Asinine behavior on the part of Oasis' famed Gallagher brothers should surprise no one at this late date, but Noel Gallagher seems to have topped himself (and he's supposed to be the smart one). In a personal missive posted on the band's official website, Gallagher decided to name his Top 10 bands of all time; okay, dullsville, but fair enough -- list the Beatles 10 times and walk away, done deal, right? Unsurprisingly, Noel's list does indeed begin with the Fab Four, and is dominated by other Britpop/British Invasion staples (Who, Kinks, you know the drill). Whatever.
The disturbing part is Gallagher's stated criteria, which displays overt sexism and (at best) covert racism: "No female artists allowed. No collectives allowed (Public Enemy etc.)." The man who brayed his indignation about Jay-Z playing Glastonbury surely shocks no one by claiming that Public Enemy is not a band, and is thus ineligible for serious consideration. We don't imagine he's ever been part of anybody's Rainbow Coalition. But the unbridled misogyny -- is that a new wrinkle, or has he flown his He-Man Women Haters Club flag in the past? In either case, nicely done Noel, you've accomplished the impossible by making your brother look like Mahatma Ghandi in comparison.
Noel Gallagher's greatest male, Caucasian-fronted bands of all time:
1. The Beatles
2. The Rolling Stones
3. The Who
4. Sex Pistols
5. The Kinks
6. The La's
7. Pink Floyd
8. The Bee Gees
9. The Specials
10. (Peter Green's) Fleetwood Mac
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Covert racism? The Specials definitely had 2 African descendant players in their group.