Liam Gallagher has returned just in time to rescue rock'n'roll.
I got to join Liam at the launch of Beady Eye's new album BE at London’s Soho Hotel.
The booze flowed from the moment Liam walked into the bar before the record was played to a handful of invited journalists.
All eyes were on Liam – even when the album was being played in the darkened room.
Proper grooves and smooth vocals rang out on Soul Love, retro rhythms on Iz Rite and the softer side of Liam on Start Anew.
“This is a better night than Our Kid would give you, isn’t it? I bet he offered you a polite glass of wine and that was that, like a slug.”
[nah, Noel (uncle Scrooge McDuck) is so attached to money, he wouldn't give anything. Apart from worldwide conferences, announcing a thousand lies.]
Liam declared: “No-one has more fun than me, I’m a rock ’n’ roll star."
[that's why so many people are jealous - he's having fun at 40, they don't have at 20]
Liam formed Beady Eye in 2009 the day after Oasis split, even though he had more than enough money to take a break.
“I do it ’cos I’m addicted to it and I can’t get out of it man,” he admitted. “That’s what I’m born to do. I do it ’cos I wanna do it."
The honesty spills out of Liam – and love or hate him, you can’t deny he’s entertaining.
When he returned, Liam requested another vodka and tonic which he proceeded to pour into my wine glass as he thought I was being “a square” and needed to become “a circle”.
“I’m not a songwriter, I’m a part-time songwriter,” he announced. “I’m a rock star.”
And one of the best I’ve enjoyed the company of in years.
When it was suggested some of the lyrics were amongst the most honest he had committed to record, he added: ''You're right what you're on about, at the time that's how I felt. At that moment I was writing songs about peace and harmony, it just goes wherever it goes.''
Guitarist Gem also hinted some of the tracks could be influenced by the demise of Oasis but revealed the band never ask the songwriters to explain their lyrics.
He said: ''Look (Oasis), was 10 years of our lives, more for Liam. It's going to come out in what we do. It's just natural. But as a band we don't ask people to explain what their lyrics are about when they bring them in.''
The album contains a number of introspective tracks, including I'm Just Saying and Ballroom Figured, which contains the lyrics ''Did you ever loan me that song? / Did you ever know me at all?''
There are also several high energy rockers, such as the horn-driven Flick of the Finger, Face The Crowd - which has a big chorus complete with hand claps - and Iz Rite, a 60s inspired track with strings.
Gem believes the album has a cinematic feel to it and he credits producer Dave Sitek for guiding the band in a different direction to their debut record.
He said: ''To me is does sound like a film soundtrack. When we were listening to the finished version of Start Anew that's what it felt like, like it should be on the cinema. That's Dave Sitek, that's what he has brought to us. That sound and scope and those ideas.''
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