Rumors that legendary Britpop supergroup Oasis would reunite next year when Noel Gallagher gave an interview to music journalist John Robb on Thursday discussing the anniversary of the band’s “Definitely Maybe” album. The notoriously combative Noel gave an extensive interview where he reminisced fondly and praised his brother Liam’s contributions to the success of Oasis. Then the rumors kicked into overdrive this weekend when The Times reported Liam and Noel Gallagher had ended their feud and are planning shows at Heaton Park in Manchester and Wembley Stadium in London.
The rumors happened to quite neatly coincide with the 15th anniversary of the band’s last concert on Aug. 22, 2009 at the V Festival.
Watch Noel’s interview, released on the Oasis YouTube account, below:
The social media announcements
Liam Gallagher, a prolific social media user, spent most of his Saturday morning dodging rumors that the band would unveil …something… on Tuesday, only for both Gallagher brothers to share an intentionally vague video Sunday afternoon that reads simply: “27.08.24. 8am.” The band’s website was also updated with the video.
Liam wrote, “Listen it’s Saturday morning you lot are scaring me with all this f–king talk of Tuesday can we not just enjoy 1 day at f–king time Rastas.” Liam also tweeted Sunday, “I never did like that word FORMER.”
The band’s official Instagram account shared the same mysterious video, as well as a video that showed Noel Gallagher visiting Sifters Records in Manchester to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut record, “Definitely, Maybe.” The album was released on Aug. 29, 1994.
The band’s landmark second album “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory” will celebrate its own 30th anniversary in 2025, and there are additional rumors that Oasis could reform and play Glastonbury 30 years after their debut at the festival in 1995. The album boasted powerhouse songs including “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” with it also being credited for bringing Oasis to the forefront of rock music.
Noel vs. Liam
The band broke up in 2009 after a particularly vicious spat between the brothers resulted in a busted guitar reportedly “wielded like an axe,” but the Gallaghers have been known for their tumultuous relationship almost as long as they’ve been known, period.
Their 1994 show at Los Angeles’ Whiskey-A-Go-Go has been described as the worst Oasis gig of all time. The band’s visit to L.A. was already not going particularly well, as they were kicked off KROQ for swearing on air and fighting with bouncers at the Viper Room. When they arrived at the Whiskey, Liam later said in the 2016 documentary “Supersonic,” they did lines of crystal meth thinking it was cocaine.
“I don’t know who f–king got it but it was there and we all thought it was coke. We’re doing big f–king lines of it and it just kept us up for f–king days,” Liam explained.
During the show in question, Noel repeatedly played different songs than the rest of the band, Liam threatened audience members, and Liam eventually threw a tambourine at Noel while they were still performing onstage. Noel left the band for a period of a few days before he returned.
The brothers continued to engage in explosive battles over the years that followed. As one story goes, Noel hit Liam with a cricket bat during the recording of “Morning Glory,” and Liam memorably sat out the band’s performance on “MTV Unplugged” and heckled them throughout. Though the audience was initially told the band’s singer was sick, he clearly watched on throughout the performance.
When Noel officially left Oasis
Noel announced his decision to leave the band in a statement posted on Oasis’ official website. He explained in part, “Dearly beloved, it is with a heavy heart and a sad face that I say this to you this morning. As of last Friday the 28th August, I have been forced to leave the Manchester rock’n’roll pop group Oasis.”
“The details are not important and of too great a number to list. But I feel you have the right to know that the level of verbal and violent intimidation towards me, my family, friends and comrades has become intolerable. And the lack of support and understanding from my management and band mates has left me with no other option than to get me cape and seek pastures new,” he added.
Though the band might have officially ended things in 2009, both brothers continued to keep their songs alive, and each of the band members at the time — the brothers Gallagher as well as guitarist Gem Archer, bassist Andy Bell, drummer Chris Sharrock and keyboardist and percussionist Jay Darlington — still perform. Liam started the band Beady Eye with Sharrock, Bell and Archer before going solo in 2014, and Noel later started the band Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds along with Archer (yes, the same one from Liam’s Beady Eye) and Sharrock, while bassist Andy Bell started the band Ride.
The band’s grip on their audience has not waned, if Glastonbury 2024 is any indication. “Don’t Look Back In Anger” was played ahead of headliner Coldplay’s entry onstage, and The Times reported the song earned the biggest singalong of the night.
Previous resistance to a reunion
Saturday and Sunday’s rumors are the closest the band have come to entertaining a reunion since Noel quashed the possibility in a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone. He told the outlet, “We are split up. You’ve heard that, haven’t you? You must’ve heard… Yeah, so, ergo, band splits up, band is no more. There is no band. So, no, I won’t be getting involved, anyway. If there is a reunion, I won’t be in it.”
After Noel failed to show up for the premiere of “Supersonic” in 2016, Liam told Reuters, “No he’s probably in, like I said before, one of his really…really, really, really, really, really, really big houses, eating tofu and having a face peel. Isn’t that right? Man of the people.”
In 2020, Liam said on “The Jonathan Ross Show” said that he “might have been a bit too rock and roll for [Noel].” He added, “I might have cancelled a few gigs, and I might have stayed up later than I should’ve some nights, but we’re not S-f–king-Club 7,” referring to the Euro teen pop group.
As recently as March 2023, Liam still went to X to refer to his older brother as a “potato.” On March 22 of that year he tweeted, “Here’s how I see it the little fella aka potato has done a lot of damage to Oasis as a band / brand he’s got a lot of making up to do not just to me but to you the fans the people that put us where we are tday as you were LG x.”
Despite this extensive acrimony, fans are cautiously hopeful that this time around, the rumors might pan out. As one person commented on the band’s Instagram page, “SALLY CANT WAIT ANYMORE.”
“Don’t look back in anger,” they said. Let’s see if the brothers Gallagher are ready to take that one to heart.
