Gem: Oasis Can Go On Until Their 90's

Oasis could outdo the Rolling Stones and continue to rock into their nineties.
While Mick Jagger and Co are still going strong in their sixties, Gem Archer of Oasis reckons his band could keeping going longer because Liam Gallagher doesn't move on stage.

The 41-year old guitarist laughed: "Liam invented Stillism. There's no jogging around on stage like Mick Jagger in this band, so we could be doing that until we're 90."

Once the wild boys of Britpop, Oasis have quietened down, with Liam telling of his love for cooking salmon, jogging and early nights.

Gem admitted all the band were into fitness, but was keen to emphasise: "We're not like Sting or anything. "I was one of those guys who could eat rubbish all day and didn't know what hangovers were. "But I don't want to be 50 and doubled up.

"If we're going to put ourselves in line with The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Kinks, The Who and Led Zeppelin, we can't let the side down."

Liam, big brother Noel, Gem and bass player Andy Bell release new single The Shock Of The Lightning this week and seventh studio album, Dig Out Your Soul, on Monday.

Despite their new quiet lifestyles, Oasis have been making headlines. Noel is still nursing three broken ribs after being knocked over on stage by a fan in Toronto. Their UK tour includes four sold-out Scots dates - Aberdeen Exhibition Centre on November 1 and 2 and Glasgow SECC on the 4 and 5 - and Noel will play through the pain.

Dig Out Your Soul is a massive return to form for a band who failed to match the initial success of their first two albums.

Alan McGee, who discovered Oasis at Glasgow's King Tut's, claims it is as good as other rock legends' seventh albums, The Beatles' Revolver and the Stones' Beggar's Banquet.

Gem said: "The cliche is that bands can't wait to get away from their music once it's recorded, but I nearly listened to it again last night.

"In the past, if you'd been out with Liam and ended up back at his after the pub shut, he'd play you the new album 15 times. But this time around, you might get it 30 times. That says it all."
It's Gem's third album as a member of Oasis. He and ex-Ride guitarist Andy joined in 1999 after the departure of Paul Arthurs and Paul McGuigan. While Noel has always been chief songwriter, this album has three songs by Liam, one by Gem and one by Andy.

Durham-born Gem's tune, To Be Where There's Life, began as a jam with his 12-year-old son.
Considering Noel's track record includes Live Forever, Wonderwall and Acquiesce, competing with him for space on an album can't be easy.

But Gem, real name Colin, says he thrives on the competition and thinks it's healthy for the band.
"The very fact Noel is even asking what songs I've got is incredible," said Gem, "even though he's the guy who wrote three songs just while we were in Abbey Road.

"That's a bit galling, but come on, it's Noel. Everyone can fluke one good song, but he's written a lot of very, very good songs."

The highlight of the album is Falling Down and Gem said: "It was one of the ones Noel demo'd by himself in Abbey Road, the night before we recorded it properly.

"Not only is it one of the best songs he's written, but the production is mega."

It all bodes well for the band's first British tour since 2006 which kicks off in Liverpool on Tuesday. Gem said: "I love playing live, but we're playing in Britain, indoors, to the perfect number of people for it still to be intimate. It's going to be insane."

Source: www.dailyrecord.co.uk