Noel Gallagher has defended his band's decision to not play Live 8 next month. As previously reported, Oasis were initially rumoured to be taking part in Bob Geldof's protest-fest, but then it transpired they wouldn't be playing because they were already booked to play a gig in Manchester that day.
Gallagher told reporters "if it was possible, it would be nice to take part", but added that he didn't buy this idea that every rock star had a duty to drop everything just because there was a benefit gig taking place. While stressing he wasn't criticising Geldof, Gallagher said: "It's that general thing that rock stars should be doing something to fucking sort this out. And it's like, 'Well, all right, that's what (U2's) Bono and (Coldplay's Chris) Martin are for'. I don't like the way that somebody suddenly decides that all the bands in England are going to fuckin' play and everybody jumps to attention."