Oasis – 'Definitely Maybe' - Noel Gallagher In Conversation With John Robb [Full Interview]

[Music] here we are sifters yeah just bring back any memories you must come in here all the time even these days I have to say this shop has not changed a bit I bought a lot of my records from here you know this is where I discovered my love of best offs buying the best offs that's pretty key to what we talk about here which it definitely may be CU your musical education is actually the greatest hits so in a weird way you end up making a greatest hits record well the reasoning behind it was you'd read something in a music magazine you know suddenly work out well this has got all the hits on it and that that that that was my Gateway into the Beatles was like the red and the blue ones the best St was have all the good stuff on but all the cool stuff is on the album I still I comp playay them all the time I mean as a kid coming in here getting those records did you have any notion that you would eventually be somebody who could play and write songs no I always because I loved music so much and was really into it and was determined to learn how to play the guitar I always thought that's how I'd end up or that's the only thing I was interested in but when I met greme Lambert from the ins Spirals and I got that job as on the RO I thought oh that's it this is it you know and that would have done me and then it was only through Liam getting together with Boner that they asked me that I kind of that I kind of joined and then when I joined obviously just ambition took over then and in fact it was only when I think it was like second rehearsal with Oasis our kid said yeah you've got some tunes so I was just like if I play this you play that and you play that and once everybody joined in the [ __ ] bomb went off and I was like [ __ ] hell this is amazing it was difficult in the early ' 80s because couldn't get a job you know so music was the only way it was going to be you know the one thing that could get us out of the situation we're in it worked you know unbelievable I mean there was good tunes and good bands and but the Roses had disappeared the mundies had fallen apart there was nothing that was was inspiring everyone but it wasn't they weren't looking up here were they because I remember a great quote you gave me once he said they set the stage for Brit pop and blur and then we turned up and they never forgave us well yeah yeah well they expected somebody to walk out you know with a girl's blouse on and start singing and we all walked out going all like Nets you know and uh they were like [ __ ] H but without sounding too corny it was a band that was it was made by the people you know it's actually what people did want instead of what people thought people wanted well you know I do I I have this argument all the time to say to somebody in 1993 where's guitar music going they're not going to go right we want this [ __ ] band from Manchester with a [ __ ] singer who's 19 right Larry the [ __ ] he's writing the songs he's ripping off everybody who's [ __ ] dead uh but the other three Lads look like plumbers you know but it's you know you wouldn't you wouldn't you couldn't invent it you know so yeah who who who knew you know who knew the good thing about Oasis is the songs were all about they were all inclusive they weren't elitist in any way a lot of that for me came from Acid house right which was it's the communal feeling of everybody together and that anthemic thing that I got from that which I [ __ ] loved you know and um were you aware of that that process of doing the Demos in Liverpool building up to recording are but no I'm not sure I was aware I'm not sure I was aware of it then I'm not sure it's something that I wanted to do it's just it was a profound thing that happened and yeah and it and it and it and it seeped into my [Music] music so when you get to Mono Valley you play a few gigs haven't played a lot have you about that point I don't think so no I think we played maybe maybe 14 15 quite early going to make a record well yeah and I suppose you he about we did rehearse a lot I think we've rehearsed more more than we've done shows but even now when I hear the mono Valley stuff it wasn't it obviously cuz I'm the songwriter and I'm thinking it sounds great and all the band are thinking it sounds great and then thankfully there's people who stood out front and watch this and saying that's not that's not it and I I couldn't I couldn't work out why you know so any way it was mono valy your demos well yeah but it's funny because we never I never heard that mono valy record until six months ago so it wasn't like we we referenced it and said right this is what we don't want to do you know it was canned and the tapes went off to creation and that was it we never seen them again but we've uncovered it now and listening back to it and looking at some of the pictures we didn't have the equipment we didn't have the marshals at mono Val had a Vox ac30 and a H and H amp I don't know why and then by the time Sawmills had a Marshall and a [ __ ] weem Dominator that that that's the sound you know I mean go back and remix in it and what did you find in there to make it actually improve it or how this all came about was I was I was saying there's no [ __ ] way that's gone missing it must be somewhere turns out it was mislabeled it doesn't say monov Val it says something else what I found listening to it was it's not very loose it's kind of we were all in different rooms recording it but the songs are still great I think we were I think we were you know when you were up in the sky from mono Valley there's loads of backing vocals on it and it sounds like the Beatles and all that and that's not what we sounded like on stage tell me how high do you think you go before you start falling I think it's just a first attempt and then not really knowing what you do it's like having sex for the first time you know you've got to do it so you're fumbling in this you're kind of like was that any you know were you happy you know I was really nothing that Bonz said you get the bone the bone to the track down and then you just overdub merly on top yeah yeah you know when you make your first record you're just like how many channels are on this desk it's like there was 36 it's like right [ __ ] got another 34 guitar bits we were just having fun do you know what I mean it's all there it's just it's missing that thing and that thing was playing live together it does seem crazy to have a rock and roll band not recording a room together cuz that is a magic in it I guess Dave Bachelor that's the way he'd always done it you know yeah yeah yeah so there was as you've been in studos yourself there's like you know a big room and then there's booths off the side and the drums are in the middle of the room and then your amps in there and your amps in there of course that's how we thought records were made somebody's sending you to a studio with an adult you know and they're telling you what to do and you all you got to do is play the songs but when you hear the the mono Valley stuff it's not got a Swagger to it and it's then when you go on to the the Saw Mill when you can see we've done another 20 gigs in between and we and we've arrived somewhere it was too early to make that record but I think McGee wanted to get it in and get it out because his famous quote was uh I reckon if we can get this album out before the stone roses comeback we'll sell 50,000 he's half right yeah yeah yeah and thank God McGee and Marcus our manager had the wherewithal to say you can't put that out and I remember being really frustrated at the time thinking just want to get it out you know thankfully we eventually got it right in my imagination [Applause] finally found something living for but saw mills is you're all playing in the same room together but how's that work what's the dynamic so we're in the room together Liam is in a there's one booth in in SAS it's a vocal booth so the rest of the band are all on the equipment is all in the same room we knew all the songs backwards as I remember we did three takes and then we sat and lit out a coup of tea sat and listened to them and said that's the one we're going to pick to overdub so the outtakes and Sawmills on the new record they they haven't got any overdubs cuz we picked that version and that was it and there's a great version of cigarettes and alcohol which is just slightly little bit slower and a bit more sludgy and um it's fascinating for [Applause] [Music] fans I think Coy came up with the idea he said you should all be playing I think one of the AR his was to play on stage and record it somewhere do you know what I mean that's too far the other way yeah but it think it's Mark's idea and he was our sound guy and he was going to oversee all and that was it the playing of the songs was easy yeah in those outakes there's a few bum notes and that's why the the outakes would have got ditched and then they not end in the right place and there's a false start but we had it pretty nailed you know the parts never really were worked on in the sh we had them already and then maybe I would [ __ ] around and do whatever whatever I would do to fill up the tracks and then ow when he mixed it bend it all yeah we the other part in it because if it felt right in saw mills it still wasn't the right version was it yeah well then we took it to back to London to mix we were mixing it in Olympic Olympic we were there and then we went over to see McGee we had I think it was like Colombia and something else on a we had cassette of it and I thought they sounded great right and the minute it came we put it on and his flat and the minute it came on it sounded [ __ ] [ __ ] and he said this is not it and at that point I started to get really [ __ ] frustrated I was like well what does everybody [ __ ] want and then cuz Marcus was managing Johnny Mark the time Marcus had played it to to Johnny who played it to Owen and Owen said I'll have a go and I think he mixed one tune we were on tour a cassette arrived and we stuck it on in the van short it with cigarettes and alcohol and it was [ __ ] amazing and that was it isn't that the best feeling world yeah yeah that's it it's just it was such a relief it was like like [ __ ] thank God for that and he didn't he didn't want to re-record anything I think the only thing we did is we had to change the second verse of Shaker maker oh cuz the lyrics yeah and right outside this door is where the verse was written the sest sound the sound when I was just 16 being picked off and going to Johnny's house uh Johnny had a little studio in his basement we were going to do this [ __ ] second verse and of course em was like have you've written the second verse and I was like don't worry about it you written the second verse don't worry about going out getting [ __ ] hammered then it com to the morning have you written the second verse and I was like yes and honestly we stopped at the traffic lights there where those CS are stopped and that's where the things stops that the traffic lights only when they yeah yeah absolutely people don't believe that but that's what happened I came up with it in the back of the [Music] car those off the CU moments the best is like AR yeah you can't if only you could [ __ ] capture that [ __ ] in a bottle and well well that's what you did in the [Music] album yeah they're kind of Timeless do you know what I mean because they come from a place of Truth you know and and a place of with no filter shoulding yeah you're not overthinking it it's coming from somewhere that's real you know and every time I hear Shaker maker I just I remember pulling up there in that car uh and looking over seeing seeing the song I was like is that one your own Johnny's guitar he gave you uh no that's slideway yeah yeah when I I went back to Mono valy I went back down there and I went into the room where I wrote it and it's such an uninspiring [ __ ] room it's like it's nothing I don't know if I was expecting to open the door and you know going into came out sh [ __ ] and uh but yeah he sent down this Les Paul cuz he didn't have one at the time and yeah just opened it and and the slideway came out yeah it's just the first thing you played on it the first thing I I mean I played it and then we demoed it in in mon in mono Valley and uh yeah and that's the version that's on Definitely Maybe think that's because that's the one that survived well another thing that I didn't realize we only did eight songs in mono Valley maybe only seven because we already had supersonic we already had slider Away mared With Children was done in CO's bedroom sad song was done in Coy's bedroom so we only did eight Tunes there cuz when I got the tapes some was like well where's [ __ ] such and such and but we did do another version of slideway but it's not as good as the first time you play be like re-recording Super Why did that work something in the air that night that's happening and you know you're not overthinking the song it's like right it goes like this you play that I play that right let's go so everyone's kind of not thinking about oh maybe I'll put a little thing there or maybe I'll do a bit of that maybe it's so it's coming from a place of truth musal truth he always quite amazed that Liam could do the vocals and one the two tapes I was he was he would pick it up really [ __ ] quickly that meant a lot I mean most singers that's like a month the end it you just handing the lyrics and say it goes like this we'd run through the song I'd sing it he'd sit there with the words and then you pick it up really quickly I mean they're not it's not [ __ ] highspeed Jazz you know it's like it's [ __ ] it's not art rock but still to get it right I think it's difficult even the simple Melodies are to get the feel the melody the anunciation of the words as well he always was great at picking things up and you wouldn't have to talk him through anything when people listen to the new old versions um yeah he's like singing the foret on [Music] columia you know I don't think he ever sng the for the day you [ __ ] sang it he's a brilliant sing one of the great rock and roll it's got a great tone what I always liked about it in the studio was you didn't have to [ __ ] around with it he would he would always want this John Lenin thing always s yeah like you don't need it you know I know and did you coach him at all was it you saying Lon roton cross over did he just find it all himself Alan McGee I do remember the one night we were we doing cigarett and alcohol for some I think it might have been in Manchester in the radio station and he did the sunshine for the first time and McGee said sounds like Johnny roton it's [ __ ] great and our kid went oh go right well that's it then forever more you know week on every single everything um but such a tradmark part of the sound was it yeah of course what he did was Inspire the the kids at the front to do something do you know what I mean and if he can do it I can do it and he's still doing that now he's a brilliant rock and roll star yeah yeah yeah yeah funny how you all come out the same house unbelievable I [ __ ] Dr the mother [ __ ] up the wall I want to say to her what was it like you like [ __ ] it was bad when you left [Music] home so was it your concept then to do the Mt my idea was shoot the empty Studios because the ghosts of the past are in there do you know what I mean when we went back to Sills I mean I've been back there once I hadn't been monov valy since the day we left and I can vividly remember being in Sawmills and where I was stood and where my amps were set up and all that is it still a studio Sawmill yeah yeah yeah yeah the mixing Des is still in there yeah I saying to the guy stud said yeah we had a Japanese band here weeks ago and I said what were they doing he said they were doing Definitely Maybe be to it yeah they would just just [ __ ] come and rerecord get the mix right yeah he said he said oh we got loads of bands down here just re-recording your stuff [ __ ] so what was it like did you get a little kind of weird old shiver when you went back in there not really it's a it's it's it's good to go back and I think you know cuz now you're state of the-art studios and [ __ ] that it's real basic [ __ ] [ __ ] it's tiny Studio it's not even the live rooms not even as big as this you know it's small uh so it was good to go back and go [ __ ] hell you know and it's funny because what we were saying before about recording in the same room together we've tried that and I've tried that with I flying birs and Oasis tried it and it would and it never just sound and it's just the songs you know we tried to do it with morning glory and the only thing we did live in the room together was roll with it and after that it was just didn't work the songs would had become a bit more complicated so yeah it was just that moment in time where it was you know we're going to do it small room but the right song Right songs the right I think gar yeah I think that I think the right songs are the key you know and yeah and it's like a one two three four red down [ __ ] off you go you know and and listening to the to the Masters you know you put up any mic on the drum kit and you can hear the entire band you know that's that's that that's that's the sound you go right back to that moment in time yeah yeah yeah I was expecting there to be a lot of Studio chat and I was thinking this going to be great for fans we're going to be talking off none of it we were very [ __ ] you listen to the tapes and it's silent you can hear Mark Co saying right we're rolling rolling very very professional and we were just banging it out I mean you know we didn't have a lot of time and it was the second time we did it so we were there not to [ __ ] around but I thought would' be a lot of a bit more well you know like when you hear the beat and like hey B what about fing there none of it at all I think Liam was blowing a kazoo enjoying [ __ ] one of the takes of rock and roll star oh because he wanted to play kazoo on the record he want to play kazoo on the record yeah and uh it was at that point I thought he might be mad yeah a littleit the bit at the end where it goes to the down down down he kept going it's off like [ __ ] Wacky Races and I was like [ __ ] H man does he get this or what you have to re reccord it well no luckily he was in an isolation booth on his own so he overdub the vocals he was like so how did you decide who sang which song I I I did didn't fancy it at the beginning I'd like to think I was clever enough to say we should have two frontmen but I wasn't but in hindsight it was [ __ ] great how it would work would be he would sing them all and then I'd be like maybe not getting that one maybe I'll try that one do you think your voice brings a different flavor to the song of course yeah one of the great things about Oasis gigs would be after 40 minutes it would all kind of calm down and I'd sing talk tonight and half the world away and they're no lesser songs you know they're [ __ ] amazing songs and they br and the communal anthems everybody take a breath but I talk tonight until the [Music] morning and then you go again you know so they're harder to do audience just want to WR it well I I I used to bulk at playing an acoustic guitar we never did Wonder World with an acoustic guitar cuz I just thought I'm not playing it in a [ __ ] field it's ridiculous you and in fact not playing it is ridiculous you know and um do you think your voice brings a sensitivity to the songs that different kind of Sensi well it's got something else I think it's a bit more if songs were drinks right Liams is a shot of tequila right and mine's ARA Guinness right mine's mine's ARA Guinness on a Tuesday yeah it's all right Liams is 10 shots of tequila on a [ __ ] Friday night and you should never mix those two no what I heard is not what I hear I can see the signs but not very see I can't sing slideway and cigarettes and ALC rock and roll star Columbia and all that I mean I can do it right but it's not the same he add something to yeah yeah well yes it's the delivery or the tone of his voice and the attitude I don't have the same attitude as him the only time we ever had a a thing was when we were doing morning in glory and it was wonder wall and don't look back in anger and I said I'm singing one of them you take your pick and he hated Wonder War I wanted Sing Don't Back in Anger but then someone from creation came down and said that's going to be a worldwide hit and he went I do like it actually I think I do like it I think you I know you got that the right way round of course yeah of course of course so that's his creativity s adding something into well listen it well the voice is an instrument and it's the same thing with the bgs when you get when you get two brothers singing together it's something that you can't it's Unique you know yeah back in the early 90s It's [ __ ] amazing you know amazing [Applause] [Music] so what are your memories of writing sad song recorded in the first place sad song I've had it a few times back in the day with all different formats we need one more song It's a song about Manchester it was an old it was an old song it wasn't like one I wrote on the day Mark Co had like a little eight track in his bedroom and then we went and did it and then you know you kind of take a step back and listen to it and go actually that's pretty [ __ ] good I'd forgotten completely about this but there's a the version that's coming out now on the record has got Liam singing it and I have no recollection I can only think that we must have done the version with me singing it and then got Liam down and then gone or Liam sang it first and I went you know so that that can only be it I'm not sure how much I mean when you listen to that we talked about that before but how much his voice or your voice to change like the new on of the song for example when we did the night we did Supersonic I sing supersonic with the same Melody the same words the same inflections but when he sings it it's a bit more [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] menacing I think one of the great things about that period of Oasis was there was these uplift in Tunes with almost romantic lyrics but with a really menacing [ __ ] delivery you know what I mean I think it was like that that kind of thing what made it special it's difficult to explain when I would sing a song it would sound good when he would sing it it would sound great and with the sad song is that is that a different kind of is that is that an exception to the a different yeah well yeah because it's not Li's a great rocker right it's a more introspective song side song in a lonely place try to put a word in for me it's been so long since I found a space you better put in two or three my strength was always a bit less of the big production more kind of laidback on the B side of SuperSonic I had that song Take Me Away he was like he wouldn't sing acoustic songs he [ __ ] just wouldn't have he sings at 10: he sings between 9 and 10 all the [ __ ] time you know which in the in the case is definitely maybe that's what you [Music] want after Definitely Maybe you start playing out in Europe and what was that like the initial reaction you know you're playing around England and you're singing in your own language and all that and people that you relate to and relate to you and then you're going to Paris and everyone's getting it you know what I mean and but it's when we got to Japan cigarettes and alcohol really the kids hang out in Parks drinking cider in Tokyo I don't know um but again it's got to be the melodies or something there something I don't know looking back on it now and even in America do you know what I mean it's like we we we we we H off pretty quickly there it's got to be magic that's all it can be you can't say well it's because of we never had a particularly big hit in America until Wonder War we never had a big hit in Europe people were coming to us we weren't we weren't raming it down people's throats so it has to be the music just has to be it's gone through the generations I are you kind of aware that somehow despite what the Press like to say that Oasis actually abounds there relevant to 14 15 year old now well there was a point I think it was like 2005 is when I first noticed it and we walked out of stage and I was like [ __ ] holy [ __ ] it's all kids they're getting passed down from the Big Brother from their Uncle do you know what I mean obviously you can't see the band anymore I suppose there YouTube and all that but the songs are Timeless and they deal with universal truths cigarettes and alcohol applies to every young kids even now do you know what I mean most of the songs that I sing from The Oasis catalog or all B signs or album tracks and [ __ ] hell the place goes mental all the way I've found but I don't feel now all over the world South Koreans [ __ ] you know I went to South Korea last November I played to like 25,000 people over four nights in Soul and you kids crying every night little by little and don't look back in anger and half the world away and talk tonight and why you connected I don't know but [ __ ] me it did It's [ __ ] amazing that you write these songs in into your house you know and 25 years later you're walking out to a sold out 90,000 and they're all they know all the words it's like isn't music just the [ __ ] most incredible thing I always used to say to journalists how you sum up ohis and I'd always say Let It Go Away first and I'll be able to think about it and I'll be able to sum it up I still [Music] can't whoever threw the ingredient in the [ __ ] mix that split the ad that's it [Music] it was just a perfect combination of my influences Liam's attitude the solidity of the band something Banks there you [Music] know Sony didn't decide that o will still be going after 30 years crayson didn't decide I didn't decide it neither did Liam the [ __ ] people decided [Music]