Noel Gallagher Quits Oasis…Again

On Aug. 28th, Noel Gallagher, lead guitarist and primary songwriter of the band Oasis, quit the band over a dispute with his brother, Liam.

In a post on the band’s Web site, Noel explained that he was leaving the band “with some sadness and great relief.” This isn’t the first time Noel has quit the band; the brothers have famously battled both in the studio and on stage throughout the band’s career.

Was this most recent fight the last straw? Only time will tell, but the smart money says that Noel will return eventually.

The Beatles, Re-Mastered

Last week, the entire Beatles catalog was re-released as both a massive box set and individual albums.

The last (and only) time that the entire Beatles catalog was released on an album was way back in 1987. These new releases are completely re-mastered and entirely worth the wait.

Since the Beatles’ music is still unavailable on digital music services such as iTunes and Rhapsody, these new discs are the only (legal) way for today’s youth to experience one of the greatest bands ever.

Last week also saw the release of The Beatles: Rock Band for all three major video game platforms. If there’s a better way to spread Beatlemania to kids today, we’d be shocked.

Jay-Z, “The Blueprint 3,”

and You

Last Tuesday, rapper Jay-Z released his 11th studio album, “The Blueprint 3.”

The record was supposed to be released on Friday, Sept. 11, to coincide with the release of the original Blueprint, but was pushed forward due to the album being leaked online in late August.

In response to news about the leak, Hova said to his fans, “I’m very proud of the work I’ve done. Enjoy it.”

Jay also performed a 9/11 Tribute show at Madison Square Garden on Friday which was broadcast live on the Fuse television network. Who says a major rap star can’t give back to his fans?

Kurt Cobain in Guitar Hero 5

With the release of Guitar Hero 5 on Sept. 1, fans of the rhythm game series and ’90s icon Kurt Cobain were met with the surprise that Cobain is a playable avatar in the game. That means that players can burn through any of the 85 songs featured in the game while appearing as Cobain on-screen.

While this makes perfect sense for Nirvana tracks like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Lithium,” some fans are in an uproar over the ability to play as Cobain on songs by bands like Megadeath and Grand Funk Railroad.

Despite game publisher Activision’s statements to the contrary, Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love, has made claims that she never signed off to allow the Kurt avatar in the game.

NIN Final Concert

Thursday night, industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails played its last concert ever at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theater. Frontman Trent Reznor announced in February that the band’s current tour would be its last, almost 20 years after the band’s break out hit “Head Like a Hole” in 1990.

While NIN hasn’t had consistent radio airplay for the past several years, Reznor has kept the band relevant and in the news by causing fights with his label and other artists, often through his Twitter account. With his Twitter now deactivated and NIN no longer touring, what new and unique ways will Reznor find to keep the music world’s eyes on him? Our guess: a rock opera.