Liam Gallagher

This article is about the musician and songwriter. For the Shameless character, see Liam Gallagher (Shameless).

Liam Gallagher

William John Paul "Liam" Gallagher (born 21 September 1972) is an English musician and singer-songwriter, the frontman formerly of the 1990s Britpop band Oasis and currently of the band Beady Eye. Gallagher's erratic behaviour, distinctive singing style, and abrasive attitude have been the subject of commentary in the press. He remains one of the most recognisable figures in modern British music.

Although his elder brother Noel Gallagher wrote the majority of Oasis's songs, Liam has penned the singles "Songbird" and "I'm Outta Time", along with a number of album tracks and B-sides.

Since Noel's departure from Oasis in August 2009, Liam has said he will continue making music with ex-Oasis members Gem Archer, Andy Bell, drummer Chris Sharrock and keyboard player Jay Darlington, recording under the bandname Beady Eye. Jeff Wootton, guitarist for the Phase III Gorillaz House Band, will also be a member.

History

Childhood and early years (1972–1990)

Gallagher was born in Burnage, Manchester,and he is a complete arsehole who hates himself and is the third and final child of Irish parents Thomas and Peggy Gallagher, this however doesn't stop him from being a complete and utter 'jeb'end'. Thomas was often violently abusive to his family. Although his older brothers Noel and Paul took the most abuse, Liam has said that the abuse affected him deeply and inspired him to become an artist. When Liam was 10, Peggy took the boys and moved away from Tommy. Although Liam maintained sporadic contact with his father throughout his teens, he says that today their issues remain unresolved.

Paul and Noel often contend that even from a young age, Liam went out of his way to antagonise people, especially Noel, with whom he shared a room. The Gallagher brothers were troubled, especially in their teens. Liam was expelled from school at age 15 for fighting, and would often steal bicycles from local shops.

Noel Gallagher has said that Liam showed little interest in music until his late teens. Liam became confident in his abilities to sing and began listening to bands like The Stone Roses, The Who, The Kinks, The Jam, T.Rex and The Beatles. In the process he forged a life-long obsession with John Lennon; Liam would later claim humorously to be Lennon re-incarnated.

Beginning of career (1991–1999)

When school friend Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan, invited Gallagher to join his band, The Rain, as a vocalist, he agreed. Liam was the band's co-song writer, along with guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs. Noel Gallagher has since openly mocked this writing partnership, describing them as being "just awful"; even Liam admits that "We were shit". The band only rehearsed one day a week and did not get many gigs. It was after one of their rare shows in 1992, that Noel, having recently returned from touring America as a roadie with Inspiral Carpets, saw them perform. Although Noel disliked the band, Liam asked him to join and Noel agreed on the condition that he be the sole songwriter, ending Liam and Bonehead's songwriting partnership. Noel later went on to say "If you think some of my early stuff is bad, you should have heard the stuff that those two were coming out with." It was around this time that Liam pushed for the band name to change to Oasis.

Under Noel's guidance, Oasis acquired a record contract and recorded the album Definitely Maybe, which at the time was the fastest selling British debut album ever. Liam was praised for his vocal contributions to the album, and his presence made Oasis a popular live act. However, his attitude also won him much attention from the British tabloid press who often ran stories concerning his alleged drug use and behaviour.

During their first American tour in 1994, Gallagher took to changing the words of Noel's songs so that they were offensive to both Americans and Noel. A confrontation after the show led to a chair being thrown and a brawl; Noel left the tour. During recording sessions for the second Oasis album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, the brothers had a violent fight involving a cricket bat when Liam invited everyone from a local pub back into the studio while Noel was trying to work. Also in 1995, drummer Tony McCarroll was asked to leave Oasis after an alleged fight with Liam.

(What's the Story) Morning Glory? was even more successful, becoming the third-best selling album in British history. Around this time, Oasis became embroiled in a well documented media-fuelled feud with fellow Britpop band Blur. The differing styles of the bands now leading the Britpop movement — Oasis a working class, northern band and Blur a middle class, southern band — made them natural rivals. On 14 August 1995, Blur and Oasis released new singles on the same day. Blur's "Country House" outsold Morning Glory's second single, "Roll with It", 274,000 copies to 216,000 during the week. When the band mimed the single on Top of the Pops, Liam pretended to play Noel's guitar and Noel pretended to sing.

After a record breaking two night stand at Knebworth, tension mounted between the Gallaghers when Liam backed out on Oasis' MTV Unplugged set minutes before it was due to start. Noel was forced to fill in at the last minute. Liam claimed to have been struck down with a "sore throat" and that he doesn't like performing acoustically, though Noel claims he was hung-over; Noel was further angered when Liam proceeded to heckle him from the balcony while the band performed. Four days later, Noel was again forced to fill in for Liam on the first gig of their American tour when Liam refused to travel to America with the rest of the band, claiming he needed time to buy a house. He was back on stage with Oasis for their next show three days later, but tension between Noel and the rest of Oasis mounted and on 11 September Noel left the tour, causing several media outlets to question the future of the band.

Gallagher married Patsy Kensit on 7 April 1997. However, the marriage got off to a bumpy start due to various incidents reported in the tabloids. Gallagher made headlines after an incident of road rage. He allegedly leaned out of his car window, grabbed a cyclist and threw him off his bike. The cyclist was not injured and Gallagher was given a caution. In January 1998, Lisa Moorish bore Gallagher a daughter, Molly, who was conceived during an affair in Los Angeles only a week after he and Kensit were married. After an incident of air rage (apparently over a scone) on a flight to Australia, Gallagher was banned for life from Cathay Pacific airlines; Gallagher claimed he would "rather walk". During the tour of Australia, Gallagher was arrested and charged with assault after allegedly head-butting a 19-year-old fan, who claimed he was only asking him for a photo. Criminal charges were later dropped although a civil case was pursued leading to Gallagher reportedly settling out of court. Liam later admitted the assault, claiming he was being heckled by the fan.

Oasis' much anticipated third album, Be Here Now, was released on 21 August 1997 and set a new record as the fastest selling album in UK Chart history. The album was dismissed by Noel in later years., but Liam has defended the album, describing it as "a top record".

Patsy Kensit bore Gallagher a son named Lennon Francis in September 1999. The couple divorced a year later.

Final years of Oasis (2000–2009)

Oasis returned in 2000 with Standing on the Shoulder of Giants. Founding members Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs and "Guigsy" McGuigan left during the recording, leaving Liam Gallagher as the only member remaining from The Rain. The album featured their first song written by Liam rather than Noel, "Little James", a childlike melody written for Kensit's son James Kerr. The album, along with the song, received mixed reviews from critics.

While on tour in Barcelona in May 2000, Oasis were forced to cancel a gig when drummer Alan White's arm seized up, and the band spent the night drinking instead. During the night, Liam made a derogatory comment about Noel's then wife, Meg Mathews (apparently questioning the legitimacy of Noel's daughter), leading to a fight. Following this, a press release was put out, declaring that Noel had decided to quit overseas touring with Oasis, and the rest of the band (with guitarist Matt Deighton replacing Noel) played for the remaining Oasis dates.

Liam Gallagher's second son, Gene, was born to Nicole Appleton on 2 July 2001. Liam tried to drag a photographer into a fight outside the hospital. Oasis' next album, Heathen Chemistry (2002), featured three more songs written by him. "Songbird" was an acoustic ballad about his love for Appleton. The song was the fourth single from the album, reaching #3 in the UK charts. On 7 August 2002, Noel, Andy Bell and keyboardist Jay Darlington were injured in a car crash while riding in a taxi in Indianapolis, Indiana. The three members of the band were treated for shock, cuts, and bruises. Noel was riding in the front seat and suffered severe facial bruising and seat belt cuts, and Darlington had his hand cut and bandaged. Liam was not with his bandmates at the time of the accident as he was out drinking with friends. Subsequent tour dates in Boston and New York City were cancelled and never re-scheduled. Later that year, on 1 December, Gallagher broke several of his teeth and sustained injuries to his face after a fight broke out in a Munich bar. He and Alan White were arrested, but were released without charge. Oasis had to pull out of the shows in Munich and Düsseldorf due to Liam's injuries.

In 2004, Gallagher made headlines when it was revealed that he regularly paid £2000 in child support for his son Lennon Francis and daughter Molly. Furthermore, he criticised the father of Lisa Moorish's other child — the Libertines and Babyshambles frontman, Pete Doherty — for his alleged lack of child support. The relationship between the two was put under further strain, because of Doherty's heavy heroin habit and his visits to Moorish under the influence of the drug. The following year saw the release of Oasis' sixth studio album, Don't Believe the Truth, featuring a further three compositions by Gallagher: "Love Like a Bomb" (co-written with rhythm guitarist Gem Archer), "The Meaning of Soul" and "Guess God Thinks I'm Abel".

Gallagher joined the rest of Oasis to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award at the BRIT Awards 2007. As the band picked up the award, he commented on stage, "Seeing as we don't get nominated for this shit no more this'll have to do." Around the same time, it was announced that he was in negotiations with the makers of Channel 4 afternoon quiz Countdown to appear as the weekly celebrity guest in "Dictionary Corner". Co-presenter Carol Vorderman, interviewed by The Daily Sport, said, "Liam loves it and yes, we're in talks about him coming on. I told him I think it will do his cred no end of good."

In April 2007, it was reported that Gallagher had purchased a property in Henley-on-Thames. Gallagher and Appleton were married on 14 February 2008 at Westminster Register Office, the same venue where he married his first wife, actress Patsy Kensit. Also present were Appleton's sister Natalie and her husband, The Prodigy's Liam Howlett. Noel Gallagher and band mates Gem Archer and Andy Bell were not notified until after the ceremony took place. In a recent interview, Liam stated he does not speak much with brother Noel. He also states they "don't really have a relationship". The only time they ever speak is on-stage.

On mid-2009, after the release of their final album Dig Out Your Soul and at the end of the tour of the same name, the band split up due to Noel not being able to work with Liam any more.

Beady Eye (2010–present)

In November 2009, Gallagher announced that he and former Oasis band members had written new material as part of a new project, and could be gigging as early as a couple of months, and stated that "Oasis are done, this is something new". On 19 November 2009, Liam announced that he would be recording an album with Gem Archer, Andy Bell, Chris Sharrock around Christmas time, with a possible release date in July 2010. It is unknown whether guitarist Jeff Wootton recorded for the album as well.

He told MTV: "We've been demo-ing some songs that we've had for a bit. Just doing that, on the quiet, not making a big fuss about it. After Christmas we might go in the studio and record them and hopefully have an album out in July." He later said that the band would "do it in a different kind of way now. I'll try and reconnect with a new band, new songs, and I'm feeling confident about the songs." He was reported to be "feeling a million per cent confident that they could be better than Oasis."

On 16 March 2010, Liam announced that his new band would be releasing their first single in October with an album to follow the next year. On the 9th November 2010 Beady Eye released their first single Bring the Light as a free download The next single from the album, "The Roller", was released in January 2011.

As far as his relationship with brother Noel, Liam has shown a sign of conciliation as he said, when asked who is the best frontman ever, "Noel Gallagher. What makes a good frontman? Behaving yourself, and not jumping around like a bastard." Liam himself was named "The Greatest Frontman of All Time" by Q Magazine in March 2010.

In January 2011, Liam accused Noel of lifting his new album from Oasis sessions they had worked on together.

Public persona

Oasis appeared on the music scene in 1994 and quickly made a public image for themselves. In 2006, it was alleged that Gallagher had a drunken fight with Paul Gascoigne at the Groucho Club which ended with Gallagher setting off a fire extinguisher in Gascoigne's face. Gallagher has made known his distaste for many non-Brits' tastes and conventions (particularly those of Australians and Americans). On an early U.S. tour, Gallagher regularly made derisive remarks about Americans, as well as his brother Noel, which led to an ultimatum from the guitarist who briefly left the band in 1994. When addressing their muted reception in the States (especially by comparison to the UK), Gallagher stated "Americans want grungy people, stabbing themselves in the head on stage. They get a bright bunch like us, with deodorant on, they don't get it."

Gallagher has briefly touched on the topic of religious belief with the statement "I live for now, not for what happens after I die. If I die and there's something afterwards, I'm going to hell, not heaven. I mean, the devil's got all the good gear. What's God got? The Inspiral Carpets and nuns. Fuck that.". However Liam has confessed to going to church, but he claims to not "be looking for guidance". He also claims "some days I don't believe and some days I do believe". Also Liam claims to have had "a conversation with God one night".

On receiving an award at the 2010 BRIT Awards for the best album of the past thirty years, Gallagher swore while he thanked all the former members of Oasis except for his brother. He then threw the award into the audience. The camera cut to presenter, Peter Kay, commenting, "what a knobhead!" As they cut back to the show's host, Liam was clearly heard saying, "Now can we all take loads of Class A drugs..." The following day, Gallagher responded to Peter Kay's comment by posting a message on his Twitter page reading "Listen up fat fuck as a real northerner I was brought up to say shit to people's faces not behind their back. Live forever LG.".

Musical style

Liam's voice has been compared to a blend of John Lennon and John Lydon while Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine dubbed him "the best singer in rock". In 2006, Q magazine voted Gallagher the 11th best singer of all time, citing songs such as "Live Forever", "Lyla", "Don't Go Away", "Slide Away" and "Champagne Supernova" as examples of his best work. His "singing pose" is instantly recognisable, and entails him standing with a bent knee, body bent towards one side, hands either clasped behind his back, down by his side or in rarer occasions in his front pockets, with his neck craning up towards a mic that is set high and angled downwards. Gallagher also ensures that the microphone comes in the closest contact with him between his upper lip and nose, rather than directly in front of the mouth as is the case with most singers. On the Definitely Maybe DVD, Gallagher revealed that the reason he sings with his arms behind his back is because it allows him to project more power through his voice. In very early Oasis shows until about 1994, Gallagher can be seen touching the microphone with one hand, but still employing his usual singing posture with the rest of his body.

Songwriting

Liam's first known dabbles into songwriting came in the early days of Oasis, before Noel Gallagher joined. Liam and Bonehead co-wrote a handful of songs, Liam writing the words and Bonehead writing the music, including "Take Me", with only the former worthy for inclusion, according to Noel, though Liam refused. Liam co-wrote the song "Love Me and Leave Me" with former Stone Roses guitarist and songwriter John Squire for The Seahorses' debut album Do It Yourself (1997).

The first Liam-written song to appear on an Oasis record was "Little James" on Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000). Liam wrote three songs on Heathen Chemistry (2002) — "Born on a Different Cloud", "Better Man" and "Songbird", the first Liam-penned Oasis single as well as being the only song by Liam to be included on the Oasis compilation album, Stop the Clocks. Don't Believe the Truth (2005) features a further three of Liam's songs — "The Meaning of Soul", "Love Like a Bomb" (co-written with Gem Archer, Oasis' rhythm guitarist) and "Guess God Thinks I'm Abel". Another Liam song is the acoustic ballad "Won't Let You Down", which appeared on the single "Lyla". Liam also wrote "Pass Me Down The Wine", the b-side of the single "The Importance of Being Idle".

Liam contributed 5 songs to Oasis' 2008 release, Dig Out Your Soul, three of which, "I'm Outta Time", "Ain't Got Nothin'" and "Soldier On" are included on the album. Two others - "Boy with The Blues" and "I Believe In All" - were included as extra tracks on the deluxe box set version of the album. Four of his songs were included on the band's setlist for their Dig Out Your Soul 2008/2009 World Tour ("I'm Outta Time", "Ain't Got Nothin", "Songbird" and "The Meaning of Soul").

Other projects

On 7 May 2010, it was confirmed that Liam's production company, In 1 Productions, are developing and producing a feature film about The Beatles' Apple Corps, adapted from the book by Richard DiLello, The Longest Cocktail Party.
Liam is also the owner of the clothing range Pretty Green, named after a song by The Jam.