New 1998 Version
The following is a brand new FAQ written by Nico Cino. For the old one by Mark J. Titorenko dated Feburary 1996, go here.
The New 1998 Oasis FAQ!
Compiled and Typed By Nick Cino
05/04/98- 13/04/98
v3.0
Disclaimer:
This FAQ contains information compiled from various sources on the net and elsewhere. It is accurate up
to an including April 1998, any other information after that will be posted in the next FAQ. I'd ask that any sites
that want to post this FAQ not change anything or call it their own. Thanks.
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Contents:
1) Introduction
2) The Band
3) Biography
4) The Albums
5) The Singles
6) Fourth Album
7) Recent 'Be Here Now' 97/98 Tour Gigs
8) Have Any Other Band Members Ever Written A Song?
9) Interview With Noel From Access Magazine
10) Bootlegs
11) My Opinions About Oasis
12) Frequently Asked Questions
13) Blur vs Oasis: Who Won?
14) Great Oasis Links
15) How I Discovered Oasis
16) Sources
17) Some Other Great Bands
18) Conclusion
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1) Introduction
Hello to all Oasis fans out there. My name is Nick Cino and this is my Oasis FAQ.
I was sick of seeing tons of FAQ's with information only up to 1996, so here it is, my 1998
version of an Oasis FAQ with information compiled from various sources. I hope you find
this useful and very informative. If you have any questions, comments or just want to talk
about Oasis, feel free to email me at: magicpie59@hotmail.com and I'll be glad to help. I would also ask for some
feedback on whether you like it or not. Well, that's it. Enjoy! Stay mad fer it!
2) The Band
Liam Gallagher- Vocals
Noel Gallagher- Lead Guitar, Vocals, Mellotron, Piano, E-Bow
Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs- Ryhthm Guitar, Piano
Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan- The Bass Player
Alan "Whitey" White- Drums & Percussion
Liam Gallagher- Liam or William is the main singer for Oasis. He is the youngest of the three Gallagher brothers,
with Paul and Noel before him. His favourite Beatles song is "Ticket To Ride" and lately he has had verbal
arguments with many of his childhood idols including Paul McCartney and Keith Richards. But, Liam is Liam and
we all love him! Many people don't know that Liam can play the guitar and piano! Sources say he's really good!
Noel Gallagher- Noel is the sole songwriter and secondary vocalist for Oasis. Many people wouldn't know this, but
Noel actually sings a lot more songs than people think. Noel's favourite Beatles tune is also "Ticket To Ride" and
he has actually recorded with his idols Paul McCartney and Paul Wellar as the Smokin' Mojo Filters. He is credited
as being the person who made Oasis what they are and he's what brought them to fame.
Paul Arthurs- Paul is the ryhthm guitarist for Oasis. Most of the time, he is called "Bonehead" because of either his
baldness or it just stuck from when he was a kid. Bonehead is the oldest member of the group and one of the
original members when Oasis was called Rain.
Paul McGuigan- Known as "Guigsy" to all of us, Paul was also one of the first memebers when Oasis was called
Rain. He's the bass player and is the least talked about member of the group. Actually, when Noel was feeling ill in
Argentina on the recent tour, Guigsy answered most of the questions at a press conference and got all the
attention! Guigsy is probably the most underestimated member of the group.
Alan White- "Whitey" is the second drummer of Oasis after original drummer Tony McCaroll was sacked in 1995
due to internal differences. Alan is the only member of Oasis who isn't from Manchester. He's from London and
Noel hired him after only one meeting. After Tony was sacked, Alan had to learn the drumming for "Some Might
Say"to perform on Top Of The Pops. He learned it over night! He's a better drummer than Tony!
Tony McCaroll- Tony was the orignal drummer for Oasis from 1992 to April 1995 when he was sacked due to
internal differences. Tony drummed for 'Definitely Maybe', 'Whatever' and 'Some Might Say' and when he was
sacked, the band were left with no drummer for Top Of The Pops. Then Noel hired Alan White as the new drummer.
Tony, big mistake.
3) Biography
Oasis was formed in 1991, but then they were not called Oasis, they were called Rain. Bonehead and
Guigsy had been in the group with former member Chris Hutton for a while but, they always had a lad hanging
around. They knew him as Liam Gallagher, an old school friend of Guigsy's. Liam would always show up at
rehearsals and watch them play at gigs, but they were plainly not that good. Later, Chris, the singer, was booted out
of the group and Liam became the new singer. They hired Tony McCaroll to play drums and Liam renamed the group
Oasis after a local youth center. What about Noel? Noel was a roadie for the Inspiral Carpets and he caught Oasis at
a gig in Manchester. Noel called the gig "utter shite" and stormed into the rehearsal room one day and took over.
In 1993, Oasis were signed to Creation records after one show in Glasgow, Scotland by the boss Alan McGee.
They released they're first single in 1994, called "Supersonic", a song that Noel claims to be about absolutely nothing.
After two more single releases, Oasis' debut album "Definitely Maybe" was released and it was critically aclaimed by all.
After another single, "Whatever" was released. Thought to be on the second album, this single is pure brilliance.
In 1995, Tony McCaroll was booted out of the group and replaced with Alan White. Plus, Oasis released
their sophmore LP "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?". This would prove Oasis in America
as a great band with the single "Wonderwall" and the radio single "Champagne Supernova" going to number one.
On the leg of their North American tour, Liam missed the first few shows in Detroit and eventually the whole band
got jet lag and the tour was cancelled. In the UK, "Blowasis" rumours plauged the band and the future of Oasis was
unknown. But, fourtunetly, the band rested and they went into the studio to record their third album "Be Here Now".
It was released to sales records in 1997 and continues to sell today. After a somewhat successful 97/98 tour, with
Liam headbutting a fan, airline troubles, and a fire on the stage at the last gig, Oasis are resting for the rest of the
year to watch the World Cup 1998 at home. Noel is supposed to be on the X-Files movie soundtrack, and the band
will be beginning work on their fourth album next year. What will become of Oasis? Who knows.
4) The Albums
Definitely Maybe
Released August 29, 1994
Highest Chart Posistion: 1
1. Rock 'n' Roll Star
2. Shakermaker
3. Live Forever
4. Up In The Sky
5. Columbia
6. Supersonic
7. Bring It On Down
8. Cigarettes & Alcohol
9. Digsy's Diner
10. Slide Away
11. Married With Children
Definitely Maybe runs around 54 minutes and is the debut from Oasis. It features oringinal drummer Tony
McCarroll, even though Noel claims that he did most of the drumming. The album, was released in 1994 to immediate
critical acclaim. Upon release, it became the fastest selling debut album in UK history. The Japanese CD is actually
a double CD, with the entire 'Whatever' single on the second disc. The UK vinyl version has an extra track.
'Sad Song' is a Noel acoustic that was left off the CD due to production scheduales. The surprising thing is that
four years after it's release, 'Definitely Maybe' still continues to sell well in the UK indie charts! If you don't have
this album, I suggest you go out right now and BUY IT! It's worth your money!
(What's The Story) Morning Glory?
Released October 2, 1995
Highest Chart Position: 1
1. Hello
2. Roll With It
3. Wonderwall
4. Don't Look Back In Anger
5. Hey Now!
6. (excerpt from Swamp Song)
7. Some Might Say
8. Cast No Shadow
9. She's Electric
10. Morning Glory
11. (excerpt from Swamp Song)
12. Champagne Supernova
'Morning Glory' is to date, the most popular Oasis album. It has 2 number 1 singles and the classic
'Wonderwall' to it's credit. A good percentage of Oasis fans (like myself) first started liking the band when this album
came out. Like 'Definitely Maybe', this album still has a top 20 posistion in the UK indie charts! On the UK vinyl
version, there's also an extra song called 'Bonehead's Bank Holiday'. It's sung by Bonehead himself! I think he sounds
a bit like Noel when he sings but it's a good song with a catchy tune. 'Morning Glory' is a good investment for
newer Oasis fans. It's about 50 minutes in length.
Be Here Now
Released August 21, 1997
Highest Chart Position: 1
1. D'You Know What I Mean?
2. My Big Mouth
3. Magic Pie
4. Stand By Me
5. I Hope, I Think, I Know
6. The Girl In The Dirty Shirt
7. Fade In-Out
8. Don't Go Away
9. Be Here Now
10. All Around The World
11. It's Gettin' Better (Man!!)
12. All Around The World (Reprise)
The third and most recent album from Oasis is said to be a bad album. I'd have to disagree It's a great album,
with two number 1 singles and it has sold over 7 million copies to date. It has a much louder sound to it, in
comparison to the first two albums, and it's basically a fun rock record to party to. Be Here Now reached #1 chart
posistions in over 5 countries upon release and made the top 3 in at least 5 more. It currently holds the record of
being the fastest selling album ever in the UK, selling just over 350, 000 copies in it's first day in the UK alone!
A great buy, it rounds off Noel's three album chapter quite well! It clocks in at 72 minutes.
5) The Singles
Supersonic
Released April 11, 1994
Highest Chart Position: 31
1. Supersonic
2. Take Me Away
3. I Will Believe (Live)
4. Columbia (White Label Demo)
Single Rating: 5/10- The b-sides aren't great, but the a-side was a great intro for Oasis
Shakermaker
Released June 13, 1994
Highest Chart Posistion: 11
1. Shakermaker
2. D'Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman?
3. Alive (8 Track Demo)
4. Bring It On Down (Live)
Single Rating: 6/10- Again, b-sides are mediocre, one point for "Cloudburst"
Live Forever
Released August 8, 1994
Highest Chart Posistion: 10
1. Live Forever
2. Up In The Sky (Acoustic)
3. Cloudburst
4. Supersonic (Live April '94)
Single Rating: 6/10- Okay b-sides, could have had something newer though.
Cigarettes & Alcohol
Released October 3, 1994
Highest Chart Posistion: 8
1. Cigarettes & Alcohol
2. I Am The Walrus (Live Glasgow Cathouse June '94)
3. Listen Up
4. Fade Away
Single Rating: 8/10- Great single with quality b-sides.
Whatever
Released December 18, 1994
Highest Chart Posistion: 3
1. Whatever
2. (It's Good) To Be Free
3. Half The World Away
4. Slide Away
Single Rating: 9/10- Great single, one point drop for 'Slide Away', nothing new on that track.
Some Might Say
Released April 24, 1995
Highest Chart Posistion: 1
1. Some Might Say
2. Talk Tonight
3. Acquiesce
4. Headshrinker
Single Rating: 10/10- Great b-sides, classic single.
Roll With It
Released August 14, 1995
Highest Chart Posistion: 2
1. Roll With It
2. It's Better People
3. Rockin' Chair
4. Live Forever (Live Glastonbury '95)
Single Rating: 9/10- Top single, 'Live Forever' sounds better on DM.
Wonderwall
Released October 30, 1995
Highest Chart Posistion: 2
1. Wonderwall
2. Round Are Way
3. The Swamp Song
4. The Masterplan
Single Rating: 10/10- Great single.
Don't Look Back In Anger
Released February 19, 1996
Highest Chart Posistion: 1
1. Don't Look Back In Anger
2. Step Out
3. Underneath The Sky
4. Cum On Feel The Noize
Single Rating: 9/10- Good single. 'Cum On Feel The Noize' is a bit scrappy.
D'You Know What I Mean?
Released July 7, 1997
Highest Chart Posistion: 1
1. D'You Know What I Mean?
2. Stay Young
3. Angel Child (Demo)
4. Heroes
Single Rating: 10/10- Great b-sides. Great single! D'you know what I mean?
Stand By Me
Released September 22, 1997
Highest Chart Posistion: 2
1. Stand By Me
2. (I Got) The Fever
3. My Sister Lover
4. Going Nowhere
Single Rating: 10/10- Best Oasis single ever! Best b-sides to date.
All Around The World
Released January 12, 1998
Highest Chart Posistion: 1
1. All Around The World
2. The Fame
3. Flashbax
4. Street Fighting Man
Single Rating: 10/10- Great single. 'Flashbax' is a great song!
Don't Go Away (Japan)
Released May 11, 1998
Highest Chart Posistion: never charted in the UK charts
1. Don't Go Away
2. Cigarettes & Alcohol (live from GMEX)
3. Sad Song
4. Fade Away (Warchild Version)
Single Rating: 10/10- Great single. Nothing THAT new, but a good rarities collectible.
6) Fourth Album
Now that the "Be Here Now" run has died down, Oasis fans and the media are looking ahead to the fourth
Oasis album. Here are some rumours that have circulated the upcoming album:
- the fourth album is said to be written and recorded in 1999 with a release in early 2000
- there is said to be already one song called "Slow"
- Noel wants The Chemical Brothers to produce the single
- Noel might get the The Chemical Brothers to produce the album
- the fourth album might have a strong "dance music" feel, almost techno like
- Liam has said he will not have any part in a dance album; he's staying with rock & roll
- Oasis did practice some new stuff at sound checks, but Noel says nothing that even looks like an album
- an early rumour was that the album was already written, this is untrue
7) Recent 'Be Here Now' 97/98 Tour Gigs
1997
June 14 -- KROQ Weenie Roast; Irvine, CA
June 18 -- Coliseum; Oakland, CA (with U2)
June 19 -- Coliseum; Oakland, CA (with U2)
September 8 -- Spektrum; Oslo, Norway
September 9 -- Globe; Stockholm, Sweden
September 10 -- Forum; Copenhagen, Denmark
September 13 -- Westpoint Arena; Exeter
September 14 -- Westpoint Arena; Exeter
September 16 -- Arena; Newcastle
September 17 -- Arena; Newcastle
September 19 -- Exhibition and Conference Centre; Aberdeen
September 20 -- Exhibition and Conference Centre; Aberdeen
September 22 -- Arena; Sheffield
September 23 -- Arena; Sheffield
September 25 -- Earl's Court, London
September 26 -- Earl's Court, London
September 27 -- Earl's Court, London
September 29 -- Birmingham National Indoor Arena
September 30 -- Birmingham National Indoor Arena
October 7 -- Hammerstein Ballroom; New York, NY
October 8 -- Hammerstein Ballroom; New York, NY
November 3 -- Zenith; Lille, France
November 8 -- Pabellon Principe Felipe; Zaragoza, Spain
November 10 -- Palacio De La Comunidad; Madrid, Spain
November 11 -- Palau Dels Esports; Barcelona, Spain
November 13 -- Arena; Geneva, Switzerland
November 15 -- Palasport; Bologna, Italy
November 16 -- Forum; Milan, Italy
November 17 -- Forum; Milan, Italy
November 19 -- Olympichalle; Munich, Germany
November 21 -- Sportovni Hala; Prague, Czech Republic
November 22 -- Deutschlandhalle; Berlin, Germany
November 24 -- Messehalle; Hannover, Germany
November 25 -- Festhalle; Frankfurt, Germany
November 27 -- Brabanthallen; Den Bosch, Hollland
November 28 -- Arena; Oberhausen, Germany
December 3 -- The Point; Dublin, Ireland
December 4 -- The Point; Dublin, Ireland
December 5 -- The Point; Dublin, Ireland
December 7 -- SE&CC; Glasgow, Scotland
December 8 -- SE&CC; Glasgow, Scotland
December 10 -- Indoor Arenal; Cardiff
December 11 -- Indoor Arena; Cardiff
December 13 -- GMEX; Manchester
December 14 -- GMEX; Manchester
December 16 -- Wembley Arena; London
December 17 -- Wembley Arena; London
December 18 -- Wembley Arena; London
1998
January 8 -- Sony E Center; Philadelphia, PA
January 9 -- Patriot Center; Washington, DC
January 10 -- Palumbo Center; Pittsburgh, PA
January 12 -- Continental Airlines Arena; E Rutherford, NJ
January 15 -- Maple Leaf Gardens; Toronto, ONT
January 17 -- Rosemont Horizon; Chicago, IL
January 18 -- Northrop Auditorium; Minneapolis, MN
January 23 -- GM PLace; Vancouver, BC
January 24 -- Seattle Center; Seattle, WA
January 26 -- Bill Graham Auditorium; San Francisco, CA
January 27 -- Universal Amphitheater; Los Angeles, CA
January 28 -- Universal Amphitheater; Los Angeles, CA
January 31 -- Bronco Bowl; Dallas, TX
February 1 -- Theatre At Bayou Place; Houston, TX
February 5 -- WPB Auditorium; West Palm Beach, FL
February 6 -- UCF Arena; Orlando, FL
February 8 -- Fox Theatre; Atlanta, GA
February 18 -- Budokan; Nippon
February 19 -- Budokan; Nippon
February 20 -- Budokan; Nippon
February 22 -- HKCEC Hall 3; Hong Kong
February 26 -- Entertainment Center; Perth
February 28 -- Entertainment Center; Adelaide
March 1 -- Entertainment Center; Melbourne
March 3 -- Entertainment Center; Sydney
March 6 -- Entertainment Center; Brisbane
March 9 -- Carter Holt Pavilion; Auckland, NZ
March 10 -- Queens Warf Event Center; Wellington, NZ
March 14 -- San Carlos Apoquindo Stadium ; Santiago, Chile
March 17 -- Luna Park; Buenos Aires, Argentina
March 18 -- Luna Park; Buenos Aires, Argentina
March 20 -- Metropolitan; Rio de Janiero, Brazil
March 21 -- Polo de Arte e Cultura de Anhembi; Sao Paulo, Brazil
March 24 -- Sports Palace; Mexico City, Mexico
March 25 -- Sports Palace; Mexico City, Mexico
8) Have Any Other Band Members Ever Written A Song?
Besides Noel, Liam and Bonehead are the only other band members to have a written songs. Before Noel
joined the group, they wrote a song called "Take Me" and that was it. Liam also co-wrote a song with John Squire
(ex-Stone Roses) called "Love Me And Leave Me" and it is on John Squire's band The Seahorses 1997 debut
called "Do It Yourself"(for more info on The Seahorses, see section 14). As for Liam writing songs for Oasis, he
has contributed to some songs. He wrote the chorus in "Columbia". He made up the line "so sally can wait" in
"Don't Look Back In Anger"and added the "yeah, yeah" in "D'You Know What I Mean?".
9) Interview With Noel From Acces Magazine
Note: "Access" is a free music magazine that is available in Canada.
In the caption it says two things: "They're the greatest rock & roll band that ever lived, just ask them."
and "Serge Simonart Talks With Oasis' Song Write About Be Here Now, Musical Thievery and why Sting is a prat."
It has a picture of the band on the first and second pages. Noel and Liam are on the cover with the heading:
OASIS (BROTHERS GRIM)
WARNING! This article does contain coarse language (mostly from Noel). If you are offended, skip this section!
Oasis have just released Be Here Now, a third album filled with, as songwriter and guitarist Noel Gallagher
calls it, "Neandrathal rock & roll." It's twelve months after their last British live performance at Knebworth; eighteen
months after the release of (What's The Story) Morning Glory?; twelve months after Noel's "I hope Damon from Blur
dies of AIDS" comment (for which he later apologized); and ten months after the 'Blowoasis' split rumours that
accompanied their abandoned American tour last fall. They recently played with U2 on their American Tour, which
prompted singer Liam Gallagher's onstage comment "Not bad for a support band, are we?" Meanwhile, statistics
in Britain show that 'Liam' has jumped three places higher in the annual list of most popular boys' names: More people
are calling their newborn sons Liam because of Oasis' popularity. It's a fact that, in big that Noel Gallagher had to
buy a number of guard dogs to protect his new house after a series of attempted burglaries.
Noel is four hours late for our interview, but in good spirits. When he bursts into the office, he says to the the three
journalists present, "Alright. Line up. queue. Who's first?" He pours a Belgian Beer (Stella), but hardly touches it
during our seventy-minute conversation.
SS: I heard you got thrown out of Abbey Road studios- where the Beatles used to record- because you were too
noisy. I thought a rock & roll band was supposed to be noisy, and a recording studio was supposed to be able to
handle that.
NG: Yeah, that's what we thought- but there you go. There was this producer who was recording some classical
stuff in one of the other studios who apparently said our recordings were too loud. It was like being at school and
the headmaster telling you off. In the end we did three songs at Abbey Road. But it was good to get out of there and
got to a farmhouse to record and act like a band again as opposed to a media circus. It wasn't only that they
complained about the noise, we had to deal with the tabloid press and people stealing things from the studio...leaking
the contents of private conversations to the gossip press and such. It became intolerable.
SS: Every great rock band has the musketerrlike attitude: the usagainsttheworld thing.
NG: We've always felt like that, yeah. We still feel like outsiders. Always have done. We're very popular with the kids,
but we're not popular in the music community in London. There's not a lot of other bands that like us, which is cool
because we all think those bands are shit anyway.
SS: Or jealous.
NG: Whatever word you wanna use. But we've always felt like outsiders, ever since we were a tiny band in Manchester.
Even back then we thought we were the best band in the world- although nobody took notice of us- and that one
day we would get ours, and everybody else would bow...and subsequently we've been proven right.
SS: I feel the main thing Oasis have proven is that there are no rules in rock & roll.
NG: Yeah, I feel we obey our own rules. You make your own rules...Cheers (raising his beer). In a way, the music that
we make is very traditional, so we don't break many rules musically. But in the things that we say and the way that
we don't conform to how pop stars are supposed to act, we have broken all the rules. Actually, we dont' think that
we're outrageous. People seem to think so, but it's just the normal way we act home.
SS: When I see Oasis, I'm always reminded of the frank attitude people like The Who had when they first went to
America in the late '60's. You had some tacky old TV presenter asking Roger Daltry condescendingly what his name
was, and Daltry said, "My friends call me Roger...you can call me John."
NG: Yeah. Great attitude. It's like us cracking America. If we do it; it'll be on our own terms. We're not going to kiss
anybody's arses. If we've proven that you don't have to kiss arse to make it big time, that's top.
SS: I know people have been bothering you with endless Beatles comparisons, but it must happen sometimes that
you unconsciously end up in territory that has already been covered. For instance, you write a song and then, a
week later, you listen back to that demo and suddenly realize: "That sounds like 'Let It Be' and I didn't realize it."
When was the last time that happened?
NG: Last week. (laughs) It happens all the time, mate! I don't think I've ever actually re-written somebody else's
song. I've put bits of other people's songs into my songs, yeah. I stuck a little bit of 'Imagine' on the front of
'Don't Look Back In Anger'- but they're not the same song, right? But if I do that, I don't do it by accident, I do it
on purpose. When I was writing 'Cigarettes And Alcohol', I wasn't sitting there going (sings T.Rex riff) and then
say "Fuck me, this sounds like T.Rex!" Of course that bit sounds like T.Rex because I wanted it to sound like T.Rex!
I pinched that riff off Mare Bolan...but he stole it in turn off Howlin' Wolf, who in turn stole it off Robert Johnson.
That riff goes back to the '20's. I mean, the Beatles were derivative of black American music-The Shirelles and Buddy
Holly and Bill Haley. They sort of copied some of that stuff up to Rubber Soul. The Beatles, The Small Faces, The
Kinks, The Stooges, The Who, The Sex Pistols, Elvis...I must of played all those records a thousand times, so it'll
always be an influence. It's true that 'Don't Look Back In Anger' reeks of Rubber Soul or even Abbey Road- but
it's an original song. No composer is ever a virgin. You never start from scratch.
SS: What's it like when you're a kid from Manchester and suddenly you start making music and, after a while,
you're bigger than the people you used to look up to?
NG: I've had that with every pop star I've met. I had that with the Sex Pistols, where I was mesmerized with the
mythical figure of Johnny Rotten. When I was eleven years old and I heard Never Mind The Bollocks- Here's The
Sex Pistols for the first time, that was about the most mindblowing experience I'll ever have. But now, I know John
Lydon quite well, and to me he's just John from North London. And he's not let me down in any way. I mean,
everybody is just an ordinary human being, you know? David Bowie was not a 'Starman'. He's not some alien. He's
just Davey Jones from Battersea Park. When I was queing for concerts of The Smiths in 1983, I was a fan. But I
didn't get to meet Johnny Marr until after I became Noel Gallagher of Oasis, biggest band in the world.
SS: Did you ever write a lyric about Liam's behaviour, knowing that he would be obliged to sing it?
NG: I have never, ever written a lyric at all with Liam in mind. And I never think of Liam singing anything when I'm
writing. I always picture myself singing it. People are always saying, "Oh, Noel, you must have been envisaging
Liam singing this lyric because it feels so natural when he's singing it." But that's because we're family. We have
the same blood, the same parents, and whatever's going through my mind is going through his. It's as simple as that.
The only problem I have with Liam over lyrics is that I'm dyslexic, so sometimes I forget to write down words, or
spell them incorrectly. Then when Liam sings them incorrectly he says, "But it doesn't make any fuckin' sense!"-
and then it turns out I forgot half of the sentence.
SS: I'm sure you're familiar with the ultimate rock & roll movie, Spinal Tap. Was there a moment when you thought,
'Shit, we've ended up in the '90's version of that movie?'
NG: We were doing a gig in Philadelphia on the last American tour. Now I don't usually get drunk before I go on
stage, but this one particular gig I was pissed. So I walked on stage and started doing all these cliched rock & roll
poses and signs totally over the top. But the crowd went mental and loved it to bits. And I thought, "This could
only happen in America.' I was pissed- and taking the piss- but the crowd thought I was being serious. So for the
rest of the show I acted like I was a member of KISS, you know, playing extended guitar solos with my tongue and
all...and everybody seemed to think it was really great. Looking back, I think that was the moment I realized it was
time to go home. That's the only time Oasis were ever Spinal Tap. Well, that's the only time I'll admit that we were
Spinal Tap.
SS: It astounds me that they're very few bands of this generation that seem to have learned from their predecessors'
mistakes. We all know what a terrible time people like The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, The Sex Pistols, The Rolling Stones,
and The Beatles had with corrupt managers, back-stabbing managment, shady deals and drugs, yet most new bands
keep making the same mistakes. You had the advantage of starting out in the music business as roadie of the
Inspiral Carpets. Did that give you the oppurtunity to suss things out, to prepare for your Oasis strategy?
NG: That did give me time to sort of be on the inside without having to commit myself. And my experience with
Inspiral Carpets quickly made realize there is a certain way not to do things. I saw others mess up, and I remembered
not to fuck up. I mean, that's why I was down at the printers today. I'm a rich rock star. I could have stayed home
and gotten pissed or played with the dogs or shagged the wife, know what I mean? But instead I drove two hundered
miles...
SS: Ah, now you're lying...You couldn't have been driving because you don't have a driver's license.
NG: Well, someone else drove me, obviously. I'm a rock & roll star, I don't have to drive myself. But yeah, that's
true. They (Sony Music) gave me a chocolate brown 60,000 pound Roller (Rolls Royce) for Christmas, but I'm not
allowed to drive it. Anyway, so I was at the printer's today making sure that when the album cover of Be Here Now
is printed, all the colours are matched up correctly. You see, I started writing this album eighteen months ago, and
I just finished this album this very afternoon! So I've gone from writing to playing the tunes to producing and
taking care of the cover. I've taken as much care over of every aspect. I write it, record it, produce it, play it, sing it,
mix it, I do the artwork...and now I can rest 'cause it's finished. A lot of other bands don't give a fuck about all those
details. I do. 'Cause it's my art, man! That's why I'm in this office everyday. Because I want to make sure that every
decision taken for Oasis is the right decision. 'Cause it's my and my brother's and my four mate's careers that were
talking about. And I take as much pride in the artwork as in being on stage or pissing about at some award ceromony.
And if anyone is going to fuck it up, I'll fuck it up. No other idiot is gonna fuck it up.
SS: The context of some of your lyrics is fascinating. Like that line "Don't put your life in the hands of a rock & roll
band" in 'Don't Look Back In Anger'. That line could be a quote from (right-wing consevative British politician)
Mary Whitehouse.
NG: Yeah, it does sound like a warning from a worried parent, doesn't it? But if the band is Oasis, of course it's okay
to put your life in our hands. But the thing is, I also meant it as a warning. What I was saying with that particular
line was, "Okay, Oasis is a great band and we're real and you can trust us. But do not build your life around us,
'cause any rock band can split up at any time, and if you've built your life around it, and the band splits up, you'll
be left with no life." I was saying to the fans, "Make sure you've got something else to fall back on."
SS: You know, Sting once said...
NG: Sting?! He's rubbish! Fuckin' Sting. Fuckin' rainforest! Fuck trees, man...dogs piss on them. (laughs) Go on,
what did fuckin' Sting say?
SS: Sting said about the band politics in The Police. "You can't argue with a good song." The band members of The
Police always refused to fight over whose song ended up on the record, but Sting simply wrote the best songs so
he always won.
NG: That's true. Sting's still a prat, though. Sting wrote "Message In A Bottle': good tune. 'So Lonely': top tune. But
he's still a twat. (laughs)
SS: What is the strangest fan mail you ever got?
NG: The weirdes fan mail. The would have to be this girl in... we're in 1997 now, right? So this was in 1995, just after
Morning Glory came out. That girl sent me a letter claiming that she met me in a dream and she claimed that she had
written all my songs. She was convinced that I knew he knew that she'd written 'Wonderwall' and all the rest of them.
And I actually got to meet her, and she was going, "But Noel, you know that I wrote 'Champagne Supernova'?!",
and I was going, "Fuck off, of course you didn't!" But the weirdest letters we get are usually the ones asking for
money. I read a lot of the fan mail but I rarely reply.
SS: If Oliver Stone made a Doors-type of movie about Oasis, what would be a crucial scene to give outsiders a good
idea what it's like to be in Oasis?
NG: That would have to be when I was in Abbey Road studios recording 'Come Together' with Paul McCartney and
Paul Weller. You got three generations of soul music there. Paul McCartney, rude boy from the '60's and '70'; Weller
from the '80's and '90's; and me from the '90's and going well into the next century. That's almost forty years of
music, man. That's top, man!
Access Magazine November 1997 issue
10) Bootlegs
What is a bootleg you ask? Well, it is a recorded tape of an Oasis concert that can be traded over the
Internet. For example, Oasis just performed at Knebworth. You, a loyal Oasis fan brought your tape recorder to the
concert and recorded the entire thing.
This is a bootleg. Or, a bootleg can be a rare tape of Oasis demos, or a
collection of songs that are not for sale. Bootleg seizures have been common on the net, mostly due to the Official
Oasis Website. The most recent being a couple weeks before the release of 'D'You Know What I Mean?'. Some
sites had a sound file of it and they had to be shut down due to copyright laws. But enough of that. Here a few
bootlegs that I think are rather interesting (tracklisting, gig, etc) and their tracklistings. Enjoy!
Oasis: Blue Album
1. Half The World Away
2. Talk Tonight
3. Aquiesce
4. Headshrinker
5. Some Might Say (demo)
6. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (Beatles' Cover)
7. It's Better People
8. Rockin' Chair
9. Live Forever (live Glastonbury '95)
10. Fade Away
11. Bonehead's Bank Holiday
12. Round Are Way
13. The Swamp Song
14. The Masterplan
15. Step Out
16. Underneath The Sky
17. Cum On Feel The Noize
This bootleg is really interesting, because it contains most of the b-sides and rarities from 'Morning Glory', plus
a few extras. It would be really cool if this was released as an actual album in the future.
Oasis: Red Album
1. Take Me Away
2. I Will Believe (live)
3. Columbia (White Label Demo)
4. Cigarettes & Alcohol (demo)
5. D'Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman?
6. Alive (8 Track Demo)
7. Bring It On Down (live)
8. Up In The Sky (Acoustic)
9. Cloudburst
10. Supersonic (live April '94)
11. Sad Song
12. I Am The Walrus (live)
13. Listen Up
14. Fade Away
15. Whatever
16. (It's Good) To Be Free
Like the Blue Album, this contains most of the b-sides and rarities to 'Definitely Maybe'. The early stuff, before
Oasis were really huge.
That's all the bootlegs that I can find interesting. For a great bootlegs list, see Underneath The Sky. For the
address, see 'Great Oasis Links'.
11) My Opinions About Oasis
If you don't want to here my opinions, go to the next section. If anybody disagrees, please email me
because I love to hear what other people think. First of all, my favourite album is '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?'
and 'Be Here Now' is second with 'Definitely Maybe' in third. You know, I hear something about Oasis everyday
from somebody whether on TV or from my friends. None of my friends like Oasis, so I always have arguements
with them. Everybody who dislikes the band is always slagging them off as jerks, or druggies or drunks. Okay,
Oasis do drink, do drugs, and they can be jerks ocassionally, but what about the music? People who hate Oasis,
have only heard songs like 'Wonderwall', 'Champagne Supernova' and 'Don't Go Away'. They're all great songs,
but that's not all the songs! After I heard all of 'Morning Glory' the other albums, the singles, I found a great band
with more memorable songs than any other band today. I feel Oasis don't get the attention or the recognition in
America as they do everywhere else. Melanie C of the Spice Girls can drop dead because she's always mouthing
off to Liam. I can't believe the Spice Girls have already gotten 6 number one singles in a row, when Oasis have only
gotten 4 in odd places. I think that Blur and Oasis aren't enemies anymore. Blur lost. The Spice Girls are the new
enemy. Oasis will have them. That's all my mean things to say. Oasis are the best around right now. Every song
is a hit. Noel Gallagher is a genius! He's the best songwriter since John Lennon in my book. Here's a list of my top
ten favourite songs:
1. (I Got) The Fever
2. Some Might Say
3. D'You Know What I Mean?
4. Don't Look Back In Anger
5. Magic Pie
6. Flashbax
7. Going Nowhere
8. Supersonic
9. All Around The World
10. Live Forever
12) Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What songs does Noel sing?
A: Here is a following list of Noel sung tunes.
Sad Song
Take Me Away
D'Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman?
Up In The Sky (acoustic)
Half The World Away
Don't Look Back In Anger
Talk Tonight
Acquiesce (with Liam)
It's Better People
The Masterplan
Step Out
Magic Pie
Angel Child (demo)
Heroes
Going Nowhere
The Fame
Flashbax
Q: What does Liam say at the end of 'D'You Know What I Mean?'
A: The backwards bit at the end is 'all my people, right here, right now. D'you know what I mean? Yeah, Yeah'.
Q: I live in North America, where can I get the UK singles?
A: Creation released two box sets of singles for 'Definitely Maybe' and 'Morning Glory'. They cost $20.00 in the UK
but are a little more expensive in NA. These sets do not have 'Whatever' and there is currently not a 'Be Here Now'
box set. I ordered 'Whatever' through my local HMV or music store that carries imports. The singles for the latest
album, being new, are released here (in my area) three weeks after their UK release.
Q: What does 'Our Kid' mean?
A: You may here Liam and Noel use the phrase 'our kid' a lot. This is a common phrase used in Manchester meaning
one's brother.
Q: Which Oasis songs are acoustics?
A: Here's a list of acoustic songs.
Married With Children
Sad Song
Take Me Away
D'Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman?
Up In The Sky (acoustic)
Whatever (somewhat)
Half The World Away
Wonderwall (somewhat)
Cast No Shadow
Talk Tonight
It's Better People
The Masterplan
Angel Child (demo)
Going Nowhere
Flashbax
Q: Who is Scott Mcleod?
A: Scott Mcleod was a temporary bass player brought in on the 1996 tour when Guigsy fell ill with exhaustion. His
time in Oasis was short lived, though. He's in the 'Wonderwall' video and he left after a few gigs. Guigsy came back
after that. Scott is now in a new band in Manchester.
Q: 'Don't Go Away' is Japanese release. What other Japanese singles have been released?
A: The following is a short discography of Japanese singles.
Supersonic
1. Supersonic
2. Shakermaker
3. Columbia (White Label Demo)
4. Alive (8 Track Demo)
5. D'Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman?
6. I Will Believe (live)
Some Might Say
1. Some Might Say
2. Talk Tonight
3. Acquiesce
4. Headshrinker
5. Some Might Say (demo)
6. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Don't Look Back In Anger
1. Don't Look Back In Anger
2. Step Out
3. Underneath The Sky
4. Cum On Feel The Noize
Don't Go Away
1. Don't Go Away
2. Cigarettes & Alcohol (live from GMEX)
3. Sad Song
4. Fade Away (Warchild Version)
Q: What covers have Oasis done?
A: Oasis have done covers of the following songs. * is by Noel
You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (Beatles Cover)
Help! (Beatles Cover)*
To Be Someone (Jam Cover)*
Come Together (Beatles Cover)* (with Paul McCartney and Paul Weller)
I Am The Walrus (Beatles Cover)
Cum On Feel The Noize (Slade Cover)
Heroes (David Bowie Cover)
Street Fighting Man (Rolling Stones Cover)
Q: What were Oasis' early songs like?
A: A great place to hear sounds, and read reviews of early Oasis songs is at Cast No Shadow. The address is in
the links section.
Q: Is the fourth album done?
A: A month after the release of 'Be Here Now', there were rumours that the fourth Oasis album was written. This
is untrue, Noel still has to write it.
Q: Did Oasis SPLIT UP?
A: Nope. There were some pretty ugly rumours that were around the net. They didn't split, they are not going to
split anytime soon. They're just taking a break for the rest of the year.
Bye for now!
13) Blur vs. Oasis: Who Won?
Back in 1995, there was a big 'britpop' battle of the bands between Blur and Oasis. It all started with Oasis'
new single 'Roll With It' being released on the same day as Blur's 'Country House' single. It was possibly the
biggest single battle of the bands ever. Many people speculated Blur would lose and fans of both bands were
encouraged to buy the singles in the first week at record stores that registered with UK charts. The worst thing
that happened was Noel's "hope Damon and Alex of Blur die of AIDS" comment that caused much contreversy.
In the end, Oasis lost the single battle. 'Country House' had indeed sold more copies than 'Roll With It'. Blur
showed to be poor winners (especially Damon), but the battle wasn't finished. Blur's new album
'The Great Escape' was to be released some time in August or September, and Oasis' new album '(What's The Story)
Morning Glory?' was slated for an October release. It was the battle of the bands again, but this time, not that much
emphasis was put on it. In the end, 'Morning Glory' had sold more than 'The Great Escape' by a huge margin and
Oasis were seen all over the world as the band who won the battle of the 'britpop'. Even now, Oasis still seem to be
more popular, even though the feud is long past and both bands have gone in different directions. Blur
have sought refuge in a more 'indie' rock sound on their latest album 'Blur' and Oasis have still dominated thre
charts with the same sound on their latest record 'Be Here Now'. The feud is over. But, can another band jump up
and challenge the lads? Say, the Spice Girls?
14) Great Oasis Links
Some really awesome Oasis sites on the net:
http://www.oasisnews.com - OASISNEWS- a great news site with reviews and updated daily
http://www.oasisinet.com- OASIS INTERNET- official site, updated every week or so
http://www.oocities.org/SunsetStrip/Towers/4626- CAST NO SHADOW: The Definitive Oasis Page- great site
with tons of info, updated every couple of days. Great lyrics section
http://www.oocities.org/SunsetStrip/Alley/7429- UNDERNEATH THE SKY- great page with links, sounds and
more, updated every few days
http://www.resoft.inopera.it/musica/oasis.htm- OASIS- great links page with most Oasis pages listed
http://www.oocities.org/SunsetStrip/Studio/6627- HEY NOW!- Amos' Oasis Page- great page, updated every few
days, has a great sounds page
http://freespace.virgin.net/warren.davies- STAND BY ME- great site with updated news daily
http://members.xoom.com/AnOasisForAnOasis/oasis.htm- AN OASIS FOR AN OASIS- cool site, with good articles
and sounds.
http://www.oocities.org/Broadway/Stage/3433/index.html- OASIS WORLD- great page with lots of variety
http://members.tripod.com/~Madforit- MAD FOR OASIS: A Complete Oasis Website- great page, that has
excellent variety
15) How I Discovered Oasis
Although I'm sure many readers of this FAQ will find this section boring, it's my true story of how I
became 'mad fer it'. It all started around December 1995. I, a teenager who's musical tastes belonged to Hootie &
The Blowfish and Aerosmith, started hearing a tune on the radio called 'Wonderwall'. After a few weeks, I could
not get the song out of my head. I loved it, but, I was still reluctant to let it take over my life. I always heard Oasis
getting busted stories on the radio and laughed. So they had one good tune, so what? Then, I would prove myself
wrong. Every night, I would listen to a countdown radio show and a new entry from Oasis entered. This was a tune
that would forever change my view of music. "Champagne Supernova" became an obsession. I would sing it in
the shower, at school, anywhere! It was infectious. I was enthralled. A few months later, in May, I was shopping
in Toronto, and I went into HMV with the mission of buying the Oasis album. I looked straight
to the hits section and found an album called '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?'. I knew a lot of people who had
the album, so I picked it up, went to the register, bought it and took it home. Over the months, it became the only
album I would listen to. Tunes like 'Roll With It' and 'Some Might Say' filled my brain. Then, when I was at the mall,
I went into HMV with 20 bucks, and I wanted to buy a CD. I'd heard a song by Oasis a few weeks earlier called
'Supersonic' and I was pondering whether to buy the first Oasis album, or the latest CD from The Refreshments.
I decided on the Oasis CD and it also became the second album that I listened to non stop. I was truly mad fer it
by January 1997 and I knew all the songs on both albums and I was eagerly awaiting 'Be Here Now' by August.
I finally got it on August 26 and loved it. A month later, more mad for it, I bought the singles box sets ($80 dollars
worth) and I've been Oasis fanatical since. That's my story. My story of glory.
16) Sources
These are the following sources that have assisted in providing the information to this FAQ.
Oasis Internet- for tour gigs
Underneath The Sky- for bootlegs
Oasis: Supersonic/Supernova- Novel By Michael Krugman- for the biography
Cast No Shadow- for the fourth album details
Access Magazine- for the Noel article
If I've forgotten anything, please tell me.
17) Some Other Great Bands
Many other great British bands have surfaced since the success of Oasis, or great inspirations of Oasis.
The Verve-
With the success of their latest album 'Urban Hymns' and great songs like the 'Bittersweet Symphony',
'Lucky Man' and 'The Drugs Don't Work', this band has been around since Oasis were just starting out.
The song 'Cast No Shadow' is even dedicated to the lead singer and songwriter Richard Ashcroft. A great band.
The Seahorses-
Started by former Stone Roses guitarist John Squire, this quartet just released their debut album called
'Do It Yourself' in 1997. On the album, there is a song co-written by Liam Gallagher called 'Love Me And Leave Me'
and it's top. The album also has the previous hits 'Love Is The Law' and 'Blinded By The Sun'. These guys could
have the capacity to be really big.
Radiohead-
'OK Computer' is their latest album that's receiving rave reviews world wide. With tunes like 'Paranoid
Android' and 'Karma Police', this band is reaching supersonic levels. Check out their first two albums, too.
Stone Roses-
John Squires first band, these guys are big influences of Oasis' music. They disbanded in 1995 but their
two albums will live forever. Check out 'The Stone Roses' and 'Second Coming'.
The Beatles-
Need I say more?
18) Conclusion
That's the FAQ! I hope everybody enjoyed reading it, and was able to get some newer info from it.
Hopefully, I will be able to do another FAQ next year when the fourth album starts to be made. Again, if anybody
has any comments, questions, feedback etc. please email me at magicpie59@hotmail.com and I'll reply very quickly.
A live forever to all Oasis fans out there and stay young, too! I chat often at NME.COM or Yahoo Chat and my
name is magicpie59, so I'll see everybody there! Cheers!
Nick Cino
