Noel’s had his chance to get Oasis back together and he won’t… so I’m bringing it to the people, says Liam Gallagher

“I’M absolutely BUZZING for Knebworth – it is going be BIBLICAL.”

Liam Gallagher is ready for the biggest shows of his solo career.

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“It’s gonna be top. I can’t wait, man,” he says, barely able to contain his exuberance.

Tonight is the first of his two sold-out headline slots at Knebworth Park in Hertfordshire that kick off a summer of shows.

I’m chatting to the Mancunian legend as he prepares for the gigs which will see him perform solo hits and Oasis classics to fans old and new.

Not even his recent dodgy hip is giving him any problems.

Liam, 49, says: “I’ve had some injections, these steroid things, so now I’m f***ing buzzing,” he says.

“I’m like Wayne Sleep running around the house. Remember Louie Spence (the star of Pineapple Dance Studios)? Well, I’m like him as well.”

Liam adds: “It’s just good to be back doing some gigs. We’ve done our rehearsals and there’s just a few finishing touches to do. But it’s all there, man — I hope the weather stays nice.”

Knebworth is where Oasis played their era-defining gigs in 1996 when 250,000 mad-for-it fans packed into the Stevenage estate at the pinnacle of the band’s career.

Has it made Liam nostalgic for the old days and the band he fronted with his brother Noel? ‘Doing it for fans’ “No,” he answers defiantly.

“He’s had his f***ing chance to get the band back together and he doesn’t want to. So, I thought, if he doesn’t want to do it, then I’m gonna have to do it and bring it to the people. And that’s EXACTLY what I’m doing.

“I could have Sylvester Stallone on stage and Esther Rantzen playing bass and it wouldn’t matter. It’s about me and the fans. The reason I’m doing Knebworth again is because of the fans — that’s what the people want and I’m respecting them.

“Oasis ain’t getting back together anytime soon, so, we’re doing it for them. Hopefully we can deliver a good gig and have a good weekend.”

There’s no mincing his words when it comes to Liam’s estranged brother Noel, who split up Oasis in 2009 after the brothers’ relationship broke down.

Liam has no sympathy for his brother who was left needing stitches and covered in blood after being accidentally headbutted by Rúben Dias’s dad while celebrating Man City’s Premier League win.

“He’ll do anything to get in the Press, that kid,” says Liam.

One bandmate Liam will miss this weekend, though, is guitarist Bonehead who was diagnosed with tonsil cancer in April.

Liam says: “He’s gutted he can’t do the gigs, but there’s hopefully gonna be plenty more of them.

“He texted me last week — he was going in for radiotherapy. He seems to be just getting on with it.

“It was a huge shock. But they’ve said it’s curable so he’s just got to keep his head down. He’s in Manchester’s Christie hospital so he’s in the best place. Before you know it, he will be on stage with his lovely little slaphead.”

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On Wednesday night, Liam dedicated Rock ’N’ Roll Star to his friend when he headlined his beloved Manchester City’s Etihad stadium with a brilliant homecoming.

“Yes, Manchester!” he shouts, kicking off the set with Hello.

Liam tells me: “Winning the league was a lot of relief. It would have been a downer coming to the Etihad if we’d not won. It would still be mega because you’ve just got to get on with it. Rock ’n’ roll pays the bills and Man City give me the thrills.”

In typical Liam fashion, the singer was straight on Twitter and soon involved in a row with ex-Liverpool player Jamie Carragher.

Does he fear getting cancelled because of spats on social media?

“I had a great time last weekend with Jamie Carragher. I loved every minute of it,” he says.

“It was funny and he deserved it as he was talking s**t about my team. I don’t want to cause any harm to anyone. It’s just banter. “It was me having a f***ing ding dong about football. If I get cancelled for that when he goes around spitting in a kid’s f***ing face, you know there is something not right.

“I’ll never get cancelled because people like my f***Ing humour. I’m not scared of being cancelled and if it happens bring it f***ing on.

“I’m just glad City won. It’s a good job we weren’t in the Champions League Final because I need to focus and get on with the gigs.”

Moving on is something Liam has proved he can handle.

The former Beady Eye singer wasn’t everyone’s favourite to come out on top when Oasis went their separate ways. But three solo and two live albums on, he has proved something.

‘I’ve been lucky’

“I’m definitely still pinching my- self,” he admits. “I thought I’d gone down the sh**ter, man.

“But I do think Beady Eye was mega. I just think it was the band name that wasn’t. The tunes are great. If we’d called it Liam Gallagher I think it would’ve been a lot different.

“But I was with Andy Bell and Gem Archer who are respected musicians, so I didn’t mention going under my name. It just didn’t work out, but there you go.”

Liam says his solo success is down to a mix of old fans, new fans and making good music.

He says: “I’ve been lucky and there’s people who were there the first time for Oasis. People who are my age and have kids now who they’ve brought up on the music and want to hear the tunes.

“But the solo stuff is good and in 20 years time these tunes will be regarded as classics — just like the Oasis ones. It’s just the Oasis stuff has been around longer.

“People like the f***ing shit that comes out of my mouth. And I’ve not changed much have I? “I’m the same person as I was when I was 20. I dress the same, my haircut is pretty much the same. I’m still pretty cool. And I enjoy being on the stage more because that is where it is at.

“The Stones still do it. None of that Abba avatars. That’s not for me. Good luck to them. Each to their own but avatars? No, no, no, no, not a f***ing chance.”

Today Liam’s expected to top the album charts with third solo album C’mon You Know. It’s given him his best and most credible reviews yet.

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“Yeah, apparently so,” says Liam. “Yeah, it’s a good record. I’m just glad it’s out there now. It’s been sitting on the shelf for a bit waiting to be released. So I’m glad now people can either listen to it and love it or throw it in the bin.

“There’s a couple of tunes on there I wouldn’t normally do — a song called I’m Free which is dub reggae, but l nail it. I love all the songs but the one we did first, Sweet Children, is my favourite.

“Better Days was a bit poppy, which I thought was a bit odd at first, but we sort of dirtied it up a little bit and Diamond In The Dark is mega.”

Liam worked with regular collaborators, songwriter Andrew Wyatt and producer Greg Kurstin as well as some surprises.

Moscow Rules was co-written by Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig and Everything’s Electric by Foo Fighter Dave Grohl.

With Grohl, Liam says there was talk of working together on his last album, 2019’s Why Me? Why Not, but it never happened. But this time they found time to team up.

‘BANGED VOCALS DOWN’

“We were finishing the album and I got a phone call to say Dave and Greg had this tune that sounds like the Beastie Boys and the Stones. I thought it was mega, so I banged the vocals down, sent it back and there we go.

“Dave and I were never in the studio together but maybe one day.” Liam is still upset about the death of Grohl’s bandmate, drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died in March.

“I spoke to him the week before on FaceTime and he was buzzing,” says Liam. “It’s f***ing s**t ain’t it? But I loved him. He was a top lad. He said he was coming to Knebworth. He said, ‘I’ll be down the f***ing front. You won’t be able to miss me.’ It’s sad.”

Knebworth will be a family affair as kids Lennon, 22, Gene, 20, and Molly, 24, were all involved in choosing the support acts.

He says: “When we played Knebworth with Oasis we had Prodigy, Ocean Colour Scene and Manic Street Preachers playing but you can’t be rolling out all the granddads again.

“So we’ve got Goat Girl and Fat White Family, who are mental, all chosen by my kids. Then we’ve got Kasabian, who are mates, Paolo Nutini and Michael Kiwanuka who I’ve never seen before, so it’s gonna be great.”

And does the fact it is the Jubilee mean anything to Liam?

“I’m not arsed about the Royal Family and I’m not patriotic but I like The Queen. She’s sound. She’s a little old lady and we should give her respect and all that.”

And it’s his children that Liam credits for calming him down.

CALMING DOWN

He says: “When you’re young you’ve got a bag of chips on your shoulder. As you get older you cool it down a bit. My kids are great.

“Gene pops around a lot and Lennon is doing his band stuff (he fronts Automation). Molly was living with us for a bit and now she’s moved in with her fella.

“We’ll be seeing a lot of each other over this weekend. Gene (who joined his dad on drums at the Etihad) and Lennon are talented musicians. They love music.”

Liam’s mum Peggy will be at Knebworth too. He says: “She’s coming on the first night. Mum is buzzing, she’s proud and can’t wait to see everyone. I might get her on stage to say hello.

“So we’re gonna have a quiet one after that show, as I’ve got to look after the voice. Then, after the second one, we can go f***ing mad.

“My mum’s 80 next year and still gives me s**t. She said, ‘You need to look after yourself, Liam, you’re nearly 50’.”

He celebrates this milestone in September.

He says: “I’m going back to Mustique. We went there for (fiancée and manager) Debbie’s 40th. You can have a nice holiday even though you drink too much.” Liam and Debbie were set to marry in Italy in 2020 but postponed it because of Covid. Have they set a new date?

“We are just going to get these gigs done, get my 50th done and revisit it maybe next year.

“I’ve got my birthday, then we’re playing in Australia. Then next year, I want to do another record. I’ll have six months off and start that.

“I know I need to get out of people’s faces sometimes but after six months off I’ll be bored. So I will start the record towards the end of next year.

“I wasted a lot of time with Oasis splitting up, so I just want to put my voice on as many records as I can before I die.”

• C’mon You Know is out now. Liam plays Knebworth tonight and tomorrow.