Oasis were named Best Act In The World at the Q Awards yesterday (30.10.06).
Guitarist Noel Gallagher attended the prestigious ceremony, held by the respected British music magazine, at London's lavish Grosvenor House hotel but his hellraising brother and bandmate Liam was a notable absentee.
As Noel collected his prize, he told pop acts Take That and a-ha they'd had a lucky escape as his brother had gone to the zoo with his long-term partner Nicole Appleton and their son Gene.
He said: "One of Take That just said to me, 'Is your kid Liam here?' I replied, 'You'd know if he was.'
"There's no way he'd have let the likes of Take That and a-ha come up here without giving them some serious mindless abuse. But seriously, he's gone to the zoo - the monkeys are bringing their kids to look at him."
Noel also scooped the award for Classic Songwriter - presented by his close friend and former The Jam frontman Paul Weller - an accolade he was genuinely surprised to receive.
He explained: "I was gobsmacked when they called out my name. My manager never told me about it.
"I know no one will believe me because everyone always says this at awards ceremonies but I was genuinely surprised."
Other big winners included U2 who received the special Q Award of Awards, while the Irish band's guitarist The Edge received the prize for Innovation In Sound.
British band Arctic Monkeys walked away with two gongs, Best Album for 'Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not' and the People's Choice Award.
Soul legend Smokey Robinson received the Outstanding Contribution award and The Who were honoured with the Q Legend accolade.
Other guests at the star-studded ceremony, which was hosted by British TV chat show host Jonathan Ross, included Boy George, Moby and Primal Scream.
2006 Q Awards full list of winners:
Best New Act
Corinne Bailey Rae
Best Track
'Crazy' by Gnarls Barkley
Best Video
'When You Were Young' by The Killers
Q Inspiration Award
a-ha
Q Outstanding Contribution to Music
Smokey Robinson
Q Groundbreaker Award
Primal Scream
Q Icon Award
Jeff Lynne
Q Idol Award
Take That
Q Outstanding Performance
Faithless
Q Innovation in Sound
U2's The Edge
Q Classic Songwriter
Noel Gallagher
Q Lifetime Achievement Award
Peter Gabriel
Q Merit Award
Manic Street Preachers
Q Classic Song
Karma Chameleon
Best Live Act
Muse
Best Album
'Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not' by Arctic Monkeys
The People's Choice Award
Artic Monkeys
Best Act In The World
Oasis
Q Legend Award
The Who
Q Award of Awards
U2
(C) BANG Media International
