Get 'em in, Liam! Businessman sips champagne with Oasis

THE latest single by Oasis was tailor-made for Rossendale businessman Peter Laycock.

Globetrotting entrepreneur Peter travels thousands of miles overseas every year as a business consultant.

And on a recent trip he enjoyed a two-hour "Champagne Supernova" with members of the band, whose latest single All Around The World is climbing the charts.

"It could have been made for me," said Peter.

"I told them I wanted commission."

Bacup-born Peter was on his way back to England from a six month business trip to Mexico, where he has a villa, when he booked into the same hotel as Oasis at Los Angeles airport.

Peter recognised Oasis at the hotel bar but pretended he did not know who they were.

He said to Liam Gallagher: "Are you working here or are you on holiday?"

Liam replied: "We are a pop group," to which Peter - keeping a straight face - said: "Can you not get a proper job?"

The champagne flowed after that and Peter enjoyed their company.

He said: "They are eccentric, to put it mildly, and they can be a bit wild but we got on all right.

"Liam really stood out in this five-star hotel dressed all in black with a black-brimmed hat."

Peter had another surprise when he found out that the bar and restaurant manageress at the hotel came from Bacup. It's a small world indeed. Peter is back in Rossendale and staying at the Royal Hotel, Waterfoot, until Tuesday.

Then he will be setting off again on a business trip to the Far East, New Zealand and Mexico. Oasis have promised to look him up at the Royal Hotel when they can fit it in on their return to England. Peter's father Tony, who is 90, lives at Springfield Court, in South Street, Bacup.

We're the prize guys

NOMINATIONS for some of the top awards in the music industry have brought mixed fortunes for acts with East Lancashire connections.

Suitably pleased should be jazz-funksters Jamiroquai, whose lead singer Jay Kay has his roots in Blackburn. They are up for Best British Video and Best British Dance Act at the 1998 Brit Awards.

But Britpop anarchists Chumbawamba, with four members hailing from Burnley, have fallen victim to the fickle fans of pop.

The good news is their 750,000-selling anthem Tubthumping has been nominated for Best Single at the Brits, thanks to the votes of radio listeners. Less welcome for the band is the same song's appearance in the Worst Single category at the 1998 NME Awards.

Unsurprisingly, singer Danbert Nobacon isn't worried. He said: "It's funny really.

"We definitely didn't expect to be nominated for a Brit when we wrote Tubthumping. "But it's cool that we have been nominated by ordinary radio listeners."

The NME Awards should, however, promise to be the biggest and best yet with a record number of readers' responding to the poll.

Radiohead, The Verve, The Prodigy, Oasis, Blur and The Charlatans are in close contention for all the major gongs being presented by Eddie Izzard at the Brixton Academy on January 27.

Live coverage can be found Radio One's Evening Session at 6.30pm.

Chumbawamba target Labour

CONTINUING to ride the crest of a wave, Chumbawamba release their new single Amnesia on Monday.

The band are looking to build upon the success of their 1997 smash Tubthumping, which proved to be an enormous success on both sides of the Atlantic.

The song sold over 750,000 copies in the UK and the band have stormed the Top 10 in the USA along with the album of the same name.

Fans can expect another slice of hard-hitting, infectious pop with a huge anthemic chorus and social conscience.

Tony Blair and New Labour are the latest targets for the politically-motivated collective, as the song subtly suggests that the new government are nothing but old Tories with designer jeans and a smiley facade. Featured vocalist on the new track is band member Lou, who -along with Danbert Nobacon, Alice Nutter and guitarist Boff - hails from Burnley.

Closure pulls plug on band

BLUE Tree, a trio of young musicians from Accrington, have been left with nowhere to practise since the Blockade Hotel, in King Street, Accrington, closed its doors to the public in October.

The young band, made up of David Griggs, Robert Lambert and Wayne Renolds - all aged 23 and from Accrington - have been together for about two years, playing covers of Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie songs as well as their own material

"We practised at The Blockade for about two or three months before it closed and played three or four gigs in that time," said bass guitarist David Griggs.

However, when the pub closed, the lads had to put the band on hold.

"In October we recorded two of our own songs at Shamrock Studios, in Blackburn," said David. "We have sent some of the CDs to clubs in Manchester and are hoping to get gigs in and around the city.

"But before we can play in front of an audience we need to practise."

"We need a reasonable-sized room, big enough for drums, guitars, amps and other equipment.

"Electricity is obviously a necessity.

"We need somewhere reasonably priced and in the Accrington area."

If you know of anywhere that fits the bill, or you would just like some information on Blue Tree, you can contact David Griggs on 01254 394519 or Wayne Reynolds on 01254 237433.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.