Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Biography
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds is an English rock band formed in 2010 as the solo project of musician Noel Gallagher following his departure from the band Oasis in 2009. The group serves as both Gallagher's recording project and touring band. Over time, its line-up has included former Oasis members Gem Archer and Chris Sharrock, as well as bassist Russell Pritchard, formerly of The Zutons, and Mike Rowe (keyboard). Various guest musicians and collaborators have contributed to the band's recordings, including Johnny Marr, Paul Weller, Amorphous Androgynous, and the Crouch End Festival Chorus.
Following the dissolution of Oasis in August 2009, Gallagher began work on solo material. In July 2011, he announced the release of the band's self-titled debut album, "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds", which was issued in October of that year. The album produced several singles, including "The Death of You and Me", "If I Had a Gun...", "AKA... What a Life!", "Dream On", and "Everybody's on the Run". It reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and was later certified platinum in the United Kingdom. By 2015, the album had reportedly sold approximately 2.5 million copies worldwide.
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Gallagher has stated that the band's name was inspired by two sources. The prefix "Noel Gallagher's" was influenced by the album "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac", while "High Flying Birds" was derived from the song "High Flying Bird", notably recorded by Jefferson Airplane.
The origins of the project coincided with the end of Oasis. On 28 August 2009, shortly before a scheduled appearance at the Rock en Seine festival near Paris, the group's management announced the cancellation of the performance and the remainder of the band's European tour. Shortly thereafter, Noel Gallagher announced his departure from Oasis, effectively ending the band's activities.
On 6 July 2011, Gallagher formally introduced Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and announced plans for a self-titled debut album. He also revealed a planned collaborative project with the electronic and psychedelic music duo Amorphous Androgynous. Although the collaboration was initially intended for release in 2012, it was ultimately not issued as a full album. Material from the sessions later appeared in other forms, including the song "Shoot a Hole into the Sun", which was released on the EP "Songs from the Great White North" in 2012.
The initial touring line-up included Mike Rowe on keyboards, Jeremy Stacey on drums, Russell Pritchard on bass, and guitarist Tim Smith. The band's debut album entered the UK Albums Chart at number one and became one of the best-selling rock albums in the United Kingdom in 2011.
Work on a second studio album began in the following years. In October 2014, Gallagher announced "Chasing Yesterday", which was released on 2 March 2015. The album's singles included "In the Heat of the Moment", "Ballad of the Mighty I", and "Riverman". The release was supported by tours across Europe and North America, as well as appearances at festivals. During the subsequent tour, Jeremy Stacey left the touring band to join King Crimson. He was replaced by Chris Sharrock, who had previously performed with both Oasis and Beady Eye. Despite his departure from the live line-up, Stacey continued to contribute to studio recordings.
In 2016, Gallagher began work on a third studio album. During rehearsals in 2017, Gem Archer joined the band, reuniting with Gallagher after their time together in Oasis. The group also participated in "We Are Manchester", a benefit concert held to mark the reopening of Manchester Arena following the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
The band's third studio album, "Who Built the Moon?", was released on 24 November 2017. It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and was later nominated for the 2018 Mercury Prize. The album reflected a broader musical palette than Gallagher's previous solo work, incorporating elements of psychedelic rock, glam rock, and pop. Around this period, Jessica Greenfield joined the touring line-up as a backing vocalist and keyboardist.
Between 2019 and 2020, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds released a series of EPs: "Black Star Dancing", "This Is the Place", and "Blue Moon Rising". The band also toured internationally, including performances with The Smashing Pumpkins and support dates for U2.
In April 2021, Gallagher announced the compilation album "Back the Way We Came: Vol. 1 (2011-2021)", the first greatest hits collection released under the Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds name. The album included previously released material alongside the new songs "We're on Our Way Now" and "Flying on the Ground". It reached number one on the UK Albums Chart.
Following the compilation's release, Gallagher began work on a fourth studio album. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he released demo recordings including "We're Gonna Get There in the End" and "Trying to Find a World That's Been and Gone, Part One". The first official single from the new album, "Pretty Boy", featuring additional guitar work by Johnny Marr, was released in October 2022.
The band's fourth studio album, "Council Skies", was released on 2 June 2023. Additional singles from the album included "Easy Now". In 2023, the band also undertook a co-headlining North American tour with Garbage, with Metric appearing as a special guest. Later that year, the concert film "Live at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester" was released.
Throughout its history, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds has functioned as Gallagher's primary musical project following the end of Oasis, combining studio recordings with an evolving touring line-up and a range of guest collaborators.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noel_Gallagher%27s_High_Flying_Birds
Studio albums
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (2011)
Chasing Yesterday (2015)
Who Built the Moon? (2017)
Council Skies (2023)
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.