Noel Gallagher reveals he spent four weeks in Belfast working on new album
Noel Gallagher has told Cool FM that the majority of music on his new album with High Flying Birds, was inspired by Belfast.
Last updated 29th Nov 2017
The former Oasis star spent four weeks staying in the Merchant Hotel with producer, DJ and composer, David Holmes writing material for ‘Who Built the Moon?.’
Noel (50) said he kept a low profile and avoided the party scene, as he did not want it to hinder the record’s progress.
“I was trying to keep my head down because I was thinking if I get involved in the madness in this town it could be like just…you know… I wouldn’t be like…making any music,” he said.
“We were there to work and it was brutal weather but I’ve gotta say I love the fact that I look on the credits to my album and the word Belfast is on it and the bulk of the ideas came to fruition in Belfast.”
It seems the rock legend is quite a fan of the city.
“You know what I’m so proud that I’ve got a song, I’ve got the bulk of the album recorded in Belfast,” he said.
“We’ve had ionic gigs there, (Belfast) the night Definitely Maybe went to number one we were playing in the Limelight, we had great nights at the Odyssey.
“One night in particular Oasis played there it was insane.
“The first gig of my last tour was there and I’ve done outdoor gigs there, I’ve had some funny nights there.
“It’s a great place to play."
But he admits the creative process started as a bit of a leap in the dark.
“Starting out the project with David (Holmes) in Belfast of all places, I didn’t know what we were going to do because he wouldn’t let me write anything outside of the studio so I didn’t know what was going on,” he said.
“And I don’t know how he knew this but he knew that I was capable of this record and I didn’t even know I was capable of things like this.
“It was a funny old day landing down in Belfast four years ago with one guitar and a bag full of effects pedals thinking…like the rain was coming down, it was like January, it was like awful weather I was like what am I doing?
“You know what I mean I could be sat at home here noodling on an acoustic.”
Noel said working with David has been an enlightening experience and describes how he never thought he would be able to nail his new sound including the first track on the record:
“I thought I knew what I was all about, I genuinely thought, if I’d have tried to write a song like Fort Knox, sat down and tried to do it, it would be terrible,” he added.
“It’s an overture and it’s a call to arms.
“It’s why it’s the first track on the album and it’s why the alarm clock is so loud because the alarm clock is saying ‘Oh really, so you thought this was gonna be some kind of different album did ya?’
“It’s not a rock n roll record but it’s my most rock n roll record because rock n roll to me is about freedom.
“Freedom of expression, freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of everything.
“That’s what it was like in the studio anything went.”
Noel finished by telling us he does not want to focus on his long running feud with his brother Liam but rather his current music career:
“There’s been a lot of negative stuff surrounding interviews and that’s kinda made it not as fun as it should be,” he said.
“And there’s all the Oasis reforming nonsense and I’m glad you’ve not brought it up, it’s not been as much fun this time but I’ve got a great tale to tell about the creation of the record and this is a moment in time.”