Using AI voice clones to create new music, artificial song covers have become popular on social media. However, after a full AI album was released using his brother’s voice, Oasis member Noel Gallagher has spoke out on the controversial technology.
Speaking to NME, via Guitar, Gallagher had some unkind words to say about AI song covers that steal artists’ voices.
In the interview, the Oasis songwriter argued that people who create AI song covers have far too much time on their hands to twist voices to create new singles.
“These f*cking idiots have clearly got too much time on their hands and too much money that they can afford the technology to f*cking p*ss around doing that for a laugh,” the iconic musician told NME.
“People kept sending me stuff like Ringo Starr singing ‘She’s Electric’,” he continued. “There’s not enough hours in the day. Do we need Freddie Mercury singing ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’? Does anybody give a shit? People are like, ‘Yeah, but it’s interesting, isn’t it?’ Who the fuck is it interesting to?”
Fans of Gallagher’s band Oasis took the group’s vocals to create ‘AISIS: The Lost Tapes’. Made by Indie band Breezer, the eight-track album used a voice model of Liam Gallagher to sing original songs in the band’s place.
Breezer claims that they made the album because they were bored waiting for Oasis to become a band again after their split in 2009. While the AI album was praised for its music, it was also criticised for using Gallagher’s vocals without permission.
In response to the album, Noel Gallagher had some choice words, saying: “Oasis: The Lost Tapes? Really? Is that what you think it sounds like? You can AI the singer’s voice and his tambourine playing. Afraid you can’t AI what I do. As soon as you fucking can, I’m done, I’m finished, I’m retiring — I’ll just stick it into a f*cking algorithm.”
“I’m saving up for the technology myself,” the songwriter joked. “Then I’m just gonna dial it in to some computer and f*cking churn it out when I’m 73. I’ll have 140 albums to go after I’m f*cking dead to keep my kids in choc ices and fucking weed.”
AI song covers have been a heated topic for musicians as of late. As well as Oasis, popular musicians such as Drake and Rihanna have had their voices manipulated to sing all manner of covers resulting in legal action by Universal Media Group. Other celebrities have also had their vocals stolen to spout obscene hate speech in videos online.
The underlying technology of voice clones has also been used in a number of startling situations. An AI kidnapping scandal used a teen daughter’s voice in an attempt to scam parents out of thousands of dollars while the girl was at home.
Alongside video deepfake technology, there are currently no official regulations to restrict the AI voice clones or its underlying technology. While many have called for the tech to be regulated, no governments have stepped up.