Let’s get the obvious out the way, Oasis’ Live 25 tour was THE biggest reunion possible to make, at least in the UK and Ireland.
Perhaps there is no other artist than The Beatles bigger than Oasis who could get back together…and at times it seemed more likely the former would somehow occur.
Now, as the band. ‘pause for a period of reflection’ (and the younger Gallagher continues to tease more dates) it seems appropriate to look back at the tour and how it has retold the history of the band, for better and for worse.
The story of the Gallagher brothers has always been one told by and for the working man. The postman who whistles, ‘The Masterplan’ on his rounds. The teacher who blasts, ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ in between lessons. The builder in the freezing cold, but doesn’t care because when he puts Oasis on he feels, ‘Supersonic’.
It’s a story that has at this point been passed down through generations, each adding a new detail, a new flair that has meant Oasis have remained a predominant force in pop-culture. At least that’s the way it was.
As the world began to adjust to the news that Oasis were back, one thing that stood out (bar dynamic pricing – it’s what Hendrix died for) was that elements of the tour were being recorded for a new documentary by streaming giants Netflix. No longer would the trials and tribulations of the group be explored and poured over by everyday fans, instead we get a neat and sanitised version.
What’s the story? (let the multibillion dollar company tell you)
Perhaps no part of the tour summarises the strange new world the band find themselves in better than the setlist. It was, of course, everything you could wish to hear with the vast majority of Definitely Maybe, What’s the Story? (Morning Glory) and The Masterplan receiving outings.
Which is to be expected. They’re 3 of the finest albums not just of the 90’s, but ever. It’s only right that they were the main focus.
But what stands out is that there were only 3 songs played throughout the entire tour that did not come from these albums. 2 from the mis-understood Be Here Now and one from the very much understood Heathen Chemistry.
And what’s the issue with this? People have paid their hard earned money to hear the hits and that’s what they got. The issue is it does Oasis a disservice as they paint themselves forever into the swagger of ‘Cool Britannia’ and they are far too interesting for this.
The comedown of Standing on the Shoulder of Giants or the real stomp of Dig Out Your Soul, there’s a lot of gold here that will remain untapped in favour of the stomp stomp clap of, ‘Roll With It’. Are you really telling me there wasn’t any room for, ‘Gas Panic’, ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ or, ‘The Importance of Being Idle’.
This just goes further in pushing Oasis firmly into the nice little box labelled Britpop when they were far more than that. After the dust settled on Be Here Now, Oasis shifted as a band, as did Noel Gallagher as a songwriter. He battled his demons as the wheels perpetually threatened to come off as they became mere rock mainstays as opposed to the deities they were. This is what makes a band and its history interesting. Imagine if we ended the story of The Beatles at Sgt Pepper?
This is not to be all doom and gloom, because the reunion brought more joy to the country than has genuinely been felt in years.
Seeing video and video of friends, lovers, strangers embrace each other and revel in the surreal beauty of the moment was a sight to behold and the power of that cannot be overstated.
It felt like a truly healing moment for the country, a moment where all the trouble and bullshit seemed to stand still and people were unified, some were reliving their youth, some ticking an item off their bucket list but all were there to celebrate. It was a special moment.
The questions surrounding the future of Oasis will linger for as long as the Gallaghers want them to, whether that’s another split or another run of gigs (although there seems to be too much money on the table for the former to be true)
But what is for certain is that the history of the group, past, present and future, has been altered forever. Perhaps we need to be more cautious about who’s telling it.
WORDS BY TOM DIBB
PHOTO CREDIT – SIMON EMMETT/FEAR PR
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