About Me
Colin Murray Archer ( County Durham), better known as Gem (pronounced with a hard "G" - like "gift" or "gama", after the Scottish footballer Archie Gemmill), is a musician, and currently plays rhythm guitar in British rock band Oasis having taken over from founding member Paul Arthurs in 1999. Gem is also a vegetarian and a talented artist. He has a wife named Lou, a son, Joel, and a daughter named Libby.Archer began his musical career in Whirlpool, graduated to singer and guitarist status with Creation Records signing Heavy Stereo but after just one album was drafted into Oasis. Gem is officially referred to as Oasis' rhythm guitarist, but in reality he and Noel Gallagher split many of the lead parts so that Noel can concentrate on his singing. Noel has already admitted Gem is by far the superior guitar player.Gem's first songwriting contribution after joining Oasis was Hung in a Bad Place, which appeared on Oasis' 5th album Heathen Chemistry. His role has expanded on Oasis' most recent album, Don't Believe the Truth, which features Archer's "A Bell Will Ring" and "Love Like a Bomb", the latter of which he co-wrote with singer Liam Gallagher. He also contributed the B-sides "Eyeball Tickler" and "The Quiet Ones." Gem has said that he finds it quite daunting to submit songs for consideration to the band because of Noel Gallagher's stature as a songwriter, whom he cites as one of his favourite songwriters.Oasis' bassist Andy Bell higlights Archer's significance to Oasis saying "Oasis has completely evolved. Noel's old mates left, he's been divorced and really changed his own life around. He still has Liam but his relationship with Liam is different - It's more tempestuous. He needs a less extreme mate and Gem's it. Gem chills Noel out. And that makes Oasis a more stable ship."Gem also took important role in making the Nine Inch Nails' latest record With Teeth in middle-2004 before starting final sessions in September 2004 for Don't Believe the Truth.
