Evening Express recently had a talk with Noel Gallagher before his gig at AECC.
You can read the interview below.
There can’t be much in this world that leaves Noel Gallagher speechless.
But try asking him if he’s eaten a rowie.
The 48-year-old can’t get his head around the lard-filled Aberdeen roll – but he’s willing to give them a try when he comes to the city with his band High Flying Birds this Sunday.
“Are you having me on?” says Noel, during a break in his European tour.
“If you’d like to send a box of them to my dressing room I will.
“The only time I’ve seen lard on a menu is in Russia. Smoked lard – for breakfast, they were having it there.”
We are discussing the delicacies of Aberdeen because the former Oasis star holds the city in high regard.
During an interview with Steve Lamacq in 1997, Noel and brother Liam said Aberdeen was the best gig they’d played.
He still remembers the two nights they played at AECC in September 1997.
“I remember that gig actually, in that big shed, that big warehouse,” he says.
“Travis were supporting as I remember correctly. That gig was something else, man.
“It was the first time we’ve ever been to Aberdeen and it was great and every time we went back after that it was equally amazing.”
That big shed will host Noel’s High Flying Birds in a few days time.
“I’m looking forward to getting up there,” he says. “Catch a bit of frost bite, get p****d on. It’s always nice to be in Scotland.
“It’ll be great I’m sure.” Noel is enjoying being on tour again, and he’s even found a way to tackle the boredom of travelling.
During a five-hour road trip through Germany last week he posted a series of pictures on Instagram, poking fun at skateboarders.
But social media is not just another way of being outspoken – Noel says Instagram is his way of keeping in touch with fans.
“It was my daughter (Anais) who got me into it,” he says.
“She’s 16. I did it because I used to have a blog thing on tour and it just became such a pain in the arse to write all the time, like doing homework.
“What about a picture with a witty caption? Sounds like my kind of thing.”
Fans of Noel will be pleased to hear the In the Heat of the Moment singer is half-way through his third album.
“I’ve written seven songs and recorded five,” he says. “It’s sounding pretty good.”
Noel’s tongue is firmly in his cheek as he discusses the new reggae sound.
“Tell the people of Aberdeen I’m making a trilogy,” he says. “I’ve gone space reggae. It’s a science fiction trilogy in reggae style.”
Despite his rock-star status, Noel is a family man at heart and raves about wife Sara Macdonald, their sons Sonny and Donovan and daughter Anais, whose mum is ex-wife Meg Matthews.
Noel says having children “changes your outlook on life profoundly and for the better in my experience”.
He adds: “I think it helps if you have a brilliant wife.
“Because then really I can just float around the house being a funny dad.”
His perfect Sunday involves breakfast with the kids and a Sunday roast with his wife.
But he wants to be left alone to watch the football during the day.
Noel’s love of the game is well known.
And he’s happy about his team Man City being drawn against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
“It’s as good as it’s going to get from here on in,” he says about the draw.
“I’m looking forward to it. Plus I have a day off in the first leg so I’m actually getting to go to that and I have a day off in the second leg so I’ll go to that as well.”
Despite a publicised row with Liam and with no sign of an Oasis reunion, Noel seems to be flying high in his career and his home life.
He’s got a good deal, I tell him.
“I am a rock star,” he says. “So you know what I mean, I can pretty much get away with murder.”
Source: Evening Express