Liam Gallagher and John Squire have looked back at their first time working together, when they co-wrote The Seahorses’ song ‘Love Me And Leave Me’.
The topic arose during a recent interview with NME, where the former Oasis frontman and ex-Stone Roses guitarist opened up about the response to their collaborative self-titled album and UK and European shows.
In the discussion, the duo were asked about how they collaborated once before – during the first phase of Gallagher’s rock’n’roll career and in the second stage of Squire’s.
Taking place back in 1997, both of them took songwriting credit for the song ‘Love Me And Leave Me’, which was shared by Squire as part of his short-lived post-Roses band The Seahorses, and released as part of their first and only album ‘Do It Yourself’.
“I don’t even remember doing it,” Liam said when asked about the song, which sparked hopes of a future collaboration between them both. “I just remember John being round our house just fucking about. We were obviously… battered”.
He also recalled how they worked on the song after going out partying, and brought friends over to Gallagher’s home – which actually belonged to his partner at the time, Patsy Kensit. At the time, the actor was in the process of divorcing Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr, and Gallagher recalled the latter being shocked by the number of people in his home the next morning.
“There’s all these long-haired people coming out of your house in cagoules… He was thinking, ‘Who are these fucking long-haired fuckers coming out the house?’ It was us!” he remembered.
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The ex-Oasis star also discussed the song’s memorable opening lines: “Don’t believe in Jesus / Don’t believe in Jah”, explaining that he “was talking shite about Jesus and Jah and loads of stuff – and then John turned it into a tune”.
Elsewhere in the interview with NME, the two were reminded of a 1997 interview Squire took part in, where he first revealed his hopes to join forces with Gallagher on an official project, and sparked fans’ hopes for a collaboration
“I would have started a group with Liam. But he’s a bit busy, obviously. I’m sure we’ll write more songs together, though,” he said in the 26-year-old interview.
Reflecting on it with NME, Squire said: “I said that? In the ‘90s?” and admitted that he “wouldn’t have had the balls to ask” Liam to commit to a full album at that time.
“… I bailed,” Liam joked, saying how he abandoned the prospect of writing more with Squire during that time. “You’ve never seen a parachute pulled so quickly… I prefer singing. Going through your DNA with a fine-tooth comb, it just fucking stresses me out.”
In a review of the self-titled LP, which the duo shared in February, NME gave the collaboration four-stars, and described it as leaving fans thinking “‘Why didn’t they do this before?'”
“It’s hard to imagine anyone feeling short-changed by the album itself. Obviously this isn’t a ‘Definitely Maybe’ or ‘The Stone Roses’ – no-one could touch those hook-laden masterpieces,” it read. “As a triumph of style and mood, though, ‘Liam Gallagher John Squire’ is well worthy of their enduring legacies.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Gallagher defended the length of his gigs on the recent tour with Squire, after being criticised by some fans for their headline sets running for less than an hour.
“10 songs and a fucking cover!” he exclaimed, highlighting how the two of them play the album tracklist in full, as well as throwing in a cover of Rolling Stones’ ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’. “What’s wrong with yous?” he added, also pointing out that other new acts “wouldn’t fucking do a cover” so audiences at his shows “can count themselves lucky”.
At the duo’s gig in Glasgow last month, the live show was given a four-star review by NME, and praised as keeping things “short and sweet”.
Since wrapping up the dates, both Gallagher and Squire performed their song ‘I’m A Wheel’ on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this week (April 9). Following the tour, Gallagher said it would “be rude not to do another album” with Squire in the future.
In other news, Gallagher has responded to Andy Bell‘s recent comments about a potential Oasis reunion.
Up next, he is due to embark on a UK and Ireland solo tour this summer to mark the 30th anniversary of ‘Definitely Maybe’. He’ll also showcase the album in full when he headlines Reading & Leeds 2024 in August.