I toured the world with Noel and Liam Gallagher at the peak of their chaotic brilliance – but NOT everyone was impressed: Oasis insider reveals the Hollywood A-lister that snubbed the Britpop kings
Oasis biographer PAOLO HEWITT
Some musicians are great critics.
It’s said that when Noel Gallagher first met Keith Richards, the veteran Rolling Stone guitarist said, “Ah, you’re from Oasis. That was interesting… for a while.”
Richards was a bitchy and brilliant person. He hit the nail on the head.
Between 1994 and 1996, Oasis were the most exciting, the most talented, the most chaotic and, yes, the most interesting band in the world.
The two engines that propelled them into the national consciousness were Noel’s ability to craft highly memorable songs and his brother Liam’s talent for singing them in a unique and powerful way.
Add to that the band’s openly stating their desire to sleep with beautiful women while on heavy doses of hard drugs, their seemingly carefree attitude towards their career, their image as a gang with unbreakable bonds, their hostility towards other bands and their general sense of humor, and you have a musical force that is turning the music world upside down.
Noel and Liam performed at the Virgin Megastore in 1995 after the launch of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, where the champagne flowed like crazy
The Oasis line-up for their 1996 Knebworth Park concert, consisting of (left to right) Alan White, Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs, Liam Gallagher, Paul ‘Guigsy’ McGuigan and Noel Gallagher
Noel had the ability to create very memorable songs and his brother Liam could sing them in a unique and powerful way. The brothers are pictured in London in 1999
Their initial goal was to replace the Stone Roses. Instead, they found themselves in the same stratosphere as acts like U2 and Bruce Springsteen.
And then the fun was over. Noel’s desire to be a rock star and get rich, as expressed in songs like Rock ‘N’ Roll Star, had been achieved and then some. The only problem he had now was – what on earth was he going to write about?
Liam’s public behavior was now considered tiresome. And then it stopped being, well, interesting… until today.
Liam and Noel’s long-awaited announcement that they are reuniting for a UK tour in July and August next year, after 15 years of deadly insults since their split in 2009, has generated a level of excitement and anticipation not seen in the music industry in a long time.
That has a lot to do with the band’s rebellious image, something that is very scarce these days, but especially with the enduring power of the band’s early music.
Check out the stats. Morning Glory, the band’s second – and by many their best – album, spent a whopping 650 weeks in the charts.
That means Gen Z is discovering the band in droves, which explains why the band says today, “The stars are aligned.”
A new younger generation will now experience Oasis for the first time. Expect tickets to sell out. But what does this mean for the band’s legacy?
It was telling that in a recent interview Noel mourned the passing of those incredible early years when the band reached so many people with real meaning. “I would give anything to have those days back,” he sighed.
A new photo of Liam and Noel Gallagher as they confirm Oasis have reformed
Liam Gallagher announced an official reunion during his performance at Reading Festival on Sunday night
Oasis have added extra dates to their tour and will play five shows at Wembley next year
I know what he means. I was lucky enough to be there when it got off the ground because I had a bond with Noel through music and football. Noel was down to earth and fun at the time and refused to take things seriously.
I remember him grabbing his guitar and walking into a prestigious MTV gig to play Don’t Look Back In Anger.
No bodyguards, no blacked-out cars. On the way there he said to me, ‘I wish I never wrote that song.’ Why? ‘Because for the next year everyone is going to ask me who the hell is ‘Sally’ in the chorus.’
He had a light touch and enjoyed sparring with his brother so much. I remember a gig at the Virgin Megastore after the launch of Morning Glory where the champagne was flowing like crazy.
In front of an adoring audience, Noel bet Liam that he was so drunk he couldn’t remember the words to the new songs. Liam said of course he could. And a minute later, he handed a triumphant Noel a £50 note.
(From left) Gem Archer, Noel Gallagher, Andy Bell and Liam Gallagher pose for a photo in 2006
Noel and Liam Gallagher on the TV show ‘Che Tempo Che FA’ in Italy in November 2008
Noel met actor Dennis Hopper (pictured) when Oasis were at the top of almost every chart in the world. Noel said: ‘I’m in Oasis.’ Hopper replied: ‘What the f**k is Oasis?’ and walked away
I remember Noel meeting the actor Dennis Hopper when Oasis were at the top of almost every single chart in the world. Noel said, ‘I’m in Oasis.’ Hopper said, ‘What the f**k is Oasis?’ and walked away.
And Noel turned to me and said, ‘This is the best meeting I’ve ever had with an actor.’
The question now is what he and Liam are going to do with this band, which is undoubtedly a national asset.
Are they going through the motions? Or are they making it interesting again? I think I’m not the only one who wants the latter.
PAOLO HEWITT is the author of Getting High: The Adventures Of Oasis and Forever The People: Six Months On The Road With Oasis. (Dean Street Press)