Noel Gallagher scraps acoustic album in favour of "defiant rock record"

5 April 2024, 11:44 | Updated: 5 April 2024, 12:22

Noel Gallagher press — Noel Gallagher has laid out his new plans for an album. Picture: Matt Crockett/Press

The former Oasis rocker has revealed that he's no longer making a stripped-back album for the fans.

Loading audio...

Noel Gallagher has changed his mind about making an acoustic album.

The former Oasis guitarist previously said that he was in the process of recording an entirely acoustic album and already had six track in the bag, saying: "I'm doing for the fans really".

However, speaking on on Matt Morgan's podcast, he revealed he's quit the stripped-back project as it was making him feel "bored" and "down".

“By the way, I’ve scrapped the acoustic album finally," explained the Manchester rocker. "Can’t f***ing do it anymore. Yeah, it got six tunes in, and I was so bored with the arrangement of it all and the kind of slow pace of it all and, actually what made me think, right f*** it, I’m not doing it.

“It was too down. Acoustic tunes tend to be quite down. I need to make a defiant rock record and that’s what I’m gonna do. Sorry everyone. I do apologise if anyone had their hearts set on it.”

The Council Skies singer went on to tease ideas for a title based on the HBO sports comedy series Eastbound & Down - starring Danny McBride - but he said the record was unlikely to materialise before 2026.

The 56-year-old rocker went on: “So in my head now if I could demo it all by the end of the year or start to record it proper by the end of the year, could be… dunno…not next year cos then I’d have to go back out on tour next year and I’m not doing that. 2026 maybe?”

Noel Gallagher may have scrapped half an album's worth of songs, but he's got plenty to be keeping himself busy through 2024, with dates across the UK.

Not only is he playing special outdoor shows at The Piece Hall in Halifax and Alexandra Palace Park in London, but he's also set for dates at the likes of Kendal Calling and Y Not? Festival 2024.

Visit noelgallagher.com/live for Noel Gallagher's full dates and how to buy tickets.

Meanwhile, this month saw Noel Gallagher-penned Oasis anthem Live Forever crowned Radio X's BestOf British 2024, 30 years after the song's release.

Voted for by listeners in Radio X’s annual Best Of British poll – and topping the list for the second year in a row – Live Forever is one of four Oasis tracks making up the top 10, alongside Slide Away (#4), Champagne Supernova (#9), and Don’t Look Back In Anger (#10).

Coming in second is Queen’s 1975 anthem Bohemian Rhapsody, which moves up one place from last year’s poll. New to the list this year, Nothing But Thieves’ 2023 single Overcome comes third, and The Stone Roses’ 1989 masterpiece I Am The Resurrection moves up one place to fifth. Arctic Monkeys’ 505 and The Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter place at sixth and seventh respectively.