November 28, 2011 9:15

Noel Gallagher says he blames Liam for Oasis' failure to break America

Guitarist says his brother's behaviour 'killed us stone dead in America'

Photo Gallery: Oasis
Photo: Dean Chalkley

Noel Gallagher has hit out at brother Liam, saying that he blames him for Oasis' failure to truly break America.

The guitarist, who released his debut solo album 'Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' on October 17 this year, has revealed that his brother bailed on the opening night of the band's US tour in 1996 after then wife Patsy Kensit called and said that they needed to buy a house.

Noel went on to say that his brother's behaviour "killed us stone dead in America" and that he blamed him "for Oasis never becoming as big in America as we were in England".

Speaking to The New York Times, Noel said of one of the band's early US tours: "As I'm getting on the plane he's getting off because his wife called, saying: 'We need to buy a house.' What they were doing for the previous three months is anybody's guess. Probably picking gnats out of each other's hair like monkeys."

He continued: "The first gig was a 16,000-seat arena, and the singer's not turned up. That killed us stone dead in America. This is rock'n'roll. Would Johnny Rotten have gotten a house on the eve of an American tour? Keith Richards? John Lennon? You either want it or you don't, and I blame him for us never becoming as big in America as we were in England."

Noel Gallagher tours the UK next year, with arena dates booked in February and September. You can watch a video of him discussing his solo album by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and clicking.

Video: Noel Gallagher : 'I Don't Know What People Expect'

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