Council Skies, Noel Gallagher’s fourth solo album and his best, will be released on June 2nd. In the cover story of the current ROLLING STONE, the songwriter talks about astrology, lost worlds and new hopes – and declares himself a spring type. When it comes to zodiac signs (Noel is Gemini), he asks if he hasn’t already said several times how it influences his personality and his work? No? “Prepare to be dazzled!” he exclaims happily and goes on: “I write almost all my songs in spring! A few were written in summer or winter, but I wrote 90 percent of all my known songs after the time change. As soon as the clock goes forward, something happens and I can’t stop. Crazy shit! I think the fact that my songs are so optimistic also has something to do with spring. Spring is optimistic in a quiet way. When interviewing a Japanese guy, they always ask philosophical stuff like, ‘If you were a season, what would it be?’ Easy, I’d like to be spring because that’s when this renewal happens and the flowers come out and it gets warmer and everything’s a little nicer. The people too.”
His songs aren’t intentionally upbeat, says Noel Gallagher—they just happen. What he does make sure is that they aren’t too reminiscent of his classics: “If I start a song and it sounds too oasisy, I usually stop right away. For example, if a track is similar to ‘Supersonic’ – then it probably won’t end up being as good as ‘Supersonic’, meaning pointless. But for example ‘Easy Now’, I liked that better than ‘Little By Little’, and I don’t say that lightly.”
Texts play a subordinate role for him at first – which one could already imagine in view of some nonsense lyrics. “It’s always hard for me to explain to fans, but: I like songs that mean fuck-all. “HolyMountain”: The words don’t matter at all, they just have to sound good. I don’t even listen to the lyrics of other songs at first. For me it’s the feeling, the melody, the chords that matter. I listened to some of my favorite songs a thousand times before I understood what they were actually about. Sometimes I was really shocked! I remember a few years ago I googled what Paul Weller is actually singing on ‘Town Called Malice’ because I never understood it. But I always sang along! So I looked, and wow: ‘A whole street’s belief in Sunday’s roast beef/ Gets dashed against the Co‑op/ To either cut down on beer or the kids’ new gear/ It’s a big decision in a town called Malice.’ Those are fucking insane lyrics!”
You can read the entire interview in the current issue of ROLLING STONE.