In September 2008, former Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher was assaulted on stage by a crazed fan, being pushed to the floor and landing awkwardly on a speaker. Gallagher was badly injured to the point that Oasis had to cancel five gigs.

The attacker Daniel Sullivan was arrested and charged with assault causing bodily harm. He now faces jail time after pleading guilty to the offense and will be sentenced in the next few months.

However, the sentencing has been delayed as, according to the Toronto Star, Noel has requested to attend the sentencing in Canada in order to read out his victim impact statement in person.

Noel doesn’t seem eager to forgive or forget this incident. And rightly so, as he could have suffered much worse injuries than he did. And even so Oasis are no more, there is still some obvious loose ends to tie up.

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Oasis split last year, with the Gallagher brothers finally admitting they hate each other to the point they cannot work together a moment longer. Noel is preparing to release a solo album, while Liam has forged a new band out of the ashes of Oasis.

According to Digital Spy, Liam was asked by U.K. radio station XFM whether the new band will be called Oasis, and, in his usual eloquent style, he replied:

“No, it’s not Oasis, that was a shit name anyway. I’m glad to see the back of it.”

“There’s a name that we’re digging at the moment, but we’re going to get on with the music and see how it goes. If we haven’t got a better one by then, we’ll go with the one we’re into.”

That’s it Liam, dump on the memory of Oasis, the band you and your brother turned from Manchester scallies into one of the best rock bands in the world. That doesn’t come across as bitter or petty in the slightest.

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Oasis split in August, when Noel and Liam’s relationship finally boiled over after years of threatening to do so. Noel has since moved back to Manchester to write a solo album, with Liam setting up a new band out of the remnants of Oasis.

Oasis may be no more, but the band are still being nominated for multiple awards from their last year together. For the NME Awards on February 24, Oasis are up for ‘Best British Band’, ‘Best Video’ for Falling Down, ‘Best Live Event’ for their Heaton Park gig, and hmm, ‘Worst Band’. Both Gallagher brothers are also up for ‘Villain Of The Year’, Noel is up for ‘Hero Of The Year’ and ‘Best Blog’, and Liam is up both for ‘Best Dressed’ and ‘Worst Dressed’.

The chances are that both will attend, so the opportunity for trouble is there. Bookies are offering odds both on the pair getting into fisticuffs and reuniting on stage to accept an award.

Digital Spy reports Sharon McHugh from Paddy Power saying:

“Oasis are old time favorites of the NME Awards, so it’s really no surprise that they’ve been nominated. The big question for music fans this year is not what bands will win but more will there be fisticuffs at this year’s ceremony?”

This makes the NME Awards worth watching, which it always is anyway as there’s a mixture of controversy and great performances. It’s like the rebellious younger brother to the Brit Awards. If the Gallaghers end up having a ruck then I’ll be sitting there with my popcorn urging Noel onto victory.

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The British Music Experience is a permanent exhibition at the O2 in London. It has made a home in the O2 Bubble, just one small part of the huge complex formerly known as the Millennium Dome, which now has the O2 Arena at its heart.

The British Music Experience opened in March 2009, and costs £15 per adult to visit. For that, you gain entry into the main exhibit, which comprises a hub, with several rooms dedicated to each important time in British music around the outside.

There are costumes and merchandise from the key artists of the periods, with descriptions of each available via headphones. There are also interactive elements, including the chance to try your hand at several instruments and the opportunity to mimic dances from the decades.

The ticket you receive for the exhibition can be swiped over any of the exhibits, with the information from that part of the BME saved for later viewing via the official Web site. So, the Smarticket creates a multimedia memento of your visit.

I spent a good few hours at The British Music Experience and enjoyed it. However, I think the £15 asking price is a little on the high side, and if it were priced more attractively would attract more visitors.

That’s not to take anything away from the exhibition, which is attempting to fill a void that definitely needs to be filled. British music is the best in the world, and needs to be celebrated in the U.K.

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It appears not.

The story appeared in the News Of The World yesterday. The newspaper claimed that Liam had personally drafted in Louise Davies, an Oasis superfan who runs the Stop Crying Your Heart Out fansite, to be the bassist for his new, as-yet-unnamed band.

Davies was described as a “Welsh bassist” and a source was quoted as saying, “Liam wants to release music as soon as possible to p*** Noel off. He’s really excited about the new-look band and the possibility of having a woman like Louise join the ranks. Andy Bell, who was playing bass in the band until Noel left, would take on the much bigger role of lead guitarist.”

Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be true. Louise has now posted a denial, simply stating, “Where they get there information from is beyond me.”

However, the rest of the story may be slightly nearer the truth, with claims that Liam’s new band are set to start recording before the end of the month, with their first gig planned for May, and their debut album being released in June. Here’s hoping. And if not, then the NOTW really needs to start checking its facts.

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Oasis split up at the end of August when Noel and Liam had a fight and Noel decided enough was enough and officially left the group. Liam then made it clear he had no plans to go solo and was seeking a new band. Noel is going solo but taking a break first.

However, rather than being anything close to a new band, Liam’s pretty much keeping the Oasis story going by sticking with Bell and Archer. Add a drummer and Oasis Mk II is ready to go. And it’s already up and running, with Liam telling Virgin Radio Italy:

“I’d like to have a record out by July next year. We’ve already done about three songs and they’re fucking sounding amazing. It ain’t a new direction, we’re not making reggae music or rap music. It might have a bit more energy and be fresher. It’s not going to be that different.”

July 2010 is only seven months away so I’m guessing Liam, Bell, and Archer already have a wealth of material ready to go. And I can’t see it sounding any different than Oasis as Liam’s voice is really all that distinguished Oasis from any other indie rock group anyway.

Meanwhile, The Daily Star is reporting that Liam is filming the new studio sessions in order to show the fans he isn’t the man he’s been painted out to be by his brother and the press in recent years. An unnamed source apparently said:

“Liam is fed up with people thinking Noel was the brains behind the group. By filming studio sessions, fans can see how hard he works and how involved he is in the creative process. Liam takes his job very seriously and isn’t afraid at letting the cameras poke their lenses in to prove it. At the moment he doesn’t know what he’ll do with the footage but if there’s enough demand it could end up being a DVD alongside the new album.”

I’d be very interested to hear what Oasis Mk II sound like but it’ll be at least a few months until we get the chance. And then Noel will start recording the solo album he’s no doubt been planning for years and the chart battle of the century can get going.

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But what of the Gallagher brothers’ relationship? Do they hate each other now, even more than they did when they were in the band together?

Apparently not, although there seems to be little friendship there. Instead, it’s a relationship of love and war; brotherly love and chart war.

According to NME, Liam told Sky News:

“He’s doing his thing, we’re doing our thing, I wish him all the best. I don’t wish him any bad, I’m his brother. I love him to death. Don’t release [your album] the same day [as ours], ’cause we’ll ave ya. Good luck mate – see you in the next world. Don’t be late!”

The two Gallaghers releasing their albums on the same day is exactly what I want to see happen. How awesome would it be to finally see which of the brothers is more popular and more capable of selling records?

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Noel Gallagher was assaulted by a supposed fan at the V Festival at Toronto Island Park, Canada last year. Midway through the band’s set, Sullivan stormed the stage and pushed Noel roughly from behind. Gallagher fell awkwardly onto his monitor speakers. Oasis were forced to cancel a number of gigs as a result.

According to the Toronto Sun, Sullivan’s attacker has now pleaded guilty to the charges. Crown attorney Ruth Neilson read an agreed statement of facts to Justice Richard Schneider in the Ontario Court of Justice which stated:

“Sullivan managed to make his way up to the main stage area, run past the electrical cords set up along the stage, pass the drum kit and lunge toward Noel Gallagher, shoving him violently from behind with great force.”

“Sullivan almost made it to Liam Gallagher, but was tackled by security and was taken to the ground on stage. He was held backstage for police to attend. Police report Sullivan was resisting, struggling and screaming as he was arrested. Officers tried to calm him down.”

The 48-year-old Sullivan will be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2010. And while the 14 years in jail that was once predicted seems unlikely (and a little harsh in hindsight) I’d still hope Noel’s attacker is made an example of. At least he won’t be able to do the same again at an Oasis gig because the band split up earlier this year.

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It took a while for Liam Gallagher to work out exactly what he wanted to do. In fact, the only thing he seemed clear on was his love for the British honey bee.

He then revealed that he had no interest in a solo career, instead aiming to join or start a new band. And now, according to NME, Liam has detailed his plans while also talking about what went on with Noel at the end of their professional partnership. He told Italian station Radio DeeJay:

“I’ll be back doing that [playing live] within a couple of months. I’ve just done a tour, I always miss singing songs. I miss the people. We’re sort of doing things at the moment. Not Oasis, Oasis is done. Everyone except for Noel.”

“To be quite honest, I think our kid [Noel Gallagher] wanted out. But you’ll have to ask him when he comes in and does his little solo thing. We had an argument – but we’ve had bigger ones, about more important people. Basically, I think he wanted out, wanted something different, but he hadn’t got the bo***cks to tell the band or the fans.”

Back to playing live in a couple of months? That sounds intriguing. Liam either plans to forge a new band very quickly or is going to guest with other bands over the next few months. Both of which sound good to me.

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Noel told The Evening Standard:

“I’m leaving London to go back up north, to Manchester. I’ve been advised to do a Rod Stewart, as in a tax exile, but I don’t want to do it. But London has lost its spark.”

He also spoke to The Daily Star, telling them of his plans, or lack of them. It seems the lure of soap operas is just too much for him to get back in the studio.

“I’m not doing a solo album as I’m taking time off. I’m enjoying bumming around watching Coronation Street. I much prefer it to EastEnders. That show is too depressing for me.”

I wonder whether Liam will follow him home? Although, maybe putting a few hundred miles between the two would be the best idea at the juncture due to the nature of how Oasis split.

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