Noel Gallagher says The Beatles are “more culturally significant” than any other act.
The former Oasis guitarist and songwriter has hailed the legendary Liverpool band as a “level above” everyone else in the music business.
Asked if he’s ever discussed songwriting with a Beatle on Revolver Radio with Matt Wilkinson to mark the release of the reissue of The Beatles’ 1966 album ‘Revolver’, Noel said: “Although McCartney is a massive Beatles fan. He’s like the biggest Beatles fan. People will not accept that you don’t have a f****** clue about ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ or who that girl is or any recollection of writing it. They get really annoyed because it’s the song that saved their life and you have, I f****** don’t know, I was waking up with a hangover and there it was.
“Ray Davies, Jagger and Richards, and all the ones that we love we’ve all written culturally significant songs in youth culture anthems. But the thing is if people say, so what is it about the Beatles? It’s just like, they’ve done it more. Their songs are more culturally significant and they did more of them. and they’re just, yeah, they’re a level above. And McCartney and Lennon are in it. Bob Dylan. After that you’re kind of like, everybody’s probably on par after that, I would say.”
Oasis – who split in 2009 after a backstage bust-up between estranged siblings Liam, ex-frontman of the Britpop group, and Noel – were often compared to the ‘Helter Skelter’ group.
And while The Fab Four – the late John Lennon and George Harrison and surviving members Sirs Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney – were a huge influence on their music, Noel found comparisons between them embarrassing because the ‘Wonderwall’ group weren’t as good in his eyes.
He said previously: “When Oasis started, we were so big we were compared to them size-wise and musically, embarrassingly, compared to them as well.
“(It’s embarrassing) because we weren’t as good as them.”
The Beatles’ songs still dominate Noel’s listening and remain the biggest influence on his own tracks.
He shared: “They mean everything to me.
“They’ve definitely got the best tunes … hands down. In my record collection, they’ve got the greatest tunes by far.
“They influenced everybody who influenced everybody else, who influenced everybody that came and went.
“Their influence is absolute. I don’t know a single guy playing the guitar or writing songs that wouldn’t cite the Beatles as an influence.”
Revolver Radio Super Deluxe with Matt Wilkinson and Noel Gallagher – Listen here apple.co/_MattWilkinson.