Noel Gallagher: 'I don't really think Phil Collins is the Antichrist'

For years, Phil Collins was the punching bag of British pop. It was almost considered good form to despise the singer and drummer of Genesis, and to say so publicly. Noel Gallagher, songwriter and guitarist for Oasis, was particularly vocal. As early as 1994, Gallagher declared it his band's mission to ensure Phil Collins was kicked off the charts. He frequently called Collins the "Antichrist" and targeted him for his immense success in the 1980s. "You don't have to be great to be successful – look at Phil Collins," Gallagher once sneered. In a 2002 interview, he stated, "Phil Collins has sold five times more records than me. Does that make him anywhere near as influential as me? No."

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You don't have to be great to be successful – look at Phil Collins.

There was also a political dimension to the feud. In the 1980s and 1990s, Collins was one of the few prominent pop stars rumored to sympathize with the conservative Tories. In 1992, The Sun newspaper listed him among celebrities who would leave Britain if the Labour Party came to power. Labour did win in 1997, and Collins did move to Switzerland, though he later insisted it wasn't for tax reasons. Before the 2005 general election, Noel Gallagher urged people to vote for Labour, arguing that if the Tories returned, Collins planned to move back, and "none of us want that!"

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Phil Collins has sold five times more records than me. Does that make him anywhere near as influential as me? No.

Public opinion seemed to shift after Collins disclosed his health problems and US rappers sampled his music. "Even I will be cool someday," Collins told Die Zeit in 2015. He told Playboy that a journalist friend had asked Gallagher why he constantly attacked Collins. Gallagher reportedly replied, "No idea. I started at some point and just kept going. I actually have nothing against him."

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If the Tories come back to power, Phil Collins plans to move back and live here. And frankly: none of us want that!

However, old habits die hard. In 2021, Noel Gallagher repeated his "Antichrist" statement, responding to the suggestion that Collins might be funny by saying, "That doesn't make his music any good."

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No idea. I started at some point and just kept going. I actually have nothing against him.