Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants [album]

by Emma Morgan & John Mullen

February 2000

STANDING ON THE SHOULDER OF GIANTS (Big Brother)
"THERE'S TWO SHIT ONES ON IT BUT THE OTHER SEVEN ARE MEGA"
The inside word on 'Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants'
Track titles: 'Fuckin' In The Bushes', 'Go Let It Out!', Who Feels Love?', 'Put Your Money Where Yer Mouth Is', 'Little James', 'Gas Panic!', 'Where Did It ALL Go Wrong?', 'Sunday Morning Call’, 'I Can See A Liar', 'Roll It Over'
Previously expected to be entitled "Where Did It All Go Wrong?", 'Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants' inaccurately takes its name from a Sir lsaac Newton quote on the Ł2 coin. It was demoed in London last February and completed in France during April. Recorded with U2 producer Mark 'Spike' Stent in a Ł32,000-a-month chateau previously owned by fashion icon Christian Dior, the 17 tracks were mixed and mastered in New York throughout September. "There's two shit ones on it, which I wrote," said Noel, "but the other seven are mega."
An unnamed source at Oasis' American label, Epic, claims they have been experimenting with "electronic elements and synthetic drum beats...some songs are almost quite acoustic while others are shorter and punkier". With vocals from PP Arnold and Linda Lewis, and contributions from flautist Charlotte Gleason and erstwhile producer Mark Coyle on sitar, it would seem that Noel’s contribution to The Chemical Brothers' 'Let Forever Be' may not have implied business as usual after all.
As proved by its tabloid-documented video shoot, the acoustic-sounding "Go Let It Out" will be the lead single of the album, which will also include Liam's first composition "Little James". Demoed with the help of OCS's Steve Cradock, this song for Patsy Kensit's elder son is reputedly the most Beatles-like material Oasis have yet recorded.
The only track so far released on promo is album opener "Fuckin' In The Bushes". Initially based on a Jimi Hendrix Experience drum loop - recreated by Alan White when permission to use it was withheld - the song sounds like a collision between Led Zeppelin's 'The Immigrant Song' and 'I'm A Man' by the Spencer Davis Group. While Liam is nowhere to be heard, numerous sampled voices are present. One is an old lady saying, "I love them. Fun. Nice. Life. Youth. Beautiful. I'm all for it!"
Following Alan McGee's announcement of his imminent departure from Creation, Noel has vowed the album will be released by another label. Whether this means the decisive birth of Oasis' own Helter Skelter imprint - which all their American releases already carry - or, as Liam told the Sunday Mirror, a new Label called Mumbo Jumbo, is as yet unknown.
McGee, meanwhile, was prepared to be magnanimous about his former proteges and their new album even as Liam was slagging him to the tabloids. "It's got the best singer, the best British songwriter and the best human beings in the world on it," he told Select. "And now they've got a guy who's basically my son on bass [Andy Bell], an amazing character on rhythm guitar [Gem], and Alan White is like a metronome. The album's got six amazing tracks and four tracks that go from good to really good. Regardless of what label it's on, they've delivered a really, really great album."

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c 2000 Andrew Turner
aturner@interalpha.co.uk

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