Oasis singer Liam Gallagher suing his brother (AP)

LONDON – One of music's most famous family feuds is headed for the courts.

Oasis singer Liam Gallagher said Friday he is suing his estranged brother and former bandmate, Noel, for saying his hangover forced the rumbustious Brit rockers to cancel a concert.

Bad blood between the brothers has made headlines ever since Oasis burst to fame in 1994 with debut album "Definitely Maybe."

When Noel left the band in 2009 he said it was because he couldn't work "a day longer" with his brother.

Liam is disputing comments Noel made last month alleging that Liam pulled out of the 2009 V Festival due to a hangover.

Liam said in a statement he wants an apology and for Oasis fans "to know the truth" about what happened — laryngitis prevented him from performing the gig.

He also took issue with his brother's claim that "the demise of Oasis followed a massive row in which he claimed I demanded to advertise my clothing range Pretty Green in the Oasis tour program."

"The truth is there was no such discussion or row between us. There are many reasons why Oasis split. But it had nothing to do with my clothing range."

"This is not about money," he added. "All I want is a full apology from Noel."

Liam Gallagher's spokesman confirmed the singer had issued a writ at the High Court in London against his brother.

Representatives of Noel Gallagher declined to comment.

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Oasis band brothers take slanging match to court

Former Oasis front man Liam Gallagher answers a question during a news conference in Moscow June 3, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Alexander Natruskin

By Mike Collett-White

LONDON | Fri Aug 19, 2011 6:33am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - The Gallagher brothers, who stormed British pop in the 1990s when they were together in rock band Oasis, have taken their increasingly bitter war of words to court.

Younger sibling Liam, former lead singer of the group who now fronts Beady Eye, issued a statement on Friday confirming he was suing songwriter and guitarist Noel for comments he made over why the band broke up in 2009.

Noel, 44, who made the remarks during a press conference in July at which he was launching his solo career, had no immediate comment to make on the lawsuit at London's High Court, his spokesman said.

Liam said in his statement: "I have taken legal action against Noel Gallagher for statements he made during the Electric Cinema press conference on July 6 during which he claimed Oasis pulled out of the 2009 V Festival Chelmsford gig because I had a hangover.

"That is a lie and I want Oasis fans, and others who were at V, to know the truth."

He went on to explain he was "gutted" to have had to pull out of the event, and that the real reason was laryngitis as diagnosed by a doctor and explained to Noel.

"Noel also falsely stated that the demise of Oasis followed a massive row in which he claimed I demanded to advertise my clothing range Pretty Green in the Oasis tour program," he added.

"The truth is there was no such discussion or row between us. There are many reasons why Oasis split. But it had nothing to do with my clothing range."

Noel had said little about the infamous break-up of one of Britain's most successful bands until the July briefing, when he gave his version of events in Paris two years ago.

Liam, 38, said the case was not about money but about extracting an apology from his brother.

"I am used to being called all sort of things by Noel and I have in the past said things about him, but what Noel has alleged this time went way beyond rock-and-roll banter and questioned my professionalism."

Oasis, famous for swirling rock hits including "Don't Look Back in Anger," "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova," has sold an estimated 70 million albums worldwide.

(Editing by Steve Addison)

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Noel Gallagher goes solo, recalls Oasis split (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) – Noel Gallagher unveiled plans on Wednesday for his first solo album, and recalled the day in Paris two years ago when rock band Oasis broke up amid violent scenes involving his brother and lead singer Liam.

The 44-year-old former lead guitarist and principal songwriter for Oasis, told reporters that he would release his debut solo disc "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds" on October 17 and a second, complimentary album, in 2012.

The choice of which song he would release as a single had yet to be decided.

Asked to compare the music on the new album with that of Oasis, arguably Britain's biggest band of the 1990s with total album sales estimated at around 70 million, he replied:

"The main difference is there's no guitar solos (on the new record). There's a guitar solo on two tracks and one of them I didn't play. You'll like it. You'll think it's brilliant.

"The songs are not Oasis songs. It's not stadium rock. There's an electric kettle in there, for crying out loud. When I write a song I'm not thinking ... I have to do something different because of what I've done in the past.

"The first track you are going to hear doesn't sound like anything I've ever done before. That's not a conscious thing it's just the way the songs were written."

Gallagher said he would tour with the new music before its release, sticking to relatively small venues.

The song titles on the 10-track album include "Everybody's on the Run," "Dream On," "If I Had a Gun ..." and "The Death of You and Me." It will be released through his own record label Sour Mash Records.

Gallagher recorded the new material in 2010 and 2011 in London and Los Angeles.

THAT PARIS PUNCH-UP

The Gallagher brothers are almost as famous for their public bust-ups as they are for their musical collaborations, and their strained relationship finally snapped in 2009 as they prepared to play a Paris gig.

Younger sibling Liam, who went on to form Beady Eye with most of the Oasis lineup, has been the more outspoken of the two, but Noel gave his side of the break-up story on Wednesday.

He recalled the build-up to the infamous Paris split, saying Liam had pulled out of a gig at the last minute "because he had a hangover," and wanted to advertise his own private merchandise for free in Oasis programs while on tour.

"I didn't think it was right for him to be flogging his gear to our fans. There was a massive row about that."

Relations continued to sour, Noel said, until an incident in a dressing room in late August, 2009, when an already riled Liam came in wielding a guitar "like an axe.

"It was a really unnecessary violent act, and he was swinging this guitar around and he nearly took my face off with it," the musician recalled.

"He doesn't like me in a violent way. I don't get on with him but he takes it to a (new) level. There's no point in being in a band with people you fight with. I kind of did everybody a favor."

Gallagher said that being the lead singer in his new musical venture would take some getting used to.

"I never really see myself as being a front man," he said.

"I can see it being a major pain in the ass for me. Now it's like I've got to stand in the middle of the stage and that's going to be weird.

"He (Liam) is probably better off without me because he's in charge. It remains to be seen if I'm better off without him."

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

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Noel Gallagher goes solo, recalls Oasis split

Singer Noel Gallagher arrives for the GQ Men of the Year 2010 Awards at the Royal Opera House in London September 7, 2010.

Credit: Reuters/Luke MacGregor

By Mike Collett-White

LONDON | Wed Jul 6, 2011 10:22am EDT

LONDON (Reuters) - Noel Gallagher unveiled plans on Wednesday for his first solo album, and recalled the day in Paris two years ago when rock band Oasis broke up amid violent scenes involving his brother and lead singer Liam.

The 44-year-old former lead guitarist and principal songwriter for Oasis, told reporters that he would release his debut solo disc "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds" on October 17 and a second, complimentary album, in 2012.

The choice of which song he would release as a single had yet to be decided.

Asked to compare the music on the new album with that of Oasis, arguably Britain's biggest band of the 1990s with total album sales estimated at around 70 million, he replied:

"The main difference is there's no guitar solos (on the new record). There's a guitar solo on two tracks and one of them I didn't play. You'll like it. You'll think it's brilliant.

"The songs are not Oasis songs. It's not stadium rock. There's an electric kettle in there, for crying out loud. When I write a song I'm not thinking ... I have to do something different because of what I've done in the past.

"The first track you are going to hear doesn't sound like anything I've ever done before. That's not a conscious thing it's just the way the songs were written."

Gallagher said he would tour with the new music before its release, sticking to relatively small venues.

The song titles on the 10-track album include "Everybody's on the Run," "Dream On," "If I Had a Gun ..." and "The Death of You and Me." It will be released through his own record label Sour Mash Records.

Gallagher recorded the new material in 2010 and 2011 in London and Los Angeles.

THAT PARIS PUNCH-UP

The Gallagher brothers are almost as famous for their public bust-ups as they are for their musical collaborations, and their strained relationship finally snapped in 2009 as they prepared to play a Paris gig.

Younger sibling Liam, who went on to form Beady Eye with most of the Oasis lineup, has been the more outspoken of the two, but Noel gave his side of the break-up story on Wednesday.

He recalled the build-up to the infamous Paris split, saying Liam had pulled out of a gig at the last minute "because he had a hangover," and wanted to advertise his own private merchandise for free in Oasis programs while on tour.

"I didn't think it was right for him to be flogging his gear to our fans. There was a massive row about that."

Relations continued to sour, Noel said, until an incident in a dressing room in late August, 2009, when an already riled Liam came in wielding a guitar "like an axe.

"It was a really unnecessary violent act, and he was swinging this guitar around and he nearly took my face off with it," the musician recalled.

"He doesn't like me in a violent way. I don't get on with him but he takes it to a (new) level. There's no point in being in a band with people you fight with. I kind of did everybody a favor."

Gallagher said that being the lead singer in his new musical venture would take some getting used to.

"I never really see myself as being a front man," he said.

"I can see it being a major pain in the ass for me. Now it's like I've got to stand in the middle of the stage and that's going to be weird.

"He (Liam) is probably better off without me because he's in charge. It remains to be seen if I'm better off without him."

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

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