Oasis

Oasis, the most popular British guitar band of the mid-1990s.

The band (initially known as Rain) was formed by Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs (guitar), Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan (bass), and Tony McCarroll (drums) in Manchester in 1988. Liam Gallagher became the band’s singer (renaming them Oasis in 1991) and his brother Noel joined the band full time (after two years playing with them part time) in 1993, as lead guitarist and songwriter. The band made their way into a support slot at King Tut’s Wah Wah Club in Glasgow, impressing Alan McGee (the head of the independent label Creation), who signed them late in 1993.

With the media focusing on the sometimes fierce sibling rivalry between the Gallaghers and the band’s highly publicized off-stage excesses, Oasis found chart success almost immediately. In August 1994 their debut album Definitely Maybe went straight into the British charts at No. 1. In 1995, at Earl’s Court in London, Oasis played the biggest indoor concert yet held in the United Kingdom and the release of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? in that year confirmed Oasis’s status as the most successful new British band, despite McCarroll’s departure (to be replaced by Alan White) during the recording.

The combination of Noel Gallagher’s songwriting talents and Liam’s sneering vocals is equally suited to blistering rock songs (such as “Cigarettes and Alcohol”, 1994) and subtly arranged ballads (the 1995 hit “Wonderwall”). Noel’s influences range from Burt Bacharach and the Beatles, to 1980s groups such as the Smiths and the Stone Roses. In August 1997 the band released Be Here Now. Showcasing their first new material for nearly two years, it included the songs “My Big Mouth”, “D’You Know What I Mean?”, and “All Around the World”. After recording material for a new album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, Arthurs and McGuigan left the group in August 1999. They were replaced by rhythm guitarist Gem (of Heavy Stereo) and bassist Andy Bell, and the new lineup made its American debut at the end of the year. The album was released in early 2000, and the band announced plans for its first UK concerts for over two years. Later that year Familiar to Millions was released. The band and its music, however, had drawn criticism for failing to live up to earlier expectations and being short on inspiration. These themes were repeated in reviews of Heathen Chemistry, the band’s next album, which was released in July 2002 prior to a US tour.

Drummer Alan White stayed with the band until early 2004. Rather than recruit another drummer, Noel elected to play drums in the studio with a session musician used for live performances. In May 2005, Oasis had a number one hit in the UK singles charts for the first time in three years with the single “Lyla” from the band’s sixth studio album, Don’t Believe the Truth.