Who is popular today?

As the pugnacious parka-wearer marks off half a century, musicians and Guardian writers examine the attitude, arguments and angry monologues that make him a true rock’n’roll starIf Liam Gallagher wasn’t the parka-wearing, simian-swaggering rock’n’roll star we know today, who knows what he would have ended up doing? Someone with this much gravitational pull doesn’t make sense outside the context of stage, screen or celebrity. He’s an energy more than a man and one of the most compelling performers the UK has ever produced – even though he barely moves on stage. He bowled into our hearts when Oasis emerged in 1994 and has lived there ever since, sinking pints and pointing at things, declaring that he will either “be having” or “not having” them. That’s just one big, overarching reason to love Liam Gallagher. As he turns 50 on Wednesday, here are 50 more. Continue reading...