Noel Gallagher says rock is too middle class and “working class kids can't afford” to be in bands

Virgin Radio

10 Mar 2022, 15:26

Noel Gallagher and his brother Liam famously came from a humble background in Manchester before reaching mega-stardom with Oasis, but the songwriter has said he doesn’t see other working class kids following a similar path.

The award-winning musician asked: “Where are the 14 year olds in bands now?”

Gallagher said (via The Mirror): “Working class kids can't afford to do it now, because guitars are expensive, there’s no rehearsal rooms. They've all been turned into wine bars and flats.”

Lamenting how there are “lots of singer songwriters, loads of middle class bands,” who wear guitars, “as opposed to playing them,” he said, “but four or five guys from a council estate can't afford guitars."

Noel, who was born in the Longsight area of Manchester in 1967, formed Oasis in 1991. The band initially had four members, before his younger brother Liam joined shortly after. The group would go on to find worldwide success and acclaim, selling tens of millions of albums and picking up countless awards along the way.

Noel and Liam have gone on to have successful solo careers since Oasis broke up in 2009.

While Noel might be concerned about the lack of 14 year olds forming bands, his own son does seem to be following in his musical footsteps. Last year, his lad, Sonny, who was 10 at the time, apparently knocked out a cracking version of T Rex’s 20th Century Boy at a school event. 

At the time, Noel said: “He had it down. He had the riff. He played a blinder.

“I’ve never been so proud of anything or anyone in my life. It was great, it was amazing."

He added: “I was like, ‘Get in there son!’”