Noel Gallagher makes brutal dig at Sam Smith in rant over the state of music
HE has taken a pop at a string of big-name artists, from Blue frontman Damon Albarn and Harry Styles to Little Mix and his old Oasis nemesis Robbie Williams.
But now Noel Gallagher has turned his attention to Sam Smith.
In a candid new interview, the High Flying Birds rocker moaned about the state of music today and admitted he believed that Sam was part of the problem.
Speaking on Dutch radio station Kink, Noel said: “Music has become quite fractured and chart music is dominated by pop. Pop music is alright if the pop stars are cool. Sadly the stars of today are f***ing idiots.”
When asked who he thought was the worst culprit right now, Noel immediately fired back: “Sam Smith.”
And when he was questioned on why he had chosen the Unholy singer, the former Oasis star ignored Sam’s they/them pronouns and quipped: “Look at him!”
In my opinion, Noel is making a fair point and I have made my feelings crystal clear on some of Sam’s recent chart choices — including that bleak video for I’m Not Here To Make Friends.
This isn’t the first time Noel has had a pop at Sam.
In 2015 the rocker was asked what he thought of Sam’s stage presence.
Noel replied: “Sam Smith just stands there like Boy George in a coma.”
Legacy set in stone
Noel did, however, manage to find some praise for Irish rock band Inhaler.
Asked about the up and coming groups he rated, Noel said: “In terms of unsigned bands . . . people do send me things from time to time that I do think are pretty good. Inhaler — they’re good lads, great band. I’ve known the singer since he was about three years old.
“They’ve been hammering away for quite a while, actually. It’s great they’ve just broken through in the last couple of years. They’re very dedicated and they’re into it.”
Aside from Inhaler, there is one other person who’s been saved from Noel’s acerbic wit recently — his brother Liam.
The siblings appear to have finally put their feud to bed after a decade of bust-ups.
And while Liam has been keen to fan the flames of a possible Oasis reunion, Noel has remained a little more coy and instead revealed he looks back on their success as one of his proudest achievements.
He said previously: “I don’t have any problem reconciling with the past.
“Oasis was the greatest thing that’s ever happened in my life to me, ever, and ever will be. You’re on stage in those mega, mega gigs that we did and seeing it and, you know, we started from a council estate in south Manchester.
“To get that big is the most incredible thing ever . . . the fact that group is embedded in people’s heads is an amazing, amazing thing.”
Noel added: “Ninety-nine per cent of songwriters in the world would want what I’ve had. My legacy with Oasis is set in stone, it’s done.”
And there is only bigger and better to come.
Perrie and Jade mix it up in LA
LITTLE Mix never made it big in America, so perhaps California was the ideal place for a low-key mini-reunion.
Perrie Edwards shared this photo of herself hanging out with Jade Thirlwall at the weekend, after both flew to Los Angeles to work on their solo music.
She wrote on Instagram: “Geordies in Santa Monica (a Sunday dinner in the red-hot heat just screams Brits abroad).”
Jade commented: “No one else I’d rather have a Yorkshire with while sweating our t*ts off.”
But clearly bandmate Leigh-Anne Pinnock was missing them.
She wrote: “FOMO” – the acronym for “fear of missing out”.
S Club 7 helps son find love
S CLUB 7 have just announced their 25th anniversary reunion tour, and singer Jo O’meara’s teenage son is taking full advantage of the return.
Jo explained: “My son is just using me now to get girlfriends.
“Before I really wasn’t cool, but now he’s realised he can use it to his advantage. He’s like, ‘You know who my mum is? Can I get your number?’.”
Hannah Spearritt admitted she doesn’t quite have that problem yet, as her two daughters aren’t old enough to comprehend her fame.
She said: “My kids are so little I don’t know if they’ve really thought about it. They know Mummy sings and they think I’m on the telly all the time.
“But every blonde person on telly they’re like, ‘There’s Mummy’. It’s cute.”
You’ll Di of cold Kristen
KRISTEN Stewart has always been one of Hollywood’s edgiest actors.
And she once again proved her mettle as she braved sub-zero temperatures at the Berlin Film Festival this weekend.
The Twilight star, who most recently wowed as Princess Diana in 2022 movie Spencer, wore a racy mesh gown with just a pair of strategically-placed pockets and some granny pants to keep her warm.
It makes Di’s famous revenge dress look tame.
Ed’s up for Ibiza club fun
WITH 13 No1 singles and four chart-topping albums – plus a reported £165million fortune – Ed Sheeran is one of the most successful men in music.
But the Shape Of You singer has made sure his feet remain firmly on the ground by surrounding himself with the same group of pals he has had since he was a kid.
And according to Ibiza club owner Wayne Lineker – the lower rent brother of Match Of The Day host Gary – Ed treats his pals to a huge blowout on the White Isle every year.
Wayne, who owns celebrity haunt Ocean Beach in Ibiza, said: “Ed loves it, he comes to the island every year.
“He brings his school- mates. He’s done it every single year since they’ve left school.
“He flies them out on a private jet, and the last seven or eight years he’s come to Ocean.”
Speaking to the Saving Grace podcast, Wayne added: “He is the loveliest man you will ever meet.
“He’s so humble, bless him. He’s a really nice guy.”
I never thought I would say this, Wayne, but I could not agree with you more.
Harry's a smash hit at lido
Harry Styles fans who live in London may want to keep their eyes peeled next time they are visit Hyde Park.
Swimmers at the Serpentine Lido have revealed the singer has started swimming there in recent weeks.
One told me: “Harry has been spotted a few times.
“He is pretty low-key but is very recognisable thanks to his tattoos.
“You can see people edging a little closer to try to get a glimpse of him.”
I expect some of the former One Direction star’s fans will now be digging out their trunks and swimsuits to join in the fun.
I reckon I’ll be giving it a miss, though.
Just the thought of taking the plunge this early in t
Fashion fussy Kim is going four it
KIM Kardashian wore four Dolce & Gabbana outfits in one day in Milan.
I guess it’s hard to choose.
Date night is A-O-Kaia for Austin
FOR me, date night usually involves pizza and a bottle of cheap plonk.
So Austin Butler – here with his Best Actor Bafta for Elvis – put us all to shame by taking Kaia Gerber to LA’s fancy Chateau Marmont on Friday to mark a year together.
They were at W mag’s Annual Best Performances Party, which is where the beautiful pair first made their romance official and trod the red carpet together.
Probably for the best . . . neither look like they’re up for a stuffed crust.
Zara out on brown
ZARA Larsson got leathered for her spot performing at London nightclub Heaven on Saturday.
The Swedish singer wore this brown leather miniskirt with matching top and boots for her appearance in the early hours.
She performed her hits Lush Life and Words as well as current single Can’t Tame Her.
It’s good practice for next Sunday, when she will perform the new song on ITV’s Dancing On Ice during the semi-final.
Zara has spent recent weeks putting the finishing touches to her forthcoming album, which will be her first since 2021’s Poster Girl.
And she has teased it will be her most eclectic release yet.
If the songs are anywhere near as catchy as Can’t Tame Her, she won’t go far wrong.
Nuptials not Major, Tom
TOM Grennan and his Italian girlfriend Danniella Carraturo have started planning their wedding after finding the perfect venue.
But the All These Nights singer, who popped the question to personal trainer and Pilates instructor Danniella last summer, will not be going down the usual celebrity route with an enormous, lavish bash.
Tom said: “We’ve just found a venue, it’s abroad, it will be nice.”
But he added: “I come from a big Irish family and Irish weddings are, like, four days long and 500 people come to it and it’s a mad, big occasion. I’m not doing an Irish wedding, I can’t do a big wedding.
“It has to be small and intimate, friends and family – the most important people – not cousins of cousins.” There is another thing Tom will insist on.
He said: “I don’t want any phones at our wedding. I feel like I’m going to upset a few people.”
Speaking on podcast Phone In, the star also downplayed his stag do and insisted that too would be an understated affair.
He said: “If I go on a stag do, I don’t want a stripper. It’s not for me.
“I want to go to a few pubs, close them down and get an Irish band in there.”
That sounds like a pretty good plan, Tom.
If mine was anything to go by, I would maybe ask your mates to leave their phones in the hotel for that one as well.