Noel Gallagher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Noel Gallagher
Gallagher performing in 2022
Born	Noel Thomas David Gallagher (1967-05-29) 29 May 1967 (age 58) Manchester, England
Citizenship	United Kingdom Ireland
Occupation	Musician singer songwriter
Spouse(s)	Meg Mathews ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 2001)​ Sara MacDonald ​ ​ (m. 2011; separated 2023)​
Children	3, including Anaïs
Relatives	Liam Gallagher (brother)
Musical career
Genres	Rock Britpop alternative rock psychedelic rock
Instruments	Guitar vocals keyboards
Years active	1991–present
Labels	Creation Big Brother Epic Sour Mash Mercury

Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Gallagher is the primary songwriter, lead guitarist and a co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis. After leaving Oasis, he formed Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Gallagher is one of the most successful songwriters in British music history, as the writer of eight UK number-one singles and co-writer of a further number one, as well as the sole or primary writer of ten UK number-one studio albums. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential songwriters in the history of British rock music, cited by numerous major subsequent artists as an influence.

Gallagher began playing the guitar at the age of twelve, and became a roadie and technician for Inspiral Carpets when he was 21. He learnt that his younger brother Liam had joined a band called The Rain, which eventually became Oasis; Liam invited him to join the group as manager. After rejecting the offer, Gallagher agreed to join the band, on the condition that he would take creative control of the group and become its sole songwriter and lead guitarist.

The band's debut album, Definitely Maybe (1994), was a widespread critical and commercial success. Their second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995), reached the top of the album charts in many countries, and their third studio album, Be Here Now (1997), became the fastest-selling album in UK chart history. Britpop eventually declined in popularity, and Oasis failed to revive it, though their final two albums, Don't Believe the Truth (2005) and Dig Out Your Soul (2008), were hailed as their best efforts in over a decade. In August 2009, following an altercation with his brother, Gallagher announced his departure from Oasis. He went on to form Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, with whom he has released four studio albums.

Oasis's time was marked by turbulence, especially during the peak of Britpop, during which Gallagher was involved in several disputes with Liam; their conflicts and wild lifestyles regularly made tabloid headlines. The band notably had a rivalry with fellow Britpop band Blur. Gallagher himself was often regarded as a pioneer and spearhead of the Britpop movement. Many have praised his songwriting, with Beatles producer George Martin calling him "the finest songwriter of his generation". Conversely, he was voted the most overrated guitarist of the last millennium in a 1999 poll, and the ninth-most-overrated ever in a 2002 listener survey. He cited being named the most overrated guitarist of the last millennium as the accolade he most enjoyed receiving.

Early life

Cranwell Drive in Burnage, where the Gallaghers lived

Noel Thomas David Gallagher was born on 29 May 1967 in the Longsight area of Manchester, to Irish Catholic parents Peggy (née Sweeney) and Thomas Gallagher. Aside from Liam, he also has an older brother named Paul. Shortly after Liam's birth in 1972, the family moved to Ashby Avenue and then Cranwell Drive in the Manchester suburb of Burnage. As the eldest child, Paul was given his own bedroom while Noel had to share his bedroom with Liam.

Described as "the weirdo in the family" by Liam, he was known to be a daydreamer and a loner who was often reclusive due to his unhappy childhood.

In 1976 Peggy acquired legal separation from Thomas, and in 1982 she left him, taking her three sons with her and continuing to raise them alone as a single mother.

As teenagers, the Gallagher brothers were regular truants, often getting into trouble with the police. When his mother took a job in the school canteen, Gallagher ensured that he stopped by to visit her during lunch before skipping the rest of the day. He was expelled from school at the age of 15 for allegedly throwing a "flour bomb" at a teacher, though he has since claimed that he didn't do it and that he was only present in the classroom when it happened. He used to hang around with the Manchester City hooligan firms Maine Line Crew, Under-5s, and Young Guvnors in the 1980s, and received six months' probation at the age of 14 for robbing a corner shop. It was during this period of probation, with little else to do, that he first began to teach himself to play guitar, a gift from his mother. He would play his favourite songs from the radio, and was particularly inspired by the debut of the Smiths on Top of the Pops in 1983, performing their single "This Charming Man". He later said that, from that day on, he "wanted to be Johnny Marr". He also appeared (and scored) for Manchester Gaelic football team CLG Oisín at Croke Park in Dublin in 1983.

As teenagers, the Gallagher brothers maintained limited contact with their father and secured jobs in construction. However, the relationship between father and sons continued to be tempestuous; Gallagher said, "Because we were always arguing, we'd still be working at nine o'clock every night." Having left his father's building company, he took a job at another building firm sub-contracted to British Gas. He sustained an injury when a heavy cap from a steel gas pipe landed on his right foot. Following a period of recuperation, he was offered a less physically demanding role in the company's storehouse, freeing up time for him to practise the guitar and write songs. He claimed to have written at least three of the songs on Definitely Maybe in this storehouse, including "Live Forever". He later called the storehouse "The Hit Hut" and claimed the walls were painted gold. Much of the late 1980s found Gallagher unemployed and living in a bedsit, occupying his time by writing songs and playing the guitar. He is left-handed, but plays right-handed.

In May 1988, Gallagher met guitarist Graham Lambert of Inspiral Carpets during a Stone Roses show. The two became acquainted and Gallagher became a regular at Inspiral Carpets shows. When he heard singer Steve Holt was leaving the band, he auditioned to be the new vocalist. He was unsuccessful, but became part of the band's road crew for the next two years. He struck up a friendship with monitor engineer Mark Coyle over their love of the Beatles, and the pair spent soundchecks dissecting the group's songs.

Career

Oasis

In 1991, Gallagher returned from an American tour with the Inspiral Carpets to find that his brother Liam had become a singer with a local band called the Rain. He attended one of their concerts at Manchester's Boardwalk but was unimpressed by the group's act. After rejecting an offer from Liam to be the band's manager, Gallagher agreed to join the band, on the condition that he would take creative control of the group and become its sole songwriter. According to another source, Noel told Liam and the rest of the group after having heard them play for the first time: "Let me write your songs and I'll take you to superstardom, or else you'll rot here in Manchester". His control over the band in its early years earned him the nickname "The Chief".

In May 1993, the band heard that a record executive from Creation Records would be scouting for talent at King Tut's in Glasgow. Together, they found the money to hire a van and make the six-hour journey. When they arrived, they were refused entry to the club because no one notified the venue that Oasis had been added to the bill. The band eventually secured the opening slot and played a four-song set that impressed Creation founder Alan McGee.

McGee then took the Live Demonstration tape to Sony America and invited Oasis to meet with him a week later in London, at which point they were signed to a six-album contract. Gallagher has since claimed that he only had six songs written at the time. However, McGee believes that when they met, Gallagher had fifty or so songs written, and merely lied about how prolific he had been following the contract. Richard Ashcroft was so impressed with Oasis during the time, that he invited them to tour with his band the Verve as an opening act.

Gallagher claimed to have written Oasis' first single, "Supersonic", in "the time it takes to play the song". "Supersonic" was released in early 1994 and peaked at No. 31 on the official UK charts. The single was later followed by Oasis' debut album Definitely Maybe, which was released in August 1994 and was a critical and commercial success.

It became the fastest-selling debut album in British history at the time and entered the UK charts at number one. Despite their rapidly growing popularity, Gallagher briefly left Oasis in 1994 during their first American tour. The conditions were poor, and he felt the American audience—still preoccupied with grunge and metal—did not understand the band. Gallagher stated that his early songs, especially "Live Forever", were written to refute grunge's pessimism. Tensions mounted between him and Liam, culminating in a fight after a disastrous gig in Los Angeles. Having effectively decided to quit the music industry, he flew to San Francisco without telling the band, management or the crew. It was during this time that Gallagher wrote "Talk Tonight" as a "thank you" for the girl he stayed with, who "talked him from off the ledge". He was tracked down by Creation's Tim Abbot, and during a trip by the pair to Las Vegas, Gallagher decided to continue with the band. He reconciled with his brother and the tour resumed in Minneapolis.

Gallagher first played a customised Sheraton guitar with Union Jack paintwork—commercially sold as Supernova—in late 1995 during the tour promoting (What's the Story) Morning Glory?.

Gallagher followed up the debut in 1995 with Oasis' first UK number-one single in "Some Might Say". This preceded their second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, released later that year. Though it suffered initial critical apathy, the album became the second fastest-selling album ever in the UK, entering the UK album charts at number one and peaking at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart.

The success of Oasis and his newfound fame and fortune were not lost on Gallagher, and both he and his brother became famous for their "rock and roll lifestyle". They fought fans, critics, peers, and each other, and made celebrity friends such as Ian Brown, Paul Weller, Mani, Mick Jagger, Craig Cash, Kate Moss and Johnny Depp. Gallagher spent extravagantly, buying various cars and a swimming pool despite the fact he can neither drive nor swim. He named his house in Belsize Park in London Supernova Heights (after the song "Champagne Supernova"), and his two cats "Benson" and "Hedges" after his favourite brand of cigarettes.

Oasis went on to have greater success with their next two singles, "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger" charting at number two and number one respectively; the former becoming their sole top 10 hit in the US. Originally, Noel had wanted to take lead vocals on "Wonderwall", but Liam insisted on singing it. As compensation, Noel decided he would sing lead vocals on "Don't Look Back in Anger". 1995 also saw Gallagher play two songs for the charity album Help!: "Fade Away", accompanied by friend and Oasis fan Johnny Depp and Depp's then-girlfriend Kate Moss; and the Beatles' 1969 hit "Come Together", along with Paul Weller, Paul McCartney and others in a supergroup called Smokin' Mojo Filters. He began collaborating with the Chemical Brothers, Ian Brown, the Stands, the Prodigy and Weller, amongst others. Gallagher became so influential that a June 1996 NME article argued that "If Noel Gallagher, the most successful songwriter of his generation, champions a group, then said group are guaranteed more mainstream kudos and, quite possibly, more sales. And since Noel has taken to championing only five or six groups, then it's a powerful cabal he's promoting." The NME article grouped the bands Gallagher praised, including the Boo Radleys, Ocean Colour Scene, and Cast, under the banner of "Noelrock". John Harris typified these bands, and Gallagher, of "sharing a dewy-eyed love of the 1960s, a spurning of much beyond rock's most basic ingredients, and a belief in the supremacy of 'real music'".

In March 1996, Gallagher and his brother Liam met their father again when the News of the World paid him to go to their hotel during a tour. He left for his room, later commenting "as far as I'm concerned, I haven't got a father. He's not a father to me, y'know? I don't respect him in any way whatsoever". In August 1996, Oasis sold out two nights at Knebworth, playing to over 250,000 fans. Following the worldwide success of Morning Glory?, Be Here Now (1997) became Oasis' most eagerly anticipated album to date. As with the previous two albums, all the tracks were written by Gallagher. After an initial blaze of publicity, positive critical reviews, and commercial success, the album failed to live up to long-term expectations, and public goodwill towards Be Here Now was short-lived. The album was ultimately regarded by many as a bloated, over-indulgent version of Oasis. While the album was a recordbreaker, selling 813,000 copies in seven days, Gallagher has been critical of the album's popularity, saying: "Just because you sell lots of records, it doesn't mean to say you're any good. Look at Phil Collins."

His depression and paranoia inspired the song "Gas Panic!", subsequently included on the 2000 album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants.

Gallagher performing with Oasis on 18 September 2005

After the hype surrounding the release of Be Here Now had started to wane, critical response to the band became calmer and more considered, leading to a media backlash. In 1997, Gallagher was criticised for attending a high-profile and well-publicised media party at 10 Downing Street, hosted by the new Prime Minister, Tony Blair, along with other celebrities and industry figures who had supported New Labour in the run-up to the general election. Liam and Blur's Damon Albarn declined their invitations, with Albarn commenting "Enjoy the schmooze, comrade". The perception of Gallagher as someone now mixing with politicians and a famous photograph of him sipping champagne with Blair conflicted with the "working class hero" status championed through songs such as "Up in the Sky".

In 1999, rhythm guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs quit the band, with bassist Paul McGuigan following soon afterwards. As a result, the fourth studio album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, was recorded by just the Gallaghers and drummer Alan White, with Noel playing all guitar parts. He later commented on Bonehead's departure, "It's hardly Paul McCartney leaving the Beatles, is it?". After the recording sessions were completed, Gallagher selected Gem Archer to join in place of Bonehead.

Later that year Alan McGee decided to leave Creation and sold the rest of his 51% stake in the label to Sony. Gallagher took this opportunity to set up Big Brother Recordings, which took over Oasis' distribution in the UK, but Sony imprint Epic Records continued to handle the band's international distribution. Around the time of the album's release, Andy Bell, formerly of Ride, joined the band as bassist. In 2001, Gallagher formed his label, Sour Mash Records, which released records by the likes of Shack and Proud Mary. The incorporation of the label followed Gallagher's debut as a producer, working with Proud Mary on their debut, The Same Old Blues. In 2003, Gallagher received songwriting credits from Girls Aloud's single "Life Got Cold" due to the song's guitar riff being similar to "Wonderwall".

In late 2006, Gallagher toured the UK, Europe, Japan, America and Australia in a series of acclaimed intimate semi-acoustic gigs accompanied by Gem Archer and Terry Kirkbride on percussion. The show proved successful and a further series of sets took place in 2007. March 2007 saw Gallagher perform in Moscow—the first time an Oasis member has performed in Russia. Gallagher dismissed claims that he was planning to embark on a solo career. In early 2007, Gallagher joined the rest of Oasis to collect the "Outstanding Contribution to Music" Award at the Brit Awards 2007.

Gallagher, along with the band recorded their seventh studio album between 2007 and the next year at Abbey Road Studios and in Los Angeles. At the end of the summer of 2008 the band began a tour that lasted 12 months. In March 2009, The Times in conjunction with iTunes released a selection of live recordings by Noel Gallagher taken from his semi-acoustic performance at the Royal Albert Hall on 27 March 2007 in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. The Dreams We Have as Children features classic and rare tracks from the Oasis canon along with several cover versions of some of Gallagher's favourite artists.

On 28 August 2009, Gallagher quit Oasis after a fight with his brother, Liam. Shortly before midnight on Friday, Gallagher posted a statement on his message board called "Tales from the Middle of Nowhere" on the band's website announcing his departure.

The band announced a 2025 reunion world tour in August 2024.

Solo career and High Flying Birds

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds performing March 2012

Gallagher's first concerts without Oasis were announced on 1 February 2010 to be at London's Royal Albert Hall on 25 and 26 March 2010 for Teenage Cancer Trust. He was supported by the Courteeners and Plan B, respectively. Terry Kirkbride and Gem Archer joined him on-stage, as did Jay Darlington, all of whom Gallagher had previously worked with while he was still a member of Oasis. He played a mostly acoustic set, and played a variety of Oasis album tracks and B-sides. It was almost the same set he played at the Royal Albert Hall in 2007. Gallagher also joined friend Paul Weller onstage in London on 21 April 2010, and played the Oasis song "Mucky Fingers" and a song he co-wrote with Weller, "Echoes Round the Sun".

Gallagher confirmed that he would be returning to the studio in August 2010 to record drums for an unnamed artist, later confirmed to be Paul Weller. He also denied rumours that he would be the Best Man for Russell Brand's marriage to Katy Perry. In August, it was mentioned on a UK Music blog, Sourmash Music, that Gallagher had been working with Liverpool group the Sand Band. Lead singer David McDonnell has been co-writing with Gallagher and are looking to collaborate on future solo projects together.

On 24 November 2010, Miles Kane revealed that Gallagher sang on a track from his debut solo album titled My Fantasy. Kane also revealed that he will appear on Gallagher's forthcoming album, playing guitar.

On 10 February 2011, Gallagher stated he had "not even started" his first solo record, despite Liam rumouring that he 'swiped' material from the Dig Out Your Soul sessions. "I am not recording new stuff, not just yet," he said to Talksport. "It'll be out when it's finished I guess. Well I've not even started it, so I don't know."

Noel Gallagher during FIB 2015

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds released a self-titled album on 17 October 2011; a collaboration album with Amorphous Androgynous was to be released in 2012 but has now been shelved indefinitely. He began touring in Dublin on 23 October 2011. The touring band announced for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds comprised David McDonnell (guitar), Russell Pritchard (bass), Mikey Rowe (keyboards) and Jeremy Stacey (drums); McDonnell left during rehearsals and was replaced before the tour with Tim Smith who had played with Rowe and Stacey previously. On 20 July 2011, Gallagher released a 47-second trailer of his first single "The Death of You and Me". The video for the debut single was released on 25 July at 8:21 am (GMT).

Following the self-titled debut, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds released their second album Chasing Yesterday 2 March 2015. In 2016 Gallagher co-wrote "Birth of an Accidental Hipster" with Paul Weller for the Monkees. In June 2015, Gallagher confirmed he was working on a third High Flying Birds album, later announced to be titled Who Built the Moon? and released on 27 November 2017. On 9 September 2017, Gallagher along with his band served as the headline act of "We Are Manchester", a benefit concert to mark the reopening of Manchester Arena (following a terrorist attack there in May).

On 2 May 2019, the band released "Black Star Dancing", the title track of their EP, which was released on 14 June 2019. On 5 August 2019, Gallagher's band released the title track "This Is The Place" for a second EP which was released on 27 September 2019. The same month, Gallagher toured the United States with The Smashing Pumpkins. Gallagher appeared on First We Feast's Hot Ones in October 2019. On 14 November 2019, Noel released a new single 'Wandering Star'. The single was released in promotion of his studio EP 'Blue Moon Rising'. The EP also featured reflex and 7" mixes of the title track, released on 6 March 2020.

On 29 April 2021, Gallagher announced the release of the band's first greatest hits album, titled Back the Way We Came: Vol. 1 (2011–2021). The album is a double release, which along with 16 previously released tracks, features two new songs; "We're On Our Way Now" and "Flying On the Ground", the former of which was released as a single the same day as its announcement. It was released on 11 June 2021. In an interview with Apple Music, Gallagher said that Best of Bee Gees is one of his favourite albums and that it inspired the cover of Back The Way We Came. Seven days after its release, Back the Way We Came became Gallagher's 12th UK No. 1 album.

In January 2023, Noel Gallagher announced that his fourth studio album with the High Flying Birds, titled Council Skies, would be released on 2 June. The album was previewed with the single "Easy Now", which is accompanied by a video starring Milly Alcock of House Of The Dragon fame. The album sees Gallagher pay homage to his formative years and Mancunian roots. He acknowledges that the title Council Skies was inspired from the title of a book by Sheffield artist Pete Mckee.

February 2023 saw the announcement of a North American co-headline tour by the High Flying Birds & Garbage (band). The 24 date tour begins on 2 June in Auburn, WA and ends on 15 July in Boston. An autumn UK arena tour was announced in March 2023, playing venues in Hull, London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Glasgow and Liverpool.

Other projects

In April 2009, Gallagher, along with Russell Brand, presented a one-off radio show on talkSPORT.

On 10 September 2011, Gallagher alongside his long-time friend Matt Morgan, stood in for Dermot O'Leary on his BBC Radio 2 show.

In March 2013, Gallagher, along with Brand, Morgan and Mr Gee, hosted a one-off radio show on XFM in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.

In an interview with NME in 2014 whilst promoting his solo debut album Everyday Robots, Damon Albarn hinted at a collaborative project with Gallagher. Despite the years of animosity during Blur and Oasis' respective heyday, Albarn said: "We're talking. It's not anything to get excited about yet. I mean, he's doing his thing. He's finishing a new record. I've got my record coming out, but the principle of us making music together is something, you know. It would be fair to say, we have discussed it at least once."

In March 2015, Gallagher revealed that he was considering retirement from live shows within the following 10 years. He stated: "It's not fun being on a bus for six weeks in America. It's fine when you're young, but I'm almost 50."

In February 2016, Gallagher and Morgan hosted a one-off show for Absolute Radio.

In March 2017, Albarn's animated band Gorillaz released the track "We Got the Power" featuring Gallagher on backing vocals.

On 29 May 2021, Gallagher stood in for Paul Gambaccini on BBC Radio 2's long running show Pick of the Pops.

From 8 to 22 August 2021, Gallagher presented The Radio X Residency with Morgan every Sunday 7 pm to 9 pm throughout on Radio X.

Gallagher is among those interviewed for the documentary film If These Walls Could Sing directed by Mary McCartney about the recording studios at Abbey Road.

In January 2024, Gallagher shared plans to record a new, entirely acoustic album, adding that the project was "for the fans". Later that year Gallagher confirmed that he had scrapped the idea.

Gallagher co-wrote three tracks with the Black Keys for their 2024 album Ohio Players, providing backing vocals and guitar on all three.

Personal life

Relationships

Gallagher became engaged to his girlfriend Diane at the age of 18, but they never married and eventually separated. In 1988, he moved out of his family home to live with Louise Jones, whom he described as his "soulmate" and for whom he wrote "Slide Away". They had an on-again, off-again relationship before separating in June 1994, with Gallagher stating, "I don't think I'll ever get over it."

In June 1997, Gallagher married Meg Mathews in Las Vegas. He had met her in 1994 through her roommate, MTV presenter Rebecca de Ruvo, whom he was dating at the time and whom he left for Mathews. Mathews gave birth to a daughter, Anaïs Gallagher, on 27 January 2000. Gallagher and Mathews divorced in January 2001.

Gallagher then began a relationship with MacDonald, and wrote "Waiting for the Rapture" about their meeting. They have two sons: Donovan Rory MacDonald Gallagher (born 22 September 2007) and Sonny Patrick MacDonald Gallagher (born 1 October 2010). They were married on 18 June 2011 in a private ceremony at the Lime Wood Hotel in New Forest National Park. His close friend Russell Brand was the best man. They lived in Hampshire. In January 2023, the couple announced that they would be divorcing after 11 years of marriage,citing; "When you get to your mid 50s you do come to some kind of crossroads in your life.“It’s not uncommon for people who have been in long-term relationships to go their separate ways in their 50s." Gallagher said.

Gallagher is friends with Gary Mounfield, Richard Ashcroft (to whom he dedicated the Oasis song "Cast No Shadow"), the Chemical Brothers, John Lydon, Steve Jones, Kasabian, Andy Nicholson, Ricky Hatton, Paul McCartney, Jamie Carragher, Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Johnny Marr, Damon Albarn, Morrissey, Bono, Paul Weller, Johnny Depp (who played slide guitar on the Oasis song "Fade In-Out"), and Kate Moss (who used to stay with him when she was visiting London). Around the time that actor Ewan McGregor found out he had been cast as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Gallagher (his next-door neighbour) challenged him to a battle with toy lightsabers in his garden the morning after a party.

Other

In 1998, Gallagher made a cameo appearance as himself in an episode of The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star. He was a frequent guest on The Russell Brand Show on BBC Radio 2, appearing on almost every show, leading Brand to dub him an unofficial "co-presenter". He is also a regular on the digital radio sports show TalkSPORT.

In 2001, Gallagher was reported to have an estimated personal fortune of £25 million. In 2009, The Sunday Times Rich List estimated his and Liam's combined personal fortune at £52 million.

Gallagher is a lifelong Manchester City F.C. supporter, admitting he "cried like a baby" when they won the 2011–12 Premier League. He is a friend of the team's former midfielder Joey Barton, as well as Italian striker Alessandro Del Piero, who described Gallagher as Italy's "lucky mascot" during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and appears in the video for Oasis' "Lord Don't Slow Me Down". Gallagher and Kasabian lead guitarist Sergio Pizzorno took part in drawing teams for the FA Cup third round in 2011. Coincidentally, Pizzorno drew his hometown team Leicester City with Gallagher's Manchester City for the third round tie, in which both teams drew 2–2 and Manchester City proceeded to win 4–2 in the replay. He participated in the unveiling of Umbro-sponsored football kits with captain Vincent Kompany. In the advertising campaign, the two men are pictured wearing the new Manchester City home and away shirts for the 2012–13 season. Formerly, Kompany had introduced Gallagher to 80,000 fans during the Rock Werchter music festival in Belgium. After home matches, Manchester City regularly play the Oasis song Wonderwall, which was written by Gallagher.

The son of Irish immigrants, Gallagher identifies as Irish. He supports the Irish national football team and has said that he does not consider himself "to be English at all". Nevertheless, he did serve as an official ambassador for England's bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Gallagher is also a fan of the National Football League, noting in an ESPN interview, "I love the NFL. I don't have a team per se, but I'm into it. NFL comes on late night in the UK when I'm up. I love the colour and energy of it all. There's so many things going on in American football. It took me a while to get it, but I like it a lot."

Gallagher also supports Scottish football team Celtic F.C..

Gallagher stated in a 2006 radio interview with Russell Brand that he does not believe in "God or an all-guiding force". Despite this, many of his songs have mentioned God (such as "The Hindu Times" and "Little by Little"), and all the tracks he had contributed to Dig Out Your Soul (as well as the other bandmates' songs) have lyrics and references to God and other biblical terms. Dig Out Your Soul has been described by Gallagher as a "religious Armageddon". In 2009, he stated, "See, I don't know what I am. If I was an atheist I'd just write songs about not believing in God – but I don't know what I am." In 2017, he reaffirmed his lack of belief in God in an "Actually Me" segment for GQ.

In 2008, Gallagher sold his home in Ibiza near the home of fellow musician James Blunt, saying in an interview that he "can't stand living there in the knowledge that Blunt is nearby making terrible music".

Gallagher was reportedly asked by Simon Cowell to be a judge on The X Factor after Dannii Minogue, Cheryl Cole, and Cowell himself declined to participate in series 8, but he declined.

In 2012, Gallagher was among the British cultural icons selected by Sir Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork (the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover) to celebrate the British cultural figures of his life.

Songwriting and musicianship

Style and abilities

Gallagher was the primary songwriter in Oasis, and the sole songwriting contributor on the group's first three albums. Gallagher has commented on his musical ability:

I've got a certain style and I've got no control over what I write. I'm not technically proficient enough to attempt all kinds of music. I wish I could write a record like Raw Power or Wish You Were Here, or have the ability of a musical chameleon. But I'm not. I just write these songs because they're real to me and they're coming from a place of truth. And that's it. I don't care about being different. I want to be the same. And that in itself makes me different.

Comparing himself to other guitarists, Gallagher stated, "I can barely play like Peter Green, let alone Jeff Beck." He also said, "I'm unfortunate enough that two of my best mates are Johnny Marr and Paul Weller. Those two are virtuosos to me although neither of them would admit it. On the electric guitar they're it. So if you're asking me how do I compare to those two—and I like to compare myself to the greats—I'm average at best." Weller described Gallagher's ability as a guitarist as "rudimentary", saying, "Noel doesn't pretend to be a guitar god. He's very good at putting chords together and he's got a distinctive style in terms of his chord sequences and his rhythm playing. It's recognisable." Though naturally left-handed, Gallagher plays guitar right-handed, which he claims is the only thing he can do with his non-dominant hand.

Gallagher has said he sometimes does not understand his own lyrics, commenting in 2005, "When I'm halfway through 'Don't Look Back in Anger' I say to myself, 'I still don't know what these words mean!'" By 2017, he had reflected, "There is a bit of truth in that statement. Like the bit in 'Champagne Supernova' about 'slowly walking down the hall faster than a cannonball'. What does that mean? And the answer is, I don't know what it means. I don't care what it means. It must mean something, though, because I play it to a sea of people every night and they seem to understand it. That's all that matters, I guess." He has stated that he is dyslexic, which slows down the process of his songwriting, and that he can neither read nor write music notation.

Changing band dynamic

Gallagher's role as a chief songwriter for Oasis changed over time as he allowed a greater level of lyrical input from the other band members. Standing on the Shoulder of Giants included Oasis' first-ever album track written by his brother Liam. Heathen Chemistry included a further three tracks by Liam (including "Songbird"), one by Gem Archer, and one by Andy Bell. The album Don't Believe the Truth featured another three tracks by Liam (one of them, "Love Like a Bomb", co-written with Archer), one from Archer, and two from Bell. The latter two albums have been greeted with increasing critical and commercial success in the UK, particularly Don't Believe the Truth. The second single from Don't Believe the Truth, "The Importance of Being Idle", became the second Oasis track sung by Noel to top the UK charts and was named 2005's finest track by Q magazine, as well as being nominated for the NME's "Best Song of 2005" award. On the final Oasis albums, Noel's increasing role as lead singer, apparently to compensate for his diminished role as songwriter, caused some tension with Liam.

Zak Starkey, son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and previous drummer for The Who and Johnny Marr, replaced long-time drummer Alan White during the recording sessions for Don't Believe the Truth. The loss of White prompted Gallagher to comment in a 2005 interview that he credits Oasis' trouble with drummers, in part, to the fact that he is himself a talented drummer: "I get a lot of stick for it, but I'm the best drummer in the group."

Musical equipment

Noel Gallagher playing a Martin acoustic guitar in Rome on 13 March 2012

Throughout his career, Gallagher has used a wide range of different guitars, effect pedals and amplifiers from his large collection. Most of it emerged from the Standing on the Shoulder of Giants sessions, where he decided to drop the equipment used in the three previous albums and instead buy "loads of really weird pedals, old guitars, and small amps", as the lack of deadline to deliver the album allowed Gallagher to "take quite a few days just messing around".

Guitars

Electric guitars

• Epiphone Les Paul – Gallagher played a cherry sunburst model in the early years of Oasis.
• Gibson Les Paul – A sunburst Les Paul was given to Gallagher by Johnny Marr, formerly of the Smiths, in the early days of Oasis. When this Les Paul was destroyed, Marr gave him another Les Paul, used prominently on the Smiths' album The Queen Is Dead.
• Fender Telecaster – Gallagher uses several, one of which, a '60s model, was given to Noel by Johnny Depp as a birthday present.
• Epiphone Casino
• Gibson ES-355 Vintage Model – Since 2001, this has become Gallagher's main stage guitar.
• Epiphone Sheraton – Gallagher used two Epiphone Sheratons, a sunburst one and one with a Union Jack painted on the front which Epiphone sold as a signature model named 'Supernova'.

Effect pedals

In the early days of Oasis, Gallagher did not use pedals: "I used to just turn up the amps as full as I could get them." Since then, he has begun using a large number of effects, but singled out the Ibanez Tube Screamer.

Amplification

Gallagher has said that he used only 100-watt Marshalls early in his career. After Definitely Maybe, he began using smaller amps, singling out Fenders (Princeton and Bandmaster), and also a combo made by Clark Amplification, which builds amplifiers based on vintage Fender and Marshall amps. While recording What's the Story Morning Glory? Gallagher also used Orange and Vox amps. Orange later made Gallagher a custom amplifier, which was later sold online for £6,800.

Discography

Solo

Live albums

• The Dreams We Have as Children – Live at the Royal Albert Hall (2009)

Other appearances

Other charted songs

As featured artist

As session musician

• 1995: Stanley Road by Paul Weller, acoustic guitar on "I Walk on Gilded Splinters"
• 1998: Saturnz Return by Goldie, guitar on "Temper Temper"
• 2000: Tailgunner by Tailgunner, drums
• 2001: The Same Old Blues by Proud Mary, production, plus additional vocals, guitars, bass and percussion
• 2002: Illumination by Paul Weller, drums, percussion & bass on "One X One"
• 2003: Polaris by North Mississippi Allstars, vocals on "One To Grow On" & "Polaris"
• 2003: Live at the Royal Albert Hall by the Who, guitar, backing vocals on "Won't Get Fooled Again"
• 2004: Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned by the Prodigy, bass on "Shoot Down"
• 2004: All Years Leaving by the Stands, guitar on "Some Weekend Night"
• 2008: 22 Dreams by Paul Weller, bass, piano, mellotron and Wurlitzer on "Echoes Round the Sun"
• 2011: Colour of the Trap by Miles Kane, backing vocals on "My Fantasy"
• 2015: A Head Full Of Dreams by Coldplay, guitar on "Up&Up"
• 2017: "We Got the Power" by Gorillaz, additional vocals
• 2018: True Meanings by Paul Weller, pump organ
• 2020: Walls by Louis Tomlinson, writing credits on "Walls"
• 2020: Where's My Family Gone? by Andrew Cushin, production, guitar, bass, keys, backing vocals on "Where's My Family Gone?"
• 2024: Ohio Players by The Black Keys, co-writer and backing vocalist on "On The Game" (also electric guitarist), "Love Only Matters" and "You'll Pay".

Other

• 2011: Well ... All Right! – compilation album compiled by Gallagher, released covermount into Mojo magazine

Oasis

• Definitely Maybe (1994)
• (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
• Be Here Now (1997)
• Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000)
• Heathen Chemistry (2002)
• Don't Believe the Truth (2005)
• Dig Out Your Soul (2008)

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

• Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (2011)
• Chasing Yesterday (2015)
• Who Built the Moon? (2017)
• Council Skies (2023)

See also

In Spanish: Noel Gallagher para niños