Noel Gallagher wonders if selling the Oasis back-catalogue would "demotivate" him
20 January 2023, 10:02 | Updated: 20 January 2023, 10:04
The former Oasis songsmith has discussed the possibility of selling off the rights to his works.
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Noel Gallagher has talked about the possibility of him selling off the Oasis back-catalogue and has revealed he's still not sure about it.
The former Oasis guitarist penned most of the Britpop band's legendary songs and he's not sure if he's ready to sell them yet.
"It's a tempting amount of money," he told Radio X's Dan O'Connell. "I guess when the moment arrives, there will be a decision to make, but I’m not there yet.
"I do wonder if it will demotivate me though do you know what I mean? If you buy a yacht, you're kind of going to be on it all the time, aren’t you really? I’m not sure I’ll be sitting on the back of the yacht with an acoustic guitar trying to write songs about the weather."
The Manchester rocker also revealed he gets asked by brands to use Oasis music all the time and worries that selling the rights would possibly mean hearing Oasis on adverts for anything.... including a certain fast food chain.
"I get asked a lot for songs in adverts," he said. "There’s been one on the Nationwide advert for the last three years, bless them and yeah it would mean they would own it for life and you could be in a McDonald’s advert and it’s like is that really how you want your music to be perceived?
"Then the other part of you is thinking, 'Am I being too precious?' It’s only music, I don’t know... I’ll let you know."
Noel Gallagher on his new album Council Skies and more
READ MORE: Liam Gallagher claims Noel called him up "begging for forgiveness"
Selling off the rights to his Oasis anthems would also mean his estranged brother Liam could be granted permission to use them in his films.
So far, the rocker hasn't been granted the rights to use the tracks in his documentaries, with his last Knebworth doc not including any tracks from the band.
Noel also opened up about the possibility of an Oasis reunion and reiterated that although he feels there's "no point" in getting the band back together, it doesn't mean he wouldn't have a change of heart in 10 years.
He told Radio X: "Look it’s the done thing now isn’t it? Kind of everybody’s getting back together and Blur are playing Wembley stadium, everyone’s getting back together.
"I will say, and I’ve said it a thousand times, if Oasis hadn’t had reached their potential, and there was something left to do, it would be different, but I just don’t see what the point would be. It would be make a load of money, I’ve got a load of money. To do some monumental [venue] I’ve already done them."
"It’s just not something that appeals to me," he added, before teasing: "Now that’s not saying in 10 years time it won’t appeal to me..."
READ MORE: Noel Gallagher announces new album Council Skies
The comments came as Noel revealed the details of his fourth solo studio album, Council Skies, which is set for release on 2nd June 2023 via Sour Mash records.
Speaking about the release, he said: "It’s going back to the beginning. Daydreaming, looking up at the sky and wondering about what life could be … that’s as true to me now as it was in the early ‘90s. When I was growing up in poverty and unemployment, music took me out of that".
He added: “Top of the Pops on TV transformed your Thursday night into this fantasy world, and that’s what I think music should be. I want my music to be elevating and transforming in some way.”
From it comes the previously released Pretty Boy and his brand new psychedelic-infused single, Easy Now.
Watch the official video for the single here:
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Easy Now (Official Video)
See the tracklist for Noel Gallagher's Council Skies:
- I'm Not Giving Up Tonight
- Pretty Boy
- Dead To The World
- Open The Door, See What You Find
- Trying To Find A World That's Been And Gone
- Easy Now
- Council Skies
- There She Blows!
- Love Is A Rich Man
- Think Of A Number
- Bonus Track – We’re Gonna Get There In The End
