Oasis star joins Paul Weller for exclusive Total Guitar interview
30/01/09 – Encouraging kids to play the guitar, favourite bands and the rise of Guitar Hero and videogames are just three of the topics up for discussion as music legends Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller speak exclusively to the UK’s bestselling guitar magazine, Total Guitar.
The double-header interview sees the two British legends reunite for their first joint Total Guitar in over a decade. Catching the stars backstage at a Paul Weller gig, the influential songwriters and guitarists discussed why they learned to play.
Gallagher credits the guitar for saving him from a life of crime – as it moved him away from friends in dead end jobs, or spending life as a drug dealer:
“There’s one less criminal in Burnage because I picked up the guitar. There’s one less shoplifter in Manchester,” the Mancunian musician revealed.
Veteran guitarist Paul Weller – whose career began in 1978 predicted a bright future for the guitar – as he proclaimed “Guitar music will never die. It goes away for a bit sometimes, then it always comes back with a bang.” The Modfather also namechecked The Enemy, The Rifles, Little Barrie, Arctic Monkeys, Black Mountain and the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs as his favourite current acts.
Britrock’s elder statesmen differed on the rapid rise of videogames and music-making games like Guitar Hero, where gamers “play along” with music by following colour coded sequences on screen.
Noel said:
“When I meet kids I always say to them playing a guitar is not a f*cking videogame, there is no level to get to. You’ll never master it and you’ll never complete the game.” The Oasis star felt Guitar Hero was better than more traditional videogames as “It’s better than two goblins trying to f*ck a donkey up the arse with a laser beam.”
The Modfather admitted not yet picking up Guitar Hero himself, but supported anything to encourage people to pick up a real guitar :
“I’ve never heard of it. I suppose I’m a bit old fashioned. Whatever your entry point into music is, it has to be a good thing. It’s just so worthwhile getting into.”
Also in the February issue of Total Guitar: a guitar lesson that promises to take you ‘Beyond Basics’, how to play the best riffs off Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Chinese Democracy’ and a round-up of gig-worthy guitars under £200.
The full eight-page interview features in the February issue of Total Guitar on sale Wednesday, 28th January with a cover price of £4.99.
ENDS
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