Noel Gallagher: Everything you need to know about the legend

From Oasis to the High Flying Birds...

Author: Julian MarszalekPublished 9th Apr 2024

The legendary Noel Gallagher may have parted ways from Oasis over a decade ago now, but the megastar sure hasn't stopped providing us with huge tunes over the years! From the Oasis days, to his ongoing 'feud' with his brother Liam Gallagher, to Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, there's a lot to know about this talented 56-year-old!

Let’s refresh our memories on everything there is to know about the man they call “The Chief” and why he’s happy with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds...

What's Noel Gallagher doing now?

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds released their fourth studio album, 'Council Skies', on 2nd June 2023, with Noel explaining that this album went "back to the beginning" - even before his Oasis days.

The group also performed seven UK tour dates - one in August and six in December 2023, visiting the likes of Hull, London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Leeds, Glasgow and Liverpool.

In January 2024, Noel confirmed on a podcast that he was working on a solely acoustic album "for the fans", adding: "I’ve had to take all the electronic equipment out of the studio... Because I’ve tried to make an acoustic album three times, and every time (I’ve used the electronics)... So it’s just acoustic instruments in the studio.

"There’s a song called 'God Help Us All', which is an old song from 2005, so when I was still in Oasis, but I never recorded it. I’m looking forward to the challenge of seeing it through... As long as the melody and lyrics are good, it’s good."

However, in April 2024, Noel did a U-turn on his planned acoustic album, saying he'd got "bored" with making it and was instead making a "defiant rock record". He told the Matt Morgan podcast: "It got six tunes in, and I was so bored with the arrangement of it all and the kind of slow pace of it all.

"It was too down. Acoustic tunes tend to be quite down. I need to make a defiant rock record and that’s what I’m gonna do. Sorry everyone. I do apologise if anyone had their hearts set on it."

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Where is Noel Gallagher from?

Noel Gallagher was born in Longsight on 29th May 1967 - making him currently 56-years-old - and was raised in Burnage, Manchester.

Learning to play the guitar at 13-years-old, Noel’s first real venture into the world of rock’n’roll was when, following a failed audition to become the singer of Madchester baggies Inspiral Carpets, he became their roadie instead.

Which bands has Noel Gallagher played in?

Returning home from a US tour with Inspiral Carpets, Noel Gallagher was intrigued to learn that his younger brother, Liam, had formed a band called Rain with his mates, guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, bassist Paul McGuigan and drummer Tony McCarroll.

He wasn’t impressed when he caught them live, but he must have spotted some kind of spark because he joined the band on the proviso that he assumed all creative control of the band, with him as the sole songwriter.

So it was that he was nicknamed “The Chief” and Oasis where born.

The rise of Oasis was swift and rapid and it came to define an era. Oasis’ first album, ‘Definitely Maybe’ (1994), became, at the time, the fastest-selling debut album in British chart history.

Its follow-up, 1996’ ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory’ rocketed to be top of the charts all over the world, while their third album, ‘Be Here Now’ (1997), became the fastest-selling album in UK history, with many fans queuing overnight to get a copy.

Their next two albums, ‘Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants’ (2000) and ‘Heathen Chemistry’ (2002), failed to match the success of their predecessors.

Bonehead and Paul McGuigan left the band and were replaced by Gem Archer and Andy Bell respectively, and Oasis emulated Spinal Tap by employing a succession of drummers, including Ringo Starr’s son, Zak Starkey. Oasis’ last two albums, ‘Don’t Believe The Truth’ (2005) and ‘Dig Out Your Soul’ (2008) went some way to restoring musical quality control.

Following years of internal turmoil between Noel and Liam Gallagher, the band finally split just minutes before they were due onstage at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris on 28 August 2009.

Climbing the Holy Mountain with Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

When did Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds form?

Though presented as a band, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds is the name for the former Oasis guitarist’s solo activity in the wake of that Oasis' demise.

Despite the ugly split, Noel Gallagher brought in former Oasis members Gem Archer and drummer Chris Sharrock – both of whom also played in Liam Gallagher’s post-Oasis band, Beady Eye – as well as Oasis session pianist Mike Rowe and The Zutons’ bassist Russell Pritchard.

To date, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds have released four albums: ‘Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ (2011), ‘Chasing Yesterday’ (2015), ‘Who Built The Moon?' (2017) and 'Council Skies' (2023).

The group also released a greatest hits album - 'Back the Way We Came: Vol. 1 (2011–2021)', featuring 16 of the band's biggest songs as well as two brand new tracks: 'We're on Our Way Now' and 'Flying on the Ground'. It came out in June 2021 and went to Number 1.

Noel Gallagher also recorded an album with electronic production duo Amorphous Androgynous. Describing it as “far out” and heavy on psychedelic influences, Noel scrapped the album, fearing that the weight of expectation was too much.

Which are Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds biggest songs?

Some of their biggest hits include ‘Holy Mountain’, ‘The Death Of You And Me’ and ‘AKA… What A Life!’

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds: The origin of the band name

Explaining on The Jonathan Ross Show, Noel said that the idea to use the prefix “Noel Gallagher’s…” came to him whilst listening to Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac as he washed the dishes. The second half of the name is taken from the song ‘High Flying Bird’, which was recorded by Jefferson Airplane, among others.

Just think: they could’ve been called Noel Gallagher’s Dirty Dishes.

What guitar does Noel Gallagher play?

Noel Gallagher is most associated with the thinline, hollow body, semi-acoustic guitar, the Epiphone Casino, which he used in the early days of Oasis. He also used to play a cherry sunburst Epiphone Les Paul.

Since then, he’s used a Gibson Les Paul – two of which were presents from former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr – and a Gibson ES-355 semi-acoustic. He’s also got a few Fender Telecasters and one of those was a present too – this time from actor Johnny Depp.

Noel Gallagher: In the heat of the moment

Which other musicians has Noel Gallagher worked with?

He does like his collaborations. To date, he’s worked with Paul Weller several times, most notably on ‘Stanley Road’ (1995), ‘Illumination’ (2002), ’22 Dreams’ (2008) and ‘True Meanings’ (2018).

You’ll also find him on records by The Prodigy (bass on ‘Shoot Down’ on the ‘Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned’ album (2004)), Miles Kane's ‘Colour Of The Trap’ (2011), The Chemical Brothers’ ‘Setting Sun’ (1997) and ‘Let Forever Be’ (1999), and Goldie’s ‘Temper Temper’ (1998).

And, most surprisingly, he sings with former Blur nemesis Damon Albarn on Gorillaz’ ‘We Got The Power’.

Who is Noel Gallagher’s wife?

Noel was married to Meg Matthews for almost four years from 1997-2001 and they have one daughter, Anaïs Gallagher.

He later married Sara MacDonald in 2011. They have two sons, Donovan Rory MacDonald Gallagher and Sonny Patrick MacDonald Gallagher. They announced their split in January 2023, with a statement reading: 'Noel and Sara will together continue to look after their children who remain their priority. Noel and Sara ask the media to respect their privacy and that of our family at this time.'