Noel Gallagher

Noel Gallagher is a guitarist, songwriter, and singer famous for his work with the Britpop band, Oasis. He is also known for his outspoken comments regarding other musicians and for his involvement in court cases relating to plagiarism. He briefly worked as an actor and has recently established himself as a producer.

Noel Thomas David Gallagher was born on May 29, 1967, in the district of Burnage in Manchester, England's second largest city. He has an older brother, Paul, and a younger brother, Liam, who later became his band mate. Their father was an alcoholic who sometimes beat them, and Gallagher became a withdrawn, anti-social child, often in trouble with the law. At the age of thirteen he was grounded after receiving six months probation for stealing from a local shop. His mother bought him a guitar to keep him busy, and he taught himself to play, despite the fact that he's left handed and was using a right handed instrument. To date, he has never received formal musical instruction or learned to read music.

When Gallagher was fifteen his father struck his mother over the head during an argument, prompting her to leave him and arrange for a divorce. She took the boys with her. Gallagher then began to seek productive employment, but when an accident on a building site left him with an injured foot, he was confined to his bed with nothing to do but work on his music. Shortly afterward he became a guitar technician for the Inspiral Carpets, with whom he gained touring experience. He then joined his brother Liam's band, Oasis. Their impressive live performance in front of scout Alan McGee swiftly led to a record contract with Sony America.

Oasis's first album, Definitely Maybe, was an astounding success; yet Gallagher felt uncomfortable about the band and briefly walked out during its American tour, complaining that they were misunderstood. Violent fights with his brother followed, but he returned for their second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which firmly established them on the British music scene. Their next two albums, Be Here Now and Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, were less successful, but they continued to tour successfully and enjoy the rock-and-roll lifestyle. Later, Heathen Chemistry and Don't Believe the Truth helped to restore their musical reputation.

Besides working with Oasis, Gallagher has been involved in numerous other musical projects, including working with Paul McCartney, Paul Weller, and Johnny Depp to record a version of the Beatles' “Come Together” for the charity album Help! He has also collaborated with the likes of Ricky Gervais, Ian Brown, and Keith Flint. He owns his own label, Sour Mash Records, using it to further his longstanding interest in promoting talented young musicians from the north of England. He has also ventured into acting with a role in Sara Sugarman's comedy Mad Cows, alongside Anna Friel, Joanna Lumley, Prunella Scales, and Mohammed Al-Fayed.

Gallagher married Meg Matthews in 1997 and the couple went on to have a daughter, Anaís, but split up in 2001. He now lives in London with long-term girlfriend Sara MacDonald, five dogs and two cats.

YUDDY