25 Essential Non-Oasis Songs By The Brothers Gallagher

This article was originally published on Respect My Region

Collective responsibility is one of the many perks of being in a band. That being the case, it couldn’t have been easy for Liam Gallagher to learn to do more than just play his part. While he perfected the role of fronting Oasis for nearly two decades, his older brother and co-frontman Noel wrote majority of their songs but seldom took centerstage – a spot that was and still is reserved for the younger one.

When the group came crashing down in 2009, big brother walked away from the band and left Gallagher Jr. directionless. After a brief stint with the remaining members of the group under the name Beady Eye, Liam disappeared from the music circuit for a few years. By 2017, he had grown into his big-boy parka after coming to terms with the fact that his name would have to bear all the burden moving forward. Meanwhile, Noel had wasted no time before putting out his first record under the High Flying Birds moniker as he had grown noticeably content with singing lead vocals toward the final years of Oasis.

There’s nothing all that complex about the material both siblings published during their 15 years apart, but not everyone wants their music from eccentric geniuses.

Liam’s output has been rather unadventurous because he has never been one to experiment or stray from the formulas that have served him well in the past. There is, however, a distinct inimitability to his voice that makes his brand exclusive. Add to that his trademark body language — a standing manspread, both arms fixed behind his bottom, head tilted backward, mouth wide open and ready to swallow a towering microphone — and you have the quintessential rockstar.

Why does he always hold a tambourine or a pair of maracas when absolutely no one can hear it? And can he even write songs without help? Ultimately, none of this really matters because he has a sea of fans who have accepted him for who he is. After all, what’s not to love about a foul-mouthed Manchester City hooligan in his 50s?

Noel, on the other hand, does not possess such distinguishing qualities. He might have the same following, but when he tries something new, it doesn’t quite stand out the same way. Because a song by him could be a song by anyone in the absence of Liam’s trademark touch, he has let his pen do most of the talking throughout his solo stint. In his growing self-awareness, the Britpop pioneer’s youthful arrogance has turned into a greying acuity that is, at its core, still rock ‘n’ roll.

As the Brothers Gallagher gear up for their group’s reunion next year, Respect My Region has done a deep dive into some of their best work outside Oasis.

“Mars to Liverpool” – Liam Gallagher & John Squire (2024)