"Liam IS Oasis" Noel Gallagher 2000
This is an intriguing interview, despite the interviewer being a bit pushy and overly critical. Noel starts off rather sombre and in low spirits, but surprise, surprise perks up when the topic comes round to Liam.
It's worth watching the whole video. Reading the transcript, Noel might come off as somewhat flippant but his tone is gentle throughout. You will want to hear him call Liam 'William'. Softly. Twice. And watch him smile afterwards.
17:40
Int: Did Liam make you stay with the band?
Noel: Only in the sense that he would never let me leave the band anyway because he would make me rejoin the band because he knows its easier for me to be in the band than have him on the phone at me twenty-four hours a day going, “Come on, let’s go back in the studio, write some songs, come on, let’s go on tour.” He just nags at you all the time. Even during that year off, after about six weeks he was on the phone saying, “Right, what’s going on,” and I’m saying, “Nothings going on,” "Well have you written any songs,” “No I don’t intend to write any songs for another 8 or 9 months.” He’s just like a hyper active little kid isn’t he. But he would annoy me back into the band if I ever left - just to shut him up.
When asked if he thought having Lennon had changed Liam:
Noel: [...]I’ve noticed a little tiny change but nothing major really…because he would love you, or the people at home out there in TV land to believe he’s the rock and roll monster. And he lives up to that. When he turns the key - or when he turns the handle to leave the house and go out into the public domain - he then becomes Liam Gallagher. When he’s at home I know for a fact he’s just…William. He’s just William.
Int: Is Liam still mad fer it
Noel: Oh yeah totally. If I have any length of time off I’ve got other things I could be doing. I could be remixing for people, I could be writing. All that Liam does is sing in the band. And when I say all I don’t mean to demean him in any way whatsoever but he’s not a writer. I can go out - I went on tour with Paul Weller for a few months, just like opening up for him and stuff and I can go play guitar on other people’s records - Liam doesn’t have that so all he’s got is to be in the band. That’s what justifies his existence. If I take six months off, to him, that’s a six month prison sentence. He’s got to stay in for six months.
Int: […] It’s not that bad is it, like he’s nothing without the band?
Noel: No I’m not saying that. I'm not saying he's nothing. He’s still a geezer and all that but what I’m saying is like I’ve got other things to do. Liam doesn’t like anybody else to go sing on anyone else’s album - he hates everyone. He even hates me. He’s not into producing or anything so… he is Oasis, do you know what I mean? So if I say I’m going off for a year, what’s he gonna do? He’ll just go down the pub for a year.