Noel Gallagher says Glastonbury 2020 cancellation was "for the best"

25 March 2020, 15:27 | Updated: 27 March 2020, 13:01

Noel Gallagher and Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage
Noel Gallagher and Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage. Picture: 1.Mariano Regidor/Redferns/Getty Images 2. Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The former Oasis rocker has given his take on the decision to postpone the 50th anniversary of the festival, where he was due to perform.

Noel Gallagher has said it was right for Glastonbury Festival 2020 to be cancelled.

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Last week the festival announced that its 50th anniversary celebrations would be postponed until 2021 due to the outbreak, with festival organisers Michael and Emily Eavis calling it their "our only viable option."

Since the, the former Oasis guitarist has called into Matt Morgan's Funny How? podcast this week, where he talked about making his music, self isolating and the cancellation of major festivals and events amid the pandemic.

Asked how he feels about not being able to play the famous Somerset festival this year, he said: "I thought it’s for the best that it was cancelled.

"It wasn’t unexpected that it was going to get cancelled, and it’s better that it did."

However, quizzed about whether he stands to lose any money from the festival slot, the This Is The Place singer joked: "No, no, no. ‘Cause you don’t get paid anyway!”

"The rest of the shows, I was kinda looking forward to them actually," added Gallagher, when speaking about his other postponed live dates.

"I haven’t played for like six months and it was going to be nice to get back into it, but what can you do?"

Glastonbury 2020 cancellation: Refunds, resales, deposits, line-up and more

Matt Morgan's Funny How? podcast
Matt Morgan's Funny How? podcast. Picture: Radio X

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Gallagher also talked about life in his new home "in the sticks," where he said it was "easy" to socially distance from others.

“I don’t see anybody anyway," he revealed. "I go ride my bike round by where I live, but you don’t stop to talk to anyone”. No I don’t really see anybody.”

Asked if he could just easily shut the door and stay in with his family, he responded: "Ah yeah, easy.”

Many artists are using this time of social distancing and self-isolation to write and play new music, with Bono sharing a song he wrote while self-isolating on St. Patrick's Day in Dublin.

It looks like while Noel hasn't written any songs inspired by the coronavirus, it does appear he is putting his free time to use by writing new material.

When asked if he was using the time to write a concept album, he replied: “I have been writing. I’ve not been writing a concept album, though.”

Listen to episode 10 of Matt Morgan's podcast in full here:

Coronavirus: Festivals and gigs cancelled and affected due to the pandemic