Noel Gallagher - I don't think music should be clever, or av...or avant-guard, or artistic. I hate art in music. You know, all this pompous art rock like Sonic Youth and all that. Sticking guitars in dustbins and, you know, playing them with screwdrivers and that. I mean fuck art, let's rock. Norris - When you first started writing music, did people encourage you?

Noel Gallagher - No. People were laughing. Yeah. Going, "What are you doing?" I want to be a songwriter. "A songwriter? Why can't you be a drug dealer like the rest of us?"

Noel Gallagher - I find it hard to write lyrics. I have to go away sort of on my own with a suitcase somewhere and just sit, sit somewhere silently with a pen and a piece of paper.

Norris - Do you think you're getting better as a lyricist?

Noel Gallagher - Oh no. No. I started off really, really good, and then I, then I came be slightly above average, then I went, then I went to average, then I went to slightly below average, and now, now I'm just rubbish. Yeah, we're going down now...we're going down to an album of instrumentals.

Norris - One thing that sets Oasis apart from many bands is that their vocalist does not write their material. Noel is responsible for all of Oasis' music and lyrics - and that's just fine with brother Liam.

Liam Gallagher - It take a lot longer, you know what I mean, if we all sat down and started...Let's do this bit, I won't do that bit, I won't do that bit. It would just take, you know, I won't write these words to that, it would just take...You know, we don't have to sit down and do it together. It's best for him to just go off and do it on his own.

Norris - But some would say Noel's never really alone - he's always got the inspiration from his favorite band, The Beatles, whom he unapologetically tries to emulate.

Noel Gallagher - Yeah, the Beatles are, were, the ultimate, the ultimate pop band. They are the ultimate influence, you know. Everything, everything that I write I compare to the Beatles. I'd like to be in a Beatles covers band one day. Some, some might say that we are.

Noel Gallagher - This came about three years ago when we was, before we had a record deal and we wanted to do a Beatles cover so we put the most outrageous one that no one would ever even dream of doing. People would go "Ha, they're gonna attempt to play I Am The Walrus, this'll be funny, watch this." And they were going, you know, it's all right, isn't it?

Fan - I've heard all the comparisons with the Beatles. I think they're better.

Fan - Oh, they're better than the Beatles. Oh yeah, oh yeah. Not in the same league.

Fan - I don't think they sound a thing like the Beatles. I think they're just tryin' to rip them off.

Norris - Noel and company don't shy away from such accusations. In fact, they're even gone as far as borrowing some Lennon/McCartney references in the studio - sometimes blatantly.

Noel Gallagher - In the case of "Don't Look Back In Anger" I mean the opening piano riff is "Imagine". I suppose fifty percent of it's put there to wind people up. And the other fifty percent is sayin', "Look, this is, this is how songs like 'Don't Look Back In Anger' come about." Because they're inspired by songs like "Imagine". And what other people may think there's some kid out there somewhere, some thirteen year old kid, who'll read an interview and say, "Imagine", well I've never heard that song. And he might go and buy the album, you know what I mean?

Norris - And, of course, there are even Beatles references in Oasis videos. Can I ask you about the end of the "Champagne Supernova" video?

Noel Gallagher - I thought he was gonna write hello, but he can't spell hello, cause it's got two L's in it. So he wrote out help which I thought was quite...'Cause he does need help.

Liam Gallagher - It's just help, I need help (cries).

Noel Gallagher - Shit loads of it.