Travis‘ Fran Healy has shared Noel Gallagher‘s reaction to “absolutely lifting” chords from Oasis‘ ‘Wonderwall’ for ‘Writing To Reach You’.
‘Writing To Reach You’ appeared on Travis’ second LP, 1999’s ‘The Man Who’. The album helped the Glaswegian band become international stars. ‘Writing To Reach You’ peaked at Number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and ‘The Man Who’ spent a total of 9 weeks at Number One on the UK Albums Chart.
During a new interview with The Charlatans singer Tim Burgess on his Absolute Radio show, Tim’s Listening Party, Healy opened up about Gallagher’s reaction to lifting ‘Wonderwall’s chords for one of their tracks.
“We went in a bar after it, and Noel Gallagher walked in, looking like he was in the Velvet Underground. He had a Ready Brek glow around him and it was like, ‘He’s a rock star!’ So, cut to six months later, and I’m sitting in the coldest room in Glasgow, and I’m writing this song, and I nicked his chords because that’s the chords to ‘Wonderwall’ in ‘Writing to Reach You’,” the frontman told Burgess.
He continued: “The verse chords are absolutely lifted massively as we do, and as he does! I thought, ‘I’m never going to meet Noel Gallagher in a million years because I’m on the dole, nothing’s gonna happen.”
Healy added that he added a reference to Oasis in the track incase Gallagher were to recognise the chords. “But in the off chance, I should mention a little nod in case he hears it – a little doff of the cap to the originator.’ So I did that, ‘It’s, ‘what’s a ‘Wonderwall’ anyway’ because I’ve nicked your chords – thanks, Noel!’”
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Eventually, Travis would go on to tour with Oasis and Healy was convinced that the ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ singer would leave him with a black eye over his use of the chords.
“We ended up like a year and a half later, touring with (Oasis) and Noel come up to me after we came offstage and he went, ‘Nice chords, mate.’ And I’m like (makes relieved noise.) I thought he was going to hook me,” he recalled.
Speaking to NME in a new interview, Healy opened up on his experience touring with Oasis as opening support ahead of Travis opening for The Killers across their 16 date UK and Ireland arena tour later this summer.
“It’s nice to be a support band again too. I love being a support band. It reminds me of when we supported Oasis [on the ‘Be Here Now’ Tour in 1997]. We went on every single night to blow them off the stage which is what a good support band should be doing,” he said. “You go on, the other band watch you from the wings going, ‘Fuck’. And then they come on and do a better show because of it.”
He continued: “They were the fucking best band we ever toured with. Every night Noel [Gallagher] would be at the side of the stage plugging in and playing along to [Travis’ debut single] ‘All I Want To Do Is Rock’. And his amp is fucking loud man. It was louder than all our amps put together. We’d be like, ‘What the fuck is that?’ And it’d be Noel every night. And Liam is a sweetheart, just a lovely guy.”
In other news, Travis are set to release their tenth studio album ‘L.A. Times’ on July 12. You can pre-order/pre-save the album here.