It's ten years since Oasis made their debut at Manchester's Boardwalk, en route to megastardom. Along the way, there have been platinum records, glorious gigs and rock anthems which defined their age. The flip side has been drugs, divorce and simmering sibling rivalry. In an exclusive interview with Paul Taylor, Noel Gallagher says he has no regrets...but neither, for much of it, does he have much recollection.

STROLLING among the sleek new shops and bars, Manchester's most famous son now barely recognises some aspects of his home city.

Noel Gallagher is spending more time up north than he has done for years, bringing daughter, Anais, on regular visits to her granny, Peggy, in Burnage.

``I was up the weekend before last and it was the first time I have walked round for six or seven years. It's really shiny and brand new. I have never seen so many bars in my life,'' says Noel Gallagher. ``I can be really objective because it's not my home. It's a nice, cool city. The people will always stay the same. But I still wish they would get rid of the trams, 'cause they just look a mess.

``My girlfriend, Sara (MacDonald), had never walked round Manchester and she was saying: `It's really posh'. I said: `It wasn't when I left'.''

If Gallagher, 34, has missed the changes to Manchester wrought by bar culture and the Bomb, it is hardly surprising. There are large chunks of his own life which remain decidedly sketchy.

Tweet