Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds is the Mancunian singer-songwriter's first solo album even though one was rumoured to be on the cards for years.
He explains: "I kept being asked by record labels about doing a solo album but I was happy in the band.
"Yes, I'd been writing songs because I am a songwriter but I didn't think they'd get heard. I thought about doing a solo project, y'know, bash out a few songs in the studio, do a few gigs but I wouldn't have done it at the expense of the group.
"Then at the end of the Dig Out Your Soul tour, I thought 'I'm going to do this solo thing' then go back to Oasis.
"But now it's not a band, it's my mates helping me out. I guess in a romantic vision of the future, I will gather together a solid line-up then drop the 'Noel Gallagher' to just be the High Flying Birds. But I might be 65 by then and I'll be more like a low-flying owl!"
"I guess this record is more in the spirit of what Oasis was in the beginning, on the first two albums, except it's me singing all the songs.
"Plus it's easier on your own. You get an idea, something happens, you book a studio, within a day you're in there. You can just get in there and think, 'Fuck I've made a dance tune.'" AKA... What A Life! a pounding dance track reminiscent of his collaborations with The Chemical Brothers.
"I asked Fatboy Slim to remix the song because I fucking love him," reveals Noel. "But he said he couldn't do anything with it as it's great.
"I was thinking of the piano from (classic dance track) Rhythim Is Rhythim's Strings Of Life. It was very acid house to begin with and so I was thinking of giving it to someone. I thought about Madonna then (Noel's wife) Sara said, "Don't be daft, Madonna won't sing it. When are you likely to see Madonna?" So that spoiled it.
"It took me back to the Hacienda where, for three years from 1988 to 1990, I practically lived. I loved it and I wanted something to remind me of it.
"But I still wasn't sure so I played it to our office and all the girls loved it. Once girls like it, you're on to a winner. The song's easily up there with the best things I've ever done." In Oasis, some of Noel's greatest songs were inspired by being young and going out, being on the dole then being a rock 'n' roll star.
He says: "It was amazing. I went from working with the Inspiral Carpets to Madchester then to Camden and Britpop. Then I'm at 10 Downing Street, thinking where the fuck is this going to end? Am I going to get a knighthood? Am I going to end up being the Pope? It was a relief when it all stopped.
"But fans grew up with us and inspirations changed. I was writing about being skint. I couldn't start writing about being wealthy or people would tell you to fuck off."
On the new album, Noel says his inspirations include love, hope and "finding your feet".
Noel says: "Oasis were a very macho rock band and you couldn't really sing songs about love [are you sure? Wonderwall, Songbird, She is love, etc. were love songs - Marco]. But I never shied away from writing those songs, they were just piling up. For If I Had a Gun, I'd like the listener to think about the person they love the most. It could be your mum, girlfriend or wife [one thing for sure: not your brother, and for me not my sister, lol - Marco].
"The only conscious decision I made to be different on this record was to release The Death Of You And Me first. People always expect you to come back with a bang and I wanted to come back with a whisper. I'm going to draw people in and go, 'Shhhh, yes, they really are trumpets.
"This album has a more human sound, whereas Oasis was about the primal energy. It was in-your-face, like a football match set to music. But this, I would really like people to stop and listen. That's why I'm playing all-seated venues because the lad swilling beer element has got to go." Proud of his solo effort, Noel says having a definitive narrative and feel all the way through adds to the flow of songs.
He says: "In a band with different writers and styles, the album will always be disjointed and never as coherent as Morning Glory where you can tell the same person has written all the songs.
And the story on this album?
"Well, it starts off with Everybody's On The Run where two people are saying 'Come on we've got to get out of here'.
"Then it goes through all the twists and turns to the middle and says, 'What a life, we are having such a great time'.
"But then you've been on this journey and you're thinking this is not where I want to be. (Stranded On) The Wrong Beach is saying the grass isn't always greener on the other side and maybe what you're running from isn't all that bad.
"That's where Stop The Clocks comes in. I'm saying 'Let's go back to the beginning'."
But Noel is very much looking forward. His album with Amorphous Androgynous duo Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans is due next year.
Noel says: "It's exciting working with these psychedelic wizards. I would send demos and in the studio they'd say, 'Yeah, forget it and play along to this drum loop for ten minutes and let's see what happens.'
"It's coming out next summer. It will be out for the festivals next year. That's if I get this tour right.
"I'm not a frontman. I've got nothing to say and I haven't got any moves. And I never will be as good as Liam. My whole life was Sideshow Bob and I was happy."
"I guess this record is more in the spirit of what Oasis was in the beginning, on the first two albums, except it's me singing all the songs.
"Plus it's easier on your own. You get an idea, something happens, you book a studio, within a day you're in there. You can just get in there and think, 'Fuck I've made a dance tune.'" AKA... What A Life! a pounding dance track reminiscent of his collaborations with The Chemical Brothers.
"I asked Fatboy Slim to remix the song because I fucking love him," reveals Noel. "But he said he couldn't do anything with it as it's great.
"I was thinking of the piano from (classic dance track) Rhythim Is Rhythim's Strings Of Life. It was very acid house to begin with and so I was thinking of giving it to someone. I thought about Madonna then (Noel's wife) Sara said, "Don't be daft, Madonna won't sing it. When are you likely to see Madonna?" So that spoiled it.
"It took me back to the Hacienda where, for three years from 1988 to 1990, I practically lived. I loved it and I wanted something to remind me of it.
"But I still wasn't sure so I played it to our office and all the girls loved it. Once girls like it, you're on to a winner. The song's easily up there with the best things I've ever done." In Oasis, some of Noel's greatest songs were inspired by being young and going out, being on the dole then being a rock 'n' roll star.
He says: "It was amazing. I went from working with the Inspiral Carpets to Madchester then to Camden and Britpop. Then I'm at 10 Downing Street, thinking where the fuck is this going to end? Am I going to get a knighthood? Am I going to end up being the Pope? It was a relief when it all stopped.
"But fans grew up with us and inspirations changed. I was writing about being skint. I couldn't start writing about being wealthy or people would tell you to fuck off."
On the new album, Noel says his inspirations include love, hope and "finding your feet".
Noel says: "Oasis were a very macho rock band and you couldn't really sing songs about love [are you sure? Wonderwall, Songbird, She is love, etc. were love songs - Marco]. But I never shied away from writing those songs, they were just piling up. For If I Had a Gun, I'd like the listener to think about the person they love the most. It could be your mum, girlfriend or wife [one thing for sure: not your brother, and for me not my sister, lol - Marco].
"The only conscious decision I made to be different on this record was to release The Death Of You And Me first. People always expect you to come back with a bang and I wanted to come back with a whisper. I'm going to draw people in and go, 'Shhhh, yes, they really are trumpets.
"This album has a more human sound, whereas Oasis was about the primal energy. It was in-your-face, like a football match set to music. But this, I would really like people to stop and listen. That's why I'm playing all-seated venues because the lad swilling beer element has got to go." Proud of his solo effort, Noel says having a definitive narrative and feel all the way through adds to the flow of songs.
He says: "In a band with different writers and styles, the album will always be disjointed and never as coherent as Morning Glory where you can tell the same person has written all the songs.
And the story on this album?
"Well, it starts off with Everybody's On The Run where two people are saying 'Come on we've got to get out of here'.
"Then it goes through all the twists and turns to the middle and says, 'What a life, we are having such a great time'.
"But then you've been on this journey and you're thinking this is not where I want to be. (Stranded On) The Wrong Beach is saying the grass isn't always greener on the other side and maybe what you're running from isn't all that bad.
"That's where Stop The Clocks comes in. I'm saying 'Let's go back to the beginning'."
But Noel is very much looking forward. His album with Amorphous Androgynous duo Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans is due next year.
Noel says: "It's exciting working with these psychedelic wizards. I would send demos and in the studio they'd say, 'Yeah, forget it and play along to this drum loop for ten minutes and let's see what happens.'
"It's coming out next summer. It will be out for the festivals next year. That's if I get this tour right.
"I'm not a frontman. I've got nothing to say and I haven't got any moves. And I never will be as good as Liam. My whole life was Sideshow Bob and I was happy."
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