Noel Gallagher is the sort of rent-a-gob who was born to roll out a soundbite between songs. He’s also unafraid to use the word “knob” on Radio 4. Put him together with Kirsty Young on Desert Island Discs and a platter of obvious but crowd-pleasing tracks and he makes a classic castaway.
Gallagher, or to give him his full Young-approved title, “the creative engine of the massively successful era-defining band Oasis” is a natural storyteller. From his first glimpse of a punk to his thoughts on dole culture, he opines and delivers.
For a man who wears his musical influences like a fancy scarf around his neck, you could probably list Gallagher’s favourite discs as well as he can: there’s the Beatles, the Smiths and an unashamed declaration of love for U2. “If you don’t get it, you don’t get it and shame on you,” says Gallagher, teeing up With Or Without You.
Gallagher has a knack for throwing away a funny story or sounding off without revealing too much. Touching on his more refreshed years, he advises listeners “of a certain age” to put the kettle on during Voodoo Ray and Young breaks into a hearty giggle when he promises to lick Roger Waters’ face one day. His interviewer is two years younger than him, but you wouldn’t think so.
There’s some expert spin as Young prods him about those Cool Britannia days. Gallagher contrasts his evening sipping champers with Tony Blair to three years before, when he moved to London with just a holdall. So yes, he enjoyed that “How did we get here?” moment.
Modesty is not something Gallagher has time for, reeling off the artists he’s met and brushing away the idea that his best work is in the earlier parts of his back catalogue. And he refuses to overcomplicate life. In his world, songs drop from the sky in 15 minutes and if he doesn’t grab them Chris Martin will. His philosophy on love? Well, his wife Sara remains his number one person to have a boozy lunch or go out clubbing with. Like the Wonderwall of Desert Island Discs guests, Noel has a way of making you nod along with him.
