Noel Gallagher has spent the last 30 years trying to “live up to” the success of Oasis’ first two albums.
The 57-year-old rocker has enjoyed a hugely successful solo career since the group – who released a total of seven studio LPs – went their separate ways in 2009 but he doesn’t think any of the band have done anything to match 1994 debut ‘Definitely Maybe’ or the 1995 follow-up ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’.
Asked if it was tough to follow the success of their first album with the second, Noel told the Sunday Times Culture magazine: “We never thought about things like that. We went directly from the last night of the ‘Definitely Maybe’ tour to record ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’, and then spent the following 29 years — and counting — trying to live up to both albums.”
Despite his years of success, the ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ hitmaker would be just as happy if Oasis had only ever released one album.
He said: “I guess it’s the definitive Oasis album.
“It has the spirit, the arrogance of youth. Teenage anthems. It’s live — no bullshit. If we’d made only that album, then I’d still be as happy as I am now.”
But Noel believes it is the passing of time that has made the record a classic.
He said: “Well, we knew the songs were great because we played them every night and all the shows were outrageous.
“But at that time it was just a good album — nothing more, nothing less. It’s only through time that it has become what it is now.”
The guitarist admitted it is a “mystery” how they made such a great record because they had no idea what they were doing in the studio.
He said: “In hindsight, we didn’t really know what we were doing. We were trying to ‘make a record’, but none of us had ever done one before. So, we just set the gear up and got into character and pressed record. The rest, as they say, is mystery.”