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February 20, 2007

Thom Asks Noel For Just A Little Bit Of Respect

We didn't expect Thom to respond to Noel's "Creep"y attack on Radiohead and Yorke's preoccupation with the state of the world, but a little update on deadairspace has proven us wrong. Thom starts by quoting this bit of Noel's rant that we originally left out:

"I never went to f****** university. I don’t know what a paint brush is, I never went to art school."
And his response:
i did. it taught me to respect other artists.
What Thom doesn't realize is that if you've got the skills to be bigger than Elvis and the moves to floor Beth Ditto, you don't need to kowtow to anybody.

 

Posted at 11:25 AM in
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54 Comments

This is like comparing Rachmaninov to Liberace.

Posted by: Sean at 02/20/07 11:44 AM | Reply
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Noel is such an asshole !

Posted by: kebina at 02/20/07 11:47 AM | Reply
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while i respect both artists i have to admit that thom can be quite the whinny little bitch. noel obviously gets a rise out of jabbing at those musicians who take themselves too seriously. liam’s been known to give the old “fuck you” to bloc party. now talk about a band that takes them selves too seriously. jeez. those guys need a drink, or better yet a good lay. it's just music folks.

Posted by: j.n.a. at 02/20/07 11:54 AM | Reply
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Why did anyone ever give a shit about Oasis?

Posted by: bootsie at 02/20/07 12:26 PM | Reply
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Oasis hasn't been relative for a long, long time. I'm not sure why anyone even listens to what those wankers say anymore.

Let's judge based on relevancy and then see where we wind up: Radiohead is still relatively on top of their game. Oasis is in the shit can.

Welcome to 2007, Noel. And 2005, and 2000, and 1999.

Posted by: owl at 02/20/07 12:29 PM | Reply
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Oasis has not been "relevant," not "relative."

Oops.

Posted by: owl at 02/20/07 12:31 PM | Reply
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relevance is relative, owl

Posted by: pitchfork at 02/20/07 12:53 PM | Reply
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i disagree. oasis had a pretty huge album with "don't believe the truth". while it obviously didn't measure up to their first three albums, it was a comeback of sorts. they still sell out madison square garden everytime they play. not to mention the millions of albums they sell outside of the usa. they are certainly the biggest band in the uk in terms of popularity. i fail to see how anyone could call them irrelevent. let's face it. "hail to the thief" was possibly radioheads least popular album. thom yorks erasure failed to get the same critical accolades of anything radiohead ever put out. i think oasis is underestimated by americans. i'd make a large wager that kids will be singing noel's tunes 50 years from now. i highly doubt that our children's children will still be singing paranoid android.

Posted by: j.n.a. at 02/20/07 12:56 PM | Reply
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Darn, I was hoping my grandkids were going to be singing the likes of "To Be Young" and "Note to Self: Don't Die" and other Ryan Adams fare.

Oh well.

Posted by: Lawyerlike at 02/20/07 1:04 PM | Reply
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one can still hope lawyerlike.

Posted by: j.n.a. at 02/20/07 1:12 PM | Reply
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Yet even with 'Hail to the Thief' being Radiohead's 'least popular' album, it's sold just as many copies as 'Don't Believe the Truth' (more in the US).

As for the Eraser not being as critically lauded, I think NME, AMG, BBC, The Guardian, The Observer, Rolling Stone & The Times would all stand to contradict that.

Posted by: Sean at 02/20/07 1:14 PM | Reply
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thom floats my boats.

Posted by: Al at 02/20/07 1:26 PM | Reply
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if we're speaking in terms of album sales oasis has sold well over 50 million records. radiohead has probably sold less than half of that. that said, radiohead are great. my point, so are oasis.

Posted by: j.n.a at 02/20/07 1:33 PM | Reply
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well played thom ... i mean noel... err thom...

Posted by: marsh at 02/20/07 1:50 PM | Reply
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Right, 50 million for ALL their records. DBTT only sold around 2-2.5 mil. That being said, I don't think album sales mean much in terms of merit, I was just responding to your comparison of DBTT to HTTT.

I agree Oasis WERE great at one time, but after they imploded with BHN they've just been mediocre. I don't think HTTT is Radiohead's best, but I still enjoy it over any of the last 4 Oasis albums.

Posted by: Sean at 02/20/07 1:52 PM | Reply
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I love Oasis!

Posted by: Joey G at 02/20/07 2:03 PM | Reply
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Last thing that comes to my mind when I think of Radiohead is Creep. Paranoid Android or National Anthem maybe. Or even Where Bluebirds Fly soley because it scares the shit out of me. First song that comes to mind with Oasis is still Wonderwall, which came out how long ago?

Noel's not great but still manages to be a douche about how apparently fucking awesome he is. Yeah Thom can be preachy but at least he's not a conceited washed-up douche, eh?

Posted by: Scotta at 02/20/07 2:07 PM | Reply
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To say that Oasis is irrelevant is just plain stupid. Love them or hate them they still sell a lot of records more concert tixx and clearly make headlines around the world. They have staying power without question. Each of their 6 studio CD’s have entered the UK charts at no. 1. Their last CD hit the US charts at no. 11. They have more number 1 singles in the UK than The Verve, Blur, Radiohead, Travis, The S'phonics, Coldplay, The Libertines and the Arctic Monkeys combined. Yes combined….

Posted by: Owen Morris at 02/20/07 2:21 PM | Reply
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How about "Oasis are irrelevant in the U.S. and probably most of the world, but the entire population of England seems to be under a mass hallucination that renders Oasis not merely a pleasant Beatles knockoff, but better than the Beatles, ensuring curiously high record sales that would be formally studied by sociologists had they occurred in any other nation?"

Posted by: d at 02/20/07 2:41 PM | Reply
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Not quite but keep trying….

"Call us arrogant if you want I don't care. Just as long as we don't get called Aerosmith." - Noel Gallagher

Posted by: Owen Morris at 02/20/07 2:49 PM | Reply
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Is Radiohead accused of whininess ad nausea, with a bit of truth to the accusation? Yes. Is Oasis a good band? Yep. Is Noel Gallagher an asshole? Yep. Is Thom? Yeah, but not to any of us. Is Radiohead a better band, as defined by writing great songs that also push the envelope of contemporary music? Most definitely. Both rock stars are inspired by The Beatles, but only one of them has written songs that are obviously derivative (Gallagher). I'd take tea with Thom before Noel any day, but frat boys might disagree. Anyone who knows what they're talking about knows who the better musician and better person is here.

Posted by: Ben Johnson at 02/20/07 3:09 PM | Reply
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Radiohead are a great band. That said there are plenty of tracks from there last 3 records that are pretty much after thoughts. Oasis gets knocked for not being able to live up to the promise of those first 2 CD’s. Radiohead changed their style cause its highly unlikely that they could have lived up to matching the amazing output from Ok Computer and The Bends. Just because its pushes the envelope of contemporary music does not actually translate to being good let alone inspiring and god forbid fun..

Take Turn up the Sun leave We suck Young Blood

Posted by: Owen Morris at 02/20/07 3:34 PM | Reply
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When everybody started going nuts over in England for Oasis, my first thought was "Christ, they're back together again? They must need money." I agree with d here, Oasis is about as popular here in America as ABBA, and, for my non-American friends who weren't in the know, they are generally viewed as "Those Beatles Rip-Offs". Noel trying to bitch at Thom is the like Crazy Frog trying to bitch at Tom Petty. Somebody really needs to check the water in England, first Pete Doherty and now this.

Posted by: TheSkiddle at 02/20/07 3:40 PM | Reply
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so true, so true. ^^

Posted by: Yassin at 02/20/07 3:54 PM | Reply
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Why thank-you Yassin!

Posted by: The Skiddle at 02/20/07 4:11 PM | Reply
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Owen, what're you, nuts? Leave "We Suck Young Blood" ? Go put on your headphones and listen to that song again. Listen to the York-ey harmonies on that bitch. No comparison to Andy Bell's "Turn Up The Sun," not by a long shot. Plus, Bell joined the band in 1999. Does that even count as an Oasis song?

Posted by: Ben Johnson at 02/20/07 4:56 PM | Reply
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I'd be more interested to hear what Robert Pollard has to say about both of them.

Posted by: jed2 at 02/20/07 5:06 PM | Reply
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27 comments and no mention of arcade fire!

arcade fire

disaster averted.

Posted by: jb at 02/20/07 5:25 PM | Reply
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^ that was the greatest [semi]last comment of all of stereogum. discussion ended, now.

Posted by: michael t. at 02/20/07 6:29 PM | Reply
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^ haha, while noel can be quite rude, he has done a lot for chemical brothers tracks for me, and chanmpagne supernova, other than that.... radiohead is much better, i respect both of them, but noel seems to like starting fights for no apparent reason, coming off like he's a complete rock god, thom seems a bit more modest.
haha, "modest" makes me want to mention we were dead beforse the ship even sank, as mr. jb mentioned the arcade fire. oh well.

Posted by: Mike at 02/20/07 7:28 PM | Reply
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as to oasis's relavance, they just had a greatest hits album or theyre about to(i really dont follow it). but that being said, theyre through, no artist thats still at their top of their game releases a greatest hits album.
And Noel really needs to get the shit beat out of him or something less violent but just as embarassing needs to happen to him, just to keep his ego in check.
As thom said, you may not like their music, but atleast respect them as an artist, theyre trying to make music too.

Posted by: zach at 02/20/07 7:29 PM | Reply
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more points i forgot about:
in regards to noels comment about how fans are just gonna want to hear creep, same with oasis and wonderwall, atleast radiohead with give in to their fans every now and again at festivals and play creep,
And about Thom's solo album. it was a solo album for christ's sake it can only be so good and for being a side project it wasn't bad.

Posted by: zach at 02/20/07 7:34 PM | Reply
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Artists who take themselves too seriously are easy targets. In this case, both are easy targets.

I find if to be in good fun.

Posted by: Michele at 02/20/07 7:56 PM | Reply
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Artists who take themselves too seriously are easy targets. In this case, both are easy targets.

Part of the charm of Oasis is the wacky antics of Noel and Liam. And although I do love Thom and Radiohead, I find it all to be in good fun.

Posted by: Michele at 02/20/07 8:00 PM | Reply
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i love the gallaghers for calling it like they see it and not giving a fuck what blogging nerds like you or i think. i'd rather read a quote from noel or liam talking shit about another band than listen to yorke whine about politics any day. radiohead is from the neck up. oasis...all hips. beatles vs stones....blah blah blah.........all great!

Posted by: greg at 02/20/07 9:22 PM | Reply
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p.s.

tea with thom? i guess.

a pint with noel? fuck yeah.

Posted by: greg at 02/20/07 9:27 PM | Reply
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The funny thing about this, to me, is that Thommy Boy slagged Oasis years back and I guess now he doesn't remember. I bet Noel does.

Posted by: ok at 02/20/07 9:51 PM | Reply
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- i did. it taught me to respect other artists.

to me this appears to be a jab at noel's 'unrefined' behaviour because he hasn't been 'educated'.

how snobby.

Posted by: ian at 02/20/07 10:09 PM | Reply
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It's cheap publicity guys. Noel makes an edgy comment publicly and then relaxes while the world sits around and mentions his name a million times. I wouldn't be surprised if Thom was in on the deal. Why let Oasis get all the attention. They are selling their identity. It's hand in hand with their music.

Posted by: Zayin_451 at 02/21/07 12:42 AM | Reply
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Ah yes, feel the respect:

http://rapidshare.com/files/17499230/01_Wonderwall.mp3

But it's ok. Radiohead = tops

Posted by: Chris at 02/21/07 12:55 AM | Reply
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Can't stand either band for a particularly long length of time. Radiohead for their sanctimonious, arse-licking, pretentious fans (I do think Ed O'Brien is a very funny man though), while Oasis incur my ire via their beer-swilling, moronic fanbase. What I will say is that Noel Gallagher is hilarious. Almost everything that man says is funny. I am of the opinion that he should be given his own chat show. It'd be awesome.

Posted by: Neilo at 02/21/07 6:41 AM | Reply
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Greg and Neilo: Yeah, Noel's an asshole, but a very entertaining one.

Posted by: Scotta at 02/21/07 10:32 AM | Reply
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Let's face it folks, Radiohead are more of a snobby band who are seen as the best by their fans. Yorke is a genius and can make the best music around, but at the same time the Gallagher brothers aren't afraid of anything and speak their minds. Yorke loathes fame to the same extent that the Gallaghers love it. Oasis are seen as the best by themselves, and make fun of everything, creating massive amounts of hilarity. Radiohead are probably more relevant now, but that being said Oasis will always be in the news and will continue to sell out shows everywhere.

Posted by: Andy at 02/21/07 4:40 PM | Reply
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oasis is a far superior band, thom never had the song writing depth noel did at his peak. if noel wasn't coked out of his mind he would have kept all those bsides he wrote and the whole downward spell oasis had wouldn't have happened. oh, and another thing everyone goes on about ok computer and kid a. they are great records don't get me wrong but ok computer wasn't the best record released in 97 urban hymns was, and as far as the year 2000 goes xtrmntr by primal scream shits all over kid a. thom is just a paranoid man now with a wonky eye. the world isn't that bad of a place people are buying your records and women are giving you attention that would normally laugh in your face. hopefully radiohead get their shit back together cause hail to the thief sucked.

Posted by: Beetlebum at 02/21/07 5:05 PM | Reply
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If everybody loves post-Kid A Radiohead, why does everybody get so excited when rumors calling the next album 'a return to Bends-style rock' come out. Radiohead and Thom Yorke take themselves too seriously. They have become boring. Go to a party and turn on Amnesiac. People will groan. Put on Champagne Supernova or Wonderwall and every beerslut will go crazy. Music should be fun.

Posted by: Ben at 02/21/07 9:21 PM | Reply
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Anyone who has the balls to play Amnesiac at a party should be given a metal, because he will most likely ruin that party.

Posted by: Scotta at 02/21/07 9:27 PM | Reply
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I think all you guys are taking this too seriously.

I respect both bands for who they are.

I like Radiohead.
but I love Oasis.

Noel just says stuff half the time to get a rise out of people. Hasn't over ten years of Oasis made people realize this yet?

Its only rock'n'roll.

Posted by: K at 02/21/07 11:03 PM | Reply
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I can't believe for one minute that anyone can seriously like music and actually seriously consider Oasis to have EVER been a decent or somewhat relevant band (e.g. as in purveyors and creators of the art that is music)? They are like every terrible frat bar band I wish I'd never had to opportunity of seeing, and hope never to see/hear from again. Whereas Radiohead are in that special caliber of musical artist whom keep consistently pushing the envelope outputting remarkable and challenging new art with every album (hence far). Those bands are few and far in between, some take themselves seriously, some not so much, I don't really car either way how they act in the personal life / interviews etc., as long as they keep doing what they do best, and so far Radiohead has constantly managed to meet this expectation (on the otherhand, what the Oasis bimbo-bros may do best is flap their mouths and expel hot air, which they seem to be continuing to do remarkably as well).

Posted by: jesrobot at 02/22/07 1:27 AM | Reply
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Woah, woah...let's back up a second. Noel's songwriting has depth?? I don't think I've ever heard 'deep' & 'Noel Gallagher' in the same sentence. Even if you love Oasis and frequently light the candles on your Gallagher Brothers shrine in your bedroom, there's no way in hell you think those songs have any depth. NOEL OUTRIGHT ADMITS THE LYRICS ARE NONSENSE. Putting him and Thom Yorke in the same category when it comes to songwriting is just absurd.

Posted by: Sean at 02/22/07 2:12 PM | Reply
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oasis couldn't cover half of radiohead's catalog. and for radiohead, covering oasis would be like stooping down to reason with a seven-year-old. artists respect radiohead. that's where they get their cred. it is much deserved. oasis might sell albums like a bastard but so what?

Posted by: dipa at 03/16/07 12:09 AM | Reply
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see what you get when you have an ignorant & a blind-believer figthing

Posted by: c at 05/29/07 11:39 AM | Reply
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1st:oasis is still selling records well ouside of us: their ast album peakes in the top5 in 2 dozens of contries and hit the no 1spot at least in 5 countries.ths sales of thir last album were at around 3 million...WITHOUT a huge succes in usa...bands like depeche mode sell the same of every album and still are one of the biggsest bands on the planet..so are oasis...
depth and noel: wahr has "depth" has to do with songwriting
? shouldnt it be called "authenticity"?mr. gallagher IS a good and sometimes a great songwriter. so is thom yorke, but they have -each ine of them -a totally different sonwritingconcept, gallaghers is more traditional.

Posted by: chriss.t. at 06/18/07 10:49 AM | Reply
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1st:oasis is still selling records well ouside of us: their ast album peakes in the top5 in 2 dozens of contries and hit the no 1spot at least in 5 countries.ths sales of thir last album were at around 3 million...WITHOUT a huge succes in usa...bands like depeche mode sell the same of every album and still are one of the biggsest bands on the planet..so are oasis...
depth and noel: wahr has "depth" has to do with songwriting
? shouldnt it be called "authenticity"?mr. gallagher IS a good and sometimes a great songwriter. so is thom yorke, but they have -each ine of them -a totally different sonwritingconcept, gallaghers is more traditional.

Posted by: chris.tt at 06/18/07 10:50 AM | Reply
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rofl... how can people even compare thom yorke to the gallaghers?
its like comparing a mentally retarded person to a rocket scientist. Oasis only sells more albums because they create mediocre sh!ts, and thats what people wanna hear. On the other hand, Radiohead keeps on pushing the boundraries and evolves to something better with their new songs. as you can see (imho) the target market is different, the music is in a whole different intelectual level. HTTT might not be the best albums Radiohead ever created, but i still enjoyed it very much. i'd seriously take 2+2=5 over wonderwall everytime.

and a cup of tea with thom? heck i'd pay for it even though i'm a poor bugger :p

ps. pardon the english, its my 2nd language

Posted by: kevin at 06/21/07 5:16 AM | Reply
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