Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are an English rock band formed in 2010 as the solo moniker of former Oasis lead guitarist/songwriter Noel Gallagher. The band consists of former Oasis session pianist Mike Rowe, former Oasis drummer Chris Sharrock, The Zutons bassist Russell Pritchard and guitarist Tim Smith. The band also has a variety of guests on their debut album such as the Crouch End Festival Chorus and The Wired Strings.

Since his departure from Oasis in August 2009, many speculated that Gallagher might record a solo album. In July 2011, he held a press conference to confirm that this was the case, after denying rumours from his brother Liam Gallagher that he had already heard the tracks featured on it. Later that year, Noel released the project's self-titled debut album. Several singles from the album were released, including "The Death of You and Me", "If I Had a Gun...", "AKA... What a Life!", "Dream On" and "Everybody's on the Run". In 2015, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds released their second album, Chasing Yesterday.

Gallagher explained in an interview with Jonathan Ross on The Jonathan Ross Show that the inspiration for the band's name was from two sources. The idea to prefix the name with "Noel Gallagher's" was formed whilst washing up dishes listening to the album Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, while the latter part of the name is taken from the song "High Flying Bird" by Jefferson Airplane.

History

Break-up of Oasis (2009–10)

Since the release of Oasis' Dig Out Your Soul (2008), speculation had been rife that Noel Gallagher intended to go solo; however on 12 July 2009, it was announced through the Oasis publicist that this was not true. Things changed less than two months later, though, following a fight between the Gallaghers in a backstage area which reportedly resulted in Noel's guitar being smashed by Liam, and Noel subsequently storming off. On 28 August 2009 Oasis' manager announced the cancellation of their concert at the Rock en Seine festival near Paris just minutes before it was about to begin, along with the cancellation of the European tour and a statement that Oasis "does not exist anymore".^[1][2][3][4] Two hours later, a statement from Noel appeared on the band's website writing that "with some sadness and great relief...I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer."

High Flying Birds and scrapped Amorphous Androgynous album project (2011–12)

Noel Gallagher at Razzmatazz, Barcelona, March 2012.

His solo career plans began in earnest after the demise of Oasis, on 6 July 2011, Gallagher held a press conference in London^[5] during which he announced that Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds would release a self-titled album on 17 October 2011, and a second collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous would be released in 2012. In July 2011, he released his debut single "The Death of You and Me", to positive reviews. Following the success of "The Death of You and Me", Gallagher confirmed on his website that the band's next UK single would be "AKA... What a Life!" which was released on 11 September 2011.^[6][7] "If I Had a Gun...", Gallagher's first US single, was made available on iTunes on 20 September 2011.^[8] Gallagher's second album was to be a collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous, due in late 2012. He said, "It sounds a bit like Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. The sound is similar to High Flying Birds, but more psychedelic and tripped out. It's not an electronic project. People are jumping to that conclusion because Amorphous Androgynous used to be an electronic outfit."^[9]

In the press conference, explaining solo album material and collaboration talk, Gallagher admitted the collaboration is "fucking far out. It's got like 18 tracks on it, some of it's krautrock, some of it's soul, some of it's funk and that's just the first song." Then later confessing, that he's nervous about releasing his second solo album with Amorphous Androgynous. "A lot of people are looking forward to it, which I'm a bit nervous about. They're building it up in their own minds, thinking it's going to be something it might not be when they hear it. It's fucking good, but I probably shouldn't have announced it. But I just thought, 'It's finished, so fuck it, here's what I've been working on.'" He later found it hard to say "no comment" to journalists, adding, "I'm just cursed with an absolute endless stream of one-liners. I'm sorry about that. People say it's the way I talk in interviews that makes people interested. But they just mean I'm honest. 'Oh, he's got a way with honesty, that lad…' How depressing is that?"^[10][11] On 16 March 2012, Gallagher announced that his next EP titled Songs from the Great White North would be released exclusively for Record Shop Day on 21 April 2012. The EP is made up of B-sides and includes his recent collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous, "Shoot a Hole Into the Sun".^[12]

Chasing Yesterday (2013–present)

On 15 August 2013, Noel had been scheduled to join Andy Goldstein and Jason Victor Cundy for the talkshow, Talksport for Sports Bar to discuss Manchester City topics and much more. When rivaled of questions from fans on Twitter and through Email, Andy Goldstein read through speculations of rumours of an Oasis reunion for Gallagher while on the show, and once again switched off any possible Oasis Reunion rumours for 2014, and then had been asked if he was working on any new 'High Flying Birds' material, he confirmed with the talkshow:

"I've got tons of songs leftover from the last one. What am I doing at the moment? I'm writing, putting stuff together. I'll definitely make another one, [a new album], that's for sure! I don't want to go back out on the road though, that's the thing."^[13] Guarding any more of detail of a new second solo album, Gallagher was then asked for a release date of new material, and with hesitation, he said: "It'll probably come out when it's finished, I don't know."^[13]

Gallagher claimed on 20 October 2013 as well that his most recent songs that were written solely for the new album are his 'best songs ever' written. “I finished it and I played it (the new songs), I think ‘That’s pretty good! In fact, it might be the best song I’ve ever written!’ — Until I heard ‘Rock and Roll Star’ on the radio, and go, ‘Yeah… it’s not that good!’.”^[14]

On 17 February 2014, Rosie Danvers and The Wired Strings collaborated with Noel Gallagher for his second solo album, recording strings for one track. The session occurred at Abbey Road Studios in London, according to the Wired Strings website.^[15]

On 29 May 2014, Gallagher posted a photo on his official Facebook page confirming he has started work on his second album and follow-up. The photo shows him tuning one of his many electric guitars.^[16]

On 17 June 2014, his wife, Sara MacDonald, indicated on Instagram that Gallagher was in the middle of recording his new album. She posted a message to fans confirming that Gallagher would not be making his usual trip to the World Cup, "Brace yourselves people.......he's not going. At all. He is too busy".^[17]

On 13 October 2014, it was announced that a new album titled Chasing Yesterday would be released on 2 March 2015. The first single from the album, "In the Heat of the Moment", was released on 17 November 2014 followed by "Ballad of the Mighty I" and "Riverman". A UK, European and North American tour followed as well as many festival appearances.

On 4 July 2015 they headlined at Calling Festival in Clapham Common. After performing their first song (Everybody's on the run) Noel spoke to the crowd saying; "Hello Clapham... Now there's something I never thought I'd say".

The Chasing Yesterday tour continued into 2016, and concluded that September with a one-off show at the Brixton Academy (the first time Noel had ever headlined the venue with either his High Flying Birds or Oasis). During this show, Noel was joined on stage by special guests Johnny Marr and Paul Weller.^[18]

Gallagher has since begun work on a third solo album. On 6th October 2016 he posted a picture of himself in a studio with the caption, "New shoes. New amp. New album. There is no rest for the wicked ones." ^[19]

Discography

Studio albums

• Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (2011)
• Chasing Yesterday (2015)

Band members

• Noel Gallagher – vocals, guitars, bass (2010–present)

Touring members

• Mike Rowe – keyboards (2010–present)
• Jeremy Stacey – drums (2010–2016)
• Tim Smith – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2011–present)
• Russell Pritchard – bass, backing vocals, acoustic guitar (2011–present)
• Chris Sharrock – drums (2016)

Awards and nominations

Brit Awards

NME Awards

Q Awards

Nordoff Robbins Awards

Ivor Novello Awards

References

External links

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