got any hair, but if I did have, it would be standing on end this far (extending arms either side of his head) I'm that excited!"

Noel has been demoing songs intermittently throughout 1998 and, according to his wife Meg Mathews' 'Yeah!' column in the Style section of the Sunday Times, he has been writing new songs on an acoustic guitar by a pool on holiday in Thailand. However, this is the first time that the band have been reunited in the studio since recording 'Be Here Now', the sessions for which finished in early 1997. Back then the band began recording in autumn 1996 at Abbey Road studios in London but had to flee to Ridge Farm in Surrey in November due to media harrassment.

At Ridge Farm security guards patrolled the gates 24 hours a day to keep reporters at bay and prevent anyone getting near the band or the studios before finishing the album at Air and Master Rock back in London. To avoid repeat scenes, the band have asked NME to keep secret the location of their current rehearsal studio where they are working on an album which is likely to be very different from 'Be Here Now' if Noel's recent interviews are anything to go by.

After the band finished their world tour in Mexico last March, Noel proclaimed that he had become bored with the band and that he felt the public had too. He said he needed to feel invigorated by music again and vowed he would take the band in a different direction after being inspired by the colaborations with The Chemical Brothers and Goldie. Last December, he said: "Hopefully the new producer will make it sound like it's been recorded in 1999 and not 1969. Again, it could go arse over tit and end up sounding like 'Exile On Main Street'."

He even said that he wasn't that proud of 'Be Here Now' in retrospect, claiming: "We never promised anybody 'Sgt Pepper' or a Syd Barrett acid-rock album. I suppose some of the songs were a bit long, the production was abit over the top and it sounded like a Bon Jovi album. All the bullshit that the record companies whip up surrounding record releases just sort of got in the way of the album."

Paul Gallagher, A&R at Creation and brother to Liam and Noel, has heralded the new material as a new departure for the band. "It doesn't sound like Oasis. It's a lot different from the last album. It's really punky with shorter songs. There's also going to be loads of samples mixed in there," he said.

It's hardly a great surprise, then, that Oasis have taken up with Stent, an associate of The Verve's producer Youth and a highly acclaimed engineer who has previously worked with the Spice Girls, KLF, Hole, U2, Bjork, Saint Etienne and Massive Attack as well as producing Mansun. The arrangement marks the end of Oasis' relationship with Owen Morris, who produced the band's previous three albums.

Another source at Creation stated that Stent was a logical choice for Noel: "Oasis want to go a bit dancey, a bit psychedelic," the source said. "They have decided to cut down on the seven-minute guitar workouts. The band want to make the record more direct and make music the way they used to." The source added: "Liam's been writing stuff too. He's been out with Primal Scream a lot, getting inspired. He certainly wants to be more included on the next album."

Previously, Noel has said that he wouldn't release a record until the year 2000, but it has been widely believed that he had his eye on having the first Number One single of the millennium; a rumour substantiated by a recent interview in which he stated he was worried about bringing out anything in the New Year because of the millennium bug. He said: "It would be great to see in the 21st century with a Number One Album and single...but it ain't going to happen. If computer systems crash, record shops will be thrown into chaos. A chart may not even come out and we don't want to be part of that."

"Bonehead Gets His Collar Felt"

alongside is a colour picture of Bonehead with police officer

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picture by All Action

Minutes after talking to NME last Tuesday at the Tommy Hilfiger party, Bonehead was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

Bonehead, aka guitarist Paul Arthurs, was jailed for four hours at West End Central police station in London after shouting and swearing at staff at the glitzy shop launch in London's New Bond Street. He was released from the cell at 4.30am on Wednesday after receiving a formal warning.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police told NME: "Security staff drew the attention of a passing police officer because a 33-year-old man was shouting and swearing at them. He was asked by police to desist and leave the area, but he continued to swear and shout."

Bonehead, who is staying in London away from his Manchester home as Oasis rehearse, had been jokey and civil to NME earlier in the evening, but according to onlookers, had become increasingly obstreperous the more free lager and champagne he consumed. The party had started at 9.00pm and hordes of waiters and waitresses constantly hovered to top up glasses amidst racks stacked with the American designer's latest gear, favoured by hip-hop artists the world over.

Guests included Formula One driver Michael Schumacher, Martine McCutcheon, Spike Lee and Goldie, plus Bonehead and Noel and Liam Gallagher. Before his arrest, Bonehead was heard to ask Tommy Hilfiger if he could knock him up a suit to wear at the court case with ex-Oasis drummer Tony McCarroll. He threatned the US designer, "If I don't get it, I'm going down the road to Gucci right now."

A spokesman for the band said afterwards: "Yes, Bonehead was arrested and subsequently released as the offence wasn't serious enough to warrant charging him. It was nothing."

Liam had been friendly and amiable with NME at the party, organised by Noel's wife Meg Mathews, and cadged a fag and a light. However, moments later he let rip at a tabloid reporter and threatened to kill him, saying he ahd to leave because, "I;m going to f*****g stab him" and then shouting, "You'll get yours on Judgment Day, mate. You're going to spend the rest of your days in hell. I'll make sure of that. I'm not going to kill you myself, no, I'm going to kill you with my music. I'll dance on your f*****g grave."

"McCarroll Seeks £18m From Oasis"

Liam and Noel Gallagher are expected to appear in court this week as ex-Oasis drummer Tony McCarrol presents a legal battle over profits. The case was due to start on March 2 at the High Court in London and was expected to last up to a fortnight. It is estimated that McCarroll could win up to £18m in loss of earnings and royaltie sif successful.

Razi Mirekandari, a partner at oasis' solicitors Simons, Muirhead and Burton, told NME that McCarroll was claiming a fifth of ALL Oasis profits garnered since he left in April 1995, despite the fact he was no longer in tha band.

Razi said: "Oasis have always paid him and will continue to pay him a fifth of the earnings for everything he was involved with. But now he wants a fifth of all band profits in perpetuity, regardles of whether he was involved or not."

It is understood he feels he is owed the monet as he was a founding member of the group. It was widely reported that he left the band three weeks after a fight with Liam in a Paris bar. He was repleced by Alan White, who made his debut with the band a week after McCarroll was dumped. However, at the time, Creation issued a statement saying that McCarroll had left by mutual consent and refused to comment on previous quotes from Noel that he was fed up with McCarroll's "poor drumming" or that the sacking was due to "personality differences".

McCarroll had already started recording for "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?" before his departure and played on the band's Number One 'Some Might Say', which preced and also featured on the album. He'd also played on all tracks on the band's first album "Definitely Maybe", which has now sold some eight million copies. In addition his playing featured on six tracks on Oasis B-sides album "The Masterplan" which was released last year.

"Chemicals 'Surrender' New Album"

The Chemical Brothers new album is called 'Surrender'..., released on Virgin, will be released this summer and features collaborations with Noel Gallagher...

The Gallagher collaboration is called "Let Forever Be" and is described as poppier than 1997's team-up, "Setting Sun".

elsewhere in an article on the 'Heavenly Social' club in London, Tom Rowlands of The Chemicals is recalling a time when he DJed at the club in 1994

One particular party did no harm to Oasis' confidence either..." Although Noel was already full of braggadocio, it was after the New Year's Eve bash when Tom and Ed dropped 'Live Forever' that he says he knew they'd be huge. He saw this massive crowd going absolutely mental. It was a magical moment."

and of the recent teaming up with Noel

One track they didn't get around to playing tonight was their new collaboration with Noel Gallagher. "We wanted to, but we discovered we only had 15 minutes to go, so we though we'd better crack open the classics. It was wicked working with Noel again. It's very different to our last collaboration ('Setting Sun') - quite poppy."

"Yah! Noel Gallagher's Super Weekly Diary"

Wednesday: "Don't ever stand aside, don't ever be denied"...I wrote themlines, me, and now I'm reciting 'em to meself over and over. I've got something to say, Meg, and chances are she's not gonna like it. But that's tough 'cos I'm not gonna say it and I don't even need any Dutch courage or owt to ask her - tell her, that is. I've only had eight cans.

Oo'eck, 'ere she is now, comin' in t'door.

"Ey-up, Meg," I croak.

"Oh, hiya Noelsie! I say, look what I just bought at Harvey Nicks? A pressie for you, my little rough diamond." And she fishes out a pair of trousers from a big carrier bag.

"Fookin' 'ell, Meg," I yell.

"Not your size?" she asks.

"They're pink!" I shout. "I can't wear pink kegs!"

"Oh, you have to, sweetums. Haven'#t you read? Pink is the new black. Everyone's saying so. Tara, Sebs, Debs, everyone."

"But what'll the fookin' lads say? They'll laugh themselves into fookin' hernias!"

"Only because they're jealous. Anyway. you'll have to wear them. I've given the rest of your trousers to the gardener and ordered you a dozen of the pink."

"All right, all right, I'll wear the fookin' trousers," I say, fully intending to 'lose them'.

"But there's something I want to tell you. Er - ask you, that is."

"Yah?"

Here goes. "Could...is it all right if Liam comes round tomorrow and listens to some records in me room, like?"

She cuts up frosty. "I though we'd discussed this, Noelsie?"

Aww, but Meg, he won't piss in the corridor or owt, honest!"

Bonehead and...the other two...may visit us, so long as they use the tradesman's entrance and take off their boots. But not your brother. I'd sooner invite the dustbinman in for cocktails. He's uncouth."

"But..."

"No 'buts', Noelsie!"

Bollocks!

Thursday: I don't care. If I want Our Kid to come round to listen to records wi' me, no-one's gonna stop me. I'm me own man, me. So here's the fookin' Masterplan. I ring Liam and tell 'im to meet me under the window of me room at 8pm. I'll tie all me dozen pink trousers together into a rope ladder and he can shin up the wall and into me room. So there I am at 8pm, waiting. I sees this figure across t'road in't darkness.

"Hey!" I shout. No response. "Hey! Over 'ere!" I repeat, waving a pair of pink trousers at him. Then a flashbulb goes off. Paparazzi!...

Friday: "I say, Noelsie, look at this lovely colour picture in The Sun! 'NOEL IN THE PINK' Rupert will be thrilled. And you're showing off your trousers I got you, you're such a honeybundle!"

The fookin' humiliation! Fookin' c****in' Liam! He only fookin' fell asleep rather than come out. I tell you, the fooker's never coming round here again. I don't care what Meg says!...

Sunday: I'm awfully sorry about this, readers, but it is my sad duty to announce that this will be my last column. I'm, erm, leaving to pursue 'other interests', according to Meg. I tried to stop her, but she threatened to send me to bed without my John Lennon teddy bear. S'not fookin' fair...

• New Musical Express News Articles - index

c 1998 Andrew Turner

aturner@interalpha.co.uk

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