Noel Gallagher, songwriter and guitarist of the 1990s Britpop band Oasis, considers himself "the last of a dying breed" of rockstars. In his lengthy cover interview with Esquire UK for their December 2015 issue, Gallagher decries the current state of rock 'n' roll.
According to Gallagher, who is as well known for his music as he is his unapologetic cultural commentary, "Rock’n’roll is all about freedom and honesty.
Freedom of thought, freedom of expression. You have a duty to be honest
[...] To me, it’s about fucking utter gobshites
just being fucking headcases." Bands like his own, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Stone Roses, the Smiths, and the Kinks meet this criteria. These bands, for their personas as much as their music, are considered legendary and elite. Because of this, his critique of modern rock music can be analyzed within mass culture theory.
"Record companies now can sell a billion Ed Sheeran
downloads tomorrow morning. They don’t want someone like [...] me.
They want professionals. That’s what it’s become now." By 'professionals', Gallagher means musicians who make calculated decisions in relation to their careers and public personas, who participate in social media, and are conscious of their actions, and the public reactions they will garner. This hyper-awareness quickly snowballs into a perceived lack of authenticity, the very backbone of Gallagher's rock 'n' roll, which discredits the artist and removes his/her work from the elite tier, and into the common world to be celebrated by the masses. Gallagher continues his lament, tearing into contemporary rock bands: "This new generation of rock stars, they look great: [Arctic Monkeys frontman] Alex Turner, [...] the guys from Royal Blood. They’ve got the fucking skinny
jeans and the boots, and all that eyeliner. I’ve got a cat that’s more
rock’n’roll than all of them put together." Though they may look the part, their music is considered less valuable because they aren't rock 'n' roll by his standards. Neither Alex Turner nor Royal Blood are ever in the headlines for outrageous partying or insulting other bands, like Oasis were in their heyday; they're usually just selling out Madison Square Garden or putting out well-received albums. Though their success is comparable to that of the elite, they are not considered elite because they lack the spirit of rock 'n' roll.
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