Hmmm...if you ever felt that what had been holding Oasis back from recreating past glories was that pesky Noel Gallagher - you know, the one that wrote all the songs that made them famous, and wrote the handful of half decent ones they put out subsequently - then you're in luck. Liam Gallagher has confirmed that he is working on material with the rest of the band (minus Noel) and that they hope to tour soon, a plan that he seems excited about, telling an Italian radio station that:

"I'll be back doing that within a couple of months. I've just done a tour, I always miss singing songs. I miss the people."

Apparently, not only is Andy Bell still around, but will be taking Noel's place on guitar. We at Flashlight may try and put on an air of superiority regarding trashy music and gossip journalism, but secretly we absolutely love all that shit. Therefore, how come Gem has stuck with Liam and co despite seeming surgically attached to Noel whenever he was spotted at London gigs; not to mention the solo dates he played with him a couple of years back? How come the apparently rational, intelligent Gallagher is the one who has been shunned? Curiouser and curiouser. Liam himself has a theory:

"To be quite honest, I think our kid wanted out," he explained. "But you'll have to ask him when he comes in and does his little solo thing. We had an argument - but we've had bigger ones, about more important people. Basically, I think he wanted out, wanted something different, but he hadn't got the bollocks to tell the band or the fans."

Well there you go. We await Liam's new band's return with held breath, which will hopefully see us pass out before we have to actually hear them.