Even though there’s an air of almost unassuming dignity to Noel Gallagher now he’s no longer one half of rock’s biggest bitchfest alongside his brother Liam, he doesn’t appear entirely able to divorce himself from the role of agent provocateur.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
Main Stage, Saturday
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His new stage persona is that of a smartly middle-aged man issuing sober thank-yous between songs, but he found it impossible to resist dedicating a song to “all the Man City fans,” his fellow victors at long last, and issuing a stern “**** you” to someone in the crowd who appeared to take issue.
It was a welcome outburst. Where Gallagher’s old band long outstayed their welcome for all but the most easily pleased, his new project navigates the tightrope between all that used to be good about Oasis and all he still has to offer with reinvigorated skill. The aforementioned dedication preceded AKA... What a Life, the finest song from his first and only solo album, and it spoke volumes that few of these tracks were ignored while the crowd awaited the hey-day hits, as many of Oasis’ later efforts were. If I Had a Gun..., Dream On, AKA... Broken Arrow and the resonant Stranded On the Wrong Beach were at least worthy of sharing a bill with bona fide classics like Talk Tonight, Half the World Away and a closing, joyously-welcomed Don’t Look Back in Anger.
"D'You Know What I Mean?" is a song by British rock band Oasis. It was the first single from their third album Be Here Now and was released on the 7th July 1997. It reached #1 in the UK singles chart, the 3rd Oasis song to do so. The song was written by Noel Gallagher. It was certified platinum for UK sales.
At the time "D'You Know What I Mean" was released, Oasis were at the height of their fame, and as a result, the single, along with the album, was highly anticipated. Upon its release it was critically and commercially successful.
The guitar chords on both the verse and the chorus are similar to the chords used for the Oasis single "Wonderwall" (F#m7/A/Esus4/Bsus4).
The song also shows more of Noel's influences. References include Bob Dylan ("Blood on the tracks and they must be mine"), and The Beatles ("Fool on the hill and I feel fine"), and even their own earlier work ("Don't look back in Anger "). The song also features a drum loop from N.W.A.
The Morse code in the background translates to include such sayings as "bugger all", "pork pies" and "Strawberry Fields Forever." Oasis haven't performed this song since 2002.
B-Sides
One of the B-sides, "Stay Young", has become a popular Oasis song, so much so that fans voted it onto the B-sides collection The Masterplan - one of only two B-sides from the Be Here Now period which made the album. The song was originally intended to be the "Digsy's Dinner" of Be Here Now (the lighthearted novelty track, such as "Digsy's Dinner" on Definitely Maybe and "She's Electric" on (What's the Story) Morning Glory?), until Noel set it aside in favour of "Magic Pie". Gallagher claims not to be particularly fond of the track.
Interview
In a 1997 interview promoting Be Here Now, Noel Gallagher had the following to say about the first single: "I was going to make up some profound statement in the chorus but I couldn't come up with anything that fitted. Then I just thought "All my people right here, right now. D'You Know What I Mean? Yeah, Yeah" Very vague, very ambiguous, that'll do. Look in the mirror and wink while you're singing it and it's quite saucy. And I f***ing love that line, 'Coming in a mess, going out in style'. We were a bunch of scruffs from Manchester and we're going out in a Rolls Royce."
In another 1997 interview, this time on BBC, Noel Gallagher said: "I cant believe I wrote it, it's going to blow people away."
"The morse code in the background was inspired by Strawberry Fields. We got hold of a code book and tried to tap out 'Bugger All' to follow that line 'Don't look back cos you know what you might see'. But if anyone can tell me what we really said, please let me know. Profound lagerisms..."
Seven Ages of Rock
In an interview with the BBC for their documentary Seven Ages of Rock, Gallagher said of the song, "Its eight and a half minutes, the first single, the drums haven't fuckin' come in for two minutes- its all feedback!". He also says that he expected someone to ask them to edit the introduction to the song down, but such was their status in Britain, nobody did. They even performed the song on Top of the Pops, still playing most of the lengthy introduction.
The performance on Top of the Pops ended with a stage invasion by surrounding fans- the second of three stage invasions in the whole history of the show (the first was Nirvana and the last Symposium).
Cover information
The single cover photograph, by Michael Spencer Jones and directed by Brian Cannon of Microdot, was taken in front of the 'Blind Steps', a staircase in Wigan so called because they run past the Blind Workshop, which can be seen to the left of the shot. The steps can still be found on Darlington Street. The shoot was shrouded in secrecy to protect mass media coverage, but newspaper The Wigan Evening Post got exclusive rights to cover the event and subsequently sold the photos to the Daily Mirror. At a lunchtime break, Liam Gallagher and sleeve designer Brian Cannon enjoyed a pint of beer in the nearby Crispin Arms pub by Birkett Bank.
Music video
The music video is filmed at Beckton Gas Works in London with many military helicopters and a strange landscape of concrete slabs and torn down buildings. Liam Gallagher is wearing a snorkel parka and sports a unique pair of sunglasses.
Track listing
CD CRESCD 256 "D'You Know What I Mean?" - 7:22 "Stay Young" - 5:06 "Angel Child" (demo) - 4:28 "Heroes" - 4:09
7" CRE 256 "D'You Know What I Mean?" - 7:22 "Stay Young" - 5:06
12" CRE 256T "D'You Know What I Mean?" - 7:22 "Stay Young" - 5:06 "Angel Child" (demo) - 4:28
Cassette CRECS 256 "D'You Know What I Mean?" - 7:22 "Stay Young" - 5:06
Details of an exclusive strictly limited 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' CD or vinyl singles collectors box can be found here.
The BBC will show footage from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds at the T In The Park Festival that is taking place later today.
When: Saturday 7th July Channel: BBC 3 (UK Only) Time: 23:00 - 00:00 (UK Time)
Footage from T In The Park, ending the second day of coverage with music from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and Calvin Harris.
Please Note: Footage from the festival starts at 20:00 on BBC 3.
Live streaming: watch all red button and BBC Three from the BBC T In The Park homepage (UK Only).
On demand: Video highlights from all bands featured on the BBC coverage will go live by Monday, available for 30 days, plus millions of photos, interviews and all the BBC Introducing acts.
Details of an exclusive strictly limited 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' CD or vinyl singles collectors box can be found here.
You voted in your thousands and now we have our TOP TEN contenders for the coveted Number One spot!
...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears Billie Jean - Michael Jackson Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen Can't Get You Out Of My Head - Kylie Minogue Dancing Queen - Abba Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis Hey Jude - The Beatles Imagine - John Lennon I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston Someone Like You - Adele
In this second round of voting, please select your favourite from the final TOP TEN Number One singles.
The results of your votes will be revealed on three special shows on ITV1 on the 8th, 14th and 15th July.
(Last date for votes is the 14th July 2012 at 22:30)
Below is a video from June 6th 2000, when Oasis played the Quart Festival in Norway. At the time Noel Gallagher had decided to quit overseas touring with Oasis.
Details of an exclusive strictly limited 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' CD or vinyl singles collectors box can be found here.
Below is the setlist for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds at the Heineken Jammin' Festival in Milan, Italy yesterday.
(It’s Good) To Be Free Mucky Fingers Everybody's on the Run Dream On If I Had A Gun The Death of You And Me (I Wanna Live in a Dream in My) Record Machine AKA... What a Life! Talk Tonight AKA... Broken Arrow Half The World Away (Stranded On) The Wrong Beach Whatever Little By Little Don't Look Back In Anger
Details of an exclusive strictly limited 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' CD or vinyl singles collectors box can be found here.
Following their first Premier League title win, Manchester City fan Noel Gallagher has taken the stage with Blues captain Vincent Kompany to reveal the club’s new kits.
The Burnage-born rock legend is pictured with captain Vincent Kompany wearing the new Manchester City home and away shirts which the team will wear during the 2012/13 season.
Earlier this season, Manchester-based sportswear company Umbro and City invited fans to come up with ideas to launch the Blues’ new kits.
Over the coming weeks, a series of ‘Show Your City’ fan launches will be released; starting with shots captured by music photographer and City fan Kevin Cummins.
Cummins – famous for his images of iconic Manchester bands such as Joy Division, The Smiths and The Stone Roses – captured the shots of Gallagher and Kompany in Belgium.
Kompany surprised gig goers at the Rock Werchter music festival in his native Belgium by introducing Gallagher prior to his performance. The 80,000 strong crowd cheered as the Belgian centreback embraced the musician on the main stage before his set.
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany said: “I always look forward to returning to Belgium but this really was a special occasion and a moment to savour. Noel is obviously a huge star so I was happy to introduce him in front of 80,000 fans in my home country.”
Noel Gallagher said: “The new home kit is pure class. It might be the best one we’ve had in a decade. As modern and radical as it is though, it’s nice to see Umbro keeping our heritage alive in the new away kit. The best dressed defending champions of all time? No doubt.”
The Home shirt retains City’s iconic sky blue colour and also incorporates black detailing and trim which takes influence from the 1969 FA Cup and 1970 League Cup winning kits.
The new Away shirt sees a return to the classic maroon colour worn by the FA Cup winning teams of 1934 and 1956, also tailored by Umbro.
Both kits are available to pre-order from 6 July at The City Store. The away kit is available on general sale from 14 July and the home kit on 26 July.
Click here for more pictures of Noel and Vincent Kompany in the new shirts.
Hard Rock Edinburgh have been very kindly donated a guitar from Guitar Guitar Glasgow which has none other than Noel Gallagher’s signature and a message from him on it. As well as the guitar, there are 2 tickets to Noel’s upcoming (and sold out) concert at Edinburgh Castle on 17 July 2012 with his band, High Flying Birds.
Lesley explained the prizes and also how to enter:-”The guitar has been kindly donated by Guitar Guitar in Glasgow and is signed by Noel Gallagher. It is reputed to be worth about £3,500. Also there will be two tickets for Noel’s gig at the Castle. What we are looking to do is give away this fantastic prize, but also raise money for Nordoff-Robbins’ Music Therapy. All you have to do is pop into the Hard Rock Cafe here in George Street Edinburgh, fill out an entry form and donate a minimum of £5 to the charity, so not only are you in with a chance of winning the signed guitar and 2 tickets you are also helping a great and worthwhile cause”
Closing date for the competition is Friday 13 July 2012, so get along to Hard Rock, make your donation and fill out the entry form provided by Hard Rock Cafe and the very best of luck!