ROCK band Oasis seem likely to split after songwriter Noel Gallagher walked out during their US tour and returned to London last night.
A statement from the band's record company, Creation, said: "Oasis have hit internal differences on their tour of America, the tour is being pulled (cancelled)." Sources close to the band say Noel and his brother, lead singer Liam, had the "mother of all rows" and that it is unlikely the two could work together again - at least in the foreseeable future.
Relations between the two have been particularly strained on this tour. Before a gig in Charlotte, North Carolina, last Wednesday night, a "band summit meeting" was called. It lasted five hours and afterwards Noel decided to cancel the four remaining US gigs and return home.
Although Noel and Liam have staged similar walkouts before, this latest split seems more permanent - Creation Records has confirmed, for the first time that Oasis's future is uncertain. Noel made no comment when he arrived at Heathrow Airport last night. Other band members are due back today.
Oasis have enjoyed critical and commercial success since forming five years ago. Their two albums Definitely Maybe and What's The Story? (Morning Glory) have sold about 15 to 20 million copies worldwide. This summer the "new Beatles" as they have been called, played to 90,000 Irish fans in Pairc Ui Chaoimh in Cork after selling a record breaking quarter of a million tickets to fans in Britain for two gigs.
Noel had finished writing their third album, which was to be recorded later this year or early next year.
The Gallagher brothers follow in a long line of feuding rock star siblings - like Don and Phil Everly and Ray and Dave Davies of the Kinks - who can't be left in the same room together for extended periods. Liam (24) is five years younger than Noel and has an almost pitch perfect rock n roll singing voice that does full Justice to Noel's genius songwriting abilities.
But his tempestuous behaviour (Liam is upfront about his drink and drug intake) has meant he has missed recent gigs - most notably the first of this US tour and a special MTV Unplugged concert last month.
Speaking to The Irish Times last April about Oasis's future, Noel said: "I'm never going to break the band up ... we'll still be going in 20 years time." At the moment it remains unclear whether Noel will keep Oasis together without Liam (he has frequently filled in on vocals when Liam was indisposed) or whether he will pursue a solo career. The split is definite, maybe.
