Liam Gallagher: No-one wants to be in a band any more – it’s all solo stars

Liam Gallagher has claimed that “no-one wants to be in a band” any more, and said there is a greater focus on solo stars.

The 51-year-old musician, who was the lead vocalist of Britpop band Oasis, has teamed up with John Squire, former guitarist of The Stone Roses, to release new music.

Speaking to The Guardian about the musical landscape in 2024, Gallagher said: “No-one wants to be in a band and share success these days. It’s all ‘me me me’ solo stars.”

Discussing his collaboration with Squire and their recently released single Just Another Rainbow, he said: “I’m a massive Stone Roses fan.

“They were the ones who got me into (being in) a band, so I know the rhythms.

“It’s not like I’m singing Trent Reznor out of the f***** Nine Inch Nails, d’you know what I mean?

“Not that I’m saying it was easy. I just make it look easy.”

Squire, 61, wrote the lyrics for their new material and Gallagher said the words resonated with him.

Asked if he had the power to veto any of the lyrics, Gallagher said: “If there were any kinky saucepot shenanigans going on, I’d obviously have pulled him up on it!

“But I remember getting the lyrics, thinking: it feels like me.”

The two have collaborated previously and co-wrote Love Me And Leave Me, released in 1997, which was recorded by Squire’s band The Seahorses, who supported Oasis on tour.

Speaking about their new musical partnership, Squire said: “I think we were both surprised at how complementary my guitar tone is with his voice and how the songs I’ve written worked for him.”

Gallagher added: “Squire’s got a lot more in him. People look at John as this guitar hero, but he definitely knows how to write a f****** song.”

Squire confirmed to the Guardian in 2019 that The Stone Roses had split.

Asked: “Is that really it for the Roses?” he simply replied: “Yeah.”

The guitarist joined Gallagher on stage at Knebworth in 2022, two gigs that took place almost 26 years on from the two concerts Oasis had performed at the same music venue in 1996.

Liam Gallagher’s band Oasis split in 2009, prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock En Seine festival in Paris, and since then he and his brother Noel have been embroiled in a feud.

Following their split, both brothers have had extensive solo careers.

Liam has had five chart-topping albums in the UK with As You Were (2017), Why Me? Why Not (2019), MTV Unplugged (2020), C’mon You Know (2022) and Knebworth 22 (2023).

At Reading And Leeds festivals this year the vocalist will take to the stage to sing the track list from Oasis’s debut album Definitely Maybe, 30 years on from its release.