Oasis

Of the Brit-pop bands who reimagined British music traditions for a new generation, none have been as enduringly successful as Oasis. The combination of Noel Gallagher’s reverent-yet-confident songwriting — which recombined the best bits from the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Jam, the Kinks, T. Rex, the Sex Pistols, the Stone Roses, and of course, the Beatles — and the deadpan cool and sneering presence of Liam Gallagher sent a jolt through the rock world that started with 1994′s Definitely Maybe. With its swaggering blend of psychedelia, glam, and punk, Oasis’ debut album cleared away grunge’s cobwebs and distinguished them as a more direct, widely appealing band than many of their Brit-pop contemporaries. This knack for connecting with millions was even more apparent with the record-breaking success of 1995′s (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which made anthemic ballads like the mega-hit “Wonderwall” a must in any rock band’s repertoire. Oasis’ affinity for grand gestures sometimes tipped into excess — as on 1997′s Be Here Now — but it also led them in unconventional directions in the years after Brit-pop as they delved deeper into trippy rock and dance music on 2000′s Standing on the Shoulder of Giants and 2002′s Heathen Chemistry. When they returned to their tuneful foundations and rock muscle on 2005′s Don't Believe the Truth and 2008′s Dig Out Your Soul, they earned some of the most enthusiastic reviews of their career, but in 2009, the tension between the Gallagher brothers finally reached a breaking point. Oasis disbanded, leaving a legacy of eight number one albums and eight number one singles in the U.K. Though Noel and Liam’s fraught relationship and healthy post-Oasis careers made it seem unlikely the band would ever return, Oasis readied a reunion tour 30 years after the release of Definitely Maybe. The band that became Oasis was first known as the Rain. Formed by guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs, bassist Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan, and drummer Tony McCarroll in Manchester, England in 1991, the group brought on schoolmate Liam Gallagher to replace their previous lead singer. After he joined, Gallagher suggested that the band change its name to Oasis based on an Inspiral Carpets tour poster in his childhood bedroom (which featured Swindon’s Oasis Leisure Center as one of the tour dates). Oasis played their first show in August 1991, sharing a bill with Sweet Jesus and the Catchmen. Soon after, Liam’s brother Noel Gallagher returned home from a U.S. tour working as a roadie for Inspiral Carpets. Noel, who had been writing songs for years, saw Oasis’ potential and joined the lineup as lead guitarist and sole songwriter. With Noel controlling the group’s musical direction, Oasis kept their instrumentation simple and cranked up the volume, developing a sound designed for maximum impact. By 1993, Oasis had fine-tuned their live show and recorded the aptly named demo Live Demonstration. At a May 1993 show in Glasgow with Sister Lovers, the band caught the attention of Creation Records co-owner Alan McGee, who offered them a recording contract that they signed a few months later. One of the songs from Oasis’ demo tape, “Columbia,” was released that year as a limited-edition promo single and received airplay on BBC Radio 1. The band’s official debut single, the thundering “Supersonic,” appeared in April 1994 and debuted at number 31 on the U.K. Singles Chart. That June’s “Shakermaker” entered the chart at 11, earning Oasis the opportunity to perform on Top of the Pops. August’s soaring ballad “Live Forever” became their first Top Ten single in their homeland (later, it was certified triple platinum) and also achieved success in the U.S., becoming a staple on MTV and peaking at number two on the Alternative Airplay chart. The creative process that birthed Oasis’ debut album was difficult. Thin-sounding sessions with two different producers were salvaged by engineer/producer Owen Morris and engineer Anjali Dutt, whose use of doubled drums, compression, and other techniques turned August 1994′s Definitely Maybe into a sonic powerhouse. The album entered the U.K. Album Charts at number one and soon became the fastest-selling debut album in the U.K. at the time, selling 100,000 copies in its first four days of release. Praised for Noel’s songwriting, Liam’s charismatic vocals, and its confident swagger, Definitely Maybe was certified octuple platinum in the U.K. and went platinum in five other countries, including the U.S., Australia, and Japan. Oasis-mania continued throughout 1994, as the group began playing larger theaters and watched each single outperform the last. However, tensions in the group began to build. The Gallagher brothers refused to do joint interviews because they always fought, and Noel Gallagher briefly left the band at the end of a difficult American tour. However, he quickly re-joined and the band headed back to England. Following the October single “Cigarettes & Alcohol,” which reached number seven in the U.K., the Christmas single “Whatever” entered the U.K. charts at number three in December. At the 1995 Brit Awards, Oasis won the award for Best New Band, while Definitely Maybe won the Album of the Year award and “Live Forever” won the award for Single of the Year. In April 1995, Oasis scored their first chart-topping U.K. single with “Some Might Say,” a soaring song that featured the London Symphony Orchestra. It also became the band’s last single to feature all of its original members, as McCarroll was replaced with former Starclub drummer Alan White shortly after its release. The revamped lineup headed into Wales’ Rockfield Studios in May to record their second album. Once again working with Morris as co-producer with Noel Gallagher, the band focused on anthemic, string-laden ballads instead of the raw sounds of their debut. When (What's the Story) Morning Glory? appeared in October 1995, it transformed Oasis into one of the world’s most successful rock bands. In the U.K., it was the fastest-selling album since Michael Jackson’s Bad, spent a total of ten weeks at the top of the U.K. Albums Chart, and stayed in the top three of that chart for seven months before becoming the best-selling album of the decade. Certified platinum many times over in the U.K., Morning Glory spawned an additional number one U.K. single in “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and the number two singles “Roll With It” and “Wonderwall,” which became an international, multi-platinum hit and one of rock’s most enduring ballads. In 1996, the album won the Best British Album Brit Award (at the 2010 Brit Awards, it was honored as the greatest British album since 1980), while Oasis snagged the awards for Best Band and Best Live Band. In the U.S., Morning Glory peaked at number four on the 200 Hot Albums Chart and was certified quadruple platinum, while “Champagne Supernova” and “Wonderwall” both topped the Alternative Songs Chart. “Wonderwall” was also nominated for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Rock Song at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards in 1997. On its way to becoming one of the best-selling albums in history, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? topped the charts in nine other countries and went platinum or multi-platinum in ten countries. Oasis’ tour in support of the album was fittingly massive; despite walkouts by several of the band’s members, they played 103 shows over the course of 1995 and 1996, including two concerts at Knebworth that broke records for being the biggest outdoor concert in England. The group’s shows at The Earl’s Court and Maine Road were documented on the 1996 concert video There and Then. Late that year, limited-edition box sets of the singles from Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory? were released, and appeared on the U.K. Albums Chart at number 23 and number 24, respectively. Oasis began work on their third album during a break from the (What's the Story) Morning Glory? tour, with Morris joining them in Mustique to record demos. Official sessions for the album started at Abbey Road in November 1996, but were plagued by media scrutiny, substance abuse, and personality conflicts. The band relocated to Ridge Farm Studio in Surrey, where Morris and Noel Gallagher co-produced sessions that aimed to outdo Morning Glory’s sweeping sound with copious overdubs (one song was estimated to have 30 guitar tracks). Arriving in August 1997, Be Here Now entered the U.K. Albums Chart at number one and held the record for fastest-selling album in British history until the 2015 release of Adele’s 25. Boasting the U.K. number one singles “D’You Know What I Mean?” and “All Around the World” as well as the number two single “Stand by Me,” the album was certified platinum six times in the U.K. Be Here Now reached number two on the 200 Albums Chart in the U.S. on its way to platinum status, while “D’You Know What I Mean?” and “Don’t Go Away” appeared on charts including Radio Songs, Active Rock, and Alternative Airplay. Around the world, the album was another massive success, topping the charts in 13 countries outside of the U.K. and U.S. and achieving platinum or multi-platinum status in nine other countries. However, a backlash set in among both critics and record buyers over the album’s perceived excesses, which meant that Be Here Now lacked the shelf life of its predecessors. Not long afterward, typical infighting unraveled the band’s tour, and Oasis kept a relatively low profile, issuing the B-sides collection The Masterplan in 1998. By the time Oasis recorded their fourth album in early 1999, change was in the air. Instead of working with Morris, they collaborated with producer Mark "Spike" Stent, who helped them update their sound with trippy electronics and heavy rock. That August, Arthurs and McGuigan departed the group; they were later replaced by Heavy Stereo guitarist Gem Archer and Ride guitarist Andy Bell (who had to learn how to play bass) respectively. Released by Oasis’ own imprint Big Brother — their longtime label Creation shuttered at the end of 1999 — February 2000′s Standing on the Shoulder of Giants was the band’s first album to feature a song written by Liam Gallagher (“Little James”). Another chart-topper in the U.K., the album went double platinum there, while the single “Go Let It Out” also reached number one. In the U.S., Standing on the Shoulder of Giants peaked at number 24, and though its global performance wasn’t quite as impressive as some of Oasis’ previous albums, it still reached number one on the Irish and Italian charts and achieved double platinum status in Spain and went platinum in Japan. While the tour in support of the album was troubled by injuries and infighting, the band’s July 2000 gig at Wembley Stadium was captured on their first ever live album, Familiar to Millions, which appeared at the end of the year. In 2001, Oasis juggled touring and making their next album, playing dates with the Black Crowes and Neil Young while recording songs that balanced Giants’ experiments with straight-ahead rock. July 2022′s Heathen Chemistry also expanded on the band’s collaborative songwriting, with Bell and Archer each contributing songs along with Liam Gallagher, whose “Songbird” was the first Oasis single written by someone other than Noel Gallagher. “Songbird” was a top three hit in the U.K., as were “Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” “Little by Little/She Is Love,” and “The Hindu Times” (which reached number one). Heathen Chemistry topped the U.K. Albums Chart and was certified triple platinum there; it also reached number one in three other countries and went platinum in two other countries. In the U.S., the album peaked at 23 on the 200 Albums Chart. The Heathen Chemistry tour was typically eventful, with Noel Gallagher, Bell and touring keyboardist Jay Darlington suffering minor injuries from a car crash in Indianapolis. More trouble arrived when Liam Gallagher and several members of the Oasis entourage were involved in a street scuffle in Munich; the younger Gallagher sustained facial injuries and was later arrested while two of the band’s security guards sought serious medical attention. Though Oasis began work on album number six in late 2003, its creation was filled with delays. Initial sessions with the electronica duo Death in Vegas (who had been recruited to produce the record) were scrapped because the band felt much of the songwriting wasn’t up to par. In January 2004, longtime drummer White exited the band, with Who drummer (and Ringo Starr’s son) Zak Starkey taking his place. Once again, Oasis spread the songwriting duties between the Gallagher brothers, Archer, and Bell, and the band resumed recording late in 2004 at Los Angeles’ Capitol Studios with producer Dave Sardy. As the band worked on the album, Oasis celebrated the tenth anniversary of Definitely Maybe’s release with a DVD version of the album that featured an hour-long documentary and a remixed version of the rarity “Sad Song” along with videos and live footage; the reissue went triple platinum in the U.K. A television documentary, There We Were, Now Here We Are … : The Making Of Oasis, also commemorated the band’s milestone. Finally arriving in May 2005, Don't Believe the Truth was acclaimed as Oasis’ best album since (What's the Story) Morning Glory? Along with becoming the band’s sixth consecutive number one album in the U.K., it was certified triple platinum and featured two number one singles (“Lyla” and “The Importance of Being Idle”). In the U.S., the album reached number twelve, while “Lyla” cracked the Top 20 of the Hot Modern Rock Tracks Chart. The Don't Believe the Truth tour was one of Oasis’ largest, spanning 26 countries and 113 dates; highlights of the shows were gathered in the 2007 film Lord Don’t Slow Me Down. That year, the band issued a digital-only single of the same name, which reached number ten on the U.K. Singles Chart, and were honored with the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music at the 2007 Brit Awards ceremony. Oasis returned to the studio with Sardy in August 2007, halting production several months later to allow Noel to spend time with his newborn child. Sessions resumed in November and wrapped up in early 2008. That May, Starkey departed the band, with Chris Sharrock (formerly of Icicle Works and the La's) taking over as drummer. Appearing that October, Dig Out Your Soul’s hard-edged, psych-leaning rock was warmly received, and the album entered the U.K. Album Charts at number one before being certified double platinum. Meanwhile, the lead single “The Shock of the Lightning” peaked at number three in the U.K. Dig Out Your Soul debuted at number five on the 200 Albums Chart in the U.S., marking Oasis’ highest position on the chart since Be Here Now. The lengthy tour in support of the album stretched into mid-2009, and by that August, tensions between Liam and Noel reached a peak. After canceled performances at the V Festival and Rock en Seine festival, Noel Gallagher announced on Oasis’ website that he had quit the band. Following Noel’s departure, Liam Gallagher, Bell, Archer, and Sharrock continued as Beady Eye, releasing their debut album Different Gear, Still Speeding in early 2011. The band occasionally played Oasis songs at their shows, including a performance of “Wonderwall” at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London. Meanwhile, Noel formed Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds with former Oasis keyboard player Mike Rowe, Lemon Trees drummer Jeremy Stacey, and percussionist Lenny Castro. The group issued its self-titled debut album in October 2011, which topped the U.K. Albums Chart and eventually sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. During that time, the Oasis singles collection Time Flies... 1994–2009 was released and became the band’s final album to reach number one in the U.K. In 2014, special editions of Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory? were released to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Oasis’ debut album. The deluxe version of Definitely Maybe was remastered and bundled with live and rare tracks; a limited-edition release also included a cassette of Live Demonstration. Similarly, the deluxe version of Morning Glory included B-sides, demos, and live tracks. By that time, Beady Eye had disbanded after releasing 2013′s BE. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds continued with 2015′s Chasing Yesterday, and in 2016, the Oasis reissue campaign continued with a deluxe version of Be Here Now that featured the demos recorded in Mustique. That year also saw the premiere of the documentary Oasis: Supersonic, which went on to win the 2017 NME Award for Best Music Film. Both of the Gallagher brothers delivered albums in 2017, with Liam Gallagher issuing his solo debut As You Were and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds releasing the David Holmes collaboration Who Built the Moon? Both albums hit number one in the U.K. In May 2020, the Oasis demo “Don’t Stop…” was released digitally and reached number 80 on the U.K. Singles Chart. In 2021, the concert film Oasis Knebworth 1996 premiered footage from the band’s two legendary shows; a double live album of the same name also appeared that November. As the Gallaghers continued their post-Oasis careers with Liam’s 2022 album C'Mon You Know and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds’ 2023 effort Council Skies, it still seemed unlikely that Oasis would ever get back together. However, Liam and Noel Gallagher confirmed that the band were reuniting for a set of 2025 reunion shows during the same week in August 2024 that the 30th anniversary edition of Definitely Maybe was released. Along with the Gallagher brothers, Oasis’ lineup for the tour included Arthurs, a mainstay of Liam’s backing band, and Archer, who joined the High Flying Birds after Beady Eye’s breakup. ~ Heather Phares & Stephen Thomas Erlewine