Liam Gallagher is back with a new album (but the sibling grudge remains)
Liam Gallagher is one half of the greatest sibling sledgefest in rock history — now he’s also got new music to share as he claims to be “less erratic”.
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When the greatest sibling sledgefest in rock history reignites across social media, you know new music from the Gallagher brothers is imminent.
This time, as World War Gallagher flares up again, it precedes this week’s release of Liam’s second solo album, followed by Noel’s latest EP with his High Flying Birds on September 27.
With the postmodern mantra title of Why Me? Why Not, Liam’s record arrives two years after his debut effort As You Were, which landed at No. 1 in his native UK and in the top 10 in Australia.
Liam’s solo career wasn’t a sure bet after Oasis disbanded in 2009. He immediately launched the band Beady Eye and after two not-as-good-as-Oasis records, pulled the plug.
The Britrock superstar still loved music; he just wasn’t so sure the music-loving public was interested in hearing his new stuff.
“It wasn’t about the music; I have never, ever lacked confidence or my ability to get on stage and spit them songs out,” he says.
“It was just thinking if people had enough of me … a 46-year-old stood there in a parka, and I’m never going to change my thing whether or not it gets me on the radio with the kids,
“If it doesn’t work, I will apply for a job in McDonalds; I know the menu pretty well.”
Gallagher suggests the songs of Why Me? Why Not reflect the “two sides of the coin” of his nature. He admits there is a “lot of anger” in some of the album tracks while others reflect “a lot of love and passion.”
Its first two singles exemplify the album’s duality. Shockwave is an edgy rock blast while is a sweeter, acoustically-driven pop song.
Liam spits out a very quick “No!” when cheekily asked if One of Us could be a kiss and make-up again love letter to brother Noel.
“I don’t need to write love letters to him; it’s about me and my brother Paul. Noel is still my brother; he’s hanging on there by the skin of his teeth,” he says.
“Shockwave is more about him; it’s more dark. ‘The lyrics start off ‘You sold me right up the river/You had to hold me back’.”
Yep, definitely not a love letter. But family does loom large on the record and Liam says he is in a “happier place” as a result.
Rumours abound he became engaged to girlfriend Debbie Gwyther on their recent holiday in Italy and he has finally connected with his 19-year-old daughter Molly Moorish.
While he was aware of his love child with singer Lisa Moorish — the pair had an affair when he was married to British actor Patsy Kensit — the pair did not meet until last year.
He wrote the album’s Now That I’ve Found You for Molly.
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The rocker with a reputation for looking for trouble and finding it now claims to be “less erratic” and preferring a night on the couch watching Love Island with his “missus”.
“I’m in a happier place. I am in love with my Missus, I got my daughter back in my life, got my boys always around, I’ve got a bit more stability and I don’t go out as much.
“I have done my time for rock’n’roll and having a crack and all of that.
“I probably have 20 years left on this earth if I am lucky, 30 maybe and I want it to be nice and chilled and not chaotic.”
Followers of the lives and good times of the Gallagher brothers have every right to scoff at such ridiculous claims of mellowing out.
Although he may pass the torch to his sons Lennon and Gene who are both dabbling with music.
Teenager Gene, whose mother is All Saints singer Nicole Appleton and Liam describes as sounding “more like Arctic Monkeys” than Lennon’s “weird psychedelic road”, played bongos on one track of his father’s new record.
“He was in the studio looking at girls on his phone like you do. I know Gene is good at the drums so I asked him if he was up for playing the bongos,” Liam explains.
“He was very blase about the whole thing; I thought he would be more impressed about the situation and say something like ‘No, Dad, I couldn’t possibly play on one of your records..’. Instead he did it and put his headphones back on. He didn’t even ring his mates.”
And he probably won’t be hitting his father up for a pair of his designer Adidas trainers, launched last month in the lead-up to the new record.
Liam remains peeved Noel beat him to the limited edition shoe game.
“Noel kissed a lot of arse and got his first. Noel’s trainers look like orthopaedic granny shoes,” he quips.
There was a time over the past decade when publicists cautioned those interviewing either of the Gallagher brothers not to mention the other.
That advice was always greeted with a hearty guffaw because you can be guaranteed the brothers will have a go at each other within the first five minutes of any interview.
And while their sibling rivalry may have a whiff of the predictable about it now, it just wouldn’t be rock’n’roll if the Gallaghers were ever to reconcile and reunite Oasis.
“Oasis isn’t happening,” Liam says. “By far the most exciting thing is we are still at each other’s throats. Everything else is pretty boring.”
Liam Gallagher will perform at the Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane on December 6, Fairgrounds Festival, Berry on December 7, Enmore Theatre, Sydney on December 9, Margaret Court Arena on December 11, Bird in Hand, Adelaide on December 14 and Fremantle Arts Centre on December 17 and 18.