Petitions, Turds and Choice Words: the strange feud between Noel Gallagher and Dave Grohl
A powerful man is one who does not fear making enemies, and across his time in the music industry, Noel Gallagher has made more than a few. Usually, this comes down to the Oasis songwriter’s unwillingness to keep his opinions to himself, voicing his approval or – more often – disapproval of a variety of groups over the years. Everybody from Lewis Capaldi to the Kaiser Chiefs has been insulted by Gallagher in scathing tones, but Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl seems to be a continued target.
Back in the early days of Oasis, Noel clearly found inspiration in the songwriting and performance of grunge icons Nirvana. After all, the Kurt Cobain-fronted outfit completely rejuvenated the rock scene of the early 1990s, playing the genre back into the hands of young, DIY artists as opposed to flash, bubblegum rock acts like Guns N’ Roses. Noel has repeatedly complimented Cobain’s music and songwriting, even borrowing the riff for ‘Lithium’ for the Oasis track ‘Some Might Say’ despite the fact he stood in opposition to the mopier side of their outlook.
Seemingly, though, the songwriter’s praise for Cobain does not extend to the rest of Nirvana, particularly not its drummer, Dave Grohl. As we all know, following the tragic end of Nirvana, Grohl emerged from his drum kit and began to establish himself as the frontman and guitarist of Foo Fighters. In the following decades, the band have amassed legions of dedicated fans and something of a legendary reputation for their live performances. Throughout it all, though, Gallagher has not been entirely convinced.
The Oasis songwriter has never shied away from slagging bands off and has made more than a few comments about Foo Fighters over the years. In contrast, Grohl and the band have been outspoken about their love of Oasis and appreciation for Noel Gallagher as a songwriter and Liam Gallagher not only as a singer but also as a friend. Noel’s songwriting seems to be where Grohl’s appreciation ends, however.
One of rock’s most unsuspecting battles, Grohl and Noel have aimed a fair few insults at each other over the years. During one interview in 2018, Noel pondered, “Dave Grohl, what is he all about?” Before adding the crushing blow, “It’s kind of like rock has killed rock and roll”.
Grohl, meanwhile, once argued, “I loved Oasis, but nobody wants to be Noel, do they? I’m in a great band, but even I want to be Liam”. If there is any sure-fire way to strike a nerve with Noel Gallagher, it is comparing him to his brother.
One of the most bizarre and humorous moments within this feud came when Foo Fighters headlined the Reading Festival back in 2019. During their set, drummer Taylor Hawkins covered his kickdrum with an image of Oasis-era Liam and Noel, and Grohl asked the crowd, “How many people wanna see Oasis fucking play a show?”
The frontman also added, “One of these days, we’ll get Oasis back. Let’s sign a petition. Everyone here, OK?”
Of course, this onstage speech soon made its way back to Noel, who seemed bemused by the entire situation. “Any Oasis fans in the house? Fuckin’ love that shit. Is anyone gonna sign the petition Dave Grohl wants to get together to get us back together?” he asked an audience in San Diego, with his usual tongue-in-cheek approach, while performing with the High Flying Birds.
“I’d like to start a petition to get the Foo Fighters to split up,” the songwriter laughed, “If that would be at all possible.”
While Gallagher’s comments in San Diego were clearly made as a humorous jab at Grohl and the band, there is more than an underlying sense that they do seem to represent his true feelings on Grohl and company, being only one comment in a long-lasting spat between the two artists. Last year, after the pair bumped into each other at Glastonbury Festival, Gallagher said, “He was about 3ft away from me when I was watching LCD Soundsystem, and he was staying in the same hotel I was staying in.”
Adding, “I would just like him to wind his fucking neck in about Oasis. I wouldn’t talk to him.” Moreover, he also seemingly wouldn’t mind him winding his neck in about his solo work either, with Foo Fighters once dubbing his band, “The Low Charting Turds”.
Alas, eventually, Grohl did get the last laugh in some respect, as Oasis are scheduled to reform for a number of live performances next summer. Given his repeated tendency to annoy Noel Gallagher, though, it seems unlikely that the Foo Fighters singer will be given a guestlist spot at any of the scheduled performances unless granted by Liam, who performed with the Foo Fighters back in 2022.
