I'm surprised that people were surprised that we'd be able to make good music without Noel Gallagher. I'm surprised and a bit disappointed that people think Noel Gallagher is the brains behind everything. I've been doing this for 18 years, Gem's been doing it longer, they know how to write music – and I certainly know how to sing. We know how to put on a gig and we know how to write a tune, so I was disappointed in people's lack of support in it, but they're coming around slowly but surely.
The last few recordings with Oasis, you took a more hands on approach as a songwriter. Did that prepare you to put out a full album now?
I could never, ever make a full album on my own; I definitely need to be in a band. I enjoy writing the odd tune and putting it on the album if it's good enough, but my main thing is singing. I'll sing anyone's song if it's good and it turns me on. I like playing the guitar around the house, and if it's tickling my fancy I push record on the Dictaphone and if it's good I'll explore it and if it's not I'll do something else.
The project seemed to come together fairly quickly. What was the recording process like compared to Oasis; was it less tense?
Normally Noel would do all the guide vocals, so I'd be listening to Noel's voice pretty much all the way through the bloody album, and then I'd sing at the end. I think the playing would sort of go around Noel's voice, and as much as he's great and all that; he's not rock and roll, is he? [In Beady Eye] I stuck in the vocals early on which I think helped the music -- we didn't really have to fill too much out, because once my vocals were done it kind of filled the sound out anyway. Before, with Oasis, everything would be filled out and then my voice would have to fight against the rest of the song, so I enjoyed this, I felt like I was more part of the band than just the singer.
Tell me about the World of Twist song you cover, "Sons on the Stage," that's available as the bonus track?
That's the song our DJ used to play before we came on. I went to see them in 1989, I think, at the Ritz in Manchester, or 1990 – I'm not sure of the date. They were a mega band, some great tunes, great album and we decided to play it and it felt good. It doesn't sound like us really, it sounds like The Who a bit.
They're a band not many people know about outside England; but they had that great cover of The Stones' "She's a Rainbow" that Martin Hannett produced.
That's right; yeah...they were a top band man. It felt natural and we didn't have to work too hard at it and bosh – there you go.
Is it hard for you to not be singing those Oasis songs anymore?
