SLADE guitarist Dave Hill has struck up an unlikely friendship with Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey.
The Seventies and Eighties rocker was introduced to the actor after being invited by pal Noel Gallagher to watch Oasis play at Wembley.
Dave tells me: “I was in a special room. It was quite funny. The Beckhams came in, Holly Willoughby was there, Matthew was there, Matt Smith was in there.
“My son was with me because he’s a big Oasis fan and he went, ‘Dad, it’s that actor over there, go and have a chat with him.’
“So I ended up chatting to Matthew, trying to explain our albums. He’s really nice.”
Dave, who is on a Slade tour in honour of their festive smash Merry Christmas Everybody, also told me Noel cited Slade as one of the biggest influences on Oasis.
He said: “Noel is always so complimentary about us. He says, ‘No Slade, no Oasis’.
“He saw us on Top Of The Pops and thought if a bunch of council house kids can make it, we can. So he and his brother formed a band.
“I think he’s right in what he said, because in the Eighties, a lot of groups were going away from guitar players and getting in keyboards and stuff, but Oasis kicked that out in the Nineties.
“They came out and sounded like a version of Slade, because their stuff is gutsy, and they even covered Cum On Feel The Noize. What a compliment.”
JASON DERULO clearly has more money than sense.
He’s blown £180,000 on a giant topiary gorilla.
Taking to Instagram Jason raved about the wild addition to the garden in his Los Angeles home, which was lifted into place from the back of a lorry.
He told fans: “I spent $200,000 on an amazing giant gorilla made of grass. It’s 16ft.
“I’m so thankful to have this amazing art piece. It was the missing element I didn’t know would make such a big difference.”
Madonna on corset for new album
MADONNA squeezes into her latest outrageous outfit – but there are some strings attached.
The Material Girl posed in a silky pink lace-up corset and faux fur jacket for a series of new pics, and even got on all fours in one shot.
Another featured her sitting with twin daughters Estere and Stella.
She appeared to be checking out images of herself on a moodboard and it’s thought Madge was picking photos to front the campaign for her 15th album.
Madonna’s team this week sparked speculation the record is just around the corner as they all flew to London.
The album – her first since 2019’s Madame X – has been billed as a follow-up to 2005 release Confessions On A Dance Floor.
O2’S DEAL TO BOOST NEW ACTS
THE future of grassroots music venues is a cause that’s close to my heart.
So I was thrilled to see The O2 Arena striking a deal to help musicians of the future.
It has teamed up with the Music Venue Trust and will make a direct donation to the organisation every time a new artist headlines the London arena.
The three-year commitment will see much-needed cash funnelled into the trust, which supports venues that host emerging talent.
In this year alone, The O2 has hosted more than 50 first-time performances and, to kick off the partnership, it has given the MVT a six-figure donation.
Mumford & Sons pianist Ben Lovett has backed the move and said: “This week we will play two shows at The O2.
“While this might not be the first time we’re headlining the arena, it doesn’t make it any less special to be able to come to our hometown and headline a couple of nights in one of the best arenas in the world.
“Our first time taking to this iconic stage was in 2012, when many of the venues where we had cut our teeth, including the Luminaire in Kilburn, had started closing down.
“This trend has only continued, in London and across the country, and we have done everything we can to protect the essential grassroots scene.”
He added: “Artists don’t just arrive in these arenas from nowhere.”
BUSY MILEY HAS EYES ON BOND
MILEY CYRUS isn’t resting on her laurels despite being tippped for an Oscar nomination for Avatar song Dream As One.
She has thrown her hat into the ring for the next Bond theme – and asked to soundtrack the second series of Netflix hit Baby Reindeer.
Miley told podcast The Hollywood Reporter: “At the Golden Globes last year Baby Reindeer were going up to accept their Globe and I said, ‘If you ever need a song if you’re doing season two, I’d love to do it’.”
She added of 007: “I definitely would do it. On my last album, a lot of people when they were listening to songs like Easy Lover would say, ‘this sounds like a Bond song’.”
Last week I revealed Bond bosses are hoping to get Oasis on board for the next film.
But if they fall through, Miley would be an epic choice.
Kim takes a stroll in the hood
KIM KARDASHIAN looks ready to join Father Christmas at the North Pole as she heads out in this all-white combo.
She modelled her own SKIMS range, dressing head to toe in the brand’s North Face collaboration.
Ever the fashionista, Kim teamed a faux fur hooded jacket with skin-tight leggings and PVC boots in New York.
If I was asked to wear this, I’d accidentally stain it before leaving the house.
