Oasis split as Noel quits group

Noel (left) and Liam Gallagher have had a famously fractious relationship

Noel Gallagher has quit rock band Oasis, saying he can no longer work with his brother Liam.

Noel, the group's lead guitarist and chief songwriter, has recently been involved in a series of rows with frontman Liam.

The guitarist said: "It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight.

"People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer."

Referring to the remaining shows of their current world tour, he added: "Apologies to all the people who bought tickets for the shows in Paris, Konstanz and Milan."

The band were due to play the Rock en Seine festival in Paris on Friday, but cancelled at the last minute.

When the support band said Oasis would not be performing, many fans thought it was a joke.

It's obviously the worst fall-out that they've ever had, and they've had some pretty bad ones Alan McGee Former record label boss Oasis's history of troubles and triumphs

But then screens at either side of the stage showed the message: "As a result of an altercation within the band, the Oasis gig has been cancelled."

The band also cancelled their appearance at the V Festival in Essex last Sunday, claiming Liam was suffering from laryngitis.

That was due to have been the last UK gig of the world tour, which began in Seattle 12 months ago.

Liam recently cast doubt on the band's future in an interview to NME magazine.

He admitted he and his brother rarely spoke, did not travel together and only saw each other on stage.

With the Gallagher brothers, I think you never say never, do you? Steve Lamacq BBC 6 Music Send us your reaction

"He doesn't like me and I don't like him, that's it," Liam said.

The brothers have always had a fractious relationship, and a string of tours have fallen apart over the past 15 years.

But until now, neither Gallagher has officially quit the group.

Alan McGee, who discovered Oasis in 1993 and signed them to his Creation Records label, said the rift was "more serious than anything that's ever happened".

"It's obviously the worst fall-out that they've ever had, and they've had some pretty bad ones," he told BBC News. "This is a pretty serious one. But they love each other, they'll come back together."

Noel and Liam would go on to make solo albums, he predicted, before getting back together.

"I think you'll have a reunion tour in about five years time. They love each other. When people love each other, they'll always make peace."

The band were at their peak in the Britpop years of the mid-1990s

NME writer Hamish McBain said: "The relationship between Noel and Liam has been frosty over the last tour, to say the least, but it's been frosty before.

"Noel has left tours before, Liam's not showed up for gigs before, and they've carried on. But this, certainly the way Noel's presented it on the Oasis website, it does feel like it has a degree of finality to it."

BBC 6 Music DJ Steve Lamacq said the scale of the world tour appeared to be the last straw.

"With the Gallagher brothers, I think you never say never, do you? But it's after a very, very long tour this and I think it was quite ambitious," he told BBC Radio 5 live.

"Maybe this was asking a bit too much, with this fractious relationship as it is at the moment."

Oasis fans used Twitter to respond to the news that lead guitarist Noel had quit.

PsychedelicAdam posted: "Noel Gallagher leaves Oasis? Gutted, no more Oasis then I guess, they were one of my favourite bands."

Wolvolass said: "I feel sick, sooo many good memories and gigs seeing Oasis over the years."

MattGriffin added: "This is the worst day ever."

Oasis formed in Manchester in 1991, with the brothers joined by Paul Arthurs, aka Bonehead, on guitar, Paul McGuigan, aka Guigsy, on bass, and Tony McCarroll on drums.

They had eight UK number one singles and amassed 15 NME Awards, five BRIT Awards, nine Q Awards and four MTV Europe Music Awards.

In February 2007, Oasis received the BRIT Award for outstanding contribution to music.

The Gallagher brothers have featured regularly in tabloid newspapers for their sibling disputes, wild lifestyles and public feud with rival Britpop band Blur.

The final line-up consisted of guitarist Gem Archer and bassist Andy Bell, as well as unofficial drummer Chris Sharrock.

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