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Friday, November 12, 1999 Published at 16:31 GMT

Entertainment

Oasis recruit Ride man

Oasis last week: Gem, Noel and Liam Gallgher, Alan White

Oasis have completed their new line-up by recruiting guitarist Andy Bell as the band's new bass player.

He replaces Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan who left Oasis earlier this year.

Bell is best known for his previous bands, indie icons Ride, who split in 1995, and Hurricane #1, whose biggest hit was Step Into My World.

[ image: Andy Bell: Rock veteran at the age of 29]
Andy Bell: Rock veteran at the age of 29
He has already been rehearsing with Oasis for their US dates in December.

Bell said: "I'm very excited. When I got asked it was not a difficult decision to make. Oasis have always been an inspiration. I'm looking forward to it."

He has known Oasis for five years since Ride supported them for a Christmas show in Brighton.

At 29, Bell is already a seasoned musician. Formed in 1988, Ride's dark, psychedelic style of rock built up a loyal following on the UK's indie scene during the early 1990s, thanks to songs such as Leave Them All Behind. Their lack of on-stage presence led the music press to dub their style of music "shoegazing". But they split amid acrimony in 1995.

His next band, Hurricane #1, offered a more conventional rock sound, and were more commercially successful in the wake of Britpop, with Top 40 hits like Step Into My World.

The band recently decided to take a year out, and Bell was due to work with the group Gay Dad - but has abandoned these commitments to join Oasis.

A spokesman for Oasis said: "He's a brilliant, brilliant musician, a cool guy and he'll be brilliant on stage.

[ image: Liam and Noel Gallagher: World tour in 2000]
Liam and Noel Gallagher: World tour in 2000
"The band know and really like him. He's a very gentle bloke - calm and laid back. But then that's just like the rest of Oasis now. They're all pretty calm and laid back."

Bell is the second new member to join Oasis in a matter of days - new bassist Gem joined them last week to shoot the video for the band's single, Go Let Them Out.

Gem - formerly from little-known band Heavy Stereo - replaced guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs.

Both newcomers will join Liam and Noel Gallagher, and drummer Alan White, to play shows for radio stations in the US next month, starting on 3 December in Philadelphia.

In February Oasis start a world tour in Japan, which will take up much of the year.