Noel Gallagher quits Oasis

Guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher of the English rock band Oasis announced last night that he had quit the group, saying that he could no longer work with his brother Liam, in the middle of a world tour. He wrote on the band's official website, "It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you I quit Oasis tonight. [sic] I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer." This has been interpreted by many as an announcement that the band is to split up.

This news comes after a backstage fistfight between the brothers, which singer Amy Macdonald described on her Twitter profile with the text, "Liam smashed Noel’s guitar, huuuge [sic] fight!"

Oasis cancelled the night's performance, as announced by support act Bloc Party, and screens displayed the message, "As a result of an altercation within the band, the Oasis gig has been cancelled." This announcement was met with booing from the crowd.

Alan McGee, who signed Oasis to his Creation Records label, said, "It's obviously the worst fall-out that they've ever had, and they've had some pretty bad ones. This is a pretty serious one. But they love each other, they'll come back together." He predicted that the group would go on to make solo albums, before coming together for "a reunion tour in about five years time."