Noel Gallagher on The Beatles’ cultural power: “They’re a level above”

Noel Gallagher / John Lennon

Noel Gallagher has spoken in a new interview about The Beatles’ enduring cultural power, saying that the legendary band still remain “a level above”.

The former Oasis guitarist was speaking about the band as part of Revolver Radio with Matt Wilkinson, a new Apple Music series which is celebrating the new reissue of The Beatles’ 1966 album ‘Revolver’.

Asked by Wilkinson if he had ever spoken to any of the members of The Beatles about songwriting, Gallagher replied: “No, I don’t really speak to other songwriters about songwriting because what would you say? I’m just of the opinion that everybody is the same, some people are just more talented than others.

“I just see [The Beatles] as, they’re kind of the same as me: I would imagine they don’t like talking about it. Although [Paul] McCartney is a massive Beatles fan, he’s like the biggest Beatles fan.

“People will not accept that you don’t have a fucking 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 fucking don’t know, I was waking up with a hangover and there it was.”

the beatles revolver
The Beatles (Picture: Press)

Gallagher continued: “Ray Davies, [Mick] Jagger and [Keith] Richards, and all the ones that we love, we’ve all written culturally significant songs in youth culture anthems. But the thing, 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 [John] Lennon are in it. Bob Dylan.

“After that you’re kind of like, everybody’s probably on a par after that, I would say.”

Revolver Radio Super Deluxe with Matt Wilkinson will air tomorrow (October 28) on Apple Music here.

Last week, an acoustic demo of John Lennon singing ‘Yellow Submarine’ was shared as a preview of the upcoming ‘Revolver’ reissue.

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Sam Moore

NME