10 Things We Learn In NME This Week (2 September 2009)

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noel gallagherÊÊ

Noel Gallagher has walked out of Oasis following a brawl in Paris at the weekend (August 28). The guitarist blamed his bandmates for giving him “no choice” but to quit the band. “The details are not important and of too great a number to list. But I do feel you have the right to know that the level of verbal and violent intimidation, towards me, my family, friends and comrades has become intolerable”,  Noel posted on Oasis’ official website minutes after the scrap. Pic: Dean Chalkley

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The XX

There are 12 new bands to look out for following mind-blowing sets at Reading and Leeds weekenders. On the shortlist are The XX, The Old Romantic Killer Band, Marina And The Diamonds, Chickenhawk and Delphic. Join us at NME.COM/festivals now to share your festival highlights. Pic: Tom Oxley

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Ex-Ordinary Boy Preston will do anything to get inside NME. The star, who has just gone solo, finally comes clean about his past appearance in NME, where he was given the opportunity to meet his alleged musical hero Paul Weller. “I want to go on the record now saying I NEVER said that I liked Paul Weller. Ever. I just did the interview because we were offered it, and it meant we got three pages in NME.”

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We can think of at least 21 defining moments that made Reading and Leeds weekend. Our highlights include Brand New’s guitarists not being able to smash their guitars, Liam Fray dedicating the closing song Of The Courteeners’ Saturday Reading set to the Gallaghers, and Beth Ditto taking it upon herself to empty out the NME Signing Tent’s bin. Pic: Danny North

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Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford idolises R Kelly. The producer lists his top musical picks in NME this week, and he tells us: “R Kelly is a genius. This song (‘Ignition’) is a modern classic.”

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Yeah Yeah Yeahs

You can still join the likes of  Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fall Out Boy, Gallows and The Gaslight Anthem backstage at Reading and Leeds Festivals. We catch up with the headliners and walk onstage with Maximo Park, Lethal Bizzle, Enter Shikari and Eagles Of Death Metal.  Head to NME.COM/video and step behind the scenes at Reading and Leeds 2009. Pic: Tom Oxley

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Britpop was merely a media invention, according to former Boo Radleys star Martin Carr. “We never took Britpop seriously – you certainly didn’t feel like you belonged to some gang. If you read NME or Melody Maker at the time you got impression that all these bands were meeting up in a hut in London and having Britpop parties. It was completely driven by the media”, the ex-lead guitarist spouts in what  Rock ‘N’ Roll Has Taught Me.

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We salute two decades of the Gallaghers sibling rivalry and fisticuffs in NME this week. We list our top 5 bust-ups – on the list: Liam dropping out of Oasis’ MTV Unplugged slot in 1996, Noel leaving a European tour in 2000 and an onstage barny in LA in 1994.

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