The

Verve, those neo-psychedelic thrash meisters, hired Owen Morris to

record their latest album, A Northern Soul and got more than

they bargained for. Morris, who produced Oasis's Definitely

Maybe trashed a recording studio, causing thousands of dollars of

damage. Wielding a chair, he demolished a speaker stack, and then

smashed the huge window between a studio and mixing room. Richard

Ashcroft, a member of The Verve, revealed that "Owen put the speaker

through because he was enjoying a song so much! He's the best

putter-through of windows I've ever seen. He was having a bit of a

nervous breakdown at the time. But then he's worked with Oasis--and

that would push most people close." Ashcroft was very effusive, after

he found out that the damages weren't coming out of his royalties.

A Northern Soul is due for release on July 3, and features Owen's

buddy, Liam Gallagher, adding his own special brand of nonsense to the

track titled "History." The single, "This Is Music," will be out May

1. According to Ashcroft, "Oasis came down when we were doing the

record. 'History' includes Liam clapping his head off." Ha Ha Thump.

Ashcroft admitted he also had personal problem during the making of

the album. "I broke up with someone I was with for six years. If I

hadn't had the album I would have fallen down to the bottom. I've been

everywhere these past six months. But I think everyone has a breakdown

once in a while. Now people are just treating me with kid gloves."

Maybe it's Owen they should be treating that way. Anyway The Verve

(formerly just plain Verve; in America they were forced to change

their name to The Verve, in order to avoid a lawsuit with Verve

Records) supports Oasis on their upcoming swing through the UK and

Paris during the next two weeks.