NOEL Gallagher has looked beyond Manchester and found inspiration from the universe for his new album.

The former Oasis guitarist wrote his new single, In The Heat Of The Moment, after watching a documentary in which an astronaut said going into space for the first time feels like touching the face of God.

“If that’s not an opening line for a song I don’t know what is” said Noel.

The song will be released on November 17 and is the first to be taken from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' second album, Chasing Yesterday, which is coming out on March 2.

Noel has also announced a five-date UK tour to tie in with the record's release with a home town show at Manchester Arena on March 9.

Work on Chasing Yesterday also saw Noel team up with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr on the closing track, Ballad Of The Mighty I.

Noel added: "He just arrived with two guitars and a bag of effects pedals. And I have to say, he’s unbelievable.

"He’s way up there, on another level to the rest of us. The result is a burst of energy that helped make Mighty I one of the best songs I’ve ever written.”

This album follows the huge success of the double platinum debut album that has sold 770,000 copies in the UK and a live schedule that saw Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds visit 32 countries and play 143 shows over 15 months.

But Chasing Yesterday marks a new chapter for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds as it is the first album to be produced as well as written by Noel.

It also features a much broader range of influences from west coast rock to classic rock and roll and even some space jazz.

Noel, aged 47, said: "Managing sessions from one end of the week to the other proved extremely difficult. I had all these people looking at me and saying: ‘Right, what are we doing today?’ I was making the whole thing up as I went along.”

- Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds play at Manchester Arena on March 9. Tickets are on sale tomorrow, Friday. Visit gigsandtours.com or call 0844 811 0051.

DAVID MORGAN