http://www.nme.com/news/oasis/22555

Noel Gallagher compares Arctic Monkeys to Oasis
The Oasis star speaks out

Noel Gallagher has stuck up for Arctic Monkeys following Morrissey's comments that success has come to fast for the band.

The Oasis guitarist spoke just hours before the Monkeys opened for the band at the Toronto Air Canada Centre (March 20).

"It happens when it happens, man, and I would say thank God that it does happen," he said. "You'd be a bit of an idiot if you said, 'No, I'm too young for a record deal.'"

He also explained that Arctic Monkeys' success reminded him of Oasis' career, telling the local Toronto Sun newspaper: "We used to sit and read things about us and think, 'Are they talking about the same band?' Cause we've sold a few records but we've not sold that many records, and we're not that popular.'"

He added: "But I would embrace success when it happens. Any level of it. Just fucking get on with it. If the music didn't stand up... but you've only got to listen to (their) tunes. They're unique to themselves. And they've got their own thing and I think it's great. It doesn't sound like anybody else and I like the way that they don't wear shirts and ties and blazers... These kids seem to be pretty much like us. They kind of look like we do."

Morrissey slammed Arctic Monkeys earlier in the week, saying: ""It's happening all too quickly for them. They haven't proved a thing and they haven't had to work very hard - that must make them insecure. It's all a bit unnatural. OK they've sold about 700,000 albums, but it can't be gratifying. They haven't been driving up and down the M1 for fifteen years."

Gallagher however has praised the band's lyrics saying: "I think with the Arctic Monkeys, a lot of it is about the world play. 'Cause they are quite stunning lyrics, to be honest. The thing about the words, it's alright if you understand them."

He continued: "But I'm sure that the Arctic Monkeys couldn't really give a monkey's - whether it translates to people in China or not. They're just doing their thing. And when this kind of thing happens in the first two years, people will dislike the Arctic Monkeys purely for all the hype that surrounds them but that's got nothing' to do with them.

"They're probably as embarrassed by it as people who don't like them, 'They don't fucking deserve it.' They're probably as upset about it as Morrissey is, but there's nothing they can do about it. You've just got to fucking get out there man and ride it out."


© IPC MEDIA 1996-2006

np: Ulrich Schnauss - A Strangely Isolated Place (on CD)

I was not aware of those previous comments by Morrisey---what a fucking prick.

The Gallagher's are the E.F. Hutton of rock--when they talk, I listen. Even if it is for my own amusement.

I like Noel's pragmatism. And I wish I was at that damn show in T.O.

Man, Noel Gallagher has a hugely inflated opinion of himself.

So how is that a "slam" by Moz, other than that the writer says it is? Didn't sound like a slam to me. More like a cautionary avuncular statement.

Whereas I care exactly nothing about Noel and Liam's opinions about anything. Like a lot of their songs, though.

Maybe not a slam, just sour grapes. I mean, I honestly don't know (and dont because at age 11 I hadnt started monitoring British rock mags yet), but werent The Smiths just as hyped in Britain when they came out?

Oasis biggest strength was their B-sides, but they had a magic that no other band at the time had. Thus the reason for their legend but they have been very mediocre since.

The Artic Monkeys, on the other hand, have an outstanding album if you just take the music as is and don’t believe the hype…only years can judge it’s relevance. I, on the other hand, have been loving this album and just laugh as message boards comments.

Yeah but they were 'time served'. Morrissey was in close to his mid twenties when the first Smiths record came out. Rourke and Marr had been in a succession of bands, while Joyce and Morrissey had been involved in the Manchester Punk scene.

I think he is correct. Two or three albums down the line they will be old news due to over exposure. The days of performers (like Morrissey) still having a viable career 20 years later seems very remote for the current generation. There is no time given to musicians to develop.

Was David Bowie's best albums his first two or three? Or The Beatles or Stones or Dylan's?

Yes they were but weren’t as hyped, this is 2006 verses 1984 so. The Smith are one of the most overrated bands of all time, but that does not mean they weren’t great plus Strangeways is really not that good. They just are not all that…the Cure were so much better 17, faith, porno, japanese, top, head on the door, kiss me, and the classic disintegration (but that is the fan boy in me coming out)…

Oh, I totally agree with you bro. In fact, its kind of surprising that this would come from Morrisey and not from Liam or Noel. LOL. I think its just the next in a long line of British rock star one upsmanship that honestly dates back to the Stones who would kill anybody just to get their names in the tabloids.

One of my fav Keef quotes: "I mean, of course we paid a certain lip service to the whole hippie thing, but at least I wasnt kissing the Maharishi's goddamn feet"

Actually there is LESS hype now than back in the day by mainstream outlets.

I agree with you about the Cure, though. I like the Smiths and all but The Cure kicks the crap out of them every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

So we agree on that.

Bee, your hyperventilating knows know boundaries when it comes to "likeable Brit rock."

A magic no other band had? Please. They made a bunch of cool Beatles-Stones-Kinks tunes, reworked through working-class '90s British mindset.

Oasis were hardly original or amazing. Just damn cool, is all.

As long as you continue to make your message board posts a curious mixture of fanboy gushing and dismissive snobbery, you will always be "misunderstood."

But that's okay. It's you.

I love music!

I don’t like Oasis that much, you really do have me misunderstood, it’s the Boo Radleys who have my heart and soul along with... Would you rather me more sedated? That is boring!

The Artic Monkeys are a blend of a bunch of things also but the lyrics are what sets them apart.

I won't disagree with you Strangeways. It isn't that good, but the others are pretty stellar. I do have to hear more actual albums from the Cure. However, based on the singles I've heard from them over the years I'm probably more of a Smiths fan. I genuinely do find the Cure kind of mopey.

As for Moz's comments, I didn't read them as a slam. It was more of a grumpy old man kind of statement. Hard work would make this much more worthwhile as opposed to winning the musical lottery. Which is crap. 'You Just Haven't Earned it Yet, Baby' pretty much sums it up.

Not really. You love certain bands to death and scoff at other ones when there's not a hell of a lot of difference in quality amongst them.

Smiths and Cure are as good as each other. Oasis' later albums DON'T suck, they're just not remarkable. But Morning Glory wasn't the second coming of Christ, either.

Concert Review: Oasis
Air Canada Centre, Toronto - March 20, 2006

Veteran British band teaches the Monkeys a few tricks
By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun


TORONTO - Passing the musical torch didn't quite happen last night at the Air Canada Centre.

But it was, at the very least, interesting to see England's band of the moment -- the Arctic Monkeys -- open for veteran Brit-pop act Oasis at a sold-out gig.

"Don't be shy," said engaging Artic Monkeys lead singer Alex Turner to the couple thousand of early concert-goers who arrived before Oasis took the stage.

Delivering a loud, fast musical assault, Turner -- joined by guitarist Jamie Cook, bassist Andy Nicholson and drummer Matt Helders -- raced through the songs from their debut, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not, plus some new material.

But whenever a song veered from the Warp 7-like proceedings -- like funkier tunes Still Take You Home, Dancing Shoes, Fake Tales Of San Francisco, and A Certain Romance -- it was a welcome reprieve.

Their breakthrough single, I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor, packed a wallop even if Turner, who likes to get in the face of bass player Nicholson when he plays, seemed like he had a train to catch.

Let's put it this way: They played 10 songs in 35 minutes. Hopefully, their sold-out headlining gig at the Phoenix tonight will be a more sustained affair.

Otherwise, Oasis showed how the big boys do it by actually doing very little.

The Gallagher brothers -- singer Liam and guitarist Noel -- were their usual stoic selves.

Liam occasionally would shake his crescent-shaped tambourine, claps his hands or engage in stare-downs with the audience, but that was really as far as his stage moves went.

Noel, meanwhile, nicely got his guitar groove on Bring It On Down, Morning Glory, Cigarettes & Alcohol, Champagne Supernova and Supersonic and took over on lead vocals on The Importance Of Being Idle, The Masterplan, Mucky Fingers and Don't Look Back In Anger.

The band, rounded out by bassist Andy Bell, one-named guitarist Gem, drummer Zak Starkey (son of Ringo and the most animated man on stage) and an occasional pianist/organist, even stuck to the same first seven songs they played at the Molson Amphitheatre last June in support of their well-received latest album, Don't Believe TheTruth.

That included opening the 95-minute concert with the recording of F--kin' In The Bushes from 2000's Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, which manages to generate excitement no matter how often you hear it.

Certainly the crowd couldn't get enough of their beloved Oasis, singing along to Lyla, the early hits Morning Glory, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Acquiesce, and the monster anthems Live Forever, Wonderwall, Champagne Supernova, Supersonic and Don't Look Back In Anger.

The audience even liked the show-ending Who cover My Generation -- Starkey next goes back out on the road with Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend -- which saw Liam pull four young female fans on stage as the song wound down.

Ultimately, Oasis delivered a big-sounding concert on a stripped-down stage, notable mainly for tiny Christmas lights draped over the speakers and larger lights on the stage backdrop.

In the end, it was the songs themselves that were the stars of the night.

The Cure are not a singles band…It is their albums that make them one of the best bands ever but that is just a side note to all of this.

Moz’s comments are just sour grapes, as he could be right but he could be wrong. This band is just starting out and a lot is afforded to them off the bat. This sounds more like a bitter old man more than valid criticism. No telling what the future holds but this album does stack up to the Smith debut, IMHO.

You really don't know me Phil, as I agree with this whole heartly.

*sighs*

Just keep being Bee. I'll go off and check out the snack table or something...

I get an F if you made that statement.

Yes, I love modern bands,l it’s like my heroine in my veins. I feel I’m doing a better job at ILM than I ever have done at this board because of statements like ones in this thread.


I try but somehow keep failing here.

I said a magic like no other band had at the time.

It doesn’t make them great or original but something magical that happened at that moment in time when all the world only knew Nirvana and Pearl Jam…

Huge differance IMO!

Bee, you're fine.

You are very effusive and gushy. I'm just as verbal, but also a caustic yankee who'd probably not wade through a crowd to shake the hand of Jesus because that'd be celebrity gladhandling.

You're not failing at anything. I didn't even know there was a test.

Yeah, cause there were only two bands besides Oasis out at the time.

haha