To mark the reissue of The Beatles album Revolver, Matt Wilkinson dives into the history of the recording sessions, what inspired it and what has been influenced by it since with Damon Albarn, Noel Gallagher, Clairo, King Princess, Glass Animals and Phoenix revealing their favourite tracks from the record.
Noel Gallagher on drugs influence on Revolver
“On Rubber Soul there is nothing far out and psychedelic on that. So in between those two albums, somebody's passed somebody a spliff and they've gone for it. So imagine being a Beatles fan at 14 and then getting into whatever it is, 16, being 18 and hearing that, fucking hell.
Because we hear it differently because we know everything that's gone since then. But imagine hearing it for the first time and nothing that's gone before it bears any resemblance to it. That's when all the Beatles girl fans started weeping in the streets because they were just like, what happened to the Beatles? They're getting fucking high!”
Noel Gallagher on British songwriters
Matt Wilkinson: "Did you ever talk to any of the Beatles about songwriting?”
Noel: “No, I don't really speak to other songwriters about songwriting because what would you say? I'm just of the opinion that everybody is the same, some people are just more talented than others.
“I get black cab drivers, oh, my son's playing guitar. Right, yeah. He's written a few songs pretty good actually. Right. Got any advice for him? Fuck no. I don't know. What am I going to fucking say to him? Try and write something as good as Don't Look Back in Anger, you little twat.
“I just see them as, they're kind of the same as me. I would imagine they don't like talking about it. Although McCartney is a massive Beatles fan. He's like the biggest Beatles fan. People will not accept that you don't have a fucking clue about “Don't Look Back in Anger” or who that girl is or any recollection of writing it. They get really annoyed because it's the song that saved their life and you have, I fucking don't know, I was waking up with a hangover and there it was.
“Ray Davies, Jagger and Richards and all the ones that we love we've all written culturally significant songs in youth culture anthems. But the thing, if people say, so what is it about the Beatles? It's just like, they've done it more. Their songs are more culturally significant and they did more of them. and they're just, yeah, they're a level above. And McCartney and Lennon are in it. Bob Dylan. After that you're kind of like, everybody's probably on a par after that, I would say.”
Noel Gallagher on The Jam being influenced by Taxman on Start
Matt: “Have you ever spoken to Weller about Start?”
Noel: “It might have been the second thing I ever said to him when he said to me, what was the tune? There was a tune out. He went, ‘fucking hell, mate. You’re sailing a bit closer to wind there, are you’ I was like, ‘really? I don’t think you’ve got a fucking leg to stand on, mate’. And yeah, he said that and I was like, fucking hell. Tax Man! But it wasn’t a thing then, do you know what I mean? Obviously when Start came out, I wasn’t as much of a Beatles fan as I would become. So when we heard Start at school, it was just fucking great. And then 10 years later (hearing Taxman) going, No way. Fucking hell. What!”
