24 June 2017

Noel Gallagher reveals Richard Ashcroft provided the inspiration behind ‘Sally’ in "Don’t Look Back In Anger"

Noel Gallagher has revealed who came up with the ‘Sally’ line in "Don’t Look Back In Anger."

Speaking at a Q&A event at Glastonbury Festival, Gallagher revealed that The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft actually provided the inspiration behind for the song.

“About a year ago I was doing a gig with Richard Ashcroft. I always thought it was Liam that came up with Sally, but Richard said ‘it was me'” Gallagher said.

“Richard Ashcroft claims he came up with the name,” he added. “But I got all the swimming pools and fucking massive TVs.”

Noel was introducing a screening of Supersonic at William’s Green. During the 10-minute talk he spoke about how his era of bands partied so hard, they might have ruined it for the new crop of rockstars.

“I think bands like Oasis, Primal Scream and The Verve – we might have ruined it. Because if your share price depends on us… well, then you can fuck off. Harry Styles isn’t going to be fucking coked up at Glastonbury. So we might have ruined it for the next generation.”

He also discussed the response from Manchester following May’s terror attack, and how ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ became an anthem for the city. “I gotta say, I was sat at home watching the minute’s silence when they starting singing, and for the first time in my life I was fucking speechless,” Gallagher said.

“I was honestly taken aback. Even now, I still don’t know what to say. The fact that people rallied around this song.”

Noel also iterated that he wasn’t playing the festival this summer – but that a new album is coming out later this year.
  • Source: NME, by Thomas Smith