Noel has been struggling with a cold recently so Meg had been plying him with fish suppers to cheer him up.

But Noel, 31, is going to have watch his weight judging from this snap or he'll have more chins than a Hong Kong phone directory.

Less Cigarettes And Alcohol - or he'll make hefty brother Paul look the picture of health.
-from The Daily Mirror

December 8th 98
NOEL MAKES HIS COMIC DEBUT TO HELP FIGHT AIDS
In a night of unusual performances, Oasis' Noel Gallagher, the comparatively quiet brother, made his comedy debut in a sketch on a live TV show, which also featured the four-piece All Saints performing as a trio as singer Melanie Blatt recovered from the birth of her daughter.

Gallagher, apparently healthy again after a chest infection caused him to cancel his appearance at an Irish TV tribute to the victims of the Omagh bombing 10 days ago (see "Irish Tribute To Omagh Aired"), took part in a routine that saw him being "interviewed" by a well known British comedian. The pair were appearing on a fundraising TV special called "Live From The Lighthouse" benefiting people with AIDS.

Gallagher's participation at the event was under scrutiny, given a 1995 outburst that saw the Oasis leader cause ripples by telling the media that he wished Blur singer Damon Albarn would die from AIDS. The two bands have had a longstanding rivalry.

Meanwhile Epic Records is denying reports that a home video featuring a compilation of all the Oasis videos will be released in the States this year. The company says nothing is planned.

Fans will have to be content with "The Masterplan," the band's recently released B-Sides CD (see "Oasis Culls B-Sides For 'Masterplan'"). A video has been released for the single from that album, "Aquiesce," which features live footage from the band's December 14, 1997 hometown appearance in Manchester, England, as well as shots of the band backstage.
-from MTV News

December 5th 98
NOEL RAMBLES ON
Noel Gallagher hints in the upcoming issue of Britain's MOJO magazine that the next Oasis album might betray heavy traces of his new enthusiasm for Led Zeppelin. Noel has recently completed his remix of "The Knock (Drums of Death, Pt. 2)," Beastie Boy Mike D's track on the UNKLE album, basing it around a sample from "Bonzo's Montreaux," the drum-heavy track from Led Zeppelin's Coda album. (The remix will be issued as a single early in the New Year.) "I'm totally into Led Zep now," admits Noel. "Actually, I bought a double-necked SG [guitar] the other day. Jimmy Page looked really cool with it. I took it home and looked like a complete fucking arse. I had to send it back to the shop." Noel says that work on the next Oasis album -- not due until the end of 1999 -- has so far amounted to selecting eight of his own songs and one of Liam's "which is actually really nice." He intends to employ a new producer. "Hopefully [they] will make it sound like it was recorded in 1999, and not 1969. Again, it could all go arse over tit and end up sounding like Exile On Main Street." Noel reckons recording will start once the March-scheduled court case involving former Oasis drummer Tony McCarroll has been settled. McCarroll was fired in '95, prior to the release of Oasis' breakthrough second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?; the skinsman claims he had a five-album contract and is seeking twenty percent of the band's earnings.

December 5th 98
NOEL ON "YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO BECOMING A ROCK STAR"
This is from the Whatever mailing list:
Hehe, okay so Noel was on for all of about 30 seconds, but it was worth the wait (IMO), but then again, I am a bit obsessive. I thought it was a generally hysterical episode all round, anyway. For anyone who doesn't live in the UK, and didn't get a chance to see it, this is the basic gist of what happened with Noel:

Lead singer of the band featured in the program is at the band's first celebrity party type thing. He's looking bored, and he sits down in a corner of the room, and picks up this guitar he sees. He begins trying to strum an Oasis track. Then a voice from behind him says "It starts with A minor", to which he replies "No it's not, it's G". The camera then pans up, and you see that the voice is Noel Gallagher. Noel then says "Well I should know, I wrote it". Jez (the lead singer) then looks up, and realises who he's talking to. Noel then adds "and that's my guitar" with that kind of cool, amused look on his face. Jez gets all shaken, and goes "Jesus, I'm... I'm sorry Mr Gallagher" and Noel replies "That's all right mate, no problem" still with that amused look, as he takes his guitar back. Then there's a big bang from over the other side of the room, and you hear a woman yell "Stop it Liam!". Noel goes "Look's like our kid's in. See ya in a bit", and turns and walks off. Jez just looks back, kind of star struck, and then the narrator cuts in (which is Jez's voice) "Sometimes, well, life just feels like it can'ne get any better", and he looks at the plectrum he's holding in his hand, obviously Noel's. And then it ends.

November 22nd 98
NOEL CARES ABOUT HIS FANS
This is a message that was posted on the Whatever mailing list:
Last Night, there was a program on here in Ireland, called "The Late Late Show", it is a chat show, but this week was based on the victims of the Omagh bomb (which happend less than 20 miles from where I live). On it there was a lot of music, with U2 doing some brilliant songs and also the Corrs [ahhh, dont they look nice :-)

Anyways, one girl, who was blinded by the bomb and is a friend of my sister plays the piano, incidentally, she has already gotten a scholarship for music at an American University. The presenter told her that Noel Gallagher wanted to be here to meet her and to perform with U2, but he is ill (I never heard that before, by the way). But instead he sent her a tape. It is a demo of 'She's Electric' and was recorded five years ago and has never been heard by anyone, but the band themselves. He had also written on the cover that he was sorry he could be there, and he signed it. My sister asked me if I would like her to ask her friend for a copy of the tape. I would really love it.

That is not all, I was actually very shocked and surprised when they gave her, her next gift. Noel said that it was only to be given to her on the condition she continued to learn the piano and practise her music. Then the presented her with a frame, which contained Noel's Gold disc for sales of "Be Here Now". It had been hanging on Noel's wall only the day before and was sent over to Ireland to be given to her. Noel had also told them to remove the glass, so that she could fell the disc.

Now that does not sound to me like a person who doesnt care a s**t for his fans, as has been claimed by come people.

November 20th 98
NOEL UNABLE TO MAKE BENEFIT APPEARANCE
Unfortunately Noel is unable to perform at the Late Late Show in aid of the Omargh bombing victims because he has developed a chest infection and is unable to sing.

Noel is very very sorry to have missed this event but has donated one of his 'Be Here Now" gold discs and a demo recording of himself signing "She's Electric" in November 1993, before Oasis had a record deal, to a talented teenage pianist, called Clare Gallagher, who was tragically blinded in the bomb.
-from oasisinet.com

November 11th 98
NOEL: LIAM'S ARREST WAS A SET UP
Noel Gallagher has spoken for the first time about Liam's arrest last week, claiming his brother was the victim of a set-up. The charges against Liam have been dropped after a fracas with a photographer at a pub close to Creation Records' London office. Noel told The Net the photographer had been stalking Liam for quite a long time: "He's 26, right, he's gone through a bit of shit in his personal life, he's just having a drink with his mates. The geezer in question has been stalking him for 2 years and that's basically what it boils down to...because of something that happened 2 years ago that we won't go into". Noel says Liam wasn't bothered about the arrest: "The geezer's got rhino-skin. You find out that he got nicked last night and you're like "are you alright?" and he's like Ha, ha. I'm ROCKIN' mate! When are we going back in the studio? Nothing will break that boy. There's only one man that could break that boy and that's me". And he added that he feels protective towards his younger brother: "There's nothing that would take the smile off that lad's face, nothing that would break his heart. He's the coolest man in rock. I sort of take it a bit too seriously because he's my brother. He's our kid and I wanna protect him". Noel was speaking at Paul Weller's rare, intimate show at the BBC Theatre last night (Mon). The Modfather performed hits including Wild Wood, Changing Man and his latest single, Brand New Start in an hour-long set in front of a specially invited audience. Paul's just negotiated a new record deal with Independiente, which is run by the same people who used to be involved with his old label, Go Discs. In the interim he's been with Island Records who he doesn't rate too highly: "I hate Island. I don't think they like me very much neither. It gets harder and harder to sort of tow the line the older I get as well. It's always difficult and you always have to make certain compromises but there's just some I won't do". And he told The Net fans can expect a new album on the new label next year: "We're either talking about May or September next year and we start recording it in January. We've got about 11 songs so far so I need to write a few more". He says the material he has already written is quite varied and the aim is to come up with something new: "It's time for us to move on sort of sound-wise as well. It'll just be, you know, what I'm good at, songs, but hopefully something a bit different again".

November 10th 98
KATE MOSS TELLS LIAM AND NOEL TO FIND NEW PLAYMATE
The Mirror quoted a Moss source as denying Kate had been taking drugs but said she had "hit the bottle a bit." Moss, who's gaunt look contributed to the much-criticized "heroin chic" fashion, had been spending a lot of time lately with Liam and Noel Gallagher, the bad-boy stars of the band Oasis. "Liam and Noel may have to find a new playmate," the Moss source said. She has denied ever taking heroin.

November 6th 98
NOEL JOINS GOLDIE ONSTAGE
Goldie's UK tour stops in London tonight where Noel Gallagher will appear with him on stage. The two will perform their track "Temper Temper", the Goldie single they collaborated on last year.
-from oasisinet.com

November 6th 98
NOEL TO TAKE PART IN IRELAND BENEFIT
Noel Gallagher has been asked to appear on The Late Late Show in Ireland by The Corrs who are organizing a special TV benefit for the victims of the Omargh bombing. Noel has said he will appear in the show to be broadcast on November 20th.
-from oasisinet.com

November 5th 98
NOEL: "YOU ARE GOING TO SEND MY BROTHER INSANE."
OASIS singer Liam Gallagher was arrested last night after 24 hours of hell-raising ended in a pub fracas. Photographer Mel Bouzad said Liam, 26, punched him in the stomach then watched as his camera was smashed. "Liam was like a wildman," said Bouzad. c He was arrested at the bar of the Pembroke Castle, in Primrose Hill, north London, "tanked up" on Pils lager. Liam - who had told actress wife Patsy Kensit he would cut down his drinking - was led away in handcuffs.

After an all-night party, he had continued boozing and was earlier stopped by police near his £1.5million home. He was later released on police bail.

THE photographer involved in a pub fracas with Liam Gallagher said last night: "He was like a wild man."

Liam clashed with Mel Bouzad after a 24-hour binge in which at one point he broke down and wept. Bouzad met up with the Oasis singer at the Pembroke Castle in north London - Liam's teatime port of call after a session that had started with an all-night party.

The cameraman said Liam pushed him against a car, before landing a blow to his stomach.

Liam's henchmen tried in vain to rip the film from Bouzad's camera, then smashed the lens.

Fellow photographer Steve Butler told how Liam's brother Noel poked him in the face and threatened a "glassing" attack.

Butler said Noel told him: "You are going to send my brother insane."

Liam and his pals had downed drinks at two other pubs before arriving at the Pembroke - the "local" for Oasis record company Creation.

They realised they had been spotted by a photographer. After going inside Liam and co. turned on their heels, marched straight out and made for Bouzad.

Last night Bouzad said: "Gallagher hit me in the stomach and it really hurt. Then they tried to get the film out of my camera. They couldn't do it, so they smashed the lens.

"I wasn't breaking any law. I certainly didn't provoke them - Liam was like a wildman." Fellow snapper Butler, 33, said: "I couldn't believe what happened. It was ridiculous and outrageous.

"Mel's only a tiny guy and Liam just went for him, with his mates joining in. All Mel did was take a few photographs of him. Liam went berserk.

"He pushed him against a car quite violently, grabbed hold of him and a scuffle broke out. Mel didn't retaliate. I don't think he knew what had hit him."

Butler told how brother Noel, 31, came from nowhere.

He said: "I was going to go back to my car, but some of the Gallaghers' mates had surrounded it. Anyone with a camera would have been a dead man. Noel came up to me and stared me straight in the face. He called me a f***ing w****r.

"He prodded me in the chest and then poked me in the face. I just stood there and took it.

"Noel told me that if there was no one around, 'I'd do you right now, I'd glass you.you are going to send my brother insane'. He wasn't messing around, I knew he meant it."

Liam and his friends then went back inside the Pembroke, where he was arrested 15 minutes later and taken by van to Camden police station.

Butler, who had been attending a nearby Sean Bean press call, said: "I don't October 29th 98
MEG ON TV?
Wonder if Noel Gallagher's wife Meg Matthews will extract such venom from the celebrities she interviews for Channel 4's morning show "The Big Breakfast"? Provided, of course, that the News Of The World's story claiming that C4 have approached Meg for the job is true. "A pal" reportedly claimed that Meg is keen to build a showbiz career for herself, and allegedly added: "'The Big Breakfast' made the approach and she is giving it serious consideration. She's looking great and is witty with a lively personality that will come over well on screen."

October 28th 98
NEW ALBUM SOON?
Oasis have secretly gone back to work - and Noel Gallagher may have to withdraw his earlier assertion that the band would release no new material before the millennium. Speaking to Radio 1 at the Rock The Dock concert at London's Sound Republic on October 16, Noel revealed that the band had been in the studio for some time without being caught by tabloid photographers or journalists. "We didn't have one person from the press sticking his arse through the letterbox and trying to take photos of us," Noel said proudly. "We've finished nine tracks, and Liam's got two, so that's 11. These are demos, not finished recordings, by the way. I've got another 20 songs left to demo." "We were going to take a year off. I think it's nine months now. Everyone's getting seriously, seriously bored. I would say early next year we'll start putting them down. Either late next year or early the year after would be a single, I suppose. Hopefully, we could get it out by late next year, maybe autumn time or something like that." Dismissing speculation that Oasis will make their return with a more dance-flavoured album, Noel said that the basis of the band was still guitars and songs. Referring to Liam's contributions so far, he added: He's done three. One of them's shit, two of them are really good. We'll probably get the other three wanting to write some songs, but their surnames aren't Gallagher, is it, so they don't count." A band spokesman said: "They've been in the studio tinkering around. Noel likes to keep busy, he's always writing songs. He's very prolific."

October 27th 98
NOEL'S ADVICE ON BECOMING A ROCK STAR
If there's anyone who knows everything about rock and roll excess, it's Oasis' Noel Gallagher, which is precisely the reason he will be passing on that wisdom to fans in an upcoming English television show.

Gallagher will play himself on an upcoming series on U.K.'s Channel Four called The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star, according to the band's official Web site. It's a safe bet that Gallagher is a resident expert on things like boozing on tour, trashing hotel rooms, arrogantly running at the mouth, and generally wreaking havoc wherever he goes. The show should run sometime by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Gallagher has recently mixed "The Knock (Drums of Death Part 2)" from U.N.K.L.E.'s album Psyence Fiction but it is unknown at press time in what capacity, if any, the song will be released. The song was written by Beastie Boy Mike D., who also provides vocals on the track.

October 26th 98
NOEL BORED WITH DRUGS
Oasis star and self-confessed drug user noel Gallagher has revealed he is now "bored" with drugs.

"I've calmed down now, I've kicked it on the head. It got too much and it's too boring for me now. But last year and the year before it was mental."

Noel, 31, sparked a storm of outrage last year when he told an interviewer that taking drugs was "just like having a cup of tea" for many young people.

October 26th 98
NOEL FACES THE TRUTH
Noel Gallagher has told NME that the version of 'I Am The Walrus', originally on the b-side of 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' and now included on the compilation 'The Masterplan', was not recorded at Glasgow Cathouse as the subtitle says.

"I'll tell you what happened with this, and nobody knows this story," Noel told NME's Keith Cameron in an exclusive interview. "We went up to do the Gleneagles Sony Seminar. It's one of them shit things where all the twats in suits get together and they roll on the new signings. So we were doing the soundcheck, and we did 'I Am The Walrus'. There was no-one there, it was empty. So that song was actually recorded at a soundcheck in Gleneagles, right? And I'm going to get in trouble for saying this, but the crowd noise was taken from a Faces bootleg album! Because it would look shit if you put 'Live At Sony Seminar In Gleneagles'! We had a version of it from the Cathouse in Glasgow, which sounded quite similar but it was fucking rubbish. So we thought, 'Fuck it, no-one'll fucking know'. But I always meant to set the record straight one day. Sorry to anyone who bought it on the premise of being at that gig. It was an absolutely empty hall."

As well as talking through all the tracks on 'The Masterplan', Noel also talks about his castle in Spain ("You may have read about it in The Sun," the owner smiles, "but I can assure you it's not a castle. It's just a house.") paid for with the royalties from Rod Stewart's cover of 'Cigarettes & Alcohol', how Liam thought that 'Acquiesce' was a new car by Volkswagen and the strange fans who turn up outside his house every day.
-from NME.com

October 21st
NOEL GETTING RESTLESS? (read last paragraph)
Noel Gallagher put in a surprise appearance at a new venue launch that benefited British dock workers in London Friday night, and filled the press in on the new Oasis album currently under construction.

Gallagher played an acoustic set of Oasis hits, then later in the evening joined The Who's Pete Townsend and Ocean Colour Scene guitarist Steve Cradock for a 10-minute version of The Who's "Magic Bus." Other artists on the bill included Ocean Colour Scene and the Boo Radleys. Guests in the audience included Prodigy's Leeroy Thornhill, Kate Moss, Bob Geldof and Noel's Oasis- mate and brother Liam, sans his currently estranged wife, Patsy Kensit.

The show was part of a week of festivities celebrating the city's new Sound Republic music hall in Leicester Square. Puff Daddy opened the venue last Thursday.

While he was at it, Gallagher gave Radio One's The Net the full scoop on the band's next album. Noel told the service that he had been writing and recording at a studio outside London. He revealed that nine songs had already been demoed but they still had another 20 to go.

He added that although the band had originally planned to take a year off, they have been "seriously bored" and would likely cut their vacation time down to nine months, and hope to have the album out next fall.
-from MTV.com

October 21st
NOEL ON A COMEDY SHOW
Oasis star Noel Gallagher flew into Scotland yesterday to appear in a TV comedy series - as himself. Noel, 31, will appear in a new Channel 4 six-part series called 'Young Persons Guide To Being A Rock Star'.

The comedy highlights a struggling rock band - Jock Wahey - and their bid to topple big name rivals Bonk Bonk Bonk as the nations favourites.

Last night Noel exclusively told the Record: "I play myself and I've already been given a script so I will have to learn some lines. I got the script this morning but I've no idea whether it's a realistic portrayal because I haven't had a chance to read it yet".

Noel, who arrived at Glasgow airport with co-star Keith Allen, added: "I'm doing Young Persons Guide as a favour to Keith".

He will star alongside several well-known Scottish stars, including ex-STV presenter Ewan McLeod. Pink Floyd bassist Guy Pratt also plays a part and Nicola Stapleton, ex Eastender Mandy, teams up with Thieftakers star Simone Lahbib as female band members McMenamin.

The series, which has been written by Brian Elsley - the man behind BBC Scotland smash The Crow Road - is expected to provide a massive boost to Channel 4's ratings. A Channel 4 insider revealed: "It's a real scoop to get someone like Noel Gallagher for any TV drama, so everybody is pretty excited.

Filming takes place in Scotland today and the serial is due to be screened in November. But Noel says he isn't ready to quit the recording studio yet. He said: "I think every songwriter wants to do a solo record. And it would be nice to do it in a stress-free environment without Liam running around with ten cans of Guinness and a bottle of Jack Daniels".

October 19th
NOEL JOINS PETE TOWNSHEND ON STAGE
NOEL GALLAGHER joined PETE TOWNSHEND on stage on Friday night (October 16) in a Rock The Dock benefit at London's new Leicester Square music venue Sound Republic. Joined by Ocean Colour Scene guitarist Steve Cradock, the pair played The Who track 'Magic Bus'.

The benefit was part of an ongoing campaign by high-profile musicians to raise money for some of the sacked Liverpool dock workers. Some of the dockers - who went on strike three years ago when they refused to cross a picket line - missed out on redundancy payments when the industrial dispute was settled at the beginning of the year.

Earlier, Gallagher had played a solo set of his own, playing 'Stand By Me', 'Wonderwall', 'Talk Tonight', 'Live Forever' and The Beatles' track 'Help'.