Original Oasis drummer Tony McCarroll hospitalised after heart attack

He says he's 'not quite out of the woods as yet'

Former Oasis drummer Tony McCarroll in 1995
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 31st Aug 2021
Last updated 31st Aug 2021

Tony McCarroll, Oasis’ co-founding member and original drummer, has been hospitalised after suffering a heart attack.

The 50-year-old musician took to Twitter to tell his followers he was taken to hospital last Wednesday night (25th August) and he’s “not quite out of the woods as yet."

Tony wrote: “Hi All. Wanted to let you know I was admitted to hospital on Thursday after suffering a heart attack on Wednesday night.

“I’m not quite out of the woods as yet but just want to give a massive big up to our #NHS We are more than fortunate to have such a service! Thank you!! X”

Liam Gallagher responded last night: "Tony it's LG hope your ok stay cool sending you love."

Tony later updated fans on Tuesday 31st August confirming he's had a stent fitted. Stents are tiny tubes fitted to the heart that help keep arteries open.

He wrote: "Stent fitted. All good! Thanks for all you’re amazing support over the last few days. Who wants a race?"

Tony McCarroll founded The Rain in 1991 alongside bassist Paul McGuigan, guitarist Paul Arthurs, and singer Chris Hutton.

When Liam Gallagher was drafted in to replace Hutton, the band changed their name to Oasis at Liam’s suggestion (after Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon) before Noel Gallagher later joined their ranks.

Tony McCarroll played drums on Oasis seminal debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’ and was ousted from the band shortly after Oasis scored their first Number 1 single with ‘Some Might Say’ in 1995.

Shortly before the millennium he launched legal proceedings against Oasis, however he settled out of court for £550,000 in March 1999 and severed all links with the band.

Tony released his biography Oasis: The Truth in 2010, and in 2016 he was interviewed for the Oasis: Supersonic film.

Everyone at Greatest Hits Radio wishes Tony a full recovery.

Check out all of the Oasis reunion rumours so far:

2013: Have Liam and Noel Gallagher made-up?

There have been some nice words said over the years. In 2013, Liam told NME, "I like Noel outside the band. Human Noel - that's my brother - I adore him and I'd do anything for him."

2014: Noel expressed his sadness about the split of Beady Eye

He told Q Magazine, "I'm very sad about Beady Eye, because I know they really wanted to make it work." He offered support and assured fans, "Liam won't stay out of the limelight for long. I think Liam should make a solo record – put his balls on the line, put his name up in lights and go for it."

2015: Liam goes to watch Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Liam Gallagher even went to see Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds in concert tweeting a backstage pass and the words 'Keeping it in the family...LG x'

2016: Oasis reunion rumours swirl

Wait! Could an Oasis reunion be on the cards? Hopes are lifted when The Daily Star quotes Noel saying he'll do it if the money's right. And how much would that be? "For twenty million quid, one gig – that is good money, isn't it?" Let's not get too excited, though, as Noel then adds: "But I have never had that offer from anyone yet."


Noel does concede that it could still happen, but it's best if no one holds their breath, "There might come a day one day where it might seem like a good idea, but I have so much I want to do. I have so much to do on my own that I don't really see it to be honest."

2017: Noel Gallagher collaborates with Blur's Damon Albarn

Proving that nothing is impossible, a decades-old feud is finally laid to rest when Damon Albarn and Noel Gallagher collaborate on the Gorillaz single, 'We've Got The Power', which also singer Jehnny Beth of post-punk outfit Savages.


Speaking of working with Noel, Damon Albarn said, "I thought it might be cute, the idea of us singing about the power to love each other. Of course, no one's asked Liam what he thinks about the song yet."


Watch the video on YouTube.

2017: One Love Manchester

With his solo career taking off, Liam Gallagher is a surprise guest at the One Love Manchester benefit gig, which raised money for the victims and families by those caught up in a terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert in the city.


Despite rumours of an Oasis reunion, Noel Gallagher doesn't play, although Liam buries the hatchet with Coldplay's Chris Martin. Having previously called the Coldplay frontman a "geography teacher", a "vicar" and a "plant pot" among other memorable insults, the pair play an emotional rendition of 'Live Forever'.

2017: Noel headlines We Are Manchester

Although absent from One Love Manchester, Noel Gallagher headlined the 'We Are Manchester' charity show at the Manchester Arena. Noel became visibly overwhelmed during his performance of 'Don't Look Back In Anger' – which became an anthem in Manchester following the tragic event.

2017: An olive branch at Christmas

What with Christmas coming and it being the season of goodwill, Liam offers a fraternal greeting to his brother via Twitter.

2017: Noel Gallagher's performance on Jools Holland

An appearance by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds on 'Later With Jools Holland' becomes a huge talking point when band member Charlotte Marionneau snips a pair of scissors into a microphone during 'She Taught Me How To Fly'.


Liam joked after, "I'm looking for somebody to peel some spuds live on stage tnight at this gig in Bethnal Green," he writes on – where else? - Twitter. "Must have own peeler." sic] However his request is actually fulfilled... [Watch the moment on YouTube.


Noel Gallagher claims that he knew that the scissors would wind his brother up. Explaining how it came about, Noel then said, "I leaned into my bass player and said, 'Do you hear that sound?' and he went, 'What the scissors?' and I went, 'No, that's the sound of Liam glassing himself when he sees this!' "In Manchester, the night it aired, I was in the front seat of a car and when it stopped at the traffic lights, the car got surrounded by a load of geezers just going, 'Sciiiiiissooooors!'"

2018: Liam Gallagher is nominated for Best British Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards

After releasing his debut album 'As You Were' in October 2017, Liam was delighted to receive a nomination for Best British Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards 2018. Although he missed out to Stormzy, Liam did step in to perform 'Live Forever' as a tribute to the Manchester Arena victims, after Ariana Grande was forced to pull out due to illness.

2018: Liam reaches out to Noel and calls for an Oasis reunion

In July, he tweeted, 'Earth to noel listen up rkid I hear your doing gigs where people can't drink alcohol now that's the BeZarist thing you've done yet. I forgive you now let's get the BIG O back together.'

2019: Noel says Liam's tweets are 'a nail in the coffin' for Oasis reunion

In an interview with The Big Issue, Noel addressed Liam's somewhat regular tweeting on the subject of an Oasis reunion. "It's strange behaviour for someone who is gagging for me to pick up the phone and say let's do it," Noel explained. "He'd put his whole life on hold to get Oasis back together but every tweet he sends out, it's another nail in the coffin of that idea."


Speaking to Liam directly, Noel added, "If you think for one minute, I am going to share a stage with you after what you've said you are more of a moron than you look." Liam, of course, wrote about the interview on Twitter.

2020: Liam says he plans to retire as solo artist after Noel 'begs' for Oasis reunion

In a less-than-shocking move, Liam wrote on Twitter in January that Noel had 'begged' him for an Oasis reunion. However, Noel shot down Liam's claims, saying, "RE: 'The Reunion', sadly I think the other fella must have been on the leftover Christmas Babycham. For the record, until anyone hears it from ME, it's not happening."


In February, Liam took to Twitter yet again, writing, 'We've been offered 100 million pounds for a tour still not enough for the greedy soul oh well stay young LG.'

2020: Noel takes the bait

Taking the bait, Noel issued his own tweet a day later, 'To whoever might be arsed: I am not aware of any offer from anybody for any amount of money to reform the legendary Mancunian Rock'n'Roll group Oasis. I am fully aware though that someone has a single to promote so that's maybe where the confusion lies.'

2020: Liam says an Oasis reunion is 'inevitable'

Despite everything that has gone before, Liam is staunchly optimistic about an Oasis reunion, telling NME in March, "The geezer's ego's out of control. Let me tell you this, the money has been offered and he knows about it. He's obviously gonna say no, because he'd like to be the person to break the news to people because he's the oracle, and obviously I'm his little brother who's doing well and I'm here to spoil the party.


"It's gonna happen believe you me. It's gonna happen very soon because he's greedy and he loves money and he knows that it's got to happen soon or it won't happen."

2020: Liam calls on Noel for an Oasis reunion to support NHS workers

Liam Gallagher has urged Noel to reunite Oasis, in order to support the NHS. Since the start of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic lockdown measures in the UK, Liam has sent several tweets aimed at Noel Gallagher, pleading to reunite the 90s legends. He later stated that the gig will happen 'with or without Noel'.


However, Noel has apparently stated that he thinks mobile phones would taint a reunion, according to photographer Kevin Cummins who spoke to The Quietus. He's also discovered a previously-unreleased song called 'Don't Stop', which was thought to be lost, and was recorded around 2005 at a sound check in Hong Kong.

2021: Liam once again takes to Twitter to confirm the band will get back together.

He's still banging the reunion drum. After a fan tweeted him to say, 'HEY LIAM,i need you to give me hope that oasis will come back please i'm 19 years old i want to live that concert, i HATE not being born earlier,' he replied with a definitive, 'It's gonna happen.'

2022: Liam focuses on solo career

It seems like Liam is focused on his solo career at least for the moment as he embarked on a solo world tour and took to Twitter on 20th January 2022 to say: 'just a heads up oasis ain't reforming not this Wk anyway' (sic).

However, a few months later, he did tell The Sunday Times that Oasis "should never have split up," and that he wouldn't mind getting back together. He added" "If it happens, it happens. But I'm quite happy doing (my solo career)."

Read more:

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Everything Liam and Noel Gallagher have said about an Oasis reunion

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