Liam Gallagher has never been shy about sharing his opinions, and over the years, he’s taken aim at plenty of bands. But in the early 2000s, one particular group caught his attention—and not in a good way. The Oasis frontman famously dismissed them as “spotty little idiots,” yet their impact on music was undeniable.
By the turn of the millennium, the Britpop era that Gallagher helped define was fading, and a new wave of indie rock was taking over. Oasis was still around, but their dominance was being challenged by fresh-faced bands with a different approach to rock music. At the forefront of this movement was The Strokes, a band that redefined indie rock with their raw, lo-fi sound and effortlessly cool image.
With the release of their debut album Is This It in 2001, The Strokes quickly became the blueprint for a new generation. Their minimalist production, infectious guitar hooks, and Julian Casablancas’ laid-back vocal delivery struck a chord with young musicians worldwide. Even Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys admitted that he and his bandmates were deeply influenced by their style, saying, “I remember I used to play that first album in college all the time when our band was first starting.”
But while the world embraced this shift, Gallagher wasn’t impressed. In a 2002 interview with MTV, he mocked their aesthetic choices, saying, “Listen, the only reason The Strokes do a fookin’ video in fookin’ black and white is because they look like a bunch of spotty little idiots in colour.”
Despite Gallagher’s criticism, The Strokes’ influence only grew stronger, helping to pave the way for a new wave of indie rock bands. Meanwhile, Oasis released Heathen Chemistry—an album that failed to capture the magic of their earlier work. Whether he liked it or not, the music landscape had shifted, and The Strokes were leading the charge.
