Noel Gallagher

For the Irish hurler, see Noel Gallagher (hurler). For the Australian rugby league player, see Noel Gallagher (rugby league).

Noel Gallagher
Gallagher performing in 2022
Born
Noel Thomas David Gallagher

(1967-05-29) 29 May 1967 (age 57)
Manchester, England
Citizenship
  • United Kingdom
  • Ireland
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
Spouses
Meg Mathews
​
​
(m. 1997; div. 2001)​
Sara MacDonald
​
​
(m. 2011; sep. 2023)​
Children3, including Anaïs
RelativesLiam Gallagher (brother)
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • vocals
  • keyboards
Years active1991–present
Labels
Member of
Websitenoelgallagher.com

Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Gallagher is the primary songwriter, lead guitarist and a co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis. After leaving Oasis, he formed Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. Gallagher is one of the most successful songwriters in British music history, as the writer of eight UK number-one singles and co-writer of a further number one, as well as the sole or primary writer of ten UK number-one studio albums. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential songwriters in the history of British rock music, cited by numerous major subsequent artists as an influence.[1][2]

Gallagher began playing the guitar at the age of twelve, and became a roadie and technician for Inspiral Carpets when he was 21. He learnt that his younger brother Liam had joined a band called the Rain, which eventually became Oasis; Liam invited him to join the group as manager. After rejecting the offer, Gallagher agreed to join the band, on the condition that he would take creative control of the group and become its sole songwriter and lead guitarist.[3]

The band's debut album, Definitely Maybe (1994), was a widespread critical and commercial success. Their second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995), reached the top of the album charts in many countries, and their third studio album, Be Here Now (1997), became the fastest-selling album in UK chart history. Britpop eventually declined in popularity, and Oasis failed to revive it, though their final two albums, Don't Believe the Truth (2005) and Dig Out Your Soul (2008), were hailed as their best efforts in over a decade. In August 2009, following an altercation with his brother, Gallagher announced his departure from Oasis.[4] He went on to form Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, with whom he has released four studio albums.

Oasis's time was marked by turbulence, especially during the peak of Britpop, during which Gallagher was involved in several disputes with Liam. Their conflicts and wild lifestyles regularly made tabloid headlines. The band had a rivalry with fellow Britpop band Blur. Gallagher himself was often regarded as a pioneer and spearhead of the Britpop movement.[5] Many have praised his songwriting, with Beatles producer George Martin calling him "the finest songwriter of his generation".[6] Conversely, he was voted the most overrated guitarist of the last millennium in a 1999 poll,[7] which he named as the accolade he most enjoyed receiving,[8] and the ninth-most-overrated ever in a 2002 listener survey.[9]

  1. ^ "10 reasons why Oasis are the most influential Britpop band of all time". Alternative Press. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  2. ^ "The Great Songwriters". Sky. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Noel Gallagher confirms solo career plan". NME. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  5. ^ Kessler, Ted; "Noelrock!". NME, 8 June 1996.
  6. ^ "Time Flies – 1994–2009". Oasisnet. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2010.
  7. ^ "Gallagher and the Spice Girls have little to celebrate after a bad day at the polls Discord on the first Noel". The Herald. 6 December 1999. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Did I say that? The words of Noel Gallagher, musician, 41". The Guardian. 8 March 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  9. ^ Black, Edward (23 April 2002). "Clapton rocked by guitar poll finding". The Scotsman. Fans polled by the music magazine Uncut ... Most over-rated: 1. Eric Clapton 2. Mark Knopfler 3. Hank Marvin 4. Keith Richards 5. Pete Townshend 6. The Edge 7. Carlos Santana 8. Brian May 9. Noel Gallagher 10. Ronnie Wood.