Noel Gallagher - Worldpop - January 2001

Oasis arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday for the Rock In Rio festival. The band will play to 100,000 people on Sunday night, 14 January, with support from Guns N' Roses and Papa Roach. After landing at the airport, the band went straight to their hotel. Liam locked himself in his room but Noel decided to catch some sun and spent the afternoon by the hotel pool talking to worldpop about the future of the band and sibling rivalry.

Worldpop: There were rumours that the band was splitting up. And it didn't happen. Do you think you'll still be playing together in a year?
Noel: 'We are not splitting up as far as I'm aware. This time, next year, we'll probably be on tour with a new album. There's always rumours surrounding Oasis anyway, so you'll just have to wait and see. At least at the moment, nobody is planning to leave. We've nearly finishing writing a new record for Oasis. So, we'll probably be on the road next year.'

Worldpop: Where's Liam today? Is he in his room writing lyrics as good as Lennon and McCartney's?
Noel: 'Yes, he's in his room but he's writing on the walls! Liam says he's written some songs that are better than the ones on The Beatles' Revolver. It's bullshit. Nobody is capable of writing anything better than the songs on Revolver. The songs that Liam's written are alright. Maybe they're better than the songs that I was writing when I was his age. He's not as good as John Lennon. He's not even as good as Jack Lemmon. God bless him. He's written a few pretty good songs for the last record. But nothing more and nothing less than that. He's not in John Lennon's class. Only I am capable of that.'

Worldpop: Was the dispute between you and Liam just hype?
Noel: 'Yes.'

Worldpop: Will you play anything new at the gig on Sunday night?
Noel: 'We didn't have much time to rehearse. So, unfortunately, we're not playing any new songs. We're just finishing writing them. It's probably going to be the same set that we played the last world tour. It's a shame, because it's starting to get boring now to people in the band to play these songs.'

Worldpop: Iron Maiden are the other British band playing in Rock in Rio. What do you think of them and of the bands that are playing the same night as Oasis, Papa Roach and Guns N' Roses?
Noel: 'I don't know anything about Papa Roach. I've seen Guns N' Roses once, some years ago. I like their songs. I think it will be alright. As long as Guns play Welcome to the Jungle, it's gonna be a good night. And about Iron Maiden, I don't know...'

Worldpop: Of the bands that broke through with you in the '90s, who do you still listen to?
Noel: 'I don't listen to many of these late 90's bands. I still listen to Elvis, you know. We write songs on electric guitars and amplifiers. We don't follow trends or fashions. We're probably one of the two rock'n'roll bands left on the road. It's Oasis and Black Crowes. We do what we do. And we want to keep going, in the traditional sense. We want to secure our own identity. We don't do jazz, salsa or reggae. We're a rock band.'

Worldpop: Critics of Oasis' music usually say your songs and lyrics are repetitive. What do you think?
Noel: 'Well, I do my best. Maybe I'm not the genius people think I am. Maybe I'm just a drunk from Manchester.'

Worldpop: Why did Bonehead and Guigsy leave the band. Was it a personal problem with you, Liam, or with both of you?
Noel: 'Yes. Really, I'm not interested in why they did it. I couldn't care less what they're doing. As far as I'm concerned they're not in the band they don't exist.'

Worldpop: On the live album, Familiar to Millions, you recorded a cover of a Neil Young song. On the 18 January you're playing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and he's playing the same night. Is there a chance you'll appear on stage together?
Noel: 'It would be an honour. I don't know. Maybe. Hopefully. Probably not, though.'

Worldpop: When you hear something about Latin American music, what's the first name that comes to your mind?
Noel: 'It would be quite easy to say Ricky Martin or Jennifer Lopez. But I'd rather say Los Lobos. Because they're all songs in a different language, a language I don't understand because I didn't have the education I deserved, I don't have a clue what they're talking about.'

Rio is a wonderful place, with great music, nice drinks and wonderful girls. Which of these things do you prefer?
Noel: 'Well, I prefer Brazilian music played by ladies who drink.'

Worldpop: What's the weirdest rumour you've heard about Oasis?
Noel: 'That we don't like alcohol, that we never fight and that we don't like women.'