Mastertapes 

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John Wilson talks with musicians about a career-defining album.

John Wilson talks with musicians about a career-defining album, and a live audience also puts questions. Featuring exclusive live performances.

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Mastertapes: Series 4: Noel Gallagher (the A-Side)

Noel Gallagher (the A-Side)

Series 4

BBC Radio 4 - Mastertapes, Series 4, Noel Gallagher (the A-Side)

Noel Gallagher recalls artistic freedom in making 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.'

Noel Gallagher talks to John Wilson about finding success after Oasis with 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds'.  From 2014.

'Noel Gallagher's discusses his album High Flying Birds.

Series in which leading performers and songwriters talk about the album that made them or changed them.

Recorded in front of a live audience at the BBC's iconic Maida Vale Studios, each edition includes two episodes - the A-side and B-side.

In the A-side, Noel talks to John Wilson.  

In 2009, Noel Gallagher left Oasis – one of the seminal bands of the Britpop era with seven multi-platinum albums including: 'Definitely Maybe', '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' and 'Be Here Now' – which became the fastest selling album in UK chart history.  

Two years later Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds also went to Number 1 in the UK with tracks like "Everybody's On the Run", "AKA... What A Life!" and "The Death of You and Me".  Praised for its psychedelic tinges and eternal themes of love, loss and hope, it's been described as the best collection of songs "since his Morning Glory days".

With tracks inspired by New Orleans ragtime rhythms and Ennio Morricone-like strings, it put paid to rumours that its creator entered into a state of inertia after the end of Oasis. 

Noel Gallagher said of the album: "I won't criticize anything about Oasis because I loved being in that band and I was in charge of it, but there was always the feeling: how will this go down in Wembley, with 70,000 people braying for good times? This time I didn't have to think about that. I've got a guy playing wine glasses on one song, a saw on another. This is not Oasis."

In the B-side of the programme, it's the turn of the audience to ask the questions.

Producer:  Paul Kobrak

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2014.

Mastertapes: Series 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

John Wilson talks with musicians about a career-defining album

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