You can be sure that nearly every time that Noel Gallagher is ready to grind his axe that not only will sparks fly, but he’ll produce some quotable gold.
Whether he’s lashing out at the world’s biggest bands, the BBC, or even his own brother, the British singer-songwriter is a terrifically entertaining grouch.
Best of all, is that Gallagher Snr is modest enough to turn that scathingly critical eye inward, applying the same acerbic wit to himself, giving himself as good as he gives out to others – if not more.
Need proof? Just place the cranky 46-year-old in front of his former band’s videography and let the expletive-filled fun begin. That’s exactly what happened three years ago, when the ex-Oasis member was asked to record audio commentary on his band’s music videos. And as Rolling Stone has picked up on, some enterprising soul has put the best (re: most self-deprecating) bits together.
The commentary highlights reel (courtesy of YouTube user nustngum2) is edited down from the DVD that came bundled in the 2010 Oasis box set Time Flies, released just under a year after the band officially split; meaning that Gallagher isn’t really viewing his legacy with the rosiest of nostalgic eyewear. “I fucking hate videos, I hate everything about them… by the third one it was just like ‘this is a load of bollocks’.”
Running from Oasis’ 1994 single ‘Supersonic’ through to 2008’s ‘Falling Down’, Gallagher continues wearily rattling off a series of hilariously cutting putdowns of the band’s dated clips.
“I fucking hate videos, I hate everything about them,” opines Gallagher (in a Manchester brogue that recalls a far more miffed Karl Pilkington). Early in the montage, he grumbles, “I’d grown out of the music video experience quite quickly – by the third one it was just like ‘this is a load of bollocks’. Standing ‘round all day doing the same old shit 500 times.”
Worst of all, “the people making them think they’re making Apocalypse Now ” he complains, even scoffing at a cinematic shot of actual helicopters as “fucking nonsense.”
The highlights are many; including Gallagher explaining how drunk he was for the ‘Whatever’ video (“I can’t begin to tell you how pissed I was. I was shit-faced.”), the “pissed-up birds” populating the ‘Cigarettes And Alcohol’ clip (“It’s like a fucking scene from Britain’s Next Top Model”), and sterling behind-the-scenes insight into the ‘Wonderwall’ shoot (“that wasn’t an actual record player by the way, and he’s not a real clown”).
In fact, Gallagher is at paints to point out that most of the visual trickery “isn’t real,” and is especially baffled by visuals of a man with sausages for legs. Oh, and a swipe at Liam of course. Noting that the now Beady Eye frontman quickly “gave up singing the falsetto” in ‘Love Forever’ shortly after the 1994 video.
“I think he thought he was a bit gay, though there’s nothing wrong with being gay, obviously,” he snarks.
“Anybody who’s listening to this at home would be advised to fucking mow the garden or something because this goes on for ages and ages,” spits Gallagher towards the end of the 10 minute clip.
Don’t believe him, it’s worth every amusing moment of your time. Oasis fan or not.
