Noel Gallagher announces new song that 'sounds like The Cure'
He also answers the BIG Oasis reunion question once again
Noel Gallagher says he’s penned a new High Flying Birds song called ‘Pretty Boy’ that “sounds very much like The Cure.”
The former Oasis lynchpin has been working fresh Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds material throughout 2020 and he says he’s particularly happy with the track ‘Pretty Boy’.
“The stuff I’ve been working on is f---ing great, really great,” Noel enthused.
“I’ve written a tune that sounds very much like The Cure, and I didn’t even have to dial back the copyright, it just sounds like The Cure. It’s called 'Pretty Boy.'”
Never afraid to blow his own trumpet, Noel continued to the Daily Star: “I have to say the two tunes I’ve done over the last couple of weeks are easily the best of the High Flying Birds stuff I’ve done, one of them is just f---ing ‘wow’, I even amaze myself sometimes.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Noel ruled out the idea of an Oasis reunion once again, saying: “I don’t really feel the need to go and do it again. On my last tour I went back to doing Don’t Look Back In Anger electric, purely because I hadn’t played it for years, and I’d forgotten the f***ing solo! And it takes ages to get the memory muscle in your fingers.”
Noel also defended his decision to experiment with new sounds with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds rather than just regurgitating Oasis songs.
Produced by acclaimed electronic musician David Holmes, Noel’s third studio album, 2017’s Who Built the Moon?, saw Noel delve into psychedelic rock territory.
Explaining he’s not setting out to write a new ‘Wonderwall’ or ‘Live Forever’, Noel said: “If you commission Picasso to paint you a painting and he gives it to you, you’re not going to go: ‘Can you not do something else?’ It’s free expression.”
Last week, Noel Gallagher donated a signed Manchester City scarf to the Celebrity Loosen Up Auction, which is being held by the charity Cahonas Scotland to support Testicular Cancer education and awareness.
Other items fans can bid on include Thom Yorke’s bowler hat from Radiohead’s ‘Lotus Flower’ video, a Queen ‘We Will Rock You’ scarf featuring Brian May’s signature and Dave Gahan’s signed waistcoat. Closing on Sunday (29th November), you can find out more about the auction here.
A history of Oasis reunion rumours:
2013: Have Liam and Noel Gallagher made-up?
There have been some nice words said over the years. In 2013, Liam told NME, "I like Noel outside the band. Human Noel - that's my brother - I f--king adore him and I'd do anything for him."
2014: Noel expressed his sadness about the split of Beady Eye
He told Q Magazine, "I'm very f--king sad about Beady Eye, because I know they really wanted to make it work." He offered support and assured fans, "Liam won't stay out of the limelight for long. I think Liam should make a solo record – put his balls on the line, put his name up in lights and go for it."
2015: Liam goes to watch Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Liam Gallagher even went to see Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds in concert tweeting a backstage pass and the words 'Keeping it in the family...LG x'
2016: Oasis reunion rumours swirl
Wait! Could an Oasis reunion be on the cards? Hopes are lifted when The Daily Star quotes Noel saying he'll do it if the money's right. And how much would that be? "For twenty million quid, one gig – that is good money, isn't it?" Let's not get too excited, though, as Noel then adds: "But I have never had that offer from anyone yet."
Noel does concede that it could still happen, but it's best if no one holds their breath, "There might come a day one day where it might seem like a good idea, but I have so much I want to do. I have so much to do on my own that I don't really see it to be honest."
2017: Noel Gallagher collaborates with Blur's Damon Albarn
Proving that nothing is impossible, a decades-old feud is finally laid to rest when Damon Albarn and Noel Gallagher collaborate on the Gorillaz single, 'We've Got The Power', which also singer Jehnny Beth of post-punk outfit Savages.
Speaking of working with Noel, Damon Albarn said, "I thought it might be cute, the idea of us singing about the power to love each other. Of course, no one's asked Liam what he thinks about the song yet. No doubt he'd have a fantastic one-liner about what a bunch of f--king k---heads we are."
testWatch the video on YouTube.
2017: One Love Manchester
With his solo career taking off, Liam Gallagher is a surprise guest at the One Love Manchester benefit gig, which raised money for the victims and families by those caught up in a terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert in the city.
Despite rumours of an Oasis reunion, Noel Gallagher doesn't play, although Liam buries the hatchet with testColdplay's Chris Martin. Having previously called the Coldplay frontman a "geography teacher", a "vicar" and a "plant pot" among other memorable insults, the pair play an emotional rendition of 'Live Forever'.
2017: Noel headlines We Are Manchester
Although absent from One Love Manchester, Noel Gallagher headlined the 'We Are Manchester' charity show at the Manchester Arena. Noel became visibly overwhelmed during his performance of 'Don't Look Back In Anger' – which became an anthem in Manchester following the tragic event.
2017: An olive branch at Christmas
What with Christmas coming and it being the season of goodwill, Liam offers a fraternal greeting to his brother via Twitter.
2017: Noel Gallagher's performance on Jools Holland
An appearance by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds on 'Later With Jools Holland' becomes a huge talking point when band member Charlotte Marionneau snips a pair of scissors into a microphone during 'She Taught Me How To Fly'.
Liam joked after, "I'm looking for somebody to peel some spuds live on stage tnight at this gig in Bethnal Green," he writes on – where else? - Twitter. "Must have own peeler." sic] However his request is actually fulfilled... [testWatch the moment on YouTube.
Speaking to Absolute Radio's Frank Skinner, Noel Gallagher claims that he knew that the scissors would wind his brother up. Explaining how it came about, Noel then said, "I leaned into my bass player and said, 'Do you hear that sound?' and he went, 'What the scissors?' and I went, 'No, that's the sound of Liam glassing himself when he sees this!' "In Manchester, the night it aired, I was in the front seat of a car and when it stopped at the traffic lights, the car got surrounded by a load of geezers just going, 'Sciiiiiissooooors!'" testWatch him explain right here.
2018: Liam Gallagher is nominated for Best British Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards
After releasing his debut album 'As You Were' in October 2017, Liam was delighted to receive a nomination for Best British Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards 2018. Although he missed out to Stormzy, Liam did step in to perform 'Live Forever' as a tribute to the Manchester Arena victims, after Ariana Grande was forced to pull out due to illness.
2018: Liam reaches out to Noel and calls for an Oasis reunion
In July, he tweeted, 'Earth to noel listen up rkid I hear your doing gigs where people can't drink alcohol now that's the BeZarist thing you've done yet. I forgive you now let's get the BIG O back together and stop f--king about the drinks are on me LG.'
2019: Noel says Liam's tweets are 'a nail in the coffin' for Oasis reunion
In an interview with The Big Issue, testNoel addressed Liam's somewhat regular tweeting on the subject of an Oasis reunion. "It's strange behaviour for someone who is gagging for me to pick up the phone and say let's do it," Noel explained. "He'd put his whole life on hold to get Oasis back together but every tweet he sends out, it's another nail in the coffin of that idea."
Speaking to Liam directly, Noel added, "If you think for one minute, I am going to share a stage with you after what you've said you are more of a moron than you look." Liam, of course, wrote about the interview on Twitter.
2020: Liam says he plans to retire as solo artist after Noel 'begs' for Oasis reunion
In a less-than-shocking move, Liam wrote on Twitter in January that testNoel had 'begged' him for an Oasis reunion. However, testNoel shot down Liam's claims, saying, "RE: 'The Reunion', sadly I think the other fella must have been on the leftover Christmas Babycham. For the record, until anyone hears it from ME, it's not happening."
In February, Liam took to Twitter yet again, writing, 'We've been offered 100 million pounds for a tour still not enough for the greedy soul oh well stay young LG.'
2020: Noel takes the bait
Taking the bait, Noel issued his own tweet a day later, 'To whoever might be arsed: I am not aware of any offer from anybody for any amount of money to reform the legendary Mancunian Rock'n'Roll group Oasis. I am fully aware though that someone has a single to promote so that's maybe where the confusion lies.'
2020: Liam says an Oasis reunion is 'inevitable'
Despite everything that has gone before, Liam is staunchly optimistic about an Oasis reunion, telling NME in March, "The geezer's ego's out of control. Let me tell you this, the money has been offered and he knows about it. He's obviously gonna say no, because he'd like to be the person to break the news to people because he's the oracle, and obviously I'm his little brother who's doing well and I'm here to spoil the f--king party.
"It's gonna happen believe you me. It's gonna happen very f--king soon because he's greedy and he loves money and he knows that it's got to happen soon or it won't happen."
2020: Liam calls on Noel for an Oasis reunion to support NHS workers
testLiam Gallagher has urged Noel to reunite Oasis, in order to support the NHS. Since the start of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic lockdown measures in the UK, Liam has sent several tweets aimed at Noel Gallagher, testpleading to reunite the 90s legends. He later stated that the gig will happen 'with or without Noel'.
However, Noel has apparently stated that he thinks testmobile phones would taint a reunion, according to photographer Kevin Cummins who spoke to The Quietus. He's also discovered a testpreviously-unreleased song called 'Don't Stop', which was thought to be lost, and was recorded around 2005 at a sound check in Hong Kong.
2020: Liam claims Noel turned £100 million for an Oasis reunion
Appearing on The Jonathan Ross Show on Saturday 28th November, Liam alleged that testNoel had been offered £100 million to reunite Oasis, "I know for a fact there's nothing left on the table. We did have a good crack. We did everything. We didn't leave anything on the table. Like, nothing.
"When someone offers you 100 million pounds to do a few gigs and that man, you're going to go, 'Alright then yeah…' there was a lot of money knocking about. It was 100 million pounds to do a tour and that and I'm thinking, 'I'm not a d---head, know what I mean? I'll have a bit of that.' He's not into it is he? He's after a knighthood isn't he?
"You can ask him (about an Oasis reunion) next time. For (a) hundred million quid I'd do that..." he added, before cheekily saying, "Never say never."
2021: Liam once again takes to Twitter to confirm the band will get back together.
He's still banging the reunion drum. After a fan tweeted him to say: 'HEY LIAM,i need you to give me hope that oasis will come back please i'm 19 years old i want to live that concert, i HATE not being born earlier,' he replied with a definitive, 'It's gonna happen.'
2022: Blur's Graham Coxon wants to mediate
Former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon offered to help mediate an Oasis reunion in October 2022, which should raise a smile for fans of the Gallagher brothers as the bands were well known to be each others' nemesis back in the day. However, Graham was genuine in his offer, saying: "Knock those brothers' heads together."
2022: Liam accuses Noel of blocking Oasis songs in Knebworth film
Liam said in October that there would be no Oasis songs in his upcoming documentary film Knebworth 22 as Noel had allegedly blocked them. Asked by a fan if the Oasis tracks will feature, Liam replied: 'No oasis songs as the angry squirt has blocked them he also blocked the oasis I sang for Taylor Hawkins tribute he's a horrible little man.'
2023: AI generates "lost Oasis songs"
AISIS created an eight-track album called 'The Lost Tapes Vol.1' using the latest AI technology in response to fans' ongoing wait for an Oasis reunion. Hastings band Breezer wrote the music/lyrics and recorded for the album, however AI was used to replace the singer's voice with Liam Gallagher's trademark rock n' roll drawl.
Unsurprisingly, Liam was asked about AISIS' 'The Lost Tapes Vol.1' and he was highly complimentary about it. When asked 'What about AISIS, Liam?', the singer responded: "Mad as f---, I sound mega!" Another fan asked if he'd heard the whole record, and he replied: "Not the album heard a tune it's better than all the other snizzle out there."
2024: Liam responds to Andy Bell's reunion comments
In April 2024, Liam took to Twitter to respond to comments made by former Oasis bassist Andy Bell, who played with the band for a decade. Asked about the possibility of a reunion in an interview, Andy said: "Yeah, they probably will. I think yeah, they probably will do it. I don't think it looks likely right now, but life is long, isn't it?" He then commented on how the Stone roses reunited despite there seemingly being 'bad blood' between members.
Liam, however, took to Twitter to respond to Andy, telling him he should 'really not be getting people's hopes up'.
2024: Liam is "ready to reunite" with Noel
Liam responded to increasing speculation around an Oasis reunion after a series of cryptic posts on the official Oasis social media channels. When a follower asked what the series of videos allude to, Liam responded: 'God knows someone must be selling something,' also explaining that he'd deleted an earlier post about the Oasis reunion as it could have been construed as 'misleading.' However, despite effectively quashing the rumours, when asked if he's ready to reunite with his brother Noel, he simply answered: 'Yep.'
However, the cryptic posts were later revealed to be confirming a 30th anniversary reissue of the band's debut album, 'Definitely Maybe'. All 16 tracks on the bonus discs have been newly mixed for the 30th anniversary re-release by Noel Gallagher and Callum Marinho.
2024: A reunion is officially announced
Following a cryptic post suggesting an announcement was on the way, 27th August 2024 saw the long-awaited announcement that Oasis are officially getting back together. The band's official social media channels shared a throwback video, showing footage of Oasis' gargantuan gigs over the years, while revealing numerous tour dates for summer 2025.
Another post shared an official PR image of the Gallagher brothers, teasing: 'The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.'