The war of words between the GALLAGHER brothers has stepped up with NOEL branding LIAM “monkey boy” and calling him “an idiot”.
Noel was making his debut as a football commentator in Holland yesterday (June 12). Speaking to Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles as part of the preparation for yesterday’s Euro 2000 football match between England and Portugal, he spoke about his decision to quit overseas touring with the band, blaming a breakdown in communication between him and his brother as his reason for leaving.
But he promised everything would be “sorted out” after the band’s UK dates in July. He said: “What is going on is that I have had a major disagreement with monkey boy, the singer. We normally get on so well, but it has been made virtually impossible for me to tour because Liam is such an idiot…I’ll do the British dates then we’ve all got to sit down and have a chat, but at the moment he’s losing it.”
Noel added: “I’m not going to go into details. It’ll be sorted out when I talk to him face-to face. Not through his little mates.
“It’s me that’s kept the band together for the last six or seven years. It’s not something that I’ve done lightly, but it’s just been made impossible for me to be in the same room or on the same stage as him [Liam].”
Gallagher also set the record straight about the reason for his departure being to spend more time with his family, adding: “Statements were put out on my behalf by people who shouldn’t be putting out statements. The worst thing I have heard is people saying I want to spend more time with my family. That is the classic politician’s excuse…if you had tasted my wife’s tea, you wouldn’t want to stay at home!”
Noel‘s retaliation follows Liam‘s comments, as reported on nme.com yesterday, when he declared that he was “pissed off” that Noel had considered a solo career and said that solo albums were “bullshit and for losers”.
Meanwhile a German promoter has criticised Noel. Lars Vocht, promoter of the Rock Am Ring gig on Friday in Nurberg said: “We do feel a bit upset about it, ‘cos announcing that Noel is still playing UK shows and can’t be arsed to play in Europe is an insult to European audiences. It’s sad and we’re disappointed he doesn’t want to play, but we can’t force him.”
Noel is due to rejoin the band for their dates in the British Isles at Dublin Landsdowne Road (July 8), Bolton Reebok Stadium (July 15-16), and Wembley Stadium (21-22). The band also make three festival appearances at the Reading (August 25), Glasgow Green (26) and Leeds (28) festivals this summer.
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