Noel Gallagher has claimed that he’s lost millions pursuing his solo career.

Gallagher’s former band Oasis split in 2009, with the guitarist recording and touring with his new outfit Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds since 2010. Now, speaking to Loaded, Gallagher has said that not having a record deal (he’s currently signed to his own Sour Mash imprint) has meant that he’s had to fund everything himself.

“Everything I’ve done since I left Oasis has come from my own pocket,” Gallagher said. “You’ve got to pay for the tour, got to pay for the wages and you don’t really break even for about nine months. I don’t mean I lost money. I mean I lost a fucking shitload of money. It was a few million, like. I had to lie to Sara [MacDonald, wife] at first, and when I eventually did tell her, she freaked out – I mean FREAKED out.


“I did it because I felt like I could and I didn’t want to be signed to a record label, I wanted to do it myself. Luckily enough it’s worked out.”

In the same interview, Gallagher claimed that he is considering his retirement from live shows. He said: “Maybe I’ll retire from playing live, it depends how long you can be arsed. Ten years from now I don’t think I’ll be getting on a bus – it’s undignified. But I don’t think I’ll ever stop writing – as long as my brain and bones last out.”

He continued: ”I’ll just have to tailor the touring. It’s not fun being on a bus for six weeks in America. It’s fine when you’re young, but I’m almost 50.’

“The worst thing for me about getting older is the hangovers. Hangovers last for three or four days. I haven’t got the stamina for three days at Glastonbury any more, although I did that last year and it was fucking horrific. On the third day I get a bad back and all the rest of it, but on the whole, I think I’m doing all right.”

Noel Gallagher has also announced details of his next single ‘Riverman’. It will be released on May 11, backed by the B-side ‘Leave My Guitar Alone’. Pre-order here.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds played a set which drew heavily from new album ‘Chasing Yesterday’ at London’s Royal Albert Hall over the weekend (March 28) as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust Concert gigs.

