Liam and Noel Gallagher 'never argued once' in front of former drummer Zak Starkey
Oasis' former drummer, Zak Starkey, has claimed he never saw Liam and Noel Gallagher exchange "one cross word" during his five years with the band.
Former Oasis drummer Zak Starkey says he never witnessed an argument between former enemies Liam and Noel Gallagher once during his stint in the Britpop band.
The son of Beatle Sir Ringo Starr's tenure with the Supersonic rockers lasted between 2004 and 2008, and despite their public spats on stage, the sticksman insists they never argued around him.
He told the New York Post: “I played with them for five years, and all we did was laugh. They never even argued once. Not one time."
“We toured for 140 shows. We made two great records. We rehearsed. We hung out all the time. Never one. Never one cross word in five years.”
Liam abruptly walked offstage halfway through Champagne Supernova at Italy’s Heineken Jammin’ Festival in June 2005, cutting the performance short. The brothers’ famously fiery dynamic resurfaced again in the 2007 tour documentary Lord Don’t Slow Me Down, where Liam and Noel were captured exchanging tense words during the Don’t Believe the Truth world tour.
Photo: Avalon
Starkey was left gutted after finding out he wouldn't be behind the kit for Oasis' first tour in 16 years.
He said of the Oasis Live' 25 tour, which saw the band joined by new drummer Joey Waronker: "Noel called me on my birthday to tell me I wasn’t in [Oasis]. He didn’t know it was my birthday though! I would like to be in it, because they’re my favourite group of my generation. The thing about groups that you love – like The Who or Oasis – is that it’s not a job. It’s about protecting music so that no **** does it wrong, because for so many people it’s a job and they don’t really care.
“When it’s your favourite band, you pick up the phone and you’re like, ‘F****** hell!’ It’s completely different to everything else. I f****** love Oasis. I always did. I always had this thing with Liam [Gallagher] for years from the mid-90s where I’d go, ‘Alright Daffers? Still the greatest rock’n’roll singer in the world?’ and he’d go, ‘Alright Zakky Wakky, still the greatest rock’n’roll drummer in the world?’ This went on for years until I was in [the band]. I couldn’t believe it.”
Oasis split after a backstage bust-up between the siblings at their final concert at Paris' Rock en Seine festival in 2009. The Oasis Live '25 tour marked their first jaunt in 16 years since that fateful night.
