Beady Eye
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2009 in London, England |
| Founder | Liam Gallagher, Gem Archer, Andy Bell, Chris Sharrock |
| Defunct | 2014 |
| Headquarters | London , England |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Beady Eye was a British rock ensemble originating in London in 2009, formed by ex-Oasis members Liam Gallagher (vocals), Gem Archer (guitar), Andy Bell (guitar), alongside former Oasis touring drummer Chris Sharrock. This group came into existence following the departure of Oasis's lead guitarist and chief songwriter Noel Gallagher in August 2009, prompting the remaining musicians to rebrand and proceed under a new name. Jeff Wootton joined as bassist in 2010 but exited in 2013, succeeded by Jay Mehler, formerly of Kasabian.
The band produced two studio albums—Different Gear, Still Speeding (2011) and BE (2013)—both securing positions within the top five of the UK Albums Chart. Their track "The Roller" reached number 31, representing their sole entry into the UK top 40 singles. The initial album was well received by Oasis enthusiasts, with Q magazine describing it as Liam Gallagher’s finest output since Oasis’s (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. In October 2014, Liam Gallagher declared the official end of Beady Eye.
Origins and early releases: 2009–2010
Following Oasis's dissolution in August 2009, Liam Gallagher announced in November that he and other former members had composed new songs for a fresh venture, aiming to perform live within a few months and emphasizing that "Oasis are done; this is something new". On 19 November 2009, he disclosed intentions to record an album with Gem Archer, Andy Bell, and Chris Sharrock around Christmas time, aiming for a July 2010 launch.
In an interview with MTV, Liam revealed they had been quietly working on demos and planned to enter the studio after Christmas. He expressed strong confidence in both the material and the band's future direction. Reports suggested he was "a million per cent confident" that this new group could outperform Oasis.
On 16 March 2010, Liam announced their debut single would be released in October, followed by an album the subsequent year. Beady Eye’s first single, "Bring the Light," was made available as a free download on 9 November 2010.
The official promotional release of "Bring the Light" occurred on 15 November 2010. It reached number sixty-one on the UK Singles Chart and topped both the Indie and Rock charts. A second promotional single, "Four Letter Word," was issued on 26 December 2010.
Different Gear, Still Speeding: 2010–2012
"The Roller" served as Beady Eye’s initial commercial single ahead of their debut album Different Gear, Still Speeding, which launched on 28 February 2011. Recorded during autumn 2010 at London's RAK studios and produced by Steve Lillywhite, the album was supported by a tour across the UK and Europe in March 2011. The follow-up single, "Millionaire", was released on 2 May. Subsequent to their performance at Brixton Academy, they offered a digital-only cover of "Across the Universe" by The Beatles, with proceeds directed to the British Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal.
Their third single, "The Beat Goes On", arrived on 18 July 2011 accompanied by the B-side "In the Bubble with a Bullet".
In July 2011, Beady Eye recorded "Blue Moon" to commemorate Manchester City's kit launch for the 2011/12 season. A lifelong supporter of City, Gallagher praised the new kit and hoped fans would welcome their rendition of the club anthem.
Between March and December 2011, the band toured extensively across the UK, Europe, and America, initially steering clear of Oasis material as Liam Gallagher sought to establish Beady Eye’s distinct musical identity.
BE era and disbandment: 2012–2014
In February 2012, Liam Gallagher confirmed that Beady Eye would include Oasis songs in their performances. On 28 June, at Warrington's Parr Hall, the band played two Oasis classics, "Morning Glory" and "Rock 'n' Roll Star," alongside debuting a new track titled "The World's Not Set in Stone." Later, on 12 August, they performed "Wonderwall" during the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. Following intermittent writing and recording sessions throughout 2012, the group commenced work on their second album, collaborating with producer Dave Sitek in November.
The initial single from this upcoming album, "Flick of the Finger," was first aired on Californian radio station KCRW on 5 April 2013. In March of that year, guitarist Gem Archer departed to concentrate on his solo projects and was succeeded by Jay Mehler from Kasabian. Liam announced on 10 April that their album BE, produced by Sitek—who is recognized for his work with Yeah Yeah Yeahs and TV on the Radio—would be released on 10 June 2013. The lead single, "Second Bite of the Apple," was unveiled in May. Upon release, the album achieved a peak position of Number 2 on the UK charts. Subsequently, a double A-side single featuring "Shine a Light" and "The World's Not Set in Stone" was issued on 19 August.
Despite Liam's previous remarks opposing a return, Beady Eye made an unannounced appearance to open Glastonbury Festival in 2013. Their tour in August, which included performances at V Festival, was cut short due to Archer sustaining a head injury. On 18 October, they participated in A Night For Jon Brookes tribute concert with former Oasis guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs filling in for Archer. Their setlist included covers like George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" along with Oasis songs such as "Live Forever." On 25 November 2013, the band released the double A-side single "Iz Rite" / "Soul Love." Although slated to perform at Coachella in 2014, Beady Eye withdrew from the festival but went on to tour with Australia's Big Day Out festival in January.
Liam Gallagher announced Beady Eye's breakup via Twitter on 25 October 2014, expressing gratitude to their fans for their support. After the split, Liam embarked on a solo career with Mehler joining him as a touring member; meanwhile, Archer and drummer Chris Sharrock became part of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds; bassist Andy Bell rejoined Ride.
In a 2018 interview, Liam cited factors such as limited media attention, dwindling audience numbers, and the failure of their second album to penetrate the US market—which eliminated prospects for an American tour—as reasons behind Beady Eye's end. He remarked that without success from a potential third album, their future would have involved playing small pub venues.
Beady Eye Records
Beady Eye Records Ltd. was founded by the band as their own record label to distribute their releases within the UK and Ireland, functioning similarly to how Big Brother Recordings operated for Oasis. On 24 January 2011, American indie label Dangerbird Records announced plans to release Different Gear, Still Speeding across North America starting 1 March 2011.
Final lineup
- Liam Gallagher – lead vocals, percussion (2009–2014)
- Gem Archer – guitars, keyboards, bass guitar, percussion, backing vocals (2009–2014)
- Andy Bell – guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2009–2014)
- Chris Sharrock – drums and percussion (2009–2014)
Live and session musicians
- Matt Jones – keyboards (2010–2014)
- Jeff Wootton – bass guitar (2011–2013)
- Jay Mehler – bass guitar (2013–2014)
- Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs – guitars (2013, 2014)
Discography
- Different Gear, Still Speeding (2011)
- BE (2013)
NME Awards
In 2011, Beady Eye earned a nomination for an NME Award.
Their first album, Different Gear, Still Speeding, was among the finalists for XFM's New Music Award recognizing the best British debut album that same year. The single "The Roller" stood out as the top-selling vinyl single in the UK throughout 2011; subsequent releases "Millionaire" and "The Beat Goes On" achieved second and fifth places respectively. Additionally, the documentary Start Anew? A Film About Liam Gallagher and Beady Eye was honored with the People's Choice Lovie Award, while "Shine A Light" received a nomination for Best Video at the Q Awards.