But refusing to sing live is also a way of getting brother Liam to turn up for concerts, he tells this week's NME.

"I'm sick of doing backing vocals live," he said.

"I've actually realised I can't sing! I'm not doing any harmonies on the demos I've done. Obviously, if I don't do any harmonies it means Liam's got to turn up for gigs, because I won't have a microphone," he told the music weekly.

Fed up with playing guitar

Liam Gallagher: Lead vocalist, but nearly didn't sing on Wonderwall

He also said he was fed up with playing lead guitar, his other job on stage.

"I've never considered myself a very good guitarist. I always end up playing the same guitar solo over different songs, and hoping no-one will notice."

Noel, 31, has had to step in for wayward Liam several times on tour, including when he backed out of a special for MTV and when he stormed off a flight to the United States to "look for a house".

He also told NME his of his continuing hatred for the Spice Girls.

He refused to join his heroes The Faces on stage for an ITV tribute to Rod Stewart because it would mean performing with Emma Bunton.

The group were to reform to sing the Oasis song Cigarettes and Alcohol, with Noel joining them.

'Watched show on TV instead'

Emma Bunton: Noel refused to perform with Baby Spice

He said: "They wanted us to do that Audience With Rod Stewart. Of course, I was well up for it until I found out that wotsit, Baby Spice, was going to be on it.

"No way! No, no, no! So I decided to watch it on telly."

A collection of Oasis' B-sides, The Masterplan, has just been released, and Noel added the group's most well-known song, Wonderwall, was nearly relegated to a B-side - with him singing lead vocals.

He said: "Imagine if Wonderwall had been a B-side! We would not be here now, I tell you that.