County Durham, UK

In 1966 Colin Archer was born in England's Durham County. Here is a bit of info about the place Oasis' guitarist was born:

County Durham is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in North East England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the county (although it is in the unitary Borough of Darlington) is the town of Darlington. The county has an industrial heritage and its economy was historically based on coal and iron mining. It is an area of regeneration and promoted as a tourist destination.

Etymology

Many counties are named after their principal town, and the expected form here would be Durhamshire. The county is commonly known as County Durham but is officially named Durham and this was last reconfirmed in legislation passed in 1997. The former postal county was known as "County Durham" to distinguish it from the post town of Durham. Durham is the only English county name to be prefixed with "County" in common usage - a practice more common in Ireland.

Hartlepool and Darlington are unitary authorities which form part of the county for various functions such as Lord Lieutenant but do not come under county council control. Part of Stockton-on-Tees that is north of the River Tees is also within County Durham for this purpose.Durham Constabulary operate in the area of the shire county and Darlington. The ceremonial county, the area including the unitary authorities, borders Tyne and Wear, North Yorkshire, Cumbria and Northumberland and forms part of the North East England region.

History

Ancient origins

The territory that became known as County Durham was originally a liberty under the control of the Bishops of Durham. The liberty was known variously as the "Liberty of Durham", "Liberty of St Cuthbert's Land" "The lands of St. Cuthbert between Tyne and Tees" or "The Liberty of Haliwerfolc".[10]

The bishops' special jurisdiction was based on claims that King Ecgfrith of Northumbria had granted a substantial territory to St Cuthbert on his election to the see of Lindisfarne in 684. In about 883, a cathedral housing the saint's remains was established at Chester-le-Street and Guthfrith, King of York granted the community of St Cuthbert the area between the Tyne and the Wear. In 995 the see was moved again to Durham.

Following the Norman invasion, the administrative machinery of government was only slowly extended to northern England. In the twelfth century a shire or county of Northumberland was formed, and Durham was considered to be within its bounds. However the authority of the sheriff of Northumberland and his officials was disputed by the bishops. The crown still regarded Durham as falling within Northumberland until the late thirteenth century. Matters came to a head in 1293 when the bishop and his steward failed to attend proceedings of quo warranto held by the justices of Northumberland. The bishops' case was heard in parliament, where he stated that Durham lay outside the bounds of any English shire and that "from time immemorial it had been widely known that the sheriff of Northumberland was not sheriff of Durham nor entered within that liberty as sheriff. . . nor made there proclamations or attachments". The arguments appear to have been accepted, as by the fourteenth century Durham was accepted as a liberty which received royal mandates direct. In effect it was private shire, with the bishop appointing his own sheriff. The area eventually became known as the "County Palatine of Durham".

Sadberge was a liberty, sometimes referred to as a county, within Northumberland. In 1189 it was purchased for the see but continued with a separate sheriff, coroner and court of pleas. In the 14th century Sadberge was included in Stockton ward and was itself divided into two wards. The division into the four wards of, Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Easington and Stockton existed in the 13th century, each ward having its own coroner and a three-weekly court corresponding to the hundred court. The diocese was divided into the archdeaconries of Durham and Northumberland. The former is mentioned in 1072, and in 1291 included the deaneries of Chester-le-Street, Auckland, Lanchester and Darlington.The term palatinus is applied to the bishop in 1293, and from the 13th century onwards the bishops frequently claimed the same rights in their lands as the king enjoyed in his kingdom.

Early administration

At its historic extent, Durham included a main body covering the Catchment of the Pennines in the west, the River Tees in the south, the North Sea in the east and the Rivers Tyne and Derwent in the north. The county had a number of exclaves: Bedlingtonshire, Islandshire[14] and Norhamshire within Northumberland, and Craikshire within the North Riding of Yorkshire. In 1831 the county covered an area of 679,530 acres[16] and had a population of 253,910. The historic boundaries were used for parliamentary purposes until 1832, and for judicial and local government purposes until the coming into force of the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844, which merged most remaining exclaves with their surrounding county.

Until the 15th century the most important administrative officer in the palatinate was the steward. Other officers were the sheriff, the coroners, the Chamberlain and the chancellor. The palatine exchequer was organized in the 12th century. The palatine assembly represented the whole county, and dealt chiefly with fiscal questions. The bishops council, consisting of the clergy, the sheriff and the barons, regulated the judicial affairs, and later produced the Chancery and the courts of Admiralty and Marshalsea.

Durham city was captured by a Norman army in 1069. There was a rebellion against the new Norman earl Robert de Comines, who was killed. However, County Durham largely missed the Harrying of the North that was designed to subjugate such rebellions.The best remains of the Norman period are to be found in Durham Cathedral and in the castle, also in some few parish churches, as at Pittington and Norton near Stockton. Of the Early English period are the eastern portion of the cathedral, the churches of Darlington, Hartlepool, and St Andrew, Auckland, Sedgefield, and portions of a few other churches.

The prior of Durham ranked first among the bishop's barons. He had his own court, and almost exclusive jurisdiction over his men. There were ten palatinate barons in the 12th century, the most important being the Hiltons of Hilton Castle, the Bulmers of Brancepeth, the Conyers of Sockburne, the Hansards of Evenwood, and the Lumleys of Lumley Castle. The Nevilles owned large estates in the county. Raby Castle, their principal seat, was built by John de Neville in 1377.

Edward I's quo warranto proceedings of 1293 showed twelve lords enjoying more or less extensive franchises under the bishop. The repeated efforts of the Crown to check the powers of the palatinate bishops culminated in 1536 in the Act of Resumption, which deprived the bishop of the power to pardon offences against the law or to appoint judicial officers. Moreover, indictments and legal processes were in future to run in the name of the king, and offences to be described as against the peace of the king, rather than that of the bishop. In 1596 restrictions were imposed on the powers of the chancery, and in 1646 the palatinate was formally abolished. It was revived, however, after the Restoration, and continued with much the same power until July 5, 1836, when the Durham (County Palatine) Act 1836 provided that the palatine jurisdiction should in future be vested in the crown.

During the Wars of the Roses, Henry VI passed through Durham. On the outbreak of the Great Rebellion Durham inclined to support the cause of the Parliament, and in 1640 the high sheriff of the palatinate guaranteed to supply the Scottish army with provisions during their stay in the county. In 1642 the Earl of Newcastle formed the western counties into an association for the kings service, but in 1644 the palatinate was again overrun by the Scottish army, and after the Battle of Marston Moor fell entirely into the hands of the parliament.

In 1614 a bill was introduced in parliament for securing representation to the county and city of Durham and the borough of Barnard Castle. The movement was strongly opposed by the bishop, as an infringement of his palatinate rights, and the county was first summoned to return members to parliament in 1654. After the Restoration the county and city returned two members each. By the Reform Act of 1832 the county returned two members for two divisions, and the boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland acquired representation. The boroughs of Darlington, Stockton and Hartlepool returned one member each from 1868 until the Redistribution Act of 1885.

Modern local government

High Force waterfall on the River TeesThe municipal boroughs of Durham, Stockton on Tees and Sunderland were reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. In 1875 Jarrow was incorporated as a municipal borough, as was West Hartlepool in 1887.[21] At a county level, the Local Government Act 1888 reorganised local government throughout England and Wales.Most of the county came under control of the newly formed Durham County Council in an area known as an administrative county. Not included were the county boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland. However, for purposes other than local government the administrative county of Durham and the county boroughs continued to form a "county of Durham" to which a Lord Lieutenant of Durham was appointed.



Over its existence, the administrative county lost territory, both to the existing county boroughs, and also due to the municipal borough of West Hartlepool becoming a county borough in 1902 and Darlington in 1915. In 1967 the former area of the borough of Hartlepool was removed from the administrative county when it merged with West Hartlepool to form a new county borough of Hartlepool. The county boundary with the North Riding of Yorkshire was adjusted: that part of the town of Barnard Castle historically in Yorkshire was added to County Durham, while the portion of the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in Durham was ceded to the North Riding In 1968, following the recommendation of the Local Government Commission, Billingham was transferred to the county borough of Teesside, in the North Riding. In 1971 the population of the county including all associated county boroughs (an area of 634,000 acres) was 1,409,633 and the population outside the county boroughs was 814,396.


In 1974 the administrative county and the county boroughs were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 and County Durham was reconstituted as a non-metropolitan county The reconstituted County Durham lost territory to the north east (around Gateshead, South Shields and Sunderland) to Tyne and Wear and to the south east (around Hartlepool) to Cleveland. At the same time it gained the former area of Startforth Rural District from the North Riding of Yorkshire. The area of the Lord Lieutenant of Durham was also adjusted by the Act to coincide with the non-metropolitan county (which occupied 745,995 acres in 1981).

In 1996, as part of the 1990s UK local government reform, Cleveland was abolished[33] and its districts were reconstituted as unitary authorities. Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees (north of the River Tees) were returned to Durham for the purposes of Lord Lieutenant. In 1997, Darlington became a unitary authority and was separated from the shire county. The change in area for Lord Lieutenant to include all these places was reconfirmed by the Lieutenancies Act 1997. Cleveland was adopted as a postal county in 1974 and by the time of its abolition, Royal Mail had abandoned the use of counties altogether; the County Durham former postal county therefore has not been adjusted to the new ceremonial boundary.

Future of local government

The Department for Communities and Local Government has announced, that as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, the seven district councils and the County Council will be abolished and a new unitary authority for the whole of the existing County Council area will be created. The changes are planned to be implemented no later than 1 April 2009. The successful Durham County Council bid referred to the new authority as County Durham Council.

Durham LEA has a comprehensive school system with 36 state secondary schools (not including sixth form colleges) and three independent schools (two in Durham and one, Barnard Castle School, in Barnard Castle). Easington district has the largest school population by year, and Teesdale the smallest with two schools. Only one school in Easington and Derwentside districts have sixth forms, with about half the schools in the other districts having sixth forms.

Places of interest

Key
Abbey/Priory/Cathedral
Accessible open space
Amusement/Theme Park
Castle
Country Park
English Heritage
Forestry Commission
Heritage railway
Historic House
Museum (free/not free)
National Trust
Zoo
Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland
Barnard Castle
Beamish Museum, in Stanley
Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle
Causey Arch, near Stanley
Durham Cathedral and Castle, a World Heritage Site
Escomb Saxon Church, near Bishop Auckland
Finchale Priory, near Durham city
Hamsterley Forest
Hardwick Hall Country Park near Sedgefield
High Force and Low Force waterfalls, on the River Tees
Killhope Wheel, part of the North of England Lead Mining Museum in Weardale
Newton Hall, Once the biggest housing estate in Europe, located on the west side of Durham.
Locomotion railway museum, in Shildon
No Place, near Stanley
Pity Me
Raby Castle, near Staindrop
Tanfield Railway, in Tanfield

-Wikipedia

OFG Personal: My Old Room

 I have been Oasis mad since I was 15 and for as long as I live at home, my bedroom was an shrine to the boys, and for about 4 years it was INSANE! I have posted photos of my now office,  but honestly my office does not have anything on my old room! Here are the crazy photos:

 Crazy right?  This last one is of my Oasis wall, it was so big I had to piece together! If you click on the photo you will be able to see it better.

Giving Thanks: Oasis Style

Here in the US, its Thanksgiving today. Its my favorite holiday, its holiday that EVERYONE can celebrate, its about being thankful for what your have and being grateful for your love ones.  Here are few things about  that OFG is thankful for:


....Noel Gallagher picked up a guitar at age 8.


....that the Gallagher brothers have this unwaivering postive sprit


....for unibrows


....old Creation record label mates


....tambourines


....the organ parts in The Shock


....Liam's Gallagher hair


....how roll with it is a great motto for life


....the sing along bit at the end of Don't Look Back in Anger


....Gem's ability to look so damn cool


....Chris Sharrock


....the gong in Solider On


....the way Noel acts all cool on stage, but you know he's loving it


....broken ribs and NOTHING else


....Andy Bell's Ipod


....The Turning


....17 years and still going strong



....Oboogie, English Muffin, Turtle, Webby, Ginna, Noel's Princess, QueenOasis, Anna,  Listen Up, Laura (where ever you are!), All the lovely Canadians I met this year, everyone at l4e, stoptheclocks and my lovely 12,000 plus readers :D


Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Liam, Andy & Gem on 98.7FM LA

As you might have heard everyone BUT Noel was on LA radio today:

Click to here to hear the interview

(the photo is NOT from today)

Oasis Book Club: Alan McGee & The Story of Creation Records

What's the Story:  Alan McGee and the story of Creation Records is the astonishing behind-the-scenes story of one of Britain's' most controversial and inspired records labels. It is also the story of one man's vision and a breakdown so complete  that it him two years to recover.

What People Say:  "I always saw punk rock as successful", explains Alan McGee, founder of Creation Records--Britain's most notorious independent record label ever. "I saw punk rock as a way to live your life with edge. I'm an obsessive character. And I was obsessed with Creation and keeping it going. I was putting these records out because I had to do it".

Originally a labour of love, founded by Scottish punk-rocker Alan McGee in a London bedsit in the Summer of 1983, Creation Records painstakingly built up a reputation as one of the most consistent indie labels in Britain throughout the 1980s, surfed the wave of acid house throughout the early 1990s and signed Oasis as the star of Britpop began to rise. At the end of the 1990s, the Creation empire crumbled into dust in the face of ever-diminishing financial returns and the hangover from a decade of rabid drug abuse--one which saw McGee, suffering from a number of debilitating cocaine-related breakdowns that almost saw him drop out of the business altogether. Alan McGee and the Story of Creation Records (subtitled "This Ecstasy Romance Cannot Last"), then, is both a biography and an official Creation epitaph, written by sometime Oasis biographer Paulo Hewitt. Hewitt's prose is more instinctive than incisive; the conversations that he has conducted with McGee and a dozen-odd Creation staffers, relatives and hangers-on are written up verbatim, which, on the positive side, makes this an easy, lightweight read. However, this chatty style neatly skirts any serious critical weight, and since few others outside McGee's immediate circle are interviewed (notable absentees include Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie and Oasis' Noel Gallagher--often referred to in McGee's tales of chemical excess, but irritatingly, never quoted) it occasionally leaves This Ecstacy Romance... feeling like a work in progress.

Undeniably, though, McGee is the fulcrum and it is his fascinating testimony--and weighty ego--that carries the story through. Skirting madness at every turn, Alan McGee and the Story of Creation Records is purest rock'n'roll hedonism, coming straight from the horse's mouth. --Louis Pattison (Amazon.co.uk)

What OFG Says: As an Oasis fan, there is only one reason I brought this book and it begins with a "O" and ends with an "S". But if you are looking the full juicy bits of how Oasis were discovered, well you might be left wanting. Of course there are bits, but this book is a weird, meaning its not really a book, more like 208 page interview. The Oasis info is a bit "been there done that" though Alan McGee's "disenchantment" with Oasis towards by the end is an interesting read.  Still its not a must for Oasis fans, there are more in dept books about Oasis' early days as well as better books about Creation Records.  

Rating: C-

Oasis Alert: Mexico City 25th Date Cancelled

OFG doesn't do news but there have been reports on the L4E forum that the Mexico City 25th date has been cancel due to "logistic" problems. I am not sure what that means. Hopefully everyone with tickets to this gig can get their money back.

Video Thrusday ...er on Tuesday: Clay Oasis

 How friggin cool is this!!!!!! :D A++ for creativity !

OFG Guide: Great Oasis stuff on Ebay

Here are some great Oasis items on ebay (OFG is no way affiliated with these Ebay items!):

OASIS LIVE FOREVER
by Mitch Ikeda

From a Japanese photography, very rare and very little in Japanese, lots and lots of photos! OFG loves it :) Check out this ebayer as well it looks like he has a load of Japanese Oasis books for sale.




Dig Out Your Soul South Koren Promo Poster

Great for framing, if you would like a bit more DOYS in your house:)






Dig Out Your Soul Coasters

How awesome would it be to have your friends over and hand out some Oasis coasters for drinks? Make sure they don't walk off with them though!


Noel Gallagher Epiphone Union Jack Supernova

Ohmygosh :) Only if OFG had $1700 ! If your looking to spend some serious cash this is one of the greatest Oasis things you can buy.

Liam and Noel and Ricky Hatton's belt

I don't usually post news, I thought this photo was very cool and big enough to be wallpaper if you like, just click on it. For more info click here.

Burnage, Manchester UK

Liam is the ONLY Gallagher actually born in Burnage. according to Paul Gallagher's book, Liam was born two week after the Gallaghers moved to Burnage.  Here is a bit of info about the place that is truly famous for Oasis. 

Burnage is a neighbourhood of the City of Manchester in North West England. It is about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Manchester City Centre, bisected by the busy dual carriageway of Kingsway. It lies between Withington in the west, Heaton Chapel in the east and Heaton Mersey in the south.

Toponymy

The name Burnage is thought to be a corruption of "Brown Hedge" from the old brown stone walls or "hedges" which were common there in medieval times. In a survey of 1320, the district is referred to as "Bronadge".[1]

Middle Ages

The crest of the Mosley Family, former Lords of the Manor of Withington, was adopted in the 20th century as the badge of Burnage High School. The old Withington Town Hall (1881) on Lapwing Lane, West Didsbury, bears a carved Mosley crest above its door.[2]

During the Middle Ages, Burnage was common pasture and marsh land, shared between the farmers from the manors of Withington and Heaton Norris. As the local population began to expand, this land was gradually reclaimed for arable land. In a survey of 1322, the Lord of Manchester was permitted to appropriate more land for arable use, provided that he left enough common pasture land for the "commoners" to graze their animals.[3]

19th century

In 1894 George Bernard Shaw described Burnage as the prettiest village in Manchester.[4] In spite of the industrialisation of Manchester, Burnage had an established a cottage industry in hand weaving. Many of the original weavers' cottages still survive today.

 20th century

1906 saw plans to build a so-called "garden suburb" in the district. Burnage Garden Village, as it was called, saw the building of many new semi-detached houses as well as open recreational spaces, including lawns, gardens, a bowling green, tennis courts, allotments and a children's playground.

Hans Renold established a large engineering works at Burnage to manufacture roller chain. The factory closed during the late 1980s.

Aviation

On 28 April 1910, French pilot Louis Paulhan landed his Farman biplane in Barcicroft Fields, Pytha Fold Farm, on the borders of Withington, Burnage and Didsbury. This completed the first ever powered flight from London to Manchester, with a short over-night stop at Lichfield, (195 miles/298 km), and he won a £10,000 prize offered by the Daily Mail, beating the British contender, Claude Grahame-White.[5] Two special trains were chartered to Burnage Station to take spectators to the landing, with other spectators waiting through the previous night. Paulhan was followed throughout by a train carrying his wife, Henri Farman and his supporting mechanics. Today, a blue plaque recording Paulhan's achievement is displayed on a house in Paulhan Road, which forms part of the site where he landed.

The 1920s saw the construction of Kingsway (the A34) and the building of the Kingsway Housing Estate and building has continued apace since then - only parts of Burnage Lane still survive as original weavers' cottages.

Mauldeth Hall in Green End was the dwelling of the Bishop of Manchester for more than 20 years, before his move to Higher Broughton.

 Present day

Burnage is a mainly residential area, mostly semi-detached houses built in the 1930s and 1940s.The area is served by two railway stations, Burnage and Mauldeth Road on the Styal Line.

 Civic history

Burnage was a township in the ancient parish of Manchester in the Salford Hundred of Lancashire (historic boundaries). In the early 13th century it lay within the Manor of Withington, a feudal estate which also encompassed the townships of Withington, Didsbury, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Moss Side, Rusholme, Denton and Haughton, ruled by the Hathersage, Longford, Mosley and Tatton families. Burnage remained under the manor of Withington for several centuries.[6]

Burnage was in Chorlton-cum-Hardy Poor Law Union from 1837 to 1915, and in Manchester Poor Law Union from 1915 to 1930. In 1876 it was included in the area of Withington Local Board of Health. Under the Divided Parishes Act 1882 there was an exchange of areas with Withington township and part of Didsbury township was added to Burnage township. In 1894 it became part of Withington Urban District in the administrative county of Lancashire.[7]

In 1904 it became part of the City of Manchester, which later in 1974 was amalgamated into the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester.

 Political representation

The city councillors for the ward are John Cameron, Iain Donaldson and Rodney Isherwood (all Liberal Democrat). Cameron was elected in 2003 and Isherwood was elected in 2004.

Burnage is one of seven Manchester City Council wards in the parliamentary constituency of Manchester Withington, represented by John Leech MP (Liberal Democrat).

Notable people

The district is probably best known as the childhood home of Liam and Noel Gallagher, of the British rock band Oasis, who attended St. Bernard's Junior school and The Barlow School. The writer Frances Hodgson Burnett, who wrote Little Lord Fauntleroy, spent most of her early childhood in Burnage. Actors David Threlfall and Max Beesley are from Burnage, and fellow thespian John Thaw also lived in the area. Islamic scholar Martin Lings is from Burnage. Alumni of Burnage High School include Roger Byrne, captain of the Manchester United "Busby Babes" and England international who was one of the victims of the 1958 Munich air disaster; Wes Brown, current Manchester United and England player; Ian Wilson, guitarist and member of 70s rock band Sad Cafe. 

-Wikipedia.org

OFG Personal: Meeting Liam on TRL

A long time ago in the year 2000! When I was still a young one (19) LOL I witnessed the now famous Liam TRL interview live and in person. Of course wrote it all down so I wouldn't forget, I have never post this before here is the true account of what happen that day, it might be a bit fan girl, but hey I was 19 and VERY EXCITED :)

Its about four days after what happened- I know I should have written the day of it, but I needed these few days to have this wonderful event sink in. March 30, 2000; I stood online for one and 1/2 hours to get into MTV's Total Request Live in Times Square. A Man I have loved and admired was going to be there. They took FOUR people off this massive line, I was first, so I did get in! The following is and will be the most wonderful moment of my life. After sitting and waiting for Liam through out the show (I thought I was going to puke!) Liam Gallagher finally walker right by me and my friend. I was yelling and screaming through out the whole thing. Liam would look up at me and my friend the through the whole interview! I was smiling like a manic ! When it was over Liam was slapping some peoples hands and shook my friends hand, I held out my hand and said "Hello: he shook my hand and smiled "Hello" I can still feel his hand shake; it was a good firm one. Then putting his hand on my shoulder he leaned in and LIAM GALLAGHER kissed me! On the left half of cheek and lips! His lips were so soft and gave me a good kiss. Totally shocked I said "Oh wow thanks" and then he left! I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT!! I was shocked out of my mind! It was unbelievable! I meant so much to me, I feel like crying in happiness when I think about ! He is amazing, he is soooo special. He is an original rock star. I will remember that moment forever.

LOL wow that was more fan girl than I remember! hehehe Still it did happen, and almost nine years later it still blows my mind :) Other notes he smelled like beer and cologne and his hair was super soft ! The photo to the right is my wrist band and number (they only let 40 people in! I was 37!), as well has my train ticket. Click for a closer view.

Longsight, Manchester, UK

On May 29, 1967, Noel Gallagher was born at 2 Sandycroft Street in Longsight, Manchester (the house has been demolished ). Here is a bit of info on the place that Noel Gallagher was born.

 Longsight is an area of the City of Manchester, in North West England. It is around 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Manchester City Centre, and has a total population of 16,007.

History
Longsight has been known over the past with its gang related violence, similar to that of nearby Moss Side.[1]Most of the violence came from tensions between gangs; Longsight Crew and their rivals Gooch Close Gang from nearby Moss Side. Both gangs fought turf war between each other since late 90's, which resulted in many shootings and several deaths.

Governance

Longsight is served in Westminster by the MP for Manchester Gorton, currently the Rt Hon Sir Gerald Kaufman.

The area is represented on Manchester City Council by Liberal Democrat Liaqat Ali, first elected in 2003, Abid Chohan elected in 2004 and Labour's Maryam Khan elected in May 2006.

Geography
Much of the housing stock of Longsight consists of red-brick terraced houses

Previously known as Grindlow Marsh, it was incorporated into the City of Manchester in 1890. The district is bordered by Ardwick to the north, Rusholme to the west, Levenshulme to the south, and Gorton to the east. Longsight is currently defined by Hyde Road, Grey Street, Stockport Road, Plymouth Grove, Richmond Grove, Hathersage Road, Anson Road, Dickenson Road, Beresford Road, Old Hall Lane, Stockport Road, East Road, Pink Bank Lane, Nutsford Vale, Buckley Road and Mount Road. The Old Roman Road to Buxton (the A6 or Stockport Road) roughly bisects the area.

Economy

The main shopping centre is near the corner of Stockport Road and Dickenson Road, and contains a library and supermarket as well as many smaller shops. The Longsight Market, one of the busiest markets in the North West of England, is located on Dickenson Road. It can be easily spotted by its brightly-coloured profiled roofs. The market hosts a general market every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and a second-hand market every Tuesday. There are a large number of takeaway food shops and restaurants and a very wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables and other supplies to cater for the interests of the various immigrant communities in the area.

Transport

The railway line, from Manchester Piccadilly to Stockport, passes through the area, though there is no longer a station. The nearest stations are Ardwick and Levenshulme. Longsight contains the Slade Lane railway junction and is the site of several railway depots, which service trains for Virgin Trains, Northern Rail and TransPennine Express. The earliest railway works was set up in 1842 by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway. Little is known about its early history, except that it produced fifteen single wheeler passenger engines to a design by Sharp Stewart and Company. In 1846 the M&BR was amalgamated with the LNWR under John Ramsbottom. One 0-6-0 was produced in 1858 but then the works closed down as the LNWR transferred its operations to Crewe. The large Longsight steam locomotive depot provided engines for express trains to London and elsewhere; also for local passenger trains.

Notable residents

No. 3 Addison Terrace, on the north side of Daisy Bank Road, Victoria Park, was the home of Charles Hallé, the founder of the Hallé Orchestra, in 1848 and the pre-raphaelite artist Ford Madox Brown lived at the same address from 1883 to 1887.[5]

Ethel 'Sunny' Lowry (born 1911 in Longsight)[6] was the first British woman to swim the English Channel.[7]

Wes Brown, centre back for Manchester United Football Club. Born October, 13 1979 in Longsight, Manchester.

Cultural references

Longsight was immortalised in song by local singer Ian Brown formerly of The Stone Roses on his album 'Solarized'. The song was titled 'Longsight M13' reflecting the postcode of the area, which begins with M13. Graffiti appeared locally saying 'Stone Roses RIP' when the band split up, and 'Free Ian Brown' when he was jailed [8]. The song was written with Brown's former Roses bandmate, guitarist Aziz Ibrahim, who still lives in Longsight.[9] Brown also mentions the area in the Stone Roses song "Daybreak" which contains the line "From Atlanta, Georgia, to Longsight, Manchester". In recent times Longsight has suffered like surrounding south inner-city areas, with gangs, drugs and high profile shootings.

 -Wikipedia

Video Thursday: The Word

 Andy Bell is one of my favorite members of Oasis, alright I love them all, but I have special place for Andy  in my heart :) While looking for  Oasis' TV debut I found a Ride, Andy's old band doing "Leave it All Behind" on the Word in February 1992, if you don't understand what shoe gazing was this video is a fine example.



Oasis made there TV, as in FIRST EVER PERFORMANCE ON TV ANYWHERE a few years later on March 18, 1994 playing Supersonic on the Word. 

Click here for the video (Sorry the embedding is disabled)  

Oasis Recommends: Rising Damp

"Currently on the bus. The boys are trawling through the 2nd series of 'Rising Damp'. Very funny. We're en route to Birmingham. See you there if you're going." -Noel's Tales from the Middle of Nowhere 10/12/08

Rising Damp was a UK television sitcom , first broadcast from 1974 to 1978. It was adapted for television by Eric Chappell from his well-received 1971 stage play, The Banana Box (retained as the working title early in the series). The series was the highest-ranking ITV sitcom on the 100 Best Sitcoms poll run in 2004 by the BBC.

From Amazon.com:

First broadcast in 1974, the British sitcom Rising Damp was an instant and enduring success. It starred Leonard Rossiter as the miserly and lovelorn landlord Rigsby who is constantly needling young lodger Alan (Richard Beckinsale), a science student whose long hair and earrings are symptomatic to Rigsby of the modern age. He's also in love with Frances De La Tour's dowdy spinster Miss Jones, though his tentative advances are forever rebuffed. She in turn carries a torch for Philip (Don Warrington), the elegant son of an African chief who also resides at Rigsby Towers. 

     Some aspects of Rising Damp have not aged well, principally Rigsby's stream of racist jibes at Philip. Although these were doubtless well-meant and supposed to illustrate Rigsby's foolish bigotry, one suspects that it might have been a convenient cover for 1970s audiences to enjoy racist humor. However, Rossiter's Rigsby--stuttering, stammering, bent perpetually over backwards--remains a great comic creation, embodying all the festering prejudices, small-mindedness and self-delusion of the lower middle class Little Englander. --David Stubbs 

Click  the Amazon link above to  buy, or check your local library. My library had it!

Unoffical but Cool Oasis Videos

OFG likes youtube  and every now and then something interesting comes along.  These videos are far from official, but will put a smile on your face.

A Tribute to the Quiet Ones: 

 

Noel singing Songbird(audio only): 
 

 Oasis featuring the Beatles (alright its not that cool, kinda weird in fact)

How did you become a fan?

I don't get asked the question that much anymore, cos well around friends and family, my name and Oasis just go together :) But I love the question, cos well its when it ALL began :) I really feel like Oasis was a bit of awakening for me, kind of like the theme music for my life, theme music that kept positive and uplifting-which is probably the reason I have been in love with Oasis for so long. They always, always, no matter how bad I feel, can bring a smile to my face :)

Anyways here's my story:

(The photo is OFG in the summer of 96)

Like most 15 year olds, being 15 wasn't the best thing in the world. For me 13, 14 and 15 sucked...badly. My home life was rough, really rough, I was suffering from depression and had gotten mono when I 14 that I never really recovered from. Plus is was 1996 and I had spend my early teen getting into grunge music, I listened to Pearl Jam and Blind Melon. Not the most upbeat music.
I can remember hearing about a girl that was a total Nirvana freak, and secretly wishing I had a band that I could be that crazy about, a band I could be proud of and support. Oasis ended up being so much more.
About 3 months after I made that wish, my mom had to go into New York City for her job and asked me to go. I of course didn't want too, I was too gloomy to go out. Listening to my depressing music and swearing that grunge would never die. I should have know though, I should have know THEY were coming. Months before I had declared to my sister that Oasis were just wanna be Beatles, a few weeks before that had circled a photo of Liam and Noel in a teen mag and declared them "cute" and even more months before I had angrily shut off my radio, because "that dumb Live Forever song" keeps playing over and over. I should have known.
But, Wonderwall like most people had gotten too me, but had not won me over, then Don't Look in Anger sang its way into my head, still not quite there. It was Champagne Supernova that made me look closer at these "Beatles wannabes". So on May 8, 1996, as my mom dragged me kicking and screaming into NYC, the tables were set.
I remember grabbing her hand, after she brought me a $7 sandwich and let me get a facial at her work (it was a salon) and pulling her into HMV. I still remember seeing it, I still remember the pink letters and funny way the door was angled to the street corner and still remember thinking to music "Why am I going in here? I am really NOT that into music, this is weird". It was one of those things.
I had one cd to pick, my mother had declare adamantly that I was to choose ONE. I went to a large wall that declared "BIG HITS" and I stared for a while. I ended up with two cds in my hand; one was Hootie and the Blowfish (it was 1996) and one was Oasis' (Whats the Story) Morning Glory? I had a choice to make, a simple yet did I know it, a life changing choice. I decided rather merrily that I knew more Oasis songs and Morning Glory was for me. We took the train home and everything BEGAN.
Its is possible to drive your mother nuts with song, cos I did. It is also possible to have "stereo wars" with your sister over who is better the Beatles or Oasis, an it is possible for a 15 year old to have a life changing epiphany while listening to Roll with it. The was no use being depressed! What was the bloody point? I was GOOD! I wasn't this awful depressed broken home child that everyone (including myself) said I was. I was just as good as everyone else! Oasis said it! Oasis was my option out. They were noise that drowned my parents yelling out, made me stand up straighter at school, one of the driving forces that got me the "Most Improved Student" Award that September, they gave be a place to belong, I was an Oasis fan, and that meant everything.

There is a lot more to my story, A LOT. I could tell you about the concert that summer I missed, how I would try not to like the because they cursed a lot and said bad things about Americans, or how I would call Liam, LIEUM, or how I jumped around the kitchen when my neighbors brought me Live by the Sea or how the punk rock kids at school would send me death treats for wearing my Oasis tees. And that is only the beginning, there have been friends, boyfriends, hours waiting, concerts attended, credit cards to max, birthday cakes, trains, buses, cars, flights, tambourines, dedications, websites, blogs, weddings, pumpkins, album days and me staring up at a Manchester sky as Oasis sand Champagne Supernova with tears in my eyes thinking "How did that 15 year old girl that stood in HMV waving Morning Glory at her mom, get here??" Its all crazy, its all been a crazy crazy dream. And you know the best part?? That cd booklet from that Morning Glory I brought that day sits my desk, with Noel's signature across it, he signed it seconds after I told him that his music saved my life.

So how bout you? Leave me a comment on how you became a fan, best one will be contacted for a fan interview! Come on! :)

Blast From Gem & Andy's Past :)

It never occurred to me that Heavy Stereo and Ride had videos! Here are some them:

Mouse in a Hole (Heavy Stereo):


Vapour Trail:




They have been in Oasis so long is weird seeing NOT in Oasis :)

Oasis Video Poll

The "I’m Outta Time" video premiered yesterday and of course it causing some rumblings from Oasis fans. I personally really like it, I love the black and white filming, as well as Liam looking very nice :) I am not sure of the miming though and I wish the rest of the band was in the video. I kidded to my husband that Noel was the guy in the parachute towards the end (he’s not). Still I like it, it doesn’t make want to vomit like the Little by Little video.
Anyways Oasis are not a "video band" well they claim not to be, but they to have plenty of videos. So what are the best and the worst? So I have set up a poll for your favorite video. The video with the least votes will be the worst Oasis video and the one with the most of course the best. For the next couple of weeks I will blogging about each video. You can vote on the Sidebar. Here is I''m outta Time Just in case you missed it:

Oasis - I'm Outta Time

Oasis Book Club: Take Me There: Oasis-The Story

Whats The Story: Written with full co-operation of the band and featuring masses of previously unpublished photographs. as well as introductions by Noel and Liam Gallagher. Take Me There : Oasis- The Story is the definitive biography. Author Paul Mathur first saw Oasis July 1993, rehearsing in the tiny basement of a Manchester club, and, convinced that the had the makings of something genuinely extraordinary, became the first person to champion the band in the music press- three months before they signed a record deal and long before any of his armchair-bound peers picked up on them.
Since those early days, his enduring friendship with the band has allowed him unique access to them every step of the way. He has witness no only scores of the gigs all over the world (and the attendant behind-the -scenes Antics), but also the recording of their albums and many of their singles. in 1994 he contributed hand claps to what was to become their first Number One single "Some Might Say".
Take Me There:Oasis-The Story traces the career of the band form an expectational position of intimacy providing a portrait of the group that shares their own celebration of the path from the early gigs worldwide acclaim, taking in shows all over Britain, Europe, Japan and America. From Insignificance, armed only with a handful of dreams, to being the biggest band since the Beatles.
This is what it was like. All of It.

What People say:

This book tells the inside story of oasis from early 1993 until their record breaking knebworth shows in 1996. The photos are stunning and many and the text is just as good! A glossy read but it's only rock 'n' roll. -UK Fan

AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ANOTHER OASIS BOOK COMING OFF OF THE PRESS BUT I THOUGHT I'D BUY IT ANY WAY (GLAD I DID) AND EXCELLENT BOOK THAT ROOTS INTO ALL THE FACTS AND PROBABLY THE BEST OASIS BOOK IVE EVER READ (AND IVE READ A LOT) -US fan

What OFG Says:

This book is a must. Truthfully I love this book, not only for the photos (there are A LOT) but its written by some one who actually gets it! It goes into great detail from Oasis' first trip to America to the recording of Morning Glory. I think this book is the closest account of what happened to Oasis between 1993- 1996 you can get. Buy this book!

Some Interesting Oasis Links

I was looking at the Top 100 sites (OFG is #8!) and I picked on my very favorites from the sites 11 -37 (there isn't 100 sadly).. I figured they could use the press!

Oasisweb.net
I have had this link on my site for a while just wanted to point out again what a great site it is! The webmaster Ginna is only 19 but graphics and the context is amazing! Lots of photos, info and of course Oaspace!

Mad4itdownloads
Great for downloads!! They have spilt the download sections into years including how many gigs were actually played that year as well has how many gigs are uploaded to the section. Its really easy to use, I would recommend it for any fan wanted to get into boots.

http://headshrinkerr.blogspot.com/
This blog appears not to be update since March, but it does have a lot of interviews, bootlegs, artwork and other goodies for Oasis fans.

Like I said there only 37 sites on the Top 100 :( Sad why don't people make interesting Oasis blogs or sites anymore? Come on people :) Anyways if you have a blog or a website you would like promoted on this little ole blog, email me, leave a comment, you know what to do!