'At 14 I started into sex and I knew that that was for me'

Liam Gallagher (24), the lead singer in Oasis, comes into the dressing room of the concerts room in Germany, with his hands in his pockets. He's wearing his plastic navy blue jacket, jeans, plaid shirt and sport shoes without socks ('I forgot to put them on' he says). It's been five days since his last shave. He sits on an old sofa and looks like he's lost in some other galaxy: 'I'm cold, distant, and ironic...'. That's how he defines himself. But through the extent of the interview with Bravo, Liam Gallagher turns warm.

BRAVO: You've been given the label of 'perverse kid of pop'. Are you interested in keeping that image?

Liam: I really am like that. To me, being called the bad kid of blablabla seems idiotic. But in any case I am pretty radical... I live thinking tomorrow is the last day of my life. If there is something to enjoy, I use it, I don't care if it's alcohol, women or drugs.

B: Do you really take drugs?

L: Let's talk seriously. We've got nothing to hide. My brother and I like smoking marihuana every once in a while and I've also done cocaine. But we're not hooked! We're adults and we can handle it. But our fans are 15 or 16 years old and I want to send them a message: Don't even touch 'em! It kills!

B: At what age did you start smoking?

L: At 17. My mom was shocked when she caught me and Noel smoking marihuana in the basement. Today my mom is proud of me. When she goes to the bakery or the beauty parlor everybody tries to please her and congratulates her because her kids are famous.

B: Was your childhood in Manchester normal?

L: No. We're from a working class family and never had much money. Besides, my parents never stopped fighting. It never mattered to me much, but my brother Noel cried a lot as a kid. My father, all of a sudden, left when I was 15. He abandoned us and didn't leave us any money. But I don't even hate him anymore, he simply doesn't mean anything to me.

B: Do you have a girlfriend?

L: No, not anymore. There was a time when I would be with a different girl almost every night. Then I met Patsy Kensit (28). You know, Jim Kerr's woman, the lead in Simple Minds. I just met her and I lost my head for her. She told me she was separating from her husband and I believed her. But I was her toy, now she's back in her husbands arms. She's left me made dust! I think I'll go back to my life from before. The one I think cute I'll invite her to my room and that's it! I'm 24 and I plan on enjoying life. I'm as free as a bird again and waiting for any kind of proposition, even if it's indecent.

B: What kind of woman do you like?

L: All of them. To me every girl has something fascinating. I don't care if she's blonde, brunette or redhead, with me every girl has a chance. I sometimes prefer the ones that aren't so cute because they work harder in bed (he smiles).

B: Have you always been a 'conquistador' ((okay, this means a guy who always gets girls))?

L: And how! At 14 I started into sex and I knew right away that that was for me.

B: You seem very different from your brother Noel. He's been living for two years with his girlfriend, Meg Matthews...

L: Noel leads a different life ((they use a phrase but this is basically what it means)). He is faithful to his girlfriend Meg. By the way, they don't live in Manchester, they live in London. Noel's more sensitive than me. I need action!

B: Where do you live?

L: When I'm in Manchester, my address is the hotel Holiday Inn. Living in a hotel has many advantages: I don't need furniture, I can call room service when I'm hungry and I don't have to wash the dishes afterwards.

B: Did you always dream about being a rock star?

L: Music has been the only way to escape the sadness and the misery. At 15 I was expelled from school and I was too lazy to learn a work habit. I knew that the only thing I had was my voice. That was it, because I don't play an instrument. In 1990 I went to a Stone Roses concert and I knew that I wanted to do the same as their lead singer, Ian Brown. That's why I gathered my friends: Bonehead, Guigsy and Tony. That's how Oasis started and I became a singer.

B: How did the name Oasis come out?

L: In the sixties there was a music club in Manchester called Oasis. Jimi Hendrix played there. I got the name of the group from there. It reminds me of that time.

B: Why was it that in the beginning you didn't count with Noel, who today is the head of the group?

L: At the time, Noel went on tours with the rave group Inspiral Carpets. Shortly after they lost their singer and Noel wanted the spot but the Carpets turned him down. That was good for us, because we hired him as guitarist.

B: And then?

L: It wasn't long before we realized that Noel was a genius musician. When he does something, he does it to perfection, not like me (he laughs). Noel started taking guitar lessons at 13 and today he is a sensacional composer and lyricist. He does everything.

B: Why don't you write song of the lyrics of the songs?

L: First, Noel is much better than me, and second, because I don't want to show what I feel. My thoughts are mine only.

B: In the video, you sing Wonderwall, but in the concerts Noel sings it, why?

L: Noel wrote this love song for Meg. That's why he likes singing it live...he dedicates it to her.

B: What's true about the rumor that Robbie Williams (Take That) will form part of Oasis?

L (bursts out with laughter): That's a great joke! Robbie is a friend of ours, but nothing else. Besides, what's he supposed to do in Oasis? Play the flute?

B: What plans do you have now?

L: We're traveling to Spain at the end of April (attention, because in the concert at Manchester, Oasis sold out the 40,000 tickets in less than 70 minutes: they broke the record of the fastest selling show at venues). And besides, we put out the new single: 'Don't Look Back In Anger'.

B: What's that song about?

L (sticks his tounge out and laughs): No idea! Words don't interest me....

Original transcript (spanish) by Carlos Medina. Translated transcript by a friend of The LLC

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