Noel Gallagher (Photo: Live4ever)
Former Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher has finally unveiled a new chapter in his professional career today, officially announcing a new solo album to an assembled press conference in Notting Hill, London.
The next part of the journey from Inspiral Carpets roadie, to era-defining songwriter, to solo star will begin with the release of ‘Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds‘ on October 17th, followed by a second record with dance duo Amorphous Androgynous sometime next year. The High Flying Birds will be the name of Noel’s new backing band, who will also commence touring in October.
The press day is the first serious public comment from Noel since releasing a controversial statement shortly after the cancellation of Oasis’ gig in Paris in August 2009, which officially announced his departure from the band he had led for the best part of twenty years. The wording of the statement, which alluded to a lack of support from bandmates as one of the reasons for his decision to quit, raised eyebrows in some quarters and has been marked up as a point of consternation in many interviews by younger brother Liam since he and the remainder of Noel’s former Oasis colleagues re-emerged as Beady Eye late last year.
Earlier today, noelgallagher.com went live providing links to email, Facebook and Twitter sign-ups, and is due to re-run today’s press conference in its entirety, while also streaming the event via a new YouTube channel.
Noel Gallagher’s plans for a solo album have been muted for many years, discussed on numerous occasions going right back to the beginning of the last decade when he would outline the potential for a solo album appearing in the midst of an Oasis temporary break. Despite the aforementioned statement after Oasis’ split, it is cited as a principal reason for his walk in 2009, as the lure of going it alone permanently finally became too much to resist.
The news brings to an end months of rumour and counter rumour surrounding his solo plans, when any hint of insight into the progress of Noel’s impending album was met with fevered excitement by fans and media alike. Back in March, You Me At Six singer Josh Franceschi created headlines with a simple tweet which read, “Can hear Noel from Oasis blasting his new tunes from the studio next door. Absolutely mental,” despite Noel initially distancing himself from any claims a new record was being worked on in Los Angeles.
Later, some media outlets reported to have gotten hold of a leaked tracklisting which have unsurprisingly today proved to be unfounded, while whispers of management being unhappy with the fruits of work with Amorphous Androgynous, who remixed an extended version of Oasis’ final single ‘Falling Down‘, also surfaced earlier this year.
Now, all the speculation can begin to be put to bed, as Noel Gallagher launches into a long-planned solo career, armed with material that his former Creation boss Alan McGee has already compared to his all-conquering work in the Nineties which carried Oasis to world super-stardom.
‘Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ Tracklist:
1. Everybody’s On The Run
2. Dream On
3. If I Had A Gun…
4. The Death Of You And Me
5. (I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine
6. AKA… What A Life!
7. Soldier Boys And Jesus Freaks
8. AKA… Broken Arrow
9. (Stranded On) The Wrong Beach
10. Stop The Clocks
