Noel Gallagher was awarded the "Godlike Genius" award at the NME awards at Brixton Academy on Wednesday night, but while the star is grateful for his success, he says he'll "go and do some gardening or something" when he retires from the music business.

NME editor Krissi Murison said that Gallagher is "a man who has written more anthems in the last two decades than anyone else".

Gallagher is mindful of the role his fans played in his musical success and thanked them for their support.

He also showed a little tongue-in-cheek humour during his acceptance speech, saying that he had dreamt of receiving such an accolade since he was 43 (he will turn 45 in May 2012). "I accept that I am now a genius, just like God."

The rocker said he was stunned at how people have responded to his solo effort.

He told Absolute Radio, "I never thought I'd sell as many records and I never thought I'd get all these awards or play at the Brits and all that, but yeah, what can I say?"

But it seems he not only has musical fingers, but green fingers too.

The former Oasis guitarist added that when he tires of making music, he will take up gardening.

"As long as I enjoy it I'll do it, and when I stop enjoying it I'll go and do some gardening or something, but I genuinely enjoy the process of writing songs and doing all this, I love all this. 

"You know, it's like I was on the dole for seven years, the novelty of this still hasn't worn off for me, you know, it's great, it's a great gig."

The first material, Shoot A Hole Into The Sun, from his collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous has been released online.