Column one Young rockers unleash drugfired frenzy

Radio 1's audience figures may show that the station is in decline, but it
still manages to have a very surprising sweep of listeners. Every moralist
in the country, from Ann Widdecombe to Mary Whitehouse, appears to have
been tuning into Steve Lamacq's Late Night Session when he interviewed the
Gallagher brothers on Thursday night.

At least one would think so from the veritable queue of outraged
rentaquotes who lined up yesterday to condemn the BBC for airing a live
interview where Noel and Liam advocated the legalisation of drugs and used
earthy language. Mr Lamacq, who lost control of the interview while the
brothers attacked old rockers and each other, made the eminently sensible
suggestion that listeners offended by what they were hearing should switch
off their radios. This was obviously missed by Miss Widdecombe: "This is
utterly appalling and the BBC should hold an inquiry to establish what
happened," foamed the Tory MP for Maidstone.

What happened was that during a discussion of The Verve's hit song "The
Drugs Don't Work", Noel Gallagher made the observation that while it is a
very good song, it's premise is somewhat flawed or words to that effect.
His brother Liam, who has probably spent enough money on drugs to know
whether they work or not, agreed with him: "I know what he's saying, drugs
do bloody work. You know the score."

Liam's wild ways helped ratchet the story up further yesterday when he
chased reporters away from his North London home and threatened to stick a
camera down a photographer's throat.

The BBC has apologised for any offence caused by the show and has said it
would investigate the broadcast.

The mother of teenage Ecstasy victim Leah Betts seemed to have forgotten
the history of rock music over the last 30 years when she condemned Oasis
as a uniquely Nineties phenomenon: "I feel very sad and concerned for young
people today. They look up to people like Oasis and noone warns them of
the other side."

Despite the fact that Noel Gallagher has had a beer with Tony Blair he has
some way to go before he becomes as respectable as some of the old farts
or Sixties rock legends he condemns. The Rolling Stones has a brand of
Volkswagen named after them and corporate tour sponsors. Paul McCartney is
now Sir Paul McCartney.

Yet once the Rolling Stones were being arrested and condemned for using
drugs, urinating against walls and abusing Mars bars. Their fans threatened
the very fabric of society by slashing the fabric upholstery in concert
halls where they played.

Even "nice" Paul McCartney has seen the inside of a Japanese police cell,
after he was arrested there with enough grass to get Coventry stoned.

In a recent documentary Liam Gallagher made the startlingly obvious point
that anyone who was as rich and famous as him at 23 would enjoy themselves
as much as he does.

Paul McCann