Keith Richards doesn't mince words when it comes to talking about what he dislikes. The legendary Rolling Stones already shown disdain for heavy metal and hasn't softened his harsh opinion of one of the most popular – and controversial – British bands of all time: Oasis .
Currently defunct, thanks to the endless feuds between brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher , Oasis became a sensation in the late 1990s. The Britpop group amassed hits like "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back In Anger" and were even compared to The Beatles at the height of their career, although Noel acknowledges they were never as good as the lads from Liverpool.
As Far Out Magazine , none of this impressed Keith Richards. “These guys are just awful. Grow up and then come back and see if you can stay afloat,” the guitarist snapped about the band, which he considered “rubbish” at the time.
And if anyone thinks Richards' tone would be more complimentary in person, they're mistaken. In 2021, Noel Gallagher recounted an unexpected encounter with the Rolling Stones musician during a New Year's Eve party in the Bahamas. When Noel arrived at the bar, he found Richards "exactly as you'd imagine, with a scarf and a hat."
As soon as the guitarist realized who it was, he displayed a certain charismatic impatience. “Ah, you’re still around, aren’t you?” Richards said, according to Noel’s account in an interview with Absolute Radio . “One thing I’ve always wanted to ask you: Who’s the bigger jerk, your lead singer [Liam Gallagher] or mine [ Mick Jagger ]?”
Far from being offended, Noel described the encounter as a renewal of faith in meeting an idol. "Well, since your lead singer wrote some of the best lyrics of all time, I'll say he's mine," he replied.
READ ALSO: The day Charlie Watts punched Mick Jagger: “Never call me 'your' drummer again”
