Noel Gallagher of Oasis Speaks Out on Piracy

Written by enigmax on August 22, 2008 

Noel Gallagher from the 50 million-selling band Oasis has been chatting about piracy on the UK’s Radio 1. He jokes about mainstream journalists asking him about non-existent leaks from the new album and encourages everyone to download the music of rival bands. Overall, he’s pragmatic and upbeat, looking forward to filling his swimming pool with mineral water.

GallagherSooner or later, this type of article will cease to be news. In fact, so many artists are speaking out about file-sharing in a positive or at least pragmatic way that by this time next year, we’ll probably be writing about artists who don’t have something to good to say, such is the shift in attitudes towards P2P.

Big names like Nine Inch Nails, 50 Cent, Joss Stone, Duffy and Travis have all had positive things to say recently.

But before supporting file-sharing becomes mainstream and we don’t have to report it anymore, Noel Gallagher from the 50 million album-selling band Oasis has been chatting with Zane Lowe from the UK’s Radio 1 about many things, including (of course) file-sharing.

Whilst discussing the forthcoming Oasis album, Gallagher notes that a reporter from a UK national newspaper called him, explaining that the tracks had already been leaked onto the Internet:

“I had a guy from a national newspaper track me down and say ‘Have you got any comment to make? All of your new album has come up on the Internet!’ and I was going, ‘It’s impossible, it’s ludicrous’, because only four or five people had copies. So I said ‘Read out the song titles that are up on the Internet’ and he read out the track-listing from the last album! So I was like, ‘That’s on the Internet is it? It’s also in HMV – in the ‘O’ section…..you idiot.”

So, how would Noel have felt if the tracks from the new album had really leaked onto the Internet? Would he get angry?

“No, it’s one of those things,” he told Zane. “If it’s out there and you can get it, you know, go ahead. I’m certainly not going to get into Lars Ulrich mode about this.”

Unlike singer Duffy, who has been enjoying downloading for some time now, Noel doesn’t partake himself: “It’s well documented, I don’t even have a computer and I don’t get involved in that type of gear,” he told the Radio 1 host.

But what does Noel think of other people sharing music via P2P?

“If people are willing to have faceless CDs like that in their collection, good for them. It would be absolutely ludicrous for a rock-star to demand that people pay money for albums because the kids haven’t got that much money to pay for an album, so if they can find it for free, go ahead! But don’t do it on Oasis records though – because that’s against the law.”

Not missing a chance to have a little rivalry with other UK bands, he encourages file-sharers to look at some other bands instead: “Pinch as many Kaiser Chiefs as you like – and the Pigeon Detectives – but don’t nick any Oasis!”

The new album, Dig Out Your Soul, is out on October 6th 2008. Noel would like everyone to buy it since he says he is “down to my last £4 million”. If that wasn’t bad enough, he says he needs to “keep the Evian water topped up in my swimming pool.”

Thanks to Skid

Previously: Comcast vs. BitTorrent, What’s Next?

Next: Find and Share Music with TinySong

41 Responses

1 Aug 22, 2008 at 18:43 by Daniel

Hey makes a good point about a “faceless record.” That’s one reason that although I download a ton, I ALWAYS buy what I end up loving — because I miss the album art, I miss the quality, the correct track names, and other things that for whatever bizarre reason, often get messed up when people put up their torrent counterparts.

2 Aug 22, 2008 at 19:05 by Chill

Word. Massive Attack Next Year!

3 Aug 22, 2008 at 19:11 by Andy

At least he wasn’t a dick about it.

4 Aug 22, 2008 at 19:14 by #YLS#

@ 1 – Daniel

I know what you mean, I download a few movies but it’s simplier getting the DVD if I enjoy it enough, I’d do the same for music but still over £10 for a disc on release is expensive… plus I’d rip it to my computer as soon as I got it so, why bother for the hefty price I say…

Anyways I’ve always looked at the Oasis lot as being wankers but there’s fair enough arguements for either side here, so got to give them a little respect don’t I?

5 Aug 22, 2008 at 19:14 by www.eZee.se

Seems like a nice guy with a sense of humor, especially liked the dig at Lars Ulrich :))

Cheers!
CJ

6 Aug 22, 2008 at 19:17 by Anonymous

I like how he joked around about it, more than anything, and also,

>>1 I agree, if there is an album I love, I always buy the CD, and if possible the Vinyl too.

7 Aug 22, 2008 at 20:00 by Skid

Yey I got a shout up, still next to no one who reads this will have half a clue who I am, not to worry ^^. You made a great article out of the short mp3 I ripped off the BBC IPlayer :)

8 Aug 22, 2008 at 20:07 by Anon

I personally couldn’t care less what Noel Gallagher has to say on the matter. Releasing music for free is now a great marketing move.

I only want to hear music from musicians, not opinions.

9 Aug 22, 2008 at 20:15 by Anonymous

” In fact, so many artists are speaking out about file-sharing in a positive or at least pragmatic way that by this time next year, we’ll probably be writing about artists who don’t have something to good to say, such is the shift in attitudes towards P2P.”

Arrrrgh! You will be writing about Indiana Gregg again!

10 Aug 22, 2008 at 20:27 by enigmax

:O

11 Aug 22, 2008 at 20:35 by Anonymous

Maybe a better attitude than “P2P is EVIL!!!” but he is still misguided. After all P2P helps an artist, not hurt. At best, he is promoting his rivals.

12 Aug 22, 2008 at 21:25 by Gargamel

Bet the British Government is just tickled pink that one of the biggest bands in the UK says they think sharing and downloading music is ok with them while they’re trying to make everyone believe its illegal and an act of Satan himself to download a song! lol.

13 Aug 22, 2008 at 22:23 by Nickey

Gotta love Oasis for this :)
I’m def. going to buy the album

14 Aug 23, 2008 at 01:10 by #YLS#

@ 11 – Gargamel

Sadly it isn’t that simple… Altho yes it’s a different situation and such but ultimately many people believe certain drugs should be legalised and many artists could back that line of thought… but most politians will tell you they smoked cannabis and that they ‘found it all rather unpleasant’, just to keep in with the ‘average’ voter.

Ultimately the Goverment will never be bothered by artists as it’s still the record companies paying them.

15 Aug 23, 2008 at 01:39 by Trabb

Yet another example (I still think Oasis are a bunch of wankers though) of how most of the anti-p2p bullshit is propagated by money snatching lawyers and private company’s. They’re all bitching because we’ve found a way of saving some of our hard earned cash from the black holes that are their bank accounts.

It probably won’t belong before there are people churning out crappy games for the sole purpose of making money by suing us all… oh wait, they already are..

16 Aug 23, 2008 at 02:18 by Tommy

At least his comments actually have some kind of resemblance to reality (kids not having enough money to buy the authorized copy getting a ripped one instead)

Still can’t work out why people think I have enough money to buy every single album or movie out there, gimme a million bucks and I might buy more CDs, but until that happens I’ll buy what I REALLY like and DL the rest.

17 Aug 23, 2008 at 02:33 by Anonymous

Is this real?

lol, that guy is dumb…

18 Aug 23, 2008 at 02:41 by Pixelated

At least he has a sense of humor about this. You know saying “I need to keep the Evian water topped up in my swimming pool” is funny because it shows how much these main stream musicians are really suffering from piracy.

I’m not really an Oasis fan anymore but I did see them when I was young (Before they were really known here in America) at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom. It was a good show. Their collective ego is really a turn off though.

19 Aug 23, 2008 at 03:58 by HelloWorld;

What the fuck is that? Who the fuck are Oasis? Why should we care about his opinion? Why should we care about him? Why the fuck we need to read this ‘free publicity for the band’ pointless article? Why the fuck? Why do we need to know how much CD’s he sold?
Pardon my language, but I really dont see what’s so special about the article. Zero information, 100% pure advertisement.

Oh, I get it. Nothing better to write about, huh?

20 Aug 23, 2008 at 04:00 by HelloWorld;

You can delete the previous message, if you like, but since you dont have nothing to waste your time on, please atleast respond.

Again, sorry for my language.

21 Aug 23, 2008 at 06:37 by HelloWorld;

On the other hand, its still news… Sucky news, but…

22 Aug 23, 2008 at 10:02 by Zivs

Faceless records – ha ha ha. That’s history. Only thing that record companies prove is that they are retarded as always.

I would like to hear what they have to say about [flac + artwork + cue] thing…? :D The ultimate way to store records! O – I forgot, it is free, damn… :D

23 Aug 23, 2008 at 10:46 by happymal

Ok…so does anyone know of a good internet service provider in the UK who has NOT signed up to hanging anyone who dares to download a tune or ten?

24 Aug 23, 2008 at 10:50 by Hey

@25

That isn’t the albums artwork, that is just shit you look at once and never again. Do you browse it with yer fking picture viewer and think you got the real deal? Too bad, mate.

Sure it’s better than nothing, but everything’s better than nothing, so..?

It’s not even close to being the same. I.m.o.

25 Aug 23, 2008 at 17:12 by Stating the Obvious

Or, for .25 cents worth of paper, and .004 cents worth of toner, you can create your OWN album art.

For 1 USD, you can have a jewel case… and with a little effort… and some scissors!

WOW! for a dollar and a quarter you can have your very own Album replica, with Album Art, and saved 20 bucks!

Amazing…

26 Aug 23, 2008 at 17:13 by Anonymous

やっぱり顔をさらすとね・・・。

化粧で完璧にメークして別人のようになれるならいいかもしれませんけど。

27 Aug 23, 2008 at 17:14 by Anonymous

heh

障子の向こう側から覗いています。
洗濯物干しているから、はずかしいよ。

え：お客さん、そんなところに干されら困りますよ。

28 Aug 23, 2008 at 17:14 by Anonymous

旧ドラム１ヘッドから最新の３ヘッドにした直後は
物足りないとオモタが股間回りの処理能力の高さにビックリした。オススメだな
投資額は増えるがシェイバーは専用機必須。
同時にシェイバーの刃の潤滑専用オイルも買っておけ。

29 Aug 23, 2008 at 17:15 by Anonymous

※※※ちゅうい※※※
◆捨てアド激しく推奨
◆女装×女装か女装×純男か複数プレイは各自任意で
◆いちゃいちゃ、痴話喧嘩はメールでしないと許さないよ
◆ハメ撮りさらさらは双方合意の上でね。でもモザイクは忘れずに
◆ゴムと爪切、歯磨きはマナー
◆女装あきの体はとっても繊細なの、乱暴にしないで優しく扱ってね
◆レポ（オカズ）提供をお願いします
◆女装あきは都心だけじゃないよ
◆女装あきに過度な期待をするのは　だ　め　よ
◆微妙でも態度に出さないスレで愚痴らない
◆女装娘さんより男の子のほうから積極的に晒していきましょう
◆自分の身は自分で守る。全て自己責任でお願いします

30 Aug 23, 2008 at 18:49 by Robert Johnson

This is quite interesting, because Oasis sold most of those 50 million units during the file-sharing age.

Would it be ‘that’ difficult for Gallagher to admit that the internet age has ‘helped’ sell many millions of those units?

31 Aug 24, 2008 at 01:11 by Norm

Noel is right guys, don’t download any Oasis stuff…

Cuz it ain’t worth downloading. It’s crap.

32 Aug 24, 2008 at 02:14 by Bob

if your fans are pirates, don’t piss off your fans.

33 Aug 24, 2008 at 11:39 by lol

cool dude this Noel
and he helps to promote other bands
cheers

34 Aug 24, 2008 at 11:48 by lol

@all
remember some guy, musical star, that went into politics and got shot? John Lennon was his name i think
Gotta be careful, Noel

35 Aug 24, 2008 at 13:50 by Josh

You would really go to that effort? just buy it u stingy bastard

36 Aug 24, 2008 at 15:14 by Homer

“Faceless discs”???

I guess Gallagher really doesn’t have a PC, otherwise he’d know about LightScribe or inkjet disc printers that have been available for years.

Then again, who the f**k still uses discs, when you can store your entire music collection on a DAP?

I guess he doesn’t have one of those either.

37 Aug 24, 2008 at 19:44 by The One & Only...

…sony walkman!

Dubbin tapes is still the best.

38 Aug 25, 2008 at 13:16 by Crimson

Ahhh, evolving moral decisions…

On the one hand, I intend to perpetrate economic justice on the parasitic corporations who have been sodomizing both creators and fans for the past several decades;

On the other had, I intend to reward creators of good work, with money.

So, do I buy the CD, or no?

If I buy it, $13 out of $16 goes to the parasites.

If I don’t buy it, $0 of out $x goes to the creator I want to support.

Decisions, decisions…

39 Aug 25, 2008 at 16:33 by anon

@36
talk about stating the obvious.

As far as this goes i wouldn’t say noel is getting involved in politics, just commenting on the press from the reported leak of the album. He, along with most other artists seems to realise that downloading is going to go on either way and nothing he can say will stop it. Better to try and get file-sharers on your side than turn them against you. As far as his comments against other bands go, I reckon noel had his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.

40 Aug 26, 2008 at 21:35 by Anonymous

JUST SAY NO TO DRUGS, NOEL!

41 Aug 29, 2008 at 07:38 by craig

you can get the full album of your choice down in a short time,and if
you rearly miss the album art theres always cdcovers.com to get what you fancy.so noel,listen ,im not wasting my time or electric on any of your albums mate,theres better material on the sound waves now and you know it!!!!

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