Richard Ashcroft wished he'd collaborated with Noel Gallagher "years ago".

Richard Ashcroft

Richard Ashcroft

The former Oasis rocker admitted last year he was keen to record an album with the ex-Verve singer, and now the 'Sonnet' hitmaker has admitted it could still happen.

Asked if he'd work with Noel, he said: "It's a great compliment for Noel to say something like that, and in the future who knows what might happen. I wish things like this would've happened years ago."

The 44-year-old star - who will release his first solo LP in 10 years, 'These People' on May 20 - said that although they were Britpop rivals in the 90s, on reflection he was proud of Noel and Oasis.

Speaking in the latest issue of NME magazine, he said: "Even the guys we had a bit of friction with, I look back and wish them luck. "

Meanwhile, Richard - who inspired Oasis' song 'Cast No Shadow' - gave his thoughts on the current state of rock music and thinks it has "sold itself up the river" and gone too mainstream because of shows like 'The X Factor'.

He said: "It's sold itself up the river, stabbed people in the back instead of trying to create a good, solid British music alternative. Turn left for Cowell, turn right for this. The mainstream consumed our culture.

"You can get as many songwriters in a room as you want for your new talent show contest winner, it's never gonna sound like a great Noel Gallagher song sung by Liam, it's never gonna reach 'Live Forever', it's never gonna be [Verve song] 'Lucky Man'. We know that."