Oasis vocalist Liam Gallagher and wife Patsy Kensit have given birth to their first child, a six-pound boy the couple has named Lennon Francis Gallagher, in honor of the late Beatle John Lennon.

According to a spokesperson for Oasis' U.K. label, Creation Records, Lennon was born last night at approximately 8:45 p.m. at Portland Hospital in London after Kensit went into labor at the couple's home.

Gallagher left the hospital approximately three hours later, and the singer spoke briefly to Britain's Press Association about his new son, Lennon: "He's gorgeous."

The child is Kensit's second, as she already has a seven-year-old son, James, from a previous marriage to Simple Minds vocalist Jim Kerr. Kensit and Gallagher were wed at a hush-hush ceremony in London back in April 1997 (see [article id="1432886"]"Oasis' Liam Finally Pulls Off Secret Wedding"[/article]).

Oasis has finished work on its new album, tentatively due out in February 2000,

the same month that Liam's brother, guitarist Noel Gallagher, and wife Meg Matthews are expecting their first child.

The band has yet to find replacement for departed rhythm guitarist Paul Arthurs and bassist Paul McGuigan, both of whom split from Oasis in August (see [article id="1432809"]"Oasis Loses Bassist McGuigan; Gallaghers Vow To Rock On"[/article]).

-- Dave Basham