Quote Me

Liam Gallagher @ UIC Pavilion 6/20/2005 (Photo By: Chris Castaneda)

Today, ten concerts will take place in nine different countries as part of the Live 8 benefit. One hundred artists will perform in an effort to grab the attention of the Group of Eight (G8)--a group consisting of the top eight industralized nations in the world. Leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, Japan, Germany, Italy, and Canada are being pressured to cancel Africa's debt and increase aid to combat the grave plight Africa faces day to day.

Organized by Bob Geldof, the mastermind behind 1985's Live Aid benefit, Live 8 comes four days before the G8 summit in Scotland. So, what do Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis have to do with the benefit? Absolutely nothing. The benefit is already a buzz due to the reunion of Pink Floyd and its lineup brings together many of music's top artists (R.E.M., Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Green Day, U2). Oasis received criticism for not participating with Live 8 but already had a scheduled concert in Manchester on July 2 before the benefit was even announced. Leave it to Liam and Noel to offer up some noteworthy quotes.

Liam to ChartAttack:

"If we were free we'd be there man. And I am a bit disappointed, but that's life man. Our shows were booked. And I had a word with management the other day, and I said, 'Look, I feel a bit guilty.' Everyone's down there doing all this, know what I mean? We're down the road doing our thing. A little bit of guilt kicked in. I thought maybe we should fucking book... then it's 60,000 kids disappointed.

But if we weren't doing a gig that day we'd have been there without a doubt. And I'd love to. Y'know why I'd love to do that gig? First of all, it's fucking awareness and all that stuff...I just love to go on and do four fucking songs and really fucking rip it up. Come in and fucking bang it with fuckin' four of your classics. And walk off. And fucking flick Robbie Williams in the eye and say 'Follow that you dick!'"


Noel Gallagher @ UIC Pavilion 6/20/2005 (Photo By: Chris Castaneda)

Noel to The Observer:

"I'm not sure about this Live 8 thing. Correct me if I am wrong, but are they hoping that one of these guys from the G8 is on a quick 15-minute break at Gleneagles and sees Annie Lennox singing 'Sweet Dreams' and thinks, 'Fuck me, she might have a point there, you know.' It's not going to fucking happen, is it? Keane doing 'Somewhere Only We Know' and some Japanese businessman going: 'Aw, look at him ... we should really fuckin' drop that debt, you know.' It's not going to happen, is it?"

Noel to the NME:

"If it was possible, it would be nice to take part...It's the general thing that rock stars should be doing something to fucking sort this out. And it's like, 'Well, all right, that's what (U2's) Bono and (Coldplay's) Chris Martin are for.' I don't like the way that somebody suddenly decides that all the bands in England are going to fuckin' play and everybody jumps to attention."