Many people said it was impossible, but it's happening. Oasis is reuniting and it's hard to communicate to non-fans how important and extraordinary this is for the entire music scene. First and foremost, Oasis was perhaps one of the most seminal bands in the entire British rock scene throughout the 1990s and 2000s. They are one of the most successful bands to ever come out of England and quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. Despite this success, beneath the surface, there were signs of immense turmoil. The underlying controversies of Oasis lie with its members: brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher.
A brief history lesson of the band's formation and how these two came to join is essential to understanding the previously mentioned controversies. In 1991, a band called Rain, formed by bassist Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan, guitarist Paul Arthurs and drummer Tony McCarroll, had just fired their vocalist. The band then decided to audition Liam Gallagher to see if he could be the band’s singer. Spoiler alert: he got it. Liam then suggested the band change their name to the now well-known name Oasis. Some time later, Liam’s brother Noel Gallagher approached the group about joining the band on the basis that he would be the lead singer, songwriter and overall leader. Spoiler alert once more: he joined the band and the Oasis dynasty began.
To gain a perspective on how popular the band became, a look at their most successful songs is necessary. Oasis received praise for their Beatles-esque sound, creating simple melodies with thoughtful lyrics which widened their appeal to the masses. They released the debut single “Supersonic” in 1994, followed by the album Definitely Maybe in the same year. The album was received extremely well, topping the UK Albums chart as well as the Independent Albums chart. Their next album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? released the following year, which earned even higher praise than their previous project. This is the album that included their biggest hits like “Champagne Supernova,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and, who could forget, “Wonderwall.” This album would begin the chokehold Oasis had on worldwide rock music, as it reached number one on multiple international charts, became four times platinum certified in the U.S. and 17 times platinum in the U.K. They then put out five more albums throughout their original duration, all of which went platinum and consistently placed high on the charts.
Despite the success, not everything was as pleasant as it seemed. Liam and Noel did not like each other. In fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say they outright hated each other. A rather well-known sibling rivalry persisted throughout the duration of the band’s existence.
An infamous interview that was released in 1995 as a song under the name Oas*s entitled “Wibbling Rivalry” became a start for what was to come with these brothers. It featured the brothers arguing about which one was more rock ’n’ roll, the interview eventually boiling up into loads of cussing. The brothers were consistently at each other’s throats and continued to have many series of fights and bickering that intensified into one of the most notorious music rivalries of all time.
Some of their most infamous feuds demonstrate how peculiar this reunion is. Firstly, in September of 1994, the band was on their first U.S. tour playing in Los Angeles. Near the end of their set, Liam changed the lyrics in the song “Live Forever” to an insult directed at Noel, stating “Maybe, I don’t really want to know, why you pick your nose.” Liam then whacked Noel over the head with a tambourine and walked off stage prematurely right after insulting the audience. Noel then decided to quit the band but rejoined literally a day later.
Another incident occurred in 1995 during the recording of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? in which Liam brought a group of strangers he had just met at a pub to the recording studio. Noel did not like the attention he received while working on the album and, like clockwork, an argument commenced. It eventually escalated to Noel taking a cricket bat (which was just in the studio, I guess) and bashing Liam over the head with it before turning his anger to the studio and smashing the place to pieces. The bat was sold about two decades later at an auction with a certificate of authenticity.
In 1996, Oasis was slated to perform on MTV Unplugged, an hugely influential concert for any band. Despite this, Liam claimed to have a sore throat, which members of the band questioned. They thought it was a way for him to blow off the gig and drink. Noel then picked up all the vocal duties of the band in his brother’s absence. Liam did show up in the balcony of where they were recording. He was drunk, smoking and heckling his brother throughout the duration of the performance. Liam eventually tried to jump on stage to re-record some songs, but Noel wasn’t having it and told him to “piss off.”
A continuous stream of name-calling, arguing and infighting plagued the band to the very end. On August 22, 2009, Oasis performed for the last time at the V Festival in Staffordshire, England. They were then slated to perform at the Rock en Seine Festival in Paris, but five minutes before they were set to take the stage, the band decided to call it quits and never went on. Noel then followed with an official statement on the band’s website saying, “It's with some sadness and a great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight…I could not continue working with Liam for a day longer.”
The Gallagher brothers went their separate ways following the breakup. Liam and the remaining Oasis members continued under the name Beady Eye. Beady Eye released only two studio albums with mixed reviews before Liam embarked on an independent solo career. Noel formed an entirely new solo project entitled Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. He has continued the High Flying Birds to this day, releasing four studio albums along the way and receiving favorable reviews.
Despite each of them taking their independent paths, the brothers constantly criticized each other in interviews and insulted each other on social media, which still continued up until 2024.
(Side note: if you want a good laugh, just look at Liam’s X account, it’s gold.)
Rumors of a reunion had persisted online for many years. Some fans thought a reunion would have happened in 2015 or 2018, but nothing ever materialized. This was until 15 years later, almost on the anniversary of their breakup, the brothers confirmed that they will be getting back together as Oasis.
When it comes down to it, I’m happy that Oasis is reuniting, as unlikely as it seems. Hopefully this means the brothers have reconciled and will repair their relationship. The history of Oasis, with their internal affairs and overwhelming success, is peculiar but also serves as an exposé for fans into the confusing life of a rock band. Although Liam and Noel have a strained past, it is good for all the fans to see that maybe they can put their egos aside for the good of the music. Maybe these upcoming 2025 shows will introduce to many new fans just how influential and massive the band was. Personally, I can’t wait to see what’s in store.
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