Little by Little | Noel Gallagher

Chapter 1

June 3 2022

"I hate sad songs. I don't want to put on a song and feel fucking miserable. What the fuck is that all about? I hear all these people – Adele, Harry Styles, Rising Sun, whatever – sing about how sad they are all the time and it's fucking boring. Get over it. I want my music to make people forget about their shit lives and have fun."

Amy Doherty sat in her dressing room, reading Rolling Stone's latest interview with Noel Gallagher. The interview where he'd slagged everything off from Manchester United, Brexit, his brother...to her own band, the Rising Sun.

"Slagged off by Noel Gallagher, a rite of passage for anyone in the music industry," she joked to her fellow band member and cousin, James

James sat his chair, twiddling his drumstick between his fingers. He frowned.

"The old man is trying to stay relevant. Oasis broke up when?" he said. "I am embarrassed for him."

"He's here apparently," said their third band member, and also their cousin, Michael.

Here was the BBC studios in London. The national broadcaster was televising a musical bonanza in the lead up to Glastonbury 2022. Several musical acts across several nights, where each act would play a few select songs, with an interview to follow. The whole concept was to celebrate live music being back after the pandemic.

Amy felt like there was more riding on it for them though. This wasn't a return to music after two years – The Rising Sun was returning after a four-year break from making and performing music.

Amy was the last join her cousin's band back in 2011, when she was mere 17 years old. Her older cousins – James, Michael and Sam – had been going nowhere without a strong singer, despite having some solid songs.

Amy loved singing and writing poetry – but never considered herself the lead singer of a band. She was more into musical theatre, and her poetry was just a way to clear her head. But one day, James had seen her writing and demanded she show him. He put her words to music, and then he soon asked to see more poems. Amy refused to show him unless he let her sing them. The rest was history.

She was the last puzzle piece, and their rise after that had meteoric. Between 2011 and 2017, The Rising Sun had written two albums and had gone to two world tours. They'd even supported U2 on their American tour. They'd gone from alternative rock band to mainstream success all before the were 30. Amy was only 23 when she said she needed a break.

They returned to their home country, Australia to relax. It took the pandemic for them all to find the passion again – and now they were back ready to perform live for the first time at Glastonbury in few weeks' time. BBC was a practise run for the big deal – and Amy was hoping their fans liked their different sound and she still had what it took to entertain an audience. Was it too sad like Noel Gallagher suggested?

"Is he? Need me to go mess up a bit Ames, for dissing your song?" Sam asked.

Amy was pulled out of her thoughts. She forced a laugh. She was an Oasis fan – who wasn't? It stung a little bit to read that Noel hated song. Particularly when it was the first song she'd written solely herself – music and lyrics – and it was about her relationship of five years which had ended last year. It had been his call.

"He's right – it's a disgustingly sad song," she said. "But at least my brother still speaks to me."

Her cousins laughed. She smiled, but she didn't feel it. She didn't feel the pang in her chest when she thought about him or talked about him anymore, just...nothing. Hollow. She wasn't sure she could through the highs and lows of love again. A BBC staffer knocked on their door.

"We're ready for you," she said smiling. Amy felt nerves ripple through her. After all this time, she still got nervous.

"Let's rock & roll," said Michael, winking at Amy on the way out.

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Noel Gallagher sat in his dressing room, a feed of the current act being recording right now, playing in the background.

"Mr Gallagher, you'll be on in 30 minutes. There's a short break after The Rising Sun before you," someone at his door said.

"Right," he said.

He was alone. He usually wasn't one to ask for his own dressing room, separate to his band, but today he was in a foul mood. He'd had a belter of an argument with his mother yesterday about Liam and why they couldn't get along, only to be followed by one with his ex-wife earlier that day. He'd holed himself away in a private room at the risk of wrecking any more relationships.

Not that Noel intended to destroy relationships. He called things as he saw them, and some people couldn't take that. That was fine. He liked being alone.

He eyes flicked to the television that was currently playing a live feed of what was happening in the studio. A woman in her late 20s sat at the piano playing a song. He'd heard it all over the radio that year. The Rising Sun her band was called, but he couldn't remember her name. It was a depressing song.

Yet watching her play her way though it – he could sense the loss and regret she sang of. There was great depth to her. She had talent.

The song finished and she made her way over to the interviewer.

"And now we're joined by Amy from the Rising Sun for a chat – so Amy, the band are back together!" said the interview.

Noel hated questions that weren't really questions.

"Well, we never really were apart," she said. "We just took a break for a while but during the pandemic I started writing again and here we are."

Noel watched the interview as it continued. He wouldn't admit it, but he couldn't keep his eyes off Amy. She spoke with so much joy and enthusiasm her hands moved when she spoke. Her eyes were bright and happy. Her beautiful smile lit up her whole face. It was hard to imagine her not being in total command of an audience.

"What can people expect from the new album, which is out after Glastonbury right?"

"Well...Michael got married and I got dumped, so it's varied emotions I'd say."

Noel laughed. She was funny, too. He kept watching.