When it came to finding a name for the Oasis blogger character in Be Here Now, I knew straightaway what it should be – the man famously name-checked in the song ‘Shakermaker’: Sifter.
Sifters Record Store is still going well in Burnage, Manchester, years after the Gallagher brothers frequented the place and sought his permission to mention him in the song:
Mister Sifter sold me songs
When I was just sixteen
Now it was my turn to ask Pete Howard, AKA Mr Sifter, to lend me his name! Fortunately for me, Pete was a real gentleman and agreed on the spot (well, I used to be a customer there too!)
Pete, currently readying himself for an influx of extra visitors during the band’s July dates in Manchester, says he was happy to see his store’s name move from vinyl to the printed page. ‘Sifter in the book has plenty to say about the modern music scene and does it in a funny and entertaining way. I wish I had his energy.’
Be Here Now follows the experiences of an array of characters over the course of a one-off Oasis gig held in an unlikely venue, poking fun at modern rock festivals: from the difficulty of getting hold of tickets to rip-off merchandise, from the obsessive nature of fans to the age-old staples of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.
The blogger Sifter provides commentary as the action races along, torn between his excitement at seeing the band again and wondering whether a reunion after all this time might harm, rather than enhance, their legacy.
The paperback of Be Here Now (£9.99) is available to buy at Sifters as well as online. Get Yourself down there!
