Music: Oasis lead singer’s launch of a solo career brings Liam Gallagher back into the limelight — and to China for two concerts in Beijing and Shenzhen.
Lead singer’s launch of a solo career brings Liam Gallagher back into the limelight — and to China for two concerts, Chen Nan reports
When Liam Gallagher arrives for his debut tour in the Chinese mainland this August, fans in Beijing and Shenzhen will enjoy two shows of “honest, heartfelt and pure rock ’n’ roll”, says the former Oasis frontman.
“I hope to bring Chinese fans lots of super sounds. We’re going to be playing some of the songs from the new album and lots of Oasis stonecold classis,” says Gallagher in an email interview with China Daily.
Gallagher, 44, is best-known as the lead singer of the legendary British rock band founded in 1991 in Manchester and consisting of guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, bassist Paul “Guigsy” McCarroll, drummer Tony McCarroll and Gallagher’s elder brother Noel. Oasis was one of the most successful rock bands from the UK and a Grammy Award nominee; it disbanded in August 2009 due to a feud between the Gallagher brothers.
Later, Liam Gallagher and other former members of Oasis started another rock band, Beady Eye, but that band split in 2014.
Liam Gallagher has been out of the limelight since. But with his solo album As You Were scheduled for release this October, and a solo debut performance at a sold-out benefit concert for the bombing victims in Manchester this May, Liam Gallagher has launched his first tour as a solo artist.
In May, the singer-songwriter has released his latest single, Wall of Glass, from his upcoming album, and performed it for the first time at the emotional Manchester charity concert. Music video of the single has also been released online. With raucous power chords, pounding drums and wailing harmonica, Gallagher snarls in the song with his trademark voice.
“My life lately is still very real. Music has definitely enlightened me. I decided to make a new album because this is what I do. I make music and I sing songs. This new album means the world to me. It’s the most personal record I’ve made yet,” Gallagher says. “I’m proud of every single song on the album.”
He mentions two songs from the album, Universal Gleam and Greedy Soul, which the singersongwriter calls “honest and meaningful” to him.
“It’s nice to get things off your chest,” he says.
“Everything that I’ve ever written about has been what’s gone on in my life, whether it’s the past, the present or the hopes I have for the future. I record all my ideas into a Dictaphone and anything that I find I keep coming back to, I’ll pursue it a little bit more. Lyrics I find very hard; melody comes easily and obviously I’m limited with my guitar playing but I seem to do OK,” continues Liam Gallagher, who takes former Beatles singersongwriter John Lennon as his lifelong idol and inspiration. “I consider myself as the best rock ’n’ roll singer on the planet and an OK songwriter. I’m getting better all the time.”
When asked about an Oasis reunion, Liam Gallagher said in an earlier interview this June that “I can’t see it happening. Never say never, I guess, but at the moment, if I get up and running on this solo thing, it certainly won’t happen for a bit”.
He tells China Daily that he hasn’t seen Guiggs for a long time, spoke to Tony McCaroll at the Oasis’ documentary Supersonic ’s premiere in Manchester last October and speaks to Bonehead pretty much every day. Brother Noel is not mentioned.
“Oasis means the world to me. I am Oasis,” he says.
I consider myself as the best rock ’n’ roll singer on the planet and an OK songwriter. I’m getting better all the time.” Liam Gallagher, former Oasis frontman