Where did Noel Gallagher get the album title Council Skies from?

17 January 2023, 19:51

Noel Gallagher on his new album Council Skies and more

The theme of Noel's new album takes him back to Burnage in the early 90s... but what was the other inspiration behind the title? The Chief has explained all to Radio X...

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are back - The Chief has announced details of his fourth solo album, Council Skies, which is to be released on 2nd June.

Read more: Noel Gallagher announces new album Council Skies

The album has a nostalgic theme, looking back at Noel's upbringing in the Manchester. In his own words, the LP is "going back to the beginning. Daydreaming, looking up at the sky and wondering about what life could be…

The album's cover photo is shot by Mancunian photographer Kevin Cummins, with the band's live equipment set up on the original centre spot of where Maine Road Football Stadium once stood.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Council Skies album cover. Picture: Press

The theme of childhood and youthful dreams has also filtered into the album's title. Speaking on the Radio X Evening Show with Dan O'Connell, Noel explained the inspiration behind the name.

"The title comes from a book by the artist Pete McKee. I was writing the song which was to become Council Skies, but it wasn't called Council Skies. There's a bit in the song when I was writing it, where a phrase was missing - I didn't know what that phrase was gonna be."

Noel went on: "Pete's book happened to be on my coffee table at home. So I called him up and said, Can I use this title? And he said yeah. And I rewrote the song and then subsequently a lot of other things started to fall into place."

Young Noel Gallagher setting out on his rock'n'roll adventure back in 1992, when he was a roadie for Manchester band Inspiral Carpets. Picture: Peter J Walsh/PYMCA/Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Asked if he though that Council Skies saw a more "spiritual" Noel, the musician replied: "I'm not religious in any way I'm not spiritual, although I do believe in the universe.

"The album seems to be quite reflective and some people who've heard it say it's quite autobiographical, which I don't get. But I guess the album if it has any theme would be quite reflective, maybe? I don't like to pin themes of albums down, because I think people should make their own minds up."

Pete McKee's Council Skies book from 2019. Picture: PeteMcKee.com

"I guess to me, it reminded me of my youth and all my dreams all took place underneath the council skies."

Noel added: "The term 'council skies' is a particular shade of blue that he uses when he's painting his backdrops. So the colour blue is a particular thing he calls Council Skies. I thought, this is amazing. I was quite honoured that he said I could use it. He's a good friend, top man."