10 reasons why Oasis need to reform
Rumours are rife they're burying the hatchet after six years
A tabloid report in September claimed that six years after their bitter split, feuding brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher were burying the hatchet to reform Oasis for a lucrative tour. Whether it was just clickbait or an authentic story remains to be seen but one thing’s for certain – we’d LOVE for Oasis to get back together.
Here we present 10 reasons why one of the greatest rock bands of the past quarter of a century should reform.
! 1. Oasis are a truly incredible live band As anyone who saw them at their legendary Knebworth, Maine Road or Wembley Stadium shows will attest, when they’re on top of their game, Oasis are almost untouchable as a live force. True, Liam’s voice can be a bit ropey occasionally, but who cares when you’ve got tens of thousands of people shouting back the words to ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ in unison!
2. Oasis’ arsenal of anthems From ‘Live Forever’ to ‘Whatever’, ‘Wonderwall’ to ‘Champagne Supernova’ and ‘Lyla’ to ‘D’You Know What I Mean?’, there are no shortage of anthems in Oasis’ sprawling musical arsenal. Imagine hearing all these songs in their live glory once again? Our hairs are standing on end just thinking about it.
! 3. Oasis’ first two albums are bona fide classics Noel Gallagher has admitted himself that Oasis’ latter albums dipped in quality, however there’s no denying that their seminal 1994 debut ‘Definitely Maybe’ and 1995 follow-up ‘(What's the Story) Morning Glory?’ are masterpieces. If they were to reform and recapture even a tiny percent of this musical magnificence on a new album it would be well worth it!
4. Noel’s hilarious wit! Easily one of the funniest and wittiest people in music, an Oasis reformation would give Noel an even bigger platform to spout his hilarious views. If you’re in any doubt of his mercurial verbal talents, check out his cutting commentary on an Oasis DVD (above) where he savages his own band!
! 5. Oasis helped define the 1990s Alongside a handful of other bands including Pulp and their arch rivals Blur, as one of the figureheads of the Britpop scene Oasis helped define the 1990s. A truly electrifying chapter in British musical history, indie bands took over the charts, had an immeasurable impact on fashion and youth culture and, most importantly, filled an entire nation with feel good vibes. For those of us of a certain age a reformation would bring those memories flooding back – for younger fans, it would be great to get a taste of it for the first time.
! 6. Oasis (possibly) need the money! As principle songwriter Noel Gallagher probably isn’t short of a bob or two, however Liam is currently involved in a court battle with ex-wife Nicole Appleton so could possibly need the cash. We can’t imagine their former band mates saying no to a huge payday too!
! 7. Oasis should take inspiration from The Stone Roses In 2009, Stone Roses guitarist John Squire released a painting emblazoned with the words "I have no desire whatsoever to desecrate the grave of seminal Manchester pop group The Stone Roses." Lo and behold, less than three years later The Stone Roses had reformed and played a string of glorious shows including a residency at Manchester’s Heaton Park. Surely, they’ve paved the way perfectly for an Oasis reunion?!
! 8. Oasis would ignite some fire into the music industry Never ones to mince their words, Oasis got involved in a series of fiery feuds when they were at their peak including with Blur, The Spice Girls and Robbie Williams. We’re not exactly advocating bad blood (ok, we might be a bit) but it would be fascinating to see them do battle in the charts with contemporary stars and add a bit of spice to things.
! 9. Noel is open to the idea of reforming Despite his solo successes as Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, in an interview with Q Magazine earlier this year, Noel said he was open to the idea of reforming, saying: “As long as everybody is still alive and still has their hair, it’s always a possibility. But only for the money.” Hinting that their fallout is at an end, in March Liam tweeted a photo of himself with an AAA pass to a NGHFBs gig. Come on boys, get it together!
! 10. Oasis’ many b-side gems Proof of their status as a truly magnificent band, alongside all the incredible singles and album tracks, some of Oasis’ best songs were little known b-sides. Fans regularly cite ‘The Masterplan’ (‘Wonderwall’ b-side), ‘Acquiesce’ (‘Some Might Say’ b-side) and ‘Half The World Away’ (‘Whatever’ b-side that was later used as theme to The Royle Family) as some of their favourite tracks. We agree.
