Liam Gallagher On Beady Eye And More

His estranged brother, Noel Gallagher, recently breezed through San Francisco with his new post-Oasis outfit High Flying Birds. Now, it’s Liam Gallagher’s turn, as the irascible Mancunian debuts his own combo Beady Eye, featuring his ex-Oasis cohorts Andy Bell, Gem Archer and Chris Sharrock (a 2009 backstage fight split the siblings — and the band — and the Gallaghers haven’t conversed since). But Liam is chugging full-speed ahead. Beady Eye already has enough material written for a follow-up to its chiming, decidedly John Lennon-ish debut, “Different Gear, Still Speeding.” He also runs a popular clothing company called Pretty Green.

Why the name Beady Eye, Liam? Well, we tried a few names, but they’d all been taken. We thought about Monkey Eyes, Cat’s Eyes. But I don’t know — you’ve got to call yourself something, right? And that was the one that everyone was buzzing about. It means being aware of things. Keeping an eye on things, and not letting things get out of your hands.

You’re in a “different gear,” you say. Have you actually slowed down, gotten more spiritual? A little bit. But not musically, though. Musically, we’re on fire, man. Musically, we’re picking up the pace and we’re f------ buzzing, man! But as a person? Yeah, I’ve slowed down a little bit, but not too much. But you’ve got to take whatever’s in front of you and you’ve got to go for it, haven’t you? You’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do. We certainly didn’t plan it — this is what happened: Oasis split up. And I think there could have been more Oasis records, but it wasn’t meant to be.

Why carry on as a group instead of going solo? Well, if anything, I couldn’t have done a solo record — it’s not in my nature. And I can’t even f------ play an instrument. I’m not a solo guy, so I wouldn’t do it even if I could. I need to be in a band. I need a bevy of people around, do you know what I mean? I enjoy being in a band.

You haven’t talked to your brother since the fight? Nah. I haven’t spoken to him. We’ve got nothing to say to each other.

Beady Eye has a song called “Beatles and Stones.” Why do you have to pick one over the other? That’s why it’s called “Beatles and Stones”! I wrote it, but it’s more about wanting to stand the test of time, with anything that you put down. I want our music to still sound great in 20 or 30 years’ time.

Source: www.sfexaminer.com