Click here for a number of pictures from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds gig at the Le Grand Rex in Paris, France.
Noel Gallagher
Click here for a number of pictures from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds gig at the Le Grand Rex in Paris, France.
Another Gallery: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds In Paris
Click here for a number of pictures from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds gig at the Le Grand Rex in Paris, France.
Bonehead
Guigsy
Liam Gallagher
Noel Gallagher
Oasis
Tony McCarroll
The video below is from March 8th 1995, when Oasis appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman in New York and played the classic Live Forever.
On This Day In Oasis History...
The video below is from March 8th 1995, when Oasis appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman in New York and played the classic Live Forever.
Mario Balotelli
Click here for a number of pictures of Noel Gallagher meeting Mario Balotelli at Manchester City's training ground last week.
Thanks to AG
Gallery: Noel Gallagher And Mario Balotelli
Click here for a number of pictures of Noel Gallagher meeting Mario Balotelli at Manchester City's training ground last week.
Thanks to AG
Mario Balotelli
Noel Gallagher
Click here to watch Noel Gallagher talk about Italian and Manchester City footballer Mario Balotelli.
Thanks to AG
Noel Gallagher Praises Mario Balotelli
Click here to watch Noel Gallagher talk about Italian and Manchester City footballer Mario Balotelli.
Thanks to AG
Noel Gallagher
Rocker Noel Gallagher was left disappointed when he took his young daughter to one of his solo gigs - she spent the show texting pals.
The former Oasis star crowned his triumphant comeback as a solo artist with a concert at London's enormous O2 Arena last month (Feb12), and he was so proud of the achievement he took 12-year-old Anais along with him.
But his joy turned to horror midway through the performance when he spotted his little girl in the crowd and realised she was more interested in messaging her friends than listening to his songs.
Gallagher tells Nme magazine, "I looked up as I was singing - and if this isn't a sign of the times, I don't know what is - there she was, middle of a packed arena, texting. My own flesh and blood! Disgraceful. Afterwards, I went to her, 'I saw you, texting during the gig.' She goes, 'No that wasn't me.' I'm like, 'You're my child! I f**king know who you are! I know it was you.'"
And family problems weren't the only issue that marred Gallagher's big night - in a post on his blog, he writes, "It felt a bit too big for me. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood. Dunno. I didn't enjoy it much anyway. I seen (sic) people eating while I was playing... Actually Eating!!!!!!!??????????? Please somebody explain to me what the F**K that's all about. Cheeky c**ts!"
Source: www.contactmusic.com
Noel Gallagher Rues Taking His Daughter To Gig
Rocker Noel Gallagher was left disappointed when he took his young daughter to one of his solo gigs - she spent the show texting pals.
The former Oasis star crowned his triumphant comeback as a solo artist with a concert at London's enormous O2 Arena last month (Feb12), and he was so proud of the achievement he took 12-year-old Anais along with him.
But his joy turned to horror midway through the performance when he spotted his little girl in the crowd and realised she was more interested in messaging her friends than listening to his songs.
Gallagher tells Nme magazine, "I looked up as I was singing - and if this isn't a sign of the times, I don't know what is - there she was, middle of a packed arena, texting. My own flesh and blood! Disgraceful. Afterwards, I went to her, 'I saw you, texting during the gig.' She goes, 'No that wasn't me.' I'm like, 'You're my child! I f**king know who you are! I know it was you.'"
And family problems weren't the only issue that marred Gallagher's big night - in a post on his blog, he writes, "It felt a bit too big for me. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood. Dunno. I didn't enjoy it much anyway. I seen (sic) people eating while I was playing... Actually Eating!!!!!!!??????????? Please somebody explain to me what the F**K that's all about. Cheeky c**ts!"
Source: www.contactmusic.com
Andre Villas-Boas
Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher joins Andy Goldstein and Jason Cundy to give his views on Andre Villas-Boas' sacking at Chelsea claiming it is a 'wonderful glorious mess'.
He also speaks about the title run-in, claiming he would prefer Manchester City to have a hard sequence of games and admits the key game isn't again rivals Manchester United but actually the game after, against Newcastle.
PLEASE NOTE THIS WAS POSTED THE OTHER DAY
To listen to the interview click here.
Noel Gallagher: I Loved Andre Villas-Boas For Being A Colossal Lunatic!
Noel Gallagher joins Andy Goldstein and Jason Cundy to give his views on Andre Villas-Boas' sacking at Chelsea claiming it is a 'wonderful glorious mess'.
He also speaks about the title run-in, claiming he would prefer Manchester City to have a hard sequence of games and admits the key game isn't again rivals Manchester United but actually the game after, against Newcastle.
PLEASE NOTE THIS WAS POSTED THE OTHER DAY
To listen to the interview click here.
Mario Balotelli
Micah Richards
Noel Gallagher
Roberto Mancini
In a BBC exclusive interview with musician Noel Gallagher, Manchester City's Mario Balotelli admits he has to grow up.
Watch a short part of the interview here.
The Italian striker has been involved in a number of controversial incidents since joining City in August 2010.
When told boss Roberto Mancini wanted him to mature, Balotelli said: "If Mancini says something, he's right."
The forward added: "But I'm 21, so I'm still young. I think from last year, already I'm bigger [older] in my head."
Balotelli was fined a week's wages after breaking a curfew ahead of City's 2-0 win over Bolton at the weekend.
And he was disciplined by City for throwing a dart at a youth team player in March 2011.
Firefighters were also called to the forward's detached house in Cheshire in October when his bathroom was set alight by fireworks.
But the Italy international has also hit the spotlight for positive reasons, notably when he convinced a bullied truant to return to school before giving the antagonists a telling-off.
He has also substituted in a pre-season friendly for showboating, had a bust-up in training with Micah Richards, and wandered into a Manchester school to look for a toilet.
Balotelli rarely gives interviews but agreed to speak to former Oasis man Gallagher, a City fan and self-confessed admirer of the player, for the BBC's Football Focus.
He told Gallagher he is happy in England and said Mancini, who coached him at Inter Milan, was a major reason he decided to join City, for a reported fee of around £20m.
"If Mancini wasn't here, I never come here," said Balotelli, who was born in Sicily to Ghanaian immigrants. "But now that I'm here, I'm OK, I'm happy."
Balotelli, who began his career with Serie C side Lumezzane, added that he was a "really private" person and said he could not understand why being seen about Manchester caused such excitement in the media.
"I don't like when people talk about my business or my life," he said. "I'm really private. Maybe someone thinks I'm arrogant or something but it is just me.
"I don't care, they can say what they want. I just walk in town like a normal guy. I go to the pub. Not to drink."
Balotelli has become one of many influential players for City, who currently top the Premier League.
He has scored 14 goals in all competitions this season, finding the net in each of City's last three league games.
With 11 matches to go, City, who take on Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League on Thursday, are two points ahead of neighbours Manchester United.
Ahead of the game against Sporting, Mancini confirmed Balotelli has been fined a week's wages for breaking curfew.
He also warned Balotelli and the rest of the City squad that they needed to think about their actions before matches.
"I've spoken with Mario and given him a one-week fine for what he did," said the City boss.
"It's a no-no. Every player should have good behaviour before the game."
Watch the full interview on Saturday's Football Focus at 1215 GMT on BBC One and this website.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Mario Balotelli Tells Noel Gallagher He Needs To Mature
In a BBC exclusive interview with musician Noel Gallagher, Manchester City's Mario Balotelli admits he has to grow up.
Watch a short part of the interview here.
The Italian striker has been involved in a number of controversial incidents since joining City in August 2010.
When told boss Roberto Mancini wanted him to mature, Balotelli said: "If Mancini says something, he's right."
The forward added: "But I'm 21, so I'm still young. I think from last year, already I'm bigger [older] in my head."
Balotelli was fined a week's wages after breaking a curfew ahead of City's 2-0 win over Bolton at the weekend.
And he was disciplined by City for throwing a dart at a youth team player in March 2011.
Firefighters were also called to the forward's detached house in Cheshire in October when his bathroom was set alight by fireworks.
But the Italy international has also hit the spotlight for positive reasons, notably when he convinced a bullied truant to return to school before giving the antagonists a telling-off.
He has also substituted in a pre-season friendly for showboating, had a bust-up in training with Micah Richards, and wandered into a Manchester school to look for a toilet.
Balotelli rarely gives interviews but agreed to speak to former Oasis man Gallagher, a City fan and self-confessed admirer of the player, for the BBC's Football Focus.
He told Gallagher he is happy in England and said Mancini, who coached him at Inter Milan, was a major reason he decided to join City, for a reported fee of around £20m.
"If Mancini wasn't here, I never come here," said Balotelli, who was born in Sicily to Ghanaian immigrants. "But now that I'm here, I'm OK, I'm happy."
Balotelli, who began his career with Serie C side Lumezzane, added that he was a "really private" person and said he could not understand why being seen about Manchester caused such excitement in the media.
"I don't like when people talk about my business or my life," he said. "I'm really private. Maybe someone thinks I'm arrogant or something but it is just me.
"I don't care, they can say what they want. I just walk in town like a normal guy. I go to the pub. Not to drink."
Balotelli has become one of many influential players for City, who currently top the Premier League.
He has scored 14 goals in all competitions this season, finding the net in each of City's last three league games.
With 11 matches to go, City, who take on Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League on Thursday, are two points ahead of neighbours Manchester United.
Ahead of the game against Sporting, Mancini confirmed Balotelli has been fined a week's wages for breaking curfew.
He also warned Balotelli and the rest of the City squad that they needed to think about their actions before matches.
"I've spoken with Mario and given him a one-week fine for what he did," said the City boss.
"It's a no-no. Every player should have good behaviour before the game."
Watch the full interview on Saturday's Football Focus at 1215 GMT on BBC One and this website.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Carlos Tevez
Mario Balotelli
Noel Gallagher
Oasis
Roberto Mancini
"Hi Mario, I'm Dan Walker from the BBC".
"Hello... wait... BBC? Journalist?"
"Yes".
"I do not like you already".
That was the conversation that accompanied my first meeting with Mario Balotelli, the Italian enigma who has excited and baffled in equal measure since stepping on to these shores.
Singer Noel Gallager and I had been waiting for the striker at Manchester City's training ground. We had arrived nice and early and been given a tour by Patrick Vieira, who is near the top of my "nicest Frenchmen I've met" list. He's just behind the guy who gave me an extra "boule" of chocolate ice cream last summer.
After the tour Noel challenged me to a game of darts on the board outside the "player care" area. I asked if he wanted to play Killer but he was unfamiliar with the rules so we decided to go for the classic 501. That was swiftly abandoned after it became clear our remedial maths was holding up play significantly.
Eventually we settled on "around the world" (or "around the clock" in some parts) which, for those of you who don't know, rewards the dartist who hits every number in order first, starting at one and ending at 20. I got off to a flyer, reaching seven in my first nine darts while Noel was struggling - even landing one "arrar" dangerously close to the foam-surround protecting the precious wall.
Just as Noel was explaining that he was struggling because we were using a "cockney" dartboard and not a proper "Mancunian" one, our interviewee turned up.
The chat with Mario had taken the best part of five weeks to arrange. Balotelli simply does not talk publicly. As you will see when you watch the whole thing on Football Focus on Saturday, he has no time for the media. Manchester City are inundated with requests throughout the season but 99.9% of them are turned down because the player simply says "no".
It is odd for a footballer who rarely talks to be so captivating but Balotelli is not a normal footballer. Whether it is the rumours about dressing up as Santa Claus or paying for people's petrol, doing magic tricks for friends during a game, stamping on opponents, scoring with his shoulder, frequenting various nocturnal establishments, setting off fireworks or his "Why Always Me?" T-shirt, the man is a fascinating individual.
Like every other broadcaster in the known universe we had made several attempts to interview him throughout his time in England. About five weeks ago I called Manchester City's press department on the off-chance he had decided it was time to sit down in front of a camera. He hadn't.
Now it should be said that City are one of the most approachable, forward-thinking and accommodating clubs when it comes to player access. They are constantly doing things in the community, supporting charities and giving us the opportunity to talk to their highly paid stars. With that in mind, I went back to the club a few days later with a second proposal: What if we could get Noel Gallagher to do the interview? Again the answer was "No, I just don't think he's interested, but let me talk to Mario". This seemed like serious progress and a week or so later we were on the phone again.
"He'll do it," said the voice at the other end. "He likes Oasis and he'll talk to Noel... but only Noel". The only thing we had to do now was get Mario - who does not have a great track record when it comes to reliability - and Noel - the busiest man in showbusiness - together. Cue two weeks of conversations with agents, agencies, friends and friends of friends to find a suitable date and a suitable location.
The most important thing in our favour was that Gallagher loves Balotelli. He is currently on tour with High Flying Birds and dedicates a song to Mario each night. To Noel, Balotelli is a rock star who happens to wear a pair of shorts. Such was the former Oasis man's keenness to sit down with his favourite player that he was willing to change his entire schedule to get to Manchester last Friday.
I don't want to say too much about the interview other than that it was fascinating to watch. Balotelli comes across as a shy, slightly awkward individual, almost entirely unaware of the talent he has at his disposal and slowly coming to terms with the responsibility that accompanies his fame. When asked if he had a question for Noel at the end of the interview, he said: "Why do you like me so much?" He seemed baffled that someone could have that much affection for him. Noel's answer was about four minutes long!
You will hear him talk about Roberto Mancini, his own attitude, his need to mature, his goal celebrations, the return of Carlos Tevez, his background and his future in the game. Perhaps most interestingly of all, he deals with some of the many rumours and myths that accompany his activities in and around Manchester. Did he really attend mass on Christmas Eve and put £1,000 in the offering box? Did he take a bullied child back to school to deal with the oppressor? Does he drive around Manchester handing out money to onlookers and what is the real story behind the impromptu firework display at Balotelli Towers the night before the Manchester derby?
It is also worth saying that Mr Gallagher plays a sterling roll in all of this and brings the best out of the striker. There are a number of celebrities who "like" football because they feel it essential to their popularity, but Noel is a genuine supporter. Within minutes of meeting him, he was running through Vieira's career statistics and detailing where City had improved since the days of Danny Tiatto and Bob Taylor.
We will have a full-length interview with Noel coming up in a couple of weeks, but Saturday's Football Focus is all about Balotelli. I know it is easy to overhype these things but the stuff you will see was well worth the hundreds of phone calls, emails and logistical shenanigans it took to set up. I hope you enjoy it and don't forget you can always find me at twitter.com/danwalkerbbc
You'll be able to see Noel Gallagher's in-depth exclusive interview with Mario Balotelli on Saturday's Football Focus at 1215 GMT on BBC1.
See a picture of Noel and Mario here, and scroll down the page.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Noel Gallagher Meets Mario Balotelli
"Hi Mario, I'm Dan Walker from the BBC".
"Hello... wait... BBC? Journalist?"
"Yes".
"I do not like you already".
That was the conversation that accompanied my first meeting with Mario Balotelli, the Italian enigma who has excited and baffled in equal measure since stepping on to these shores.
Singer Noel Gallager and I had been waiting for the striker at Manchester City's training ground. We had arrived nice and early and been given a tour by Patrick Vieira, who is near the top of my "nicest Frenchmen I've met" list. He's just behind the guy who gave me an extra "boule" of chocolate ice cream last summer.
After the tour Noel challenged me to a game of darts on the board outside the "player care" area. I asked if he wanted to play Killer but he was unfamiliar with the rules so we decided to go for the classic 501. That was swiftly abandoned after it became clear our remedial maths was holding up play significantly.
Eventually we settled on "around the world" (or "around the clock" in some parts) which, for those of you who don't know, rewards the dartist who hits every number in order first, starting at one and ending at 20. I got off to a flyer, reaching seven in my first nine darts while Noel was struggling - even landing one "arrar" dangerously close to the foam-surround protecting the precious wall.
Just as Noel was explaining that he was struggling because we were using a "cockney" dartboard and not a proper "Mancunian" one, our interviewee turned up.
The chat with Mario had taken the best part of five weeks to arrange. Balotelli simply does not talk publicly. As you will see when you watch the whole thing on Football Focus on Saturday, he has no time for the media. Manchester City are inundated with requests throughout the season but 99.9% of them are turned down because the player simply says "no".
It is odd for a footballer who rarely talks to be so captivating but Balotelli is not a normal footballer. Whether it is the rumours about dressing up as Santa Claus or paying for people's petrol, doing magic tricks for friends during a game, stamping on opponents, scoring with his shoulder, frequenting various nocturnal establishments, setting off fireworks or his "Why Always Me?" T-shirt, the man is a fascinating individual.
Like every other broadcaster in the known universe we had made several attempts to interview him throughout his time in England. About five weeks ago I called Manchester City's press department on the off-chance he had decided it was time to sit down in front of a camera. He hadn't.
Now it should be said that City are one of the most approachable, forward-thinking and accommodating clubs when it comes to player access. They are constantly doing things in the community, supporting charities and giving us the opportunity to talk to their highly paid stars. With that in mind, I went back to the club a few days later with a second proposal: What if we could get Noel Gallagher to do the interview? Again the answer was "No, I just don't think he's interested, but let me talk to Mario". This seemed like serious progress and a week or so later we were on the phone again.
"He'll do it," said the voice at the other end. "He likes Oasis and he'll talk to Noel... but only Noel". The only thing we had to do now was get Mario - who does not have a great track record when it comes to reliability - and Noel - the busiest man in showbusiness - together. Cue two weeks of conversations with agents, agencies, friends and friends of friends to find a suitable date and a suitable location.
The most important thing in our favour was that Gallagher loves Balotelli. He is currently on tour with High Flying Birds and dedicates a song to Mario each night. To Noel, Balotelli is a rock star who happens to wear a pair of shorts. Such was the former Oasis man's keenness to sit down with his favourite player that he was willing to change his entire schedule to get to Manchester last Friday.
I don't want to say too much about the interview other than that it was fascinating to watch. Balotelli comes across as a shy, slightly awkward individual, almost entirely unaware of the talent he has at his disposal and slowly coming to terms with the responsibility that accompanies his fame. When asked if he had a question for Noel at the end of the interview, he said: "Why do you like me so much?" He seemed baffled that someone could have that much affection for him. Noel's answer was about four minutes long!
You will hear him talk about Roberto Mancini, his own attitude, his need to mature, his goal celebrations, the return of Carlos Tevez, his background and his future in the game. Perhaps most interestingly of all, he deals with some of the many rumours and myths that accompany his activities in and around Manchester. Did he really attend mass on Christmas Eve and put £1,000 in the offering box? Did he take a bullied child back to school to deal with the oppressor? Does he drive around Manchester handing out money to onlookers and what is the real story behind the impromptu firework display at Balotelli Towers the night before the Manchester derby?
It is also worth saying that Mr Gallagher plays a sterling roll in all of this and brings the best out of the striker. There are a number of celebrities who "like" football because they feel it essential to their popularity, but Noel is a genuine supporter. Within minutes of meeting him, he was running through Vieira's career statistics and detailing where City had improved since the days of Danny Tiatto and Bob Taylor.
We will have a full-length interview with Noel coming up in a couple of weeks, but Saturday's Football Focus is all about Balotelli. I know it is easy to overhype these things but the stuff you will see was well worth the hundreds of phone calls, emails and logistical shenanigans it took to set up. I hope you enjoy it and don't forget you can always find me at twitter.com/danwalkerbbc
You'll be able to see Noel Gallagher's in-depth exclusive interview with Mario Balotelli on Saturday's Football Focus at 1215 GMT on BBC1.
See a picture of Noel and Mario here, and scroll down the page.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds will play at the Alsterdorfer Sporthalle in Hamburg, Germany later today (March 8th).
If you are going to the show, and you are able to scan your ticket or send in pictures email them to us @ scyhodotcom@gmail.com.
You can also tweet us pictures and updates @scyhodotcom
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Bird's Land In Hamburg
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds will play at the Alsterdorfer Sporthalle in Hamburg, Germany later today (March 8th).
If you are going to the show, and you are able to scan your ticket or send in pictures email them to us @ scyhodotcom@gmail.com.
You can also tweet us pictures and updates @scyhodotcom
Noel Gallagher
Below is the setlist for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds concert at the Le Grand Rex in Paris, France yesterday.
(It’s Good) To Be Free
Mucky Fingers
Everybody’s On The Run
Dream On
If I Had A Gun
The Good Rebal
The Death Of You And Me
Freaky Teeth
Supersonic
(I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine
AKA... What A Life!
Talk Tonight
AKA... Broken Arrow
Half The World Away
Solder Boys And Jesus Freaks
(Stranded On) The Wrong Beach
Whatever
Little By Little
The Importance Of Being Idle
Don’t Look Back In Anger
A number of pictures from the gig can be found on our Twitter page here.
Setlist: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds In Paris
Below is the setlist for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds concert at the Le Grand Rex in Paris, France yesterday.
(It’s Good) To Be Free
Mucky Fingers
Everybody’s On The Run
Dream On
If I Had A Gun
The Good Rebal
The Death Of You And Me
Freaky Teeth
Supersonic
(I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine
AKA... What A Life!
Talk Tonight
AKA... Broken Arrow
Half The World Away
Solder Boys And Jesus Freaks
(Stranded On) The Wrong Beach
Whatever
Little By Little
The Importance Of Being Idle
Don’t Look Back In Anger
A number of pictures from the gig can be found on our Twitter page here.
Noel Gallagher
Below is the interview that Noel Gallagher did before he performed 'If I Had A Gun' on French TV the other day.
Video: Noel Gallagher French TV Interview
Below is the interview that Noel Gallagher did before he performed 'If I Had A Gun' on French TV the other day.
Noel Gallagher
Click here to listen to an interview with Noel Gallagher for Andy Goldstein's Sports Bar.
Click on the second green tab 22:30 - 23:00, the interview starts around 5 min and 40 seconds into the show.
Thanks to AG
Listen To Noel Gallagher On Andy Goldstein's Sports Bar
Click here to listen to an interview with Noel Gallagher for Andy Goldstein's Sports Bar.
Click on the second green tab 22:30 - 23:00, the interview starts around 5 min and 40 seconds into the show.
Thanks to AG
Noel Gallagher
Click here for a video from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds gig in Barcelona, also features a short interview with Noel.
Video: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds In Barcelona
Click here for a video from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds gig in Barcelona, also features a short interview with Noel.
Noel Gallagher
Click here for a number of pictures from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds gig in Barcelona.
Thanks to AG
Gallery: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds In Barcelona
Click here for a number of pictures from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds gig in Barcelona.
Thanks to AG
Noel Gallagher
Oasis
"I don't know the ins and outs of his politics (but) for his procession to become President I was in America and his speeches were spine tingling. Barack Obama can talk, and coming after Bush it was something to behold. In my humble opinion, if he loses the next election to the other bunch then, good Lord, I will run myself."
So says Noel Gallagher, former creative force of British band Oasis and one of rock 'n' roll's biggest mouths. Singer-songwriter, brother to Liam and now a U.S. presidential candidate: 2012 promises to be quite a year for the 45-year-old whose song-writing talent has taken him from unemployment in a city called Manchester in northern England to sell-out stadium tours around the world, playing to millions.
By September, Gallagher will have completed the tour of his first solo album since the demise of Oasis in 2009; an expedition entailing 81 shows across Europe, the Pacific (Japan and Australia) and America as well as being a voyage into the unknown for the forthright backing-singer-now-frontman.
It was initially intended as a small affair, but such has been the demand for the new record -- "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds" topped the charts in the UK in October 2011-- theaters have rapidly been upgraded to arenas to cope with demand. A move that surprised the man himself and maybe explains the overriding mood of calm satisfaction the guitarist exudes from beneath a leather jacket as he sits down with a coffee to talk to CNN.
"The amount of tickets I've sold, the amount of records I've sold ... I (just) didn't have any expectations for the new record. I thought I might stall at playing theaters for a couple of years but I've gone up to arenas before the end of the first year, so I'm blown away by that.
"Part of me thinks: 'Of course I'll be playing arenas because I'm f****** brilliant and the songs are f****** brilliant so it's inevitable, but the other part of me says I don't have any divine right to do that and I've got to work at it. Turns out, the former was correct! I am very grateful though."
It is not the first time the man dubbed "The Chief" by former band mates, has experienced a wave of success. Until 2009, Gallagher had been the artistic catalyst and the calmer half of the capricious brotherly partnership that saw Oasis, with their mix of Beatles melodies and Sex Pistols attitude, conquer charts around the world and become one of the planet's biggest-selling bands.
Oasis' second album (What's the story) Morning Glory? broke into the Billboard top ten and sold nearly four million copies in the United States alone. But this figure proved to be seven times the sales of the group's next three albums put together according to USA Today, a position that left many critics to argue that, unlike other British musical exports that had gone before them, the Gallagher's had not been taken to heart by the American music-buying public. It's an assertion the writer of Wonderwall contests.
"We got off on the wrong foot with Americans because they are extremely professional corporate people and we kind of treated that attitude with contempt. The only time we were ever on the cover of Rolling Stone they set aside eight hours for a photo shoot. Eight hours! I think we stayed for an hour ... and they couldn't believe it. (But) we just couldn't understand why you have to enter into theatrics with Rolling Stone magazine on a day off, because we were s***-kickers from the streets and didn't have time for that.
"Four American tours in a row were either never started or never finished (with Oasis) and we were subtitled on television because of our accents ... basically people couldn't understand a word we were saying. We also didn't have a front man like Bono or Chris Martin, we had a different kind of front-man who was like Johnny Rotten, but I don't think anybody ... would look back at it with regret, we did what we did on our own terms."
A staunch defense maybe of a band Gallagher currently has no plans to reform, but for someone so imbued with a British identity, the new album has particularly strong American sentiments. The new band includes an American guitarist, the first single release -- 'The Death of You and Me' -- has a New Orleans-style brass section, and the videos for all the singles so far -- including 'Dream On' and 'AKA ... What a Life!' -- have a 1970's Americana theme with Noel as a central figure. Despite this, when asked if this had been a conscious thematic move, Gallagher remains adamant there is no new ambition to "crack" the United States.
"(Oasis) never had a number one album, we had a number two album ... we nearly got there. I don't even know what cracking America is supposed to be though? If it's playing arenas everywhere, 10 thousand people a night then we did it. Not that I've got to justify it but we did sell out the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Gardens regularly and I've got gold and platinum discs (and) the house to prove it, Sonny Jim (sic). We never won any Grammys, we never got nominated, but those people like Green Day and Hootie and the Blowfish; f*** me, enough said."
The solo album has received good reviews broadly speaking so far. Rolling Stone magazine gave it 3.5 out of five with the recommendation that Noel had: "Cook(ed) down the Beatles' LSD pop into MDMA head-rushes like Oasis did, he does his old band proud. "Shout it out for me!" he declares in 'Dream On,' making you want to do just that." So did the album feel like a renaissance as it was being created?
"I've made enough of my records to know this was a pretty good bunch of songs. When I heard the final mixes, I wanted to stand behind them, they were good. Whether it gets five stars out of five or seven out of ten doesn't make it any better or worse an album for me - or if it sells 700 thousand compared to 100 thousand - it is a good album because it is.
"Every album I've ever been involved in, on the day that it came out I believed in it. Believed in them all equally but it's evident that Morning Glory and Definitely Maybe have lasted for 18 years and some of them haven't. We won't know where this sits in the canon of what I've done for another five years but I'm confident it will be up there though, in fact I know it will."
The music on the new album breaks new ground for Gallagher, both in musical terms -- the Dixieland band on 'The Death of You and Me' and the driving, repetitive beats of 'Everybody's on the Run' and 'AKA ... What a Life!'-- and in the song's lyrical content. They verge, even revel, in romance.
"I don't know how that happened! My wife would say I'm not romantic at all but I would say that I'm the ultimate romancer because I write about ... life being brilliant. Not like the Indie (independent) music scene where I come from, they like to sing about the news don't they? There's nothing good on the news. You're not telling me CNN is all cats in trees are you? Nothing can be that good if Piers Morgan is in it, you know what I mean?
"So the themes (of the album are) escapism, love, romance; to be on a journey - though I don't like that word, people say that on reality shows don't they - you know when a fat person becomes skinny they've been on a amazing journey. No they haven't, they've been on an amazing treadmill. Basically, the album includes brilliant and very well crafted songs, deceptively fantastic lyrics, all brilliantly played with the minimum of fuss and which are criminally underrated particularly in America," Gallagher surmises in unabashed appraisal.
But though his unshakable faith in his music remains the same as his halcyon days with Oasis, touring is now a different proposition. As a father of three life on the road now also means life apart from his young family too.
"The boys (Donovan and Sonny) don't like me going away but I can't wait until they're old enough so I can explain to them: 'You see all this all this multi-colored stuff (in our house), where do you think it comes from? Well, it doesn't come form Father Christmas, somebody's got to work for it and that somebody is me. So you jog on and go to bed and I'll see you in a month.'"
And with that Noel Gallagher leaves the room to prepare for his latest arena show, played on this occasion in the Scottish city of Glasgow, a stone's throw from the tiny venue where Oasis were first discovered all those years ago. Maybe now it is time for establishment acceptance of Gallagher in America, even if it is not in the White House.
Source: cnn.com
Noel Gallagher: 'If Obama Loses, I'll Run For President Myself'
"I don't know the ins and outs of his politics (but) for his procession to become President I was in America and his speeches were spine tingling. Barack Obama can talk, and coming after Bush it was something to behold. In my humble opinion, if he loses the next election to the other bunch then, good Lord, I will run myself."
So says Noel Gallagher, former creative force of British band Oasis and one of rock 'n' roll's biggest mouths. Singer-songwriter, brother to Liam and now a U.S. presidential candidate: 2012 promises to be quite a year for the 45-year-old whose song-writing talent has taken him from unemployment in a city called Manchester in northern England to sell-out stadium tours around the world, playing to millions.
By September, Gallagher will have completed the tour of his first solo album since the demise of Oasis in 2009; an expedition entailing 81 shows across Europe, the Pacific (Japan and Australia) and America as well as being a voyage into the unknown for the forthright backing-singer-now-frontman.
It was initially intended as a small affair, but such has been the demand for the new record -- "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds" topped the charts in the UK in October 2011-- theaters have rapidly been upgraded to arenas to cope with demand. A move that surprised the man himself and maybe explains the overriding mood of calm satisfaction the guitarist exudes from beneath a leather jacket as he sits down with a coffee to talk to CNN.
"The amount of tickets I've sold, the amount of records I've sold ... I (just) didn't have any expectations for the new record. I thought I might stall at playing theaters for a couple of years but I've gone up to arenas before the end of the first year, so I'm blown away by that.
"Part of me thinks: 'Of course I'll be playing arenas because I'm f****** brilliant and the songs are f****** brilliant so it's inevitable, but the other part of me says I don't have any divine right to do that and I've got to work at it. Turns out, the former was correct! I am very grateful though."
It is not the first time the man dubbed "The Chief" by former band mates, has experienced a wave of success. Until 2009, Gallagher had been the artistic catalyst and the calmer half of the capricious brotherly partnership that saw Oasis, with their mix of Beatles melodies and Sex Pistols attitude, conquer charts around the world and become one of the planet's biggest-selling bands.
Oasis' second album (What's the story) Morning Glory? broke into the Billboard top ten and sold nearly four million copies in the United States alone. But this figure proved to be seven times the sales of the group's next three albums put together according to USA Today, a position that left many critics to argue that, unlike other British musical exports that had gone before them, the Gallagher's had not been taken to heart by the American music-buying public. It's an assertion the writer of Wonderwall contests.
"We got off on the wrong foot with Americans because they are extremely professional corporate people and we kind of treated that attitude with contempt. The only time we were ever on the cover of Rolling Stone they set aside eight hours for a photo shoot. Eight hours! I think we stayed for an hour ... and they couldn't believe it. (But) we just couldn't understand why you have to enter into theatrics with Rolling Stone magazine on a day off, because we were s***-kickers from the streets and didn't have time for that.
"Four American tours in a row were either never started or never finished (with Oasis) and we were subtitled on television because of our accents ... basically people couldn't understand a word we were saying. We also didn't have a front man like Bono or Chris Martin, we had a different kind of front-man who was like Johnny Rotten, but I don't think anybody ... would look back at it with regret, we did what we did on our own terms."
A staunch defense maybe of a band Gallagher currently has no plans to reform, but for someone so imbued with a British identity, the new album has particularly strong American sentiments. The new band includes an American guitarist, the first single release -- 'The Death of You and Me' -- has a New Orleans-style brass section, and the videos for all the singles so far -- including 'Dream On' and 'AKA ... What a Life!' -- have a 1970's Americana theme with Noel as a central figure. Despite this, when asked if this had been a conscious thematic move, Gallagher remains adamant there is no new ambition to "crack" the United States.
"(Oasis) never had a number one album, we had a number two album ... we nearly got there. I don't even know what cracking America is supposed to be though? If it's playing arenas everywhere, 10 thousand people a night then we did it. Not that I've got to justify it but we did sell out the Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Gardens regularly and I've got gold and platinum discs (and) the house to prove it, Sonny Jim (sic). We never won any Grammys, we never got nominated, but those people like Green Day and Hootie and the Blowfish; f*** me, enough said."
The solo album has received good reviews broadly speaking so far. Rolling Stone magazine gave it 3.5 out of five with the recommendation that Noel had: "Cook(ed) down the Beatles' LSD pop into MDMA head-rushes like Oasis did, he does his old band proud. "Shout it out for me!" he declares in 'Dream On,' making you want to do just that." So did the album feel like a renaissance as it was being created?
"I've made enough of my records to know this was a pretty good bunch of songs. When I heard the final mixes, I wanted to stand behind them, they were good. Whether it gets five stars out of five or seven out of ten doesn't make it any better or worse an album for me - or if it sells 700 thousand compared to 100 thousand - it is a good album because it is.
"Every album I've ever been involved in, on the day that it came out I believed in it. Believed in them all equally but it's evident that Morning Glory and Definitely Maybe have lasted for 18 years and some of them haven't. We won't know where this sits in the canon of what I've done for another five years but I'm confident it will be up there though, in fact I know it will."
The music on the new album breaks new ground for Gallagher, both in musical terms -- the Dixieland band on 'The Death of You and Me' and the driving, repetitive beats of 'Everybody's on the Run' and 'AKA ... What a Life!'-- and in the song's lyrical content. They verge, even revel, in romance.
"I don't know how that happened! My wife would say I'm not romantic at all but I would say that I'm the ultimate romancer because I write about ... life being brilliant. Not like the Indie (independent) music scene where I come from, they like to sing about the news don't they? There's nothing good on the news. You're not telling me CNN is all cats in trees are you? Nothing can be that good if Piers Morgan is in it, you know what I mean?
"So the themes (of the album are) escapism, love, romance; to be on a journey - though I don't like that word, people say that on reality shows don't they - you know when a fat person becomes skinny they've been on a amazing journey. No they haven't, they've been on an amazing treadmill. Basically, the album includes brilliant and very well crafted songs, deceptively fantastic lyrics, all brilliantly played with the minimum of fuss and which are criminally underrated particularly in America," Gallagher surmises in unabashed appraisal.
But though his unshakable faith in his music remains the same as his halcyon days with Oasis, touring is now a different proposition. As a father of three life on the road now also means life apart from his young family too.
"The boys (Donovan and Sonny) don't like me going away but I can't wait until they're old enough so I can explain to them: 'You see all this all this multi-colored stuff (in our house), where do you think it comes from? Well, it doesn't come form Father Christmas, somebody's got to work for it and that somebody is me. So you jog on and go to bed and I'll see you in a month.'"
And with that Noel Gallagher leaves the room to prepare for his latest arena show, played on this occasion in the Scottish city of Glasgow, a stone's throw from the tiny venue where Oasis were first discovered all those years ago. Maybe now it is time for establishment acceptance of Gallagher in America, even if it is not in the White House.
Source: cnn.com
Noel Gallagher
Below is a short video of Noel Gallagher who performed 'If I Had A Gun' on French TV yesterday.
Video: Noel Gallagher Performing 'If I Had A Gun' On French TV
Below is a short video of Noel Gallagher who performed 'If I Had A Gun' on French TV yesterday.
Liam Gallagher
Xfm is saluting The Greatest Frontmen Of All Time…
In the first of our Xfm Legend Polls to celebrate our 20th anniversary, we're nailing down the greatest exponents of… well, pretty much everything...
Starting with the creature that is the frontman... The one you can't take your eyes off. The one who prevents you from taking notice of the rest of the band.
We asked who should be in the running. You voted in your thousands.
Now we need them put in order... so tell us which of the following should be named The Greatest Frontman of all Time.
To vote click here.
Liam Gallagher Is In The Running For Xfm's Greatest Frontmen Of All Time
Xfm is saluting The Greatest Frontmen Of All Time…
In the first of our Xfm Legend Polls to celebrate our 20th anniversary, we're nailing down the greatest exponents of… well, pretty much everything...
Starting with the creature that is the frontman... The one you can't take your eyes off. The one who prevents you from taking notice of the rest of the band.
We asked who should be in the running. You voted in your thousands.
Now we need them put in order... so tell us which of the following should be named The Greatest Frontman of all Time.
To vote click here.
Chris Martin
Coldplay
Elvis Presley
Freddie Mercury
Liam Gallagher
Mick Jagger
Noel Gallagher
Oasis
Roger Daltrey
The Beatles
The Who
The Who legend has told Xfm he reckons Liam and Noel will be reunited within four years....
Talking to Xfm's Gordon Smart on Smart on Sunday Roger Daltrey said he has no doubt that the band will be back together sooner than we think.
"You know damn well that they'll be together - I predict within four years. And it will be magic. They'll be bigger than ever and they'll be drinking twice as much," he put forward.
Liam Gallagher is one of those in the running to be named Xfm's Greatest Frontman of All Time.
Last week saw thousands of you voting and this morning we named the shortlist of twenty - as voting continues to put them in order.
See the shortlist>>>
So who would Roger Daltrey be voting for?
"The [best] frontman of all is no doubt Mick Jagger. Close second Freddie Mercury. And then pre-him in the early rockers I would say Chuck Berry and, of course, Elvis. I like Coldplay, I like Chris, I think they're great. Last time I saw them he was doing all this amazing running about... I kind of thought they were better when he didn't!"
The Who frontman also revealed to Gordon that he's going to feature on a new Beatles covers album.
"They're doing a Lennon/McCartney tribute album with different people singing the songs and they asked me to Helter Skelter - which nobody wanted to do [laughs]. Oh it's brutal!"
Roger Daltrey is the patron of the annual Teenage Cancer Trust gigs in London.
Source: www.xfm.co.uk
Roger Daltrey: Oasis Will Be Back In Four Years
The Who legend has told Xfm he reckons Liam and Noel will be reunited within four years....
Talking to Xfm's Gordon Smart on Smart on Sunday Roger Daltrey said he has no doubt that the band will be back together sooner than we think.
"You know damn well that they'll be together - I predict within four years. And it will be magic. They'll be bigger than ever and they'll be drinking twice as much," he put forward.
Liam Gallagher is one of those in the running to be named Xfm's Greatest Frontman of All Time.
Last week saw thousands of you voting and this morning we named the shortlist of twenty - as voting continues to put them in order.
See the shortlist>>>
So who would Roger Daltrey be voting for?
"The [best] frontman of all is no doubt Mick Jagger. Close second Freddie Mercury. And then pre-him in the early rockers I would say Chuck Berry and, of course, Elvis. I like Coldplay, I like Chris, I think they're great. Last time I saw them he was doing all this amazing running about... I kind of thought they were better when he didn't!"
The Who frontman also revealed to Gordon that he's going to feature on a new Beatles covers album.
"They're doing a Lennon/McCartney tribute album with different people singing the songs and they asked me to Helter Skelter - which nobody wanted to do [laughs]. Oh it's brutal!"
Roger Daltrey is the patron of the annual Teenage Cancer Trust gigs in London.
Source: www.xfm.co.uk
Noel Gallagher
Click here for a number of pictures from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds gig at the 02 in London that took place last week.
Thanks to AG
Gallery: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds In London
Click here for a number of pictures from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds gig at the 02 in London that took place last week.
Thanks to AG
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