In stunning weekend news, Noel Gallagher, guitarist for 90’s British rock band Oasis, famous for their American hits “Wonderwall” and “Morning Glory” has quit the band. “Verbal and violent intimidation” is the cause, says Noel in a letter to fans posted to the band’s Web site Saturday.
The posting says “the level of verbal and violent intimidation towards me, my family, friends and comrades has become intolerable.” Neol offers no details about what the intimidation was, and doesn’t specify who was responsible. Noel also apologizes for having to cancel European concerts.
Noel doesn’t directly write about his brother Liam, the band’s frontman, who he earlier said had forced his decision to quit. That statement said Noel couldn’t work with Liam “a day longer.”
In 1997, Noel attended a reception at 10 Downing Street, causing former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to worry that the guitarist would trash the place. According to the diaries of Blair’s spokesperson Alistair Campbell, “TB [Tony Blair] was worried that Noel Gallagher was coming to the reception tomorrow. He said he had no idea he had been invited,” Campbell wrote. “TB felt he was bound to do something crazy. I spoke to Alan McGee [label exec.] and said can we be assured he would behave”.