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Noel Gallagher has suggested that Radiohead are overrated in no uncertain terms, accusing music critics of giving glowing reviews to all of their records whatever the quality.
Asked by Esquire if he was “aware” of the hierarchy of UK bands, he replied: “I’m aware that Radiohead have never had a fucking bad review. I reckon if Thom Yorke fucking shit into a light bulb and started blowing it like an empty beer bottle it’d probably get 9 out of 10 in fucking Mojo. I’m aware of that.”
He took another shot at the band when discussing the legacy of Oasis track ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’.
“Technically, there’s better songwriters than I am. Guardian writers will tell you that,” he said. “Have other people’s songs ever really touched a generation, though? Radiohead? When do people listen to them? Is it when they go out, or is it when they come in? Because I’m struggling to think.”
“Look, as soon as Thom Yorke writes a song as good as fucking ‘Mony Mony’, give us a fucking shout. Me and my missus, we were at the Coachella festival a couple of years ago and Radiohead were headlining. We were like, ‘Right, let’s give them one more chance. Let’s go and see them.’ Beautiful, sunny night. We walked out through the crowd as they came on, and they were playing this post-techno: ‘de-de de de.’ We were a bit pissed. Fucking great. And then he started singing. No. Not for us. We’re party people.”
Though Radiohead are perhaps sometimes over-revered, his claim doesn’t entirely hold up.
Thom Yorke’s most recent album, Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, got 3 out of 5 stars in The Guardian and a 6.3 from Pitchfork.
The world according to Noel Gallagher
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Gallagher also ranted about the lack of drug-fuelled rock stars in music today.
“Fame is fucking wasted on these people,” he fumed. “The new generation of rock stars, when have they ever said anything that made you laugh? When have they ever said anything you remember? People say, ‘They’re interesting.’ Interesting! That’s a word that’s crept into music: ‘Yeah, man. Have you heard the new Skrillex record?’ ‘No.’ ‘Yeah, man. It’s really interesting.’
“I don’t want interesting! Rock ‘n’ roll’s not about that. To me, it’s about fucking utter gobshites just being fucking headcases. Well, not headcases. But what I want, genuinely, is somebody with a fucking drug habit, who’s not Pete Doherty. Do you know what I mean?”
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