Noel Gallagher—who, along with his brother Liam, formed the essence of Oasis until the last in a long string of altercations between the two caused the band to implode in 2009—has a new solo record, his second, out tomorrow. Titled Chasing Yesterday, it’s something of a departure, certainly from the big and broad sound of Oasis, but also from his first solo record, with more sophisticated and subtle arrangements and increasingly complex and virtuosic songwriting. Enough of a departure, even, to make one wonder if the former wild boy has settled down to focus on his family and his art. (He and his wife Sara have two young sons, Donovan and Sonny; with his first wife, Gallagher also has a daughter, Anaïs, fifteen, who’s recently set out on a modeling career.) When his management called to postpone our phone chat by a few hours, it seemed to confirm this suspicion: Gallagher was apparently busy with last-minute changes to his live show in advance of kicking off his international tour in Belfast the following day—“and obviously the music comes first,” I was told. We chatted a few hours later, just before 5:00 p.m. London time.

I understand it’s a busy day with a lot of things going on and that you’re trying to put the final touches on your live performance.

[Chuckles, turning into roaring laughter] Is that what they told you?

Yeah, they told me that.

Should I tell you what’s actually happened today?

Please

I went out with my wife last night, and we didn’t manage to make it home ’til ten past six this morning. I’ve just woken up maybe 25 minutes ago. So I’m extremely hungover.

And here I was thinking you were fine-tuning your pyrotechnics and dance routines for the stage show.

Who do you think I am, Chris Martin? Talking of Vogue, though, do you know who I was with last night?

Tell me.

I was with Madonna [at Annabel’s, for the Mert & Marcus House of Love party held in her honor].

Did she have a doctor with her to attend to her bruises? [Two nights earlier, Madonna had taken a nasty fall during her performance at London’s Brit Awards.]

No—I think it was just her ego that was bruised. I’m not sure she was bashed up all that bad. She was nice though. My wife is a superfan—my wife honestly thinks that she is one of the greatest human beings that has ever lived.