Noel Gallagher Quits, Oasis Breaks Up
Backstage Altercation Between Liam and Noel Gallagher Ruins Oasis
Aug 29, 2009
After years of infighting and public bickering, brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher have ended their musical relationship. Only minutes before taking the stage yesterday at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris, a fight broke out between them.
Onlooker and fellow performer Amy Macdonald recounted the scene on her Twitter page, stating: “Oasis cancelled again with one minute to stage time! Liam smashed Noel’s guitar, huuuge [sic] fight!”
Oasis’ Rock en Seine Crowd Left Stunned
Organizers told the waiting crowd of over 30,000 ticketholders that the Gallagher brothers had a fight backstage, stating: “The group no longer exists. They will not play tonight and they are cancelling the rest of their European tour.”
Reportedly, the stunned crowd took the announcement as a joke until stage-side screens showed the message, “As a result of an altercation within the band, the Oasis gig has been cancelled.”
Noel Gallagher Publicly Announces the Oasis Breakup
In a short statement on the band’s MySpace page, Noel states: “It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer. Apologies to all the people who bought tickets for the shows in Paris, Konstanz, and Milan.”
In addition to the cancelled Paris show, Oasis had been scheduled to perform at the Rock Am See Festival in Konstanz, and the I-Days Festival in Milan on Aug. 29 and 30.
Oasis’ Stormy History
Since forming Oasis in 1991, the Gallagher brothers have had a tumultuous working relationship. In 2000 Noel cancelled another Paris performance, temporarily stalling the band’s world tour.
Last weekend, the band cancelled a show at the V Festival in Chelmsford, England. Organizers cited the reason for the cancellation as Liam having lost his voice due to laryngitis.
Earlier this month, Liam told reporters that the brothers were no longer on speaking terms, and only saw each other on stage. As recently as early this week, in fact, Liam dodged rumors of the band’s demise.
Liam Gallagher Refutes Breakup Rumors
Prior to yesterday’s altercation in Paris, Liam recently refuted rumors of a breakup via the band’s MySpace page, stating, “As many of you may be aware, Liam took to his private Twitter page yesterday [Aug. 24, 2009] to apologize for Oasis not being able to play at Sunday’s V Festival and quash tabloid trash about it being the last ever Oasis U.K. gig.”
Liam continues: “V Festival was always scheduled as the last U.K. gig for this Dig Out Your Soul World Tour. Oasis will complete the rest of the world tour in Europe and then take some well-earned time off before they begin to think about the next album and tour.”
Oasis has sold over 50 million records since forming in 1991. The band won critical acclaim for its 1995 release (What’s the Story) Morning Glory, and has been called the “modern day Beatles.” Oasis is considered to have been instrumental in creating the Britpop movement.
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