Noel Gallagher

Noel Gallagher spent much of the 90s proving that ‘Rock Stars’ still exist. His early days in Oasis are as memorable for their expletive-fuelled speeches, drug binges and public stoushes with brother Liam as they are for the band’s seminal album’s Definitely Maybe and What’s The Story Morning Glory.

These days Noel is all grown up, and you’d more likely find him spending time with his wife and children then having a public hissy fit. Since ending Oasis in 2009 – minutes before the band was due on stage in Paris – Gallagher has gone about doing what he has always done: writing songs. And the result is his debut solo album Noel Gallagher And The High Flying Birds.

While in Australia for the Big Day Out and a run of sold-out solo shows, FasterLouder sat down for a chat with the elder Gallagher brother, to find a surprisingly funny, self-deprecating musician who, while no longer caught up in the excesses of rock n roll, still enjoys a bit of a blag and the occasional swear.

How’s the tour gone so far?
Great. As well as I could have hoped for. I like Australia. I knew it was gonna be good.

It’s probably the longest tour you’ve done here as well, in terms of time span?
I dunno. We did the Livid festival a few years ago and that was quite long. It’s great and the gigs have been very well received. They’ve been my first festivals ever as a solo artist and I’ve enjoyed them a lot.

I was at your Sydney show and the thing that struck me was the crowd reaction. People were going beserk, singing along to not only Oasis songs but to the new songs as well. Has that type of reaction surprised you?
Part of me is thinking ‘Well it’s not a surprise because my new songs are fucking brilliant’ but another part of me, in equal measure, is surprised because those new songs are up against songs that are very, very, very famous and they’re very important to people. I understand that.

But have I been surprised? Yes and no. It’s great. I knew that Everybody’s On The Run and If I Had A Gun and What A Life and The Death Of You And Me are as good a songs as I’ve written. I knew that when I was putting them out there, but you can’t predict what other people are going to feel. They may have fallen on deaf ears. Many a song I’ve written, played it live and thought ‘this is as good as I’ve ever written’ and people have fucking all gone to the bar. So, you know, I am surprised a little bit.

You mentioned in your tour diary about the bra that got thrown on stage at the Enmore [show in Sydney].
It’s a wonderful thing.

Then, at the Big Day Out there was a bra and knickers…
And top hat! [Laughs]

Do you think you’ve started something?
I do hope so. I keep them all as trophies like a little serial killer. You know, ladies underwear is always welcome on stage in any capacity.

From where I was standing, the knickers came from behind and you saw them and had a slightly puzzled look on your face.
Well I was thinking ‘do the top hat and the knickers belong to the same person because I want to meet that girl and get a monocle off her’.