Noel's flying high

By Andy Welch.

It's virtually impossible to prepare for an interview with Noel Gallagher.

The former Oasis songwriter's notoriously tack-sharp mind can veer between seemingly disconnected topics in a second. It's best to sit there and do your best to keep up.

During an hour with the man known to those who work with him as The Chief, he discusses his new album, his friend David Walliams, his recent Radio 2 show, his plans for a new gameshow, The Beatles, Manchester City and last, but definitely not least, his beloved brew.

"If I'd known you didn't drink Yorkshire tea, I'd never have agreed to this interview," he says with mock horror. "As any tea-maker knows, it's the only bag."

Gallagher's debut solo album, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, was released earlier this week. The story behind the title? "So I wouldn't freak out when I saw it written down. The High Flying Birds don't exist, but I couldn't just be 'Noel Gallagher'," he explains, adding he took the name from High Flying Bird, a song by Sixties psychedelic rockers Jefferson Airplane.

A tour begins in Dublin on October 23 although, not to put a downer on things, the 44-year-old isn't really looking forward to the occasion.

"I wouldn't say I was excited. I'm not excited about anything, really, except the Manchester derby, which is the same day as the tour starts," he says, referring to Manchester City's forthcoming clash with red rivals United.

"'Ready' is the word, I'd say. I'm ready for what's about to happen, which is a lot of graft. I'm a level down from excited. If excited is green, then I'm definitely amber, but not red."

By now, most people will be familiar with the story of Oasis's break-up. After a cancelled performance at V Festival in Chelmsford in August 2009, the band moved on to a show in Paris. Beforehand, Noel and younger brother Liam, never the best of friends, had an argument where things got violent, unpleasant words were said and Gallagher Snr walked out. It signalled the end of Oasis, a band that sold more than 70 million records and inarguably defined the music of the Nineties.

Just as Gallagher moves from subject to subject, he frequently changes tone too, frivolous one second, deeply serious - touching even - the next.

Whatever the state of his relationship with Liam, Noel says some sweet things about his mouthy sibling today.

"I need him more than he needs me," he admits at one point, while at others, he refers to him as the best rock 'n' roll singer the UK has ever seen.

"I never wanted to be a solo artist," he continues. "I loved being in Oasis, and if the band had stayed together, I would've been the happiest pig in the nicest pigpen. Unless I'd had this opportunity, it never would've happened. Oasis took up so much of everyone's time, I would have had to make a solo album between Oasis records and tours - and I don't think my wife [Sara MacDonald] would've been too happy if, after a two-year world tour, I'd come home and said 'I'm off again, see you in a year'."

So happy was the guitarist in Oasis that when he found himself sans band, going solo wasn't immediately obvious to him.

It wouldn't be fair to say Gallagher panicked when Oasis broke up, but he does admit to a 10-month period of "not having a clue what to do next".

"When you've been in Oasis, there's no point making another band. They'd only get compared. If you've changed the world once, you can't do it again. Not in your 40s.

"I thought the only noble path was to go solo."

Being an essentially "lazy person", there was some time between Gallagher's realisation and actually getting started on an album. The much-needed shove out of the door and into the studio came thanks to Mrs Gallagher.

"My wife said 'You've got to do something, because you're getting on my tits' so I had to go out," he recalls. "I really started to focus then. When I was sitting at home moping about, I just wanted to turn the clock back and sort Oasis out, but from the day I decided I had a record to make, I've never looked back."

Whatever Sara said obviously worked, as Gallagher recorded two albums at the same time. An as-yet untitled second album is due in the spring.

Of the 10 songs featured on Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, two - Stop The Clocks and (I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine - have been around for years, often lined up to be included on past Oasis albums.

"They're really good songs - too good to be left out - and if I don't put them out now, when am I going to release them?" says Gallagher, refuting the accusation that songs available on YouTube since around 2008 shouldn't have been included on his first solo effort.

"The rest of the songs are post-Oasis, although I was writing them while in the band. They've never been recorded, demoed or anything."

The debut is, as you might expect from the man responsible for the now hymn-like Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger, Live Forever and Champagne Supernova, a melodic affair. There's no radical departure in style, but then why would there be? If it ain't broke, why worry about trying to fix it?

"I'm not one for wildly changing my musical hat every two minutes. I'm not a musical chameleon, like Damon Albarn," he says, referring to his one-time sparring partner. "Damon's very adept, and can do anything. I'm not like that, although I sometimes wish I was. I'm quite happy with what I do."

There is one unexpected song on the album, AKA... What A Life (it was originally called Ride The Tiger, hence the AKA part of the title).

In a nod to his late-Eighties raving days in Manchester's infamous Hacienda, the song, initially an acoustic lament, now features a hypnotic piano riff and robotic beat underneath Noel's yearning vocal, reminiscent of Rhythm Is Rhythm's Strings Of Life, for any aging clubbers out there.

AKA... What A Life was first heard on an advert for Vauxhall.

"I wasn't sure about that at first," he explains. "But the advert doesn't have loads of cars driving around, and the England football team are in it, so that's OK. I want everyone to know, though, that through all this, I was only thinking about the money. I had to fill it with subliminal messages, too," he jokes.

"Anybody listening to that song will find themselves staggering towards a Vauxhall dealership, buying a Corsa."

And with that, he's off; a mysterious meeting at Radio 2 and a session in the gym beckon. "I work out at home," he says. "No man should ever be seen in public wearing shorts unless they're on holiday."

As for whether he thinks the solo career is going to be a success, he's not sure.

"I'll tell you after the first show. I might come off stage vomiting and decide to never play a single note again. We'll have to see..."

Extra time - Noel Gallagher :: Noel Thomas David Gallagher was born in Burnage, Manchester, on May 29, 1967.

:: He began learning to play the guitar when he was 13. Noel's actually left-handed, but plays guitar right-handed.

:: While working on a building site for British Gas, Noel injured his foot and was sent to work in a storehouse. He would take his guitar to work with him and it was there he wrote most of Oasis's debut album.

:: Noel has been married twice, once to Meg Matthews, with whom he has a daughter, Anais, and now to Sara MacDonald. They have two sons, Donovan and Sonny.

:: Noel recently filled in for Dermot O'Leary on his Radio 2 show. It's the most-listened to programme in BBC iPlayer history.

:: The self-titled debut from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds is out now Tour dates: October 23 - Dublin Olympia Theatre October 26 - Manchester O2 Apollo October 27 - Edinburgh Usher Hall October 29 - London HMV Hammersmith Apollo October 30 - London HMV Forum October 31 - London Roundhouse :: Editors: Please note language in par 19.

:: The self-titled debut from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds is out now. He begins his first solo UK tour in Manchester on October 26.