That
stare, those eyebrows, the mad mad music videos filled with 'absolute nonsense
(Noel's own words, folks!) - the visuals have often been as important a part in
the Oasis story as the audio (so much for video killing the rock and roll
stars!) Despite being a good three decades younger than most of the bands we
cover, Oasis in all their shapes and forms have been an awfully busy band with
this one of the longer TV-related articles in our canon. It's a good one too,
dominated with music videos which, rather like the music, grow with ambition
and back donw to earth again to the basics over the course of the band's
fifteen year run, together with a few choice TV performances and the greatest
number of surviving TOTP clips of any of our bands (don't know about you but I
think the TOTP re-reruns on BBC4 should skip the 1980s and pick up the story
again in 1994 when there's something worth watching again!) Unlike almost all
of our AAA bands (except perhaps contemporaries Belle and Sebastian) everything
by Oasis seems to have been kept by somebody somewhere: it helps being the
biggest band in the land as soon as you're third single, of course, but Oasis
are also a modern band from modern times (by AAA standards anyway) at a time
when archivists keep everything safe now for future generations. Thank goodness
too - how we could look ourselves in the eye if the drunken shambles of a video
that is [21] 'Whatever' had ever been lost to the world?!
As
usual, though, a few caveats. Keen Oasis fan that I am, I can well believe that
I missed something somewhere - that's just law of averages. I can only review
things I've actually seen with my own eyes, so a couple of the things that I
missed (specifically the American appearances around 'Be Here Now' time that
haven’t turned up on anything since) are absent from this list as a result. This
list was also becoming long enough as it is, so we've missed out documentaries
(although there are dozens of them on Youtube if you need that sort of thing -
some of them are actually quite good!), anything available separately on DVD
which should hopefully also end up in this book at some point (such as the
'Live At The Sea' gig), instances where one band member appears without the
others (unless they're doing or performing something unspeakably interesting)
and we end our story almost when Oasis
do, without the Beady Eye gigs or the High Flying Birds videos (with a few key
exceptions). We've also restricted this list to items that were actually intended
for broadcast, even though practically every Oasis gig seems to have been
filmed by somebody somewhere and uploaded to Youtube, many of whose amateur
camera work is better than the official thing (have you seen the shaky camera
in 'Lord Don't Slow Me Down'?!) Please bear in mind too that the ordering is
approximate, although things are helped by a number of handy lists available on
the internet listing the band's first three golden years together. Do feel free
to write in if you know of another clip however - and if we can get to see it
too. Sadly we don’t have what’s thought to be the first appearance by Oasis on
film, a performance of early song ‘Take Me’ for a TV series named ‘The
Blackpool Roadshow’ in July 1992, part of a twenty-four hour fundraiser
telethon. Apparently the show did go out with Oasis a last minute substitute
for planned band Utah Saints but is the one Oasis clip that has sadly been lost
to the mists of time. Unless of course you have a copy?...
Thankfully
for once a majority of these clips are available officially, as part of either
of the two best Oasis DVDs: the 'Time Flies' music promos set (best seen with
Noel's giggling commentary) which includes all the music videos mentioned here and
the 10th anniversary set of 'Definitely Maybe', which includes a TV appearance
for every one of the album songs as well as relevant promos (how many albums
can you say that about then, eh?!) However there are still a handful of tracks
missing, which is where our handy patent-pending Youtube playlist comes in. If
you're reading this article on our website then you'll have already seen it
flickering away at the top of the page. If you're reading this in book form
then fear not - you can join in too. Simply visit our Youtube page (https://www.youtube.com/user/AlansArchives)
and have a scroll through until you see 'Playlist #19: Oasis' (there's a few
fun extras added at the end for you too!) Right that's that out the way - we're
standing on the edge of the noise and feeling supersonic so join our time
machine up on the silver screen, a litany of magical mysteries - it's not all
in my mind though surely? You can see the men with legs made out of sausages
too, right?...
1)
The Boardwalk ([60] All
Around The World, Rehearsal, ?/1992)
Thankfully
what we do have is a three minute clip of Oasis rehearsing in a place with a
cool and trendy name but was really just a tiny garage down the road in
Manchester. The band are playing way too loudly as they rehearse, of all
things, ‘All Around The World’ five years before it turns up on album (Noel
always reckoned he wanted to keep this one back for ‘the third album when I can
afford strings’ and was true to his word). The song is so much better like
this, punky and aggressive, you rather wish they’d done without the strings
altogether. Look out for the picture of The Beatles at the launch for Sgt
Peppers in 1967 which has been tacked up on the wall for luck! An extract of
this turned up on ‘Supersonic’ but do look out the full uninterrupted three
minutes on youtube if you can – it’s fabulous!
2)
King Tut’s, Glasgow ([2]
Bring It On Down [10] Up In The Sky Concert May 1993)
I
still can’t believe this clip really exists!!! For this is the day that Oasis’
fortunes were changed overnight after Alan McGee, intending to sign a local
Glaswegian band, pops into King Tut’s Club to half-heartedly sign them – and
instead falls in love with their scruffy supporting act from Manchester. Though
extracted and used in the ‘Supersonic’ film again the full eight minutes or so
is quite something as the band (clearly already halfway through their
performance before someone started filming) are at their absolute best here.
The sound is basic bordering on bad (the drums outweigh everything except
Liam’s voice) but the performance is mighty: Liam has dropped his gentlemanly
vocals and is now really living the words of his brother. ‘Bring It On Down’
and ‘Up In The Sky’ both sound superb, even more dangerous than the finished
versions, with Liam dancing over the top of pure noise. No wonder Alan McGee
signed them there and then – it’s a wonder actually that nobody had before.
3)
Gleaneagles ([18]
Shakermaker [2] Bring It On Down [13] Digsy’s Dinner [9] Live Forever [12] Cigarettes and Alcohol
[11] Supersonic, February 1994)
‘These
could be the best days of our lives!’ The next earliest footage we have is a
very grainy low quality print of Oasis playing a tiny golf club. Golf? Oasis?
Not an obvious link perhaps but they sound great in this setting too. ‘Bring It
On Down’ and ‘Forever’ appeared on the ‘Definitely Maybe’ DVD but the best is
surely ‘Shakermaker’ back when it was a brand new song and is sung with a real
whallop, quite unlike the whimsy of the record. Tony McCarroll’s drums were
never better than here as he drives this grungy song along and Liam roars over
the top of it as if the lyrics mean everything to him, while the wall of noise
bouncing off the tiny walls was made to be heard like this, not re-recorded in
a studio however good. Even Digsy’s Dinner sounds great done like this though –
what a shame the early oasis never taped a live album like this, it would have
been fabulous! The best clip on this list by far.
4)
The Word ([11] 'Supersonic'
UK TV March 1994)
Oasis are
so new on their first TV appearance that compere Mark Kermode even has to look
the band name up on his little card. The band get more than their fair share of
applause from the audience though and would no doubt have got a standing
ovation at the end of this cracking performance from the audience had they not
all already been, umm, standing in the first place. Liam (the only one not
miming?) is on cracking form against a colourful mid-1990s version of
psychedelia backdrop and some camera shots that have dated surprisingly badly
in twenty years (there are AAA clips from 1963 that look more modern than
this!) Still it's a great performance and the camera already loves this band -
or at least the lead singer; the others look nervous, with Noel dressed in his
favourite red shirt barely looking up from his guitar. 'Cheers, goodnight' Liam
shrugs nonchalantly as the band's first and in most ways their most important
TV appearance comes to a feedback-blazing glorious end. It already feels like
an important new band have arrived. This clip appears on the 'Definitely Maybe'
DVD.
5)
[11] Supersonic (Music
Video April 1994)
Oasis'
first music video was actually shot twice, once for the UK market and again for
America. For some odd reason Oasis are playing (well, miming) on top of the
roof of a building ('opposite King's Cross Station' according to Noel's
typically witty commentary for the 'Time Flies' DVD which you'll be hearing a
lot of in this article). 'I always thought it would be more glamorous when we
shot our first video' he deadpans, 'Dizzee Rascal and them lot get to go to
f!cking Barbados for theirs!' Shot moodily in black and white, it's like the
'Can't Buy Me Love' scene from the Beatles' 'A Hard Day's Night' film, only
instead of freaking 'we're out!' and running down the fire escape the band have
climbed onto the roof and are far too 'cool' to mess around (though Liam, still
all of twenty-one, enjoys pulling funny faces at the camera all the same). The
band were apparently made to act 'surprised' when a plane flew overhead which
the band were promised would look like a massive jumbo jet but looks awful and
pathetic here (by Noel's own admission). Oasis will get their own back by
hiring a fleet of helicopters for [51] 'D'Yer Know What I Mean?' three years
later. Noel also comments on the director getting the sack after disagreeing
with Liam (although he might just be making mischief) and complaining about his
dress sense ('I look like F!cking Columbo!') The American version of the video,
released about a year later when Oasis were much bigger in their homeland but
hadn’t yet cracked the States, dispenses with all this homespun 'nonsense' in
favour of stock footage of a Nasa rocket taking off, Oasis looking like
rockstars, Liam slurring his words in the back of a limousine and the band
miming in a dome filled with lightbulbs. I still prefer the more down-to-Earth
original somehow, which is much more Oasisy. Additionally available on the
'Definitely Maybe' DVD set.
6)
Nulle Part Ailleurs ([11]
'Supersonic' French TV ?/1994)
Britain was
already falling under their spell, so Oasis follow the old Beatles pattern of
taking Europe one country at a time. The French never really went as mad for
the fab four as some others and it's hard to gauge what re-action the unseen
audience give to Oasis here on another splintering version of the band's debut
single. The band appear to be miming again, though to a very different mix of
their debut single (or is Noel playing along with it too?), while Liam seems
more nervy and muted than usual. He already looks the part of a rock and roll
star, though, with the first use of his trademark Lennon sunglasses and a
striped jumper that looks like the Gallagher's mum forced him to wear to stop
him getting cold. Only Liam could carry off that look - it was my normal look
too back then but never looked anything like as good on me...
7)
Naked City ([11] 'Supersonic'
[18] 'Shakermaker' UK TV June 1994)
'Naked
City' is a now forgotten music/chatshow/alleged comedy series that ran for just
one series in 1994/1995 but did make stars of its presenters Caitlan Moran and
Johnny Vaughan who managed to be slightly less excruciating than the format and
most of the guests. Most people only remember the show now for Oasis' explosive
performance of their debut single. Oasis are 'very much so' apparently,
although very much so what we never find out. An impossibly young Liam is on
top sneery form as the band appear to be playing live, although it's hard to
tell given that the cameras only very briefly take their eyes off the snarling
lead singer. The band also perform a preview of their second single 'Shakermaker'
for the first time to camera which is simpler and raunchier than the studio
single and played slightly more for laughs. Noel looks a lot more animated in
this one, as if he's already getting sick of performing 'Supersonic' already or
perhaps he's just pleased to be getting the TV time during the solo for once,
which he embellishes with a few extra Chuck Berry riffs at the end. The
'Shakermaker' clip appears on the 'Definitely Maybe' DVD, but sadly not the
'Supersonic' one which is a good one too.
8)
Glastonbury June 1994 ([19]
Fade Away/[13] Digsy's Dinner/[9] Live Forever)
It's a sign
of how quickly Oasis had come from nowhere that they're both big enough to be
at Glastonbury a mere two singles into their career and that the TV coverage
still deems the band only important enough for three songs. The band are
clearly struggling with the sound set-up and sound tinny and small compared to
normal, with McCarroll's drums drowning out everything. Oasis already look like
they own the stage, though, with impressive performances of two relatively rare
tracks and that summer's forthcoming release 'Live Forever', which would
probably have marked the first time the people in the crowd would have heard
one of the decade's defining anthems. It's a stunning version too, with Liam
howling out the chorus over the fade as his brother sings falsetto, beating
everything else on the stage that year including James Brown, Joss Stone and
even, dare I say it, a rather limp appearance by Paul McCartney's band (the
first of many times The Beatles and Oasis will cross paths). Oasis will make it
a tradition to premier songs at Glastonbury from here-on in, presenting [27] 'Wonderwall'
for the first time when they return to headline the following year. The clip of
'Live Forever' appears on the 'Definitely Maybe' DVD, but sadly not the other
two.
9)
Shakermaker (Music Video
June 1994)
A slightly
more personal music video, this one was shot outside the Gallagher's family
house in Burnage, intercut with footage of the band playing in Bonehead's garden
(you can see the back window of the guitarist's living room where the
'Definitely Maybe' cover was shot and a local park, where Guigsy runs around
with a football wearing a biker's helmet. Bonehead even scores a goal on
camera!) More importantly, the third verse features the actual shop of 'Mr
Sifter who sold me songs when I was just fifteen' - a real secondhand record
shop precipitously located right next to Manchester's dole office where most of
the band's money went in their early days. Noel looks pleased with his bargain
as he walks round it for the cameras, a mint copy of the Paul McCartney and
Wings album 'Red Rose Speedway' released in 1973 which was worth a pretty penny
even back in 1994. Fittingly, many of the 'park' shots, surrounded by greenery,
recall the promo The Beatles made for ‘Paperback Writer’ and 'Rain' at London’s
Chiswick House – with so many Beatlenuts in the band this is surely not
coincidental. The video ends with a rather nice sunset, as if to inform us that
this is just one in many busy days in the life of Oasis although it does all
feel slightly staged. In his latest commentary Noel complains about the signed
Manchester City football in shot (worth precisely...nothing'), gives his
brother a rare compliment ('Nice trainers!') and warns people who want to go on
the Oasis tour round the area 'just don't mither my mam, please!' Additionally
available on the 'Definitely Maybe' DVD set.
10)
Top Of The Pops #1 ([11]
Shakermaker June 1994)
Welcome to
another Oasis institution: the first of nineteen (!) appearances on Top Of The
Pops, which certainly wins the 'AAA TOTP clips surviving in the vaults' award
although I reckon the Stones and Hollies and all might well win if the BBC had
kept better care of what was on back in the 1960s. Unlike some bands who
spurned the chart show as too 'populist' Oasis loved it because it allowed them
such a directconnection to their audience - the band had spent every Thursday
watching it and moaning their favourite bands weren't on so they weren't going
to snub it if they could. The band's famous early red and white stripe logo is
used as the backdrop for the first time and the band look as if they're having
fun, miming behind Liam's live and thunderous vocal. Who wouldn't want to shake
along to this?
11) Something For The Weekend ([7] Rock and Roll Star UK TV July 1994)
Oasis next
appeared on their first ITV show, a rather curious mix of chat show and guest
spot, although for now Oasis are here to keep the programme trendy by playing
music - heaven forefend any of them might be allowed to actually speak! With
'Definitely Maybe' being prepared for release, the band decide to take a break
from plugging their singles and advertise their forthcoming record instead with
a mimed-except-for-Liam version of their album opener. For some reason the band
appear in what looks like a rubbish tip surrounded by tin cans, while the
studio audience uncomfortably bob up and down (this song is actually slower
than it sounds because of all the noise and would be a hard one to dance to
-not that I'd know about that, I'm too busy listening to dance!) This unique
performance of the song cuts out most of the second half too, skipping the
guitar solo and heading straight to the 'it's just rock and roll' finale as the
camera decides to do lots of fast cuts to keep up pace. I feel a bit sick.
12)
Wetlands Preserve ([7]
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star [3] Columbia [19] Fade Away [13] Digsy’s Dinner [18]
Shakermaker [9] Live Forever [2] Bring It On Down [10] Up In The Sky [14] Slide
Away [12] Cigarettes and Alcohol [15] Married With Children [11] Supersonic
[20] I Am The Walrus [7] Rock ‘n’ Roll Star, USA Concert July 1994)
This
was Oasis’ big break in the USA, a concert in New York that was filmed for
posterity and which survives – all seventy-five minutes of it – complete,
though to date only ‘Slide Away’ has ever been seen (on the Definitely Maybe
DVD). The band should really stick this out – while they have a few technical
problems with the sound, Noel struggles to sing harmonies and play guitar at
speed and the cameramen use handheld cameras and seem very drunk, the show
itself is a terrific one with the band actually enjoying themselves on stage
playing a full set after so much TV promotion and intense recording. The band
are clearly riding the crest of a wave and are never more mad fer it than here!
Musically the most interesting thing is a full=-throttle electric version of
‘Married With Children’ though everything feels as if it’s being played with
extra aggression and punch tonight. What on earth did the sophisticated New
York audiences make of these working class Northerners I wonder?!? Noel is
having fun with the banter too, pointing out a geezer in the crowd and saying
‘he looks just like my Grandad!’ at one point before asking the audience ‘does
anyone here like The Beatles?’ before their Walrus finale. Liam, meanwhile, is
perfecting his ‘staring intensely at the audience and saying nothing’ look. The
band must have been popular as they get brought on for a rare second encore: a
repeat performance of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star! Fabulous.
13)
Buckley ([9] Live
Forever [13] Digsy’s Dinner [35] Champagne Supernova, Concert, August 1994)
A
month later and Oasis are plugging away in Europe and are now in Tivoli. I
can’t work out if this show was professionally shot or not – the cameras are
static and the lighting feels all ‘wrong’, though the band considered it
official enough to release ‘Digsy’s on the ‘Def Maybe’ DVD. It’s far from the
best song played that night though, with a magnificent snarling angry version
of ‘Live Forever’ at its most punkish and a most beautiful on-camera debut of
‘Champagne Supernoiva’ stealing the honours.
14)
MTV Most Wanted ([9]
Live Forever [21] Whatever US TV August 1994)
Introduced
by REM’s Michael Stipe, Oasis return to MTV and play their forthcoming single
as well as the one that will immediately follow (they are so prolific across
1994!) Neither performance is particularly good (though against the odds and
their current reputation as hooligans
Oasis turn in a lovely acoustic arrangement of ‘Live Forever’ for the
first time) but Oasis outshine their other guests which this week include
James, Suede and – in one of their very last appearances anywhere – Nirvana.
Was Oasis too much competition for Kurt Cobain?
15)
[9] Live Forever (Music
Video August 1994 UK and US Versions)
Once again
there were two promo clips made for the band's third single, for Europe and
America. The 'original' version is a much-seen classic, which includes Liam
perched up a chair halfway up a wall (everyone who half-remembers it naturally
assumes ithis is from ‘Wonderwall’ but it isn’t!) and the band burying drummer
Tony McCarroll in a park in New York, ending on a shot of him clutching his
drumsticks from the beyond (a nice ironic use of the title there). Poor
McCaroll seems to have buried at Noel's request, an early sign they weren't
getting on (though Noel meant it as a joke by the sound of it and was
astonished when the director picked up on an idea he meant purely as a joke
during their lunch hour - 'I'm not into symbolism and that Sh*t! Anyway he got
the boot ages after that'). Music fan that he is Noel may have been thinking of
the similar Kinks video for 'Dead End Street' (finally given a belated TV
screening in 1990 as part of a documentary after being banned for several
years) in which the band carry out a coffin of a man who wakes up. There'll be
more hi-jinks from beyond the grave on [119] 'The Importance Of Being Idle',
which is definitely a rip-off of this same video. Weirdly Bonehead is also
filmed in the shower wearing sun glasses - a scary sight. Noel comments that he
'couldn't be f!ing arsed' and didn't even turn up to the second day of shooting
(he's barely seen throughout) and ad libs 'and don't we all look pleased to be
there?' as the band look mean and sombre. Noel's verdict: 'F!cking
nonsense...f!ck me!' As for the American edition, it's more generic miming with
big flashing lights intercut with footage of Liam leering from behind a big
desk and again loses the home-made charm of the original. Both are available on
the 'Definitely Maybe' DVD set.
16)
Top Of The Pops #2 ([9] Live
Forever August 1994)
'If you're
searching for the best and most colourful music then you've come to the right
place..Liam forever!' is the rather over-enthusiastic introduction for the band
everyone is suddenly talking about. In retrospect a lot was riding on this
appearance: Oasis aren't newbies anymore but potential future stars and the
mainstream TV audience of a third single is when most lesser bands would have
stuffed it and either experimented too far or played too safe. Not this one:
Liam owns this song, again singing live to the record and this is also the
first time on TV he's been seen leaning up to a microphone far too tall for him
to get his message across which enhances his leer no end.
17)
Whisky-A-Go-Go ([14]
Slide Away [15] Married With Children, US Concert September 1994)
Back
across the pond we go for a gig recorded at the club famous for launching the
careers of The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield amongst others. Sadly only extracts
from this show seem to exist – the opening is chopped off a particularly mean
and defiant ‘Slide Away’ (the line ‘wonder where you are now?’ turned into an
[10] ‘Up In The Sky style sneer rather than a lost and guilty one) which might
be why it isn’t officially available despite being fabulous and one of the best
Oasis clips of all; alas the clip of ‘Married With Children’ out on the ‘Defo
Maybe’ DVD isn’t anywhere near as good. Oh and the crowd sing along tunelessly
for both songs on the master copy but somehow this seems to have been cleaned
up for the DVD.
18)
Virgin Megastore ([9]
Live Forever [27] Wonderwall [32] Cast No Shadow [14] Slide Away, US Concert,
September 1994)
Sadly
nobody thought of filming the first time Oasis pulled off an advertising coup
by appearing in store at the Manchester Virgin Megastore at the start of the
year – the soundtrack can be heard on the ‘Definitely Maybe’ deluxe edition and
is great! This second go in London isn’t quite the same – the crowd are
disinterested and so is Liam, skulking off for the middle two songs which Noel
performs solo with his acoustic guitar. None of these performances are classics
but they clearly pave the way for the idea of the ‘Unplugged’ show the
following year. Interestingly Noel suddenly seems much happier in front of a
tiny audience than his brother, whose histrionics and voice are a bit loud for
such an intimate setting.
19)
Top Of The Pops #3 ([7] Rock
'n' Roll Star September 1994)
In the
1990s when TOTP was playing around with formats they briefly had an 'album
section' where a full CD that was jumping a lot of place in the charts would
also get a plug. Oasis were beneficiaries thanks to the heavy first week sales
of 'Definitely Maybe' and stick to an album track, although for once on TOTP the
performance is entirely mimed, Liam's parts included. The clip appears on the
'Definitely Maybe' DVD.
20)
[12] Cigarettes and
Alcohol (Music Video October 1994)
The first
of two new Oasis traditions, a moody black and white shoot that's set in a club
(London's 'Borderline') and as sleazy as befits the song. The band played live,
including some previews of songs from Morning Glory, to get the crowd in the
mood – and it was meant to be one of their finest shows - though they merely
mime to the record as seen on camera. Noel sticks his tongue out at the camera
in 1994. Noel in 2010 replies 'and the same to you mate!' Noel likes this one
('Happy days!') though to be honest the video’s a bit bland and obvious by
their usual standards, though he is concerned enough to comment 'Who are all
these girls? It looks like a scene from Britain's Next Model!' He might just be
feeling let down though, telling the viewers 'that fit bird I'm next to would
never go out with the likes of me by the way - all for the video I'm afraid'. Available
on the 'Definitely Maybe' DVD set.
21)
Metro, Chicago ([7] Rock
‘n’ Roll Star [3] Columbia [13] Digsy’s Dinner [18] Shakermaker [2] Bring It On
Down [10] Up In The Sky [14] Slide Away [12] Cigarettes and Alcohol [15]
Married With Children [11] Supersonic [20] I Am The Walrus US TV October 1994)
More
professionally shot than the ‘Wetlands’ gig but more amateurishly played, Oasis
are beginning to show signs of wear and tear after so many constant months of
performing and promotion. Liam is wearing glasses for the first time on stage
and somehow looks all the cooler for it – even if he messes up in the middle
and introduces the wrong song, his brother eagerly correcting him! He also
eagerly takes part in the ‘crowd surfing’ going on, grinning as he moves the
audience members who get too close to the stage. ‘Up In The Sky’ and ‘Walrus’
both ended up on the ‘Definitely Maybe’ DVD, the latter only on the deluxe
edition – ‘Sky’s is definitely the best song of the night, with Liam scything
his way through the backing track rather than floating on top the way he
normally does.
22)
The O-Zone #1 (UK TV
October 1994)
Even
this early on Oasis’ reputation has come before them – Noel and Liam want to
talk about the music and all they get is chat about trashing hotel rooms. Noel
and Liam seem very shy and one-wordy, but the banter is much the same: ‘We’re
the best band on the planet’ says Liam’ ‘and that’s a fact!’ while Noel claims
to have never trashed a room in his life and ‘this lot used to but can’t afford
it now’. ‘It’s not overnight top us’ Noel says perched on a bed, ‘we’ve been
trying this for three and a half years’. Noel on his songs: ‘Most of them are
about escaping and having a good time; a few are about being on your own and
miserable and not having a good time’ – and if there’s ever been a better
summary of Oasis than this I’ve yet to hear it! Liam is asked his ambitions and
says ‘I want to be a big pop star with all the success that goes with it!’ Noel
gets the best line right at the end when he plugs the band’s new B-side and
says ‘I just wanna be a spaceman!’ referencing [17].We’ve dated this clip here
thanks to the use of the ‘Live Forever’ promo.
23)
Southampton Guildhall
([12] Cigarettes and Alcohol [21] Whatever, November 1994)
I’m really
surprised this version of ‘Cigs and Alcohol’ made the def Maybe DVD as there
are far better versions around, in terms of both performance and quality. Oasis
sound a bit off judging by what footage does exist, with a particularly ropey
version of ‘Whatever’ also doing the rounds. Why did they choose to film this
gig I wonder? It doesn’t seem to have made it to TV.
24)
MTV 120 Minutes ([11]
Supersonic November 1994)
Oasis
have changed their look again: Noel is in a snappy Union Jack suit and a crew
haircut, while in contrast Bonehead actually has hair! The music is still
mostly the same, with another great version of the band's debut for an end of
year TV party, with Liam yelling the words as the rest of the band play live
for once, with a great looped opening drum part from Tony McCaroll before the
rest of the band finally pounce on the song. Noel milks his closing guitar solo
for all he's worth too, pushing this song out from roughly three and a half
minutes to a full five while Liam just stands still and out-stares the front
row. The camera fades as Liam walks up to Tony expecting a big finale that
never happens, Noel turning the sound down on his amplifier instead for an
unexpectedly calm ending. One of the better Oasis TV clips. This may also have
been the moment when Noel met Meg Matthews for the first time backstage, who
will become his first wife in 1997. That might explain his good mood and
humour!
25)
[21] Whatever (Music
Video December 1994)
A famous
old Oasis moment. Usually Liam's the one who disrupts the videos, but Noel
turned up to the shoot in a right old state, having got badly drunk the night
before and turning up late after falling asleep at a bus stop (he was still too
hungover to drive). A still inebriated Noel turned up late to the recording and
then does his best to upstage the video, standing in front of his brother in
key shots and staring down the camera, eating a McDonald's meal ('probably the
last time I ever ate McDonalds...'), giving the finger to the orchestra,
counting his brother in and borrowing a caretaker's broom to tidy up the room
at the end of the gig. Liam, who never much liked this song (another pre-fame
track) anyway, was said to be furious - even Noel admits on commentary 'I
haven't seen this for years but I know I get really f!cking annoying in a
minute'. All good fun, though, including some laugh out loud moments (Noel
waving to the camera with a broom above a
stack of amplifiers!) and one of the funniest videos on this list as
Oasis go one stage further than even The Beatles at lampooning their stardom
and sending the whole music business machine up royally! Noel's end verdict
'It's not a bad video this is it really?' He’s right – this is the perfect
self-mocking video Oasis needed at this point in their career when they were in
danger of getting too big and leaving their audience behind.
26)
Later...With Jools
Holland #1 ([21] 'Whatever/[20] I Am The Walrus/[24] Sad Song' UK TV December
1994)
Another
favourite show of Oasis' was Jool's Hollands' horrifically forced show which
was at the time twice as irritating as TOTP ever was even if it had the better
acts. Oasis really have made it by now with a full three songs slotted into the
half hour programme with a rare chance to play slightly different material. A
very psychedelic 'Whatever' loses from Liam being slightly off mike (and
clearly far from happy with the song) but gains from a supportive string
quartet and a much louder and more eccentric Noel Gallagher guitar part than on
the record (he's clearly loving this song), with Bonehead perched uncomfortably
on a stool playing acoustic. In a neat switch on what happened during the
making of the music video, this time Liam seems to have the hangover and Noel
is the perky one. Oasis struggle to condense the high drama of 'I Am The
Walrus' into a TV studio but this track too gains from the use of strings and a
slight change to the record arrangement with Noel now singing the 'I'm crying'
lines, effectively duetting with his brother. A solo acoustic performance of
B-side 'Sad Song' is arguably better than either, with a still crew-cutted Noel
on top form on his first real TV recorded 'solo acoustic' performance, all good
practice for the 'Unplugged' show in a couple of year's time. 'Sad Song'
appears on the 'Definitely Maybe' DVD weirdly enough, given that the song
didn't appear on the album!
27)
Top Of The Pops #4 ([21]
'Whatever' December 1994 UK TV)
Ho ho ho,
at the start of their bitter feud some bright spark hires Blur's Graham Coxon
as the guest presenter of TOTP the week Oasis are on(yes they had guest
presenters for about five years in the 1990s in a desperate attempt to get more
ratings, which didn't often work). Described as 'five Manchester prettyboys'
with a layer of irony Liam would have been proud of, Oasis are turned pink
thanks to the set dressing's typically exuberant lighting system. Liam, his
glasses pulled up above his eyes, looks fed up at singing the band's fifth
single all over again, although he actually does a better job of the lyrics
than on the record.
28)
[7] Rock 'n' Roll Star
(Music Video Early 1995)
By now
Oasis were so big that even their album tracks were getting airplay and a low
budget promo was quickly put together for broadcast on TV. The band simply mime
the song against a backdrop of flashing lights, while Noel puts on his evilest
mono-browed stare, intercut with footage of the band looking cool while...going
bowling (this really was a long time ago wasn't it?) Included as an 'extra'
feature on the 'Time Flies' DVD, sadly without any extra commentary this time.
29)
The White Room ([36] 'Talk
Tonight' [37] Acquiesce [22] It’s Good To Be Free, UK TV April 1995)
Presented
by a then-unknown Mark Radcliffe getting his big TV break, 'The White Room' was
a slightly more grown up music show than TOTP more like ‘The Old Grey Whistle
Test’, a new show which ran for two series between 1994 and 1996. The shows
were particularly interesting for the interaction between the musical guests –
especially this episode which started a lifelong friendship between Jam fan
Noel and modfather Paul Weller. Another chance for Noel to appear without his
brother, he performs a groovy version of 'Talk Tonight' all the better thanks
to his breaking voice while Weller adds a subtle piano groove and an
accompanying harmony part. This pretty song has rarely sounded so good and the
pair of songwriter's voices go together remarkably well, even if Noel does
sound as if he's been up all night and then some (back in 1994 he probably
had).
30)
[31] Some Might Say
(Music Video April 1995)
A bit of a
non-event this single, cobbled together from footage from the five previous
music videos - mainly [12] 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' (at the last minute, when
the single made number one - 'the first one in years that hadn't had a video').
There was a video planned but it was cancelled at the last minute 'because
Elvis wouldn't leave the fooking building' (i.e. Liam 'didn't like the
script!')
31)
Top Of The Pops #5 ([31]
'Some Might Say' UK TV April 1995)
Back on
home soil things are much calmer for the launch of the first single from 'Morning
Glory' and, surprisingly, the band's first number one. The lighting man is the
one working hardest on this clip, with his fast flashing spotlights enough to
bring on a seizure so do be warned. Oasis by contrast look as if they can't
really be arsed to do much for this mimed performance so get by with as little
as possible. Has it all stopped being fun so soon?
32)
Rockfield Studios ([35]
Champagne Supernova May-June 1995)
How
frustrating! A video camera is there to film oasis in their natural habitat
making their second album and…seemingly only shoot two minutes worth of Liam
hanging around singing an outtake of ‘Supernova’. Is this all that was shot or
just all that has leaked? Either way it’s a precious document of a moment in
time and Liam is already right on the money for this song, but it’s such a
shame there isn’t more of this stuff out there.
33)
Glastonbury June 1995
Oasis were
now far bigger stars than they had been a year ago and were headliners at the
festival's prestigious 25th anniversary event alongside two musicians who'd
headlined back in 1970: Al Stewart and Keith Christmas (that is his real name
folks - he was support act to both The Kinks and The Who in the 1970s so
deserves to be better remembered than he is). The Stone Roses were meant to be
the 'other' headline act but pulled out at the last minute to be replaced by
Pulp (another band who'd had a great year) - were they scared by the pretenders
to their throne? It's certainly one of Oasis' better gigs, with a tightness and
crispness missing from many of their early shows and a whole bunch of great new
songs the crowd haven't heard yet getting a great reception. [31] 'Some Might
Say' has a real rocking power and an intense yet simplified [34] 'Morning
Glory' sounds pretty darn good too, but it's old warhorse [14] 'Slide Away'
that's the awesome highlight of the set, treated as an angry song of vengeance
rather than a sad song of loss with Liam spitting feathers over the betrayal
(one brief lyric change: 'Let me see the sun that shines with you...' instead
of 'Let me be the one...') The most important performance of the night happens
not on stage but behind it though with the first ever recorded performance of [27]
'Wonderwall', which is performed by Noel the 'morning after' for the cameras
rather than the audience in the show's then-new 'acoustic' tent. It ought to be
a huge moment of monumental significance, but is ruined by a row between Mark
Kermode and Mark Radcliffe who keep butting in with daft questions ('What do
you think of dairy products Noel?' 'I dunno - are they a band?') A must see for
all Oasis fans and still talked about to this day by those lucky enough to be
there, like all the best gigs.
34)
The O Zone #2 (UK TV ?/1995)
We haven't
quite included every interview Oasis ever did for the cameras on this list -
life's too short and I'm not gonna live forever - but we have included the key
ones. This is the second, with a rather uncharacteristically emotional band
reflecting on their first year with Noel sounding in shock that it's only been
a year (‘we feel like we've been going for ten!' he adds). A nervous Liam talks
about how recording for 'Morning Glory' is going (‘better - the first time in
the studio we didn't know anything about it!') and that he really does argue as
often with Noel as people say (yeah - everyday' 'Do you respect your brother?'
'Yep' 'Is he always right?' 'Nope!') Even Bonehead adds a rare comment that
'it's sounding rocking!' The band get on to the recent Blur bashing: Noel
denies all responsibility while Liam calls his rivals 'a bunch of students not
worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as us'. Asked how he copes with
the bad times, Noel quips 'we roll with it - as some idiot once said!' The
journalist clearly doesn’t understand that he’s making an in-joke.
35)
The David Letterman Show
#1 ([9] 'Live Forever' US TV ?/1995)
This is
where Oasis' story starts declining in comparison to their idols The Beatles.
Where the fab four vanquished America due to luck and charm with 'I Want To
Hold Your Hand', the Americans never really took to their 1990s successors
after a brief flurry of interest in 1994 and Letterman is dismissive bordering
on rude as he discusses a CD he presumes none of his audience have heard of
(even though it's 'selling great in England - and that country has been selling
CDs for centuries!') There's nothing wrong with the performance, which is extra
loud and extra aggressive, with the loudest 'wall of noise' yet (you can see
Bonehead glance over to Noel lots to see what the heck's going on at one point!)
and Liam, unfazed, raising his vocal delivery to compete with it. Perhaps it
was all just too loud for the audience - or perhaps they didn't take kindly to
the 'weirdo' hand gestures Noel uses on the TV host in reply when his back is
turned at the end of the song!
36)
[26] Roll With It (Music
Video 1995)
A bland
video, consisting of the band 'performing' one of their lesser songs in front
of a big crowd of fans (possibly in Camden according to some sources). Noel's
verdict: he doesn't like the song either ('I don't what this song is
about...It's about three and a half minutes, that's about all!') and comments
how rare it is to see a shot of bassist Guigsy smiling ('He must have been
stoned as a monkey!')
37)
Top Of The Pops #7 ([26]
'Roll With It' 1995)
Who shall
we get to present the edition of TOTP that went out the same week as the
infamous 'battle of the bands' between Oasis and Blur and will surely be looked
back on as a key moment of Western civilization and our times? Yes, of course
you guessed it, the only logical choice...cricketer Phil Tufnel! Perhaps Oasis
lost the number one slot the next week because Phil mentions they're his 'tip'
('because they're mad fer it!') or because they turn in a relatively lacklustre
performance of what's far from their best song. Liam sings for real this time,
though not that well, while behind him the rest of the band mime to the record.
Well sort of: for one week only Noel is pretending to be the 'lead singer' and
Liam is miming lead guitar! Did all AAA bands do this about thirty-forty clips
in? This is becoming a running joke…
38)
[34] Morning Glory
(Music Video September 1995)
Like [7] 'Rock
and Roll Star', this is a sort of half-official video put together without much
band involvement to promote the 'Morning Glory' record. What's the story,
morning glory? A simple one as it turns out. The band perform the song noisily
in a very beige looking hotel while people outside keep ringing their doorbell
and clamouring to get them to turn the noise down. By the end the cross individuals
have turned into a seething mob but they don't get a chance to break the door
down before the band apparently drown underwater. As you do. Somewhere along
the way the band start playing football again, which is impressive given that
the instrumental is taking place at the same time. Sadly Noel never recorded a
commentary for this video, which would have been great fun to hear, though it
is an extra on the ‘Def Maybe’ DVD.
39)
[27] Wonderwall (Music
Video October 1995)
Another
famous Oasis moment, again shot in moody black and white (apart from Bonehead's
guitar, which keeps changing from green to yellow). The band (with new member
Alan White now replacing Tony McCaroll for the first time) are sitting in a row
of chairs playing acoustic guitars while Liam mouths the words to camera and in
the background a clown plays their latest single on a record player. As you do.
The video lacks the gravitas of the song, somehow, and loses out from having
stand-in bass player Scott McLeod (of band The Ya-Yas') hiding behind a
newspaper, filling in for Guigsy (off with nervous exhaustion, which Noel
rather cruelly puts down to 'lazyitis'; it's been a very busy year).Noel's
verdict 'That video won an award...for most black and white British video
ever!' (Actually it won a Brit award as
best music video in 1996 - strangely, perhaps, the only Brit video award Oasis
ever won as its far from their best).
40)
Top Of The Pops #6 (UK
TV [27] 'Wonderwall' November 1995)
A slightly
different feel for another famous performance, with Oasis sitting on stools to
deliver this one. Sadly Liam is back to miming again (the 'miming laws' come
and go across this period of TOTP) and has now swapped his clear lenses for
sunglasses for the first time. A regular on 'sounds of the 1990s' re-reruns,
this currently stands as the most viewed Oasis clip on the whole of Youtube,
though I’m not sure it deserves it.
41)
Later...With Jools
Holland #2 ([27] 'Wonderwall/[49] Cum On Feel The Noize/[41] Round Are Way' UK
TV December 1995)
Liam has
gone awol and left Noel to hold the fort with memorable performances of three
key songs, including thesecond to feature the elder Gallagher singing his own
composition [27] 'Wonderwall'. A sprightly [43] 'Round Are Way' is the best of
the three, with a powerful guitar surge and a guesting horn and harmonica
section that rocks better than the studio version. More interesting than the
songs though is the chat. A grumpy Noel gets interviewed by the ever-irritating
host in an uneasy interview where both men sit as far apart as it's possible on
a piano stool ('I'm sitting like this so you don't catch my cold' explains
Jools, 'Oh good - I thought I had bad breath for a minute then' replies Noel).
Liam has 'gone for his MOT' which is bandspeak for 'too many late nights
drinking' . Jools is worried the singer has 'given it to him' meaning his sore
throat before a genuinely angry Noel jokes 'no but I'm going to flaming give it
to him when I see him...' In a revealing interview segment Noel talks about
being ignored by his teachers and never being accepted for his talents, telling
his music teacher down the cameras 'want to borrow a tenner?' Cue uneasy
laughter from an audience not quite sure how 'real' all this is. Noel's clearly
joking when asked what Beatles he would have wanted to be and jokes 'Ringo -
because he didn't do anything!' The audience gasp rather than laugh even though
it really is meant as a bit of fun and Noel turns defensive in turn ('He didn't
have to write anything!..except fanmail'). In an audacious move, Jools plays a
clip of Slade to Noel to show him what his performance of their song should
have sounded like and comments that he has the best hair in the band. Wanting
to know what Gallgher liked about Slade a confused Noel answers 'the music' to
which Holland replies 'just as well because that's what this show is all
about!' In a quick witted reply after such a rambling clueless interview Noel
looks bemused and jokes 'is it???' My sentiments about Jools Holland
entirely...
42)
White Room Sessions #2 ([37]
'Acquiesce' [22] 'It's Good To Be Free' [36] 'Talk Tonight' [28] 'Don't Look
Back In Anger' [27] 'Wonderwall' [26] 'Roll With It' [41] 'Round Are Way' [25] 'Some
Might Say' UK TV December 1995)
Oasis
always stayed remarkably loyal to the shows that helped them on the way up and
agreed to come back to the comparatively unknown 'White Room' a second time
post-fame, with Liam in tow this time, for a special where the band took over
the show for a mini-concert. I'm surprised more fans don't know about this clip
because it's rather a good one, with some rare tracks not often played live
(including a whole run of flipsides) and the band on good form. The key song
for many fans, though, is the TV debut of future single 'Don't Look Back In
Anger', perhaps picked after Noel feared his brother would leave him in the
lurch again promoting the song on TV! A mini-acoustic segment containing a
lovely 'Talk Tonight' and a sweet 'Wonderwall' is the other highlight, while in
the electric show 'Roll With It' sounds impressively on form. By the end Liam
is sweating like a pig being chased by David Cameron and is clearly the worse
for wear, forced to sit on the floor mid-way through 'Round Are Way', though he
valiantly carries on, even improvising the line 'round are way the birds are
minging', in deference to mid-190s Midlands slang for ‘something yuck’ and
returning for the encore of 'Some Might Say' looking terribly ill. It's a
fabulous aggressive performance of this fine #1 single though, played a lick
faster than the studio take with more of an urgent feel about it, perhaps
because Liam visibly needs to get off stage, quick! Well, it was new year's eve
and it had been one hell of a year...A confused Mark Radcliffe is left at the
end to plug the band's new album 'Morning Glory', joking that it's a difficult
job because the last song just played 'Round Are Way' wasn't even on it! Now
that’s a depth of catalogue that is…
43)
The David Letterman Show
#2 ([34] 'Morning Glory' US TV 1995)
Letterman
seems much happier to have Oasis back on a second time (did he not see Noel's
hand gestures to him last time then?) and the band get far more whoops from the
crowd. This is more like it then, despite more painful banter between host and
guests ('How do I know you're the best selling band in Britain today? Just take
your word for it?' 'No' says Liam 'just look at us!') Dressed in a striped
t-shirt that looks as if he's about to head to the beach, Liam performs the
title track of the band's new album a touch softer than normal, while Noel and
Bonehead pass on the trickier guitar flourishes and simply keep chugging on the
power chords. This time Noel behaves himself when the host walks out on set,
but does lift his hand up...before itching his nose and grinning down the
camera, suggesting he was thinking about making the same gesture!
44)
[28] Don't Look Back In
Anger (Music Video February 1996)
Take that
look from off your face because is the band's first big 'concept' video! Actor
Patrick Macnee (the weird, smug one in The Avengers) is the band's chauffeur
for the day as he drives the band past lots of their old haunts before taking
them to a suitably rockstar millionaire house in LA complete with swimming
pool. A whole group of extras have turned up too to mime the words into the
camera while the band keep moving round and round the garden, like a teddy
bear. No, like Pink Floyd actually - if you know the 'Ummagumma' front cover (a
picture within a picture, each band having 'moved' position) then it's like
that. Only with beds and a set of drums
in a swimming pool. One of the 'playbunny' extras became drummer Alan White's
wife after a whirlwind romance that saw them married the next year, so at least
something came of one of the band's odder videos. Noel's verdict: 'You'd have
thought with all the money we spent on it you'd have thought they'd have made
it as if the drums were floating instead of on a f!cking plastic drum riser!'
The director of the 'Time Flies' video reckons this one was based on 'The Great
Gatsby' but they've got the wrong band there - Oasis are too working class for
the joke about aimless rich wannabes to work (although the video might
symbolically end with the band driving away in their mini to the line 'at least
not today'). Blur on the other hand...
45)
Hotel Babylon ([28] 'Don't
Look Back In Anger' UK TV February 1996)
Noel,
dressed in a floral shirt, performs a lovely acoustic performance of the band's
new single (how many times did that happen in the 1990s with different bands?
Acoustic versions of their latest electric hits?) Before you ask, no it isn't
that US comedy/soap series about a hotel but a curious short-lived UK series
that had guests 'drop in' to do a turn on a set that looked like Fawlty Towers.
46)
Top Of The Pops #8 ([28]
'Don't Look Back In Anger/[49] Cum On Feel The Noize' 1996)
Oasis are
now officially the biggest band on the planet. Top Of The Pops is used to
dealing with biggest bands on the planet - traditionally once they reach a
certain peak they stop showing up. But not Oasis, not right here, right now.
However TOTP reach a compromise, one which hasn't been used since The Beatles
back in 1965 (other than specials): Oasis get to perform both sides of their
new single! 'Cum On' must be the first time a band has ever played a B-side on
TOTP - and a Slade cover at that - with Noel taking the lead role on the first
song while a bearded Liam sulks in the background. Sadly the band are miming
(Noel rather badly - he doesn't have the gift of his brother to make it all
look 'real') and the performance of 'Noize' even includes the spoken word 'baby
baby...' intro which seems to surprise the band when it comes out of the
speakers. This must surely be a unique clip in that Liam is there for both
songs but doesn’t sing lead on either!
47)
TFI Friday (Noel Only,
UK TV April 1996)
For anyone
not British or of a certain age, TFI Friday stands for 'Thank Fuck It's
Friday', with the well known acronym used so the show can actually get on the
air - although that won't stop swearing being the show's undoing when it will
finally be taken off the air after one 'f' word too many in the year 2000.
Oddly all of Chris Evan's guests walks onto his favourite piece of music (Ocean
Colour Scene's 'The Riverboat Song') no matter how ill fitting that is - Noel
looks most annoyed at hearing a burst of music from his rivals but is still
'Noel' enough to great the big cheers by raising his arms in a 'give me more'
gesture. Noel talks about a piece in that day's papers about him robbing houses
in his youth and he jokes that he's 'casing the joint' as he walks in and teases
the host throughout, giving as good as he gets. He also talks about working in
a woodwork hut that never had any customers so he could get on with writing [9]
'Live Forever' and [3] 'Columbia'. More seriously Gallagher reveals that
writing songs is becoming harder since he's become famous and the pressure's
got bigger and mentions his two most recent songs are [52] 'My Big Mouth' and
[55] 'I Hope I Think I Know'. Noel is asked about that year's big event -
Jarvis Cocker interrupting Michael Jackson at the Brit awards - and says that
his rival 'should be given an MBE', arguing that 'we all know what's gone on'
(child molestation charges) with Wacko Jacko having a 'nerve to come here after
all that dressed in a robe thinking he's the Messiah. Who does he think he is?
Me?' Inevitably the show turns to the talk of the brothers ('How's Liam?'
'Bigheaded!') Sadly Noel's next plan (sponsoring Man City football team) never
happened. A nice clip of Noel responding
to 'real' people and being a right old geezer. He won't have this much fun
again for the rest of the list.
48)
[35] Champagne Supernova
(Music Video May 1996)
This odd
promo features a now bearded Liam lying down on a bed (well, if you have to
hang around being filmed for days on end you might as well be comfy). However
the surreal 'what the?' images (full of go-go dancers and a groovy lightshow)
suits this psychedelic epic, perhaps the ultimate example of a Noel Gallagher
lyric that works precisely because it doesn't make any sense and yet feels as
if it means something anyway. Noel wears a fetching union jack jacket
throughout. In case you’re wondering, this was a Last minute chance to plug the
‘Morning Glory’ album in America and the band never had any plans to make this
a single as such. You can see it as an extra on the ‘Time Flies’ DVD.
49)
MTV Unplugged (November 1996)
We've
already covered this fascinating gig with a whole review of the audio on our
live/solo/compilations list *here*, so just to recap in brief: Oasis were one
of the few modern bands (along with polar opposites Nirvana) to play MTV's new
acoustic show; Liam was meant to sing but said he had a bad throat and instead
heckled the rest of the band from a nearby box and Noel sang the songs instead,
most of them very well indeed. Sadly Oasis are one of the few bands to have
never released their MTV set on video/DVD or even a CD. It's worth seeing
though if you can track a copy down (such as the one in our Youtube playlist!)
50)
[51] D'Yer Know What I
Mean? (Music Video July 1997)
Bring on
the helicopters it's the big budget special! Breaking the silence of a year's
work, this video's premiere was one of the most watched things in the band's
homeland the year of release and was an 'event' the same way that 'Knebworth'
had been the year before (for me too, I stayed up all night to see this despite
having an exam the next day). The video is certainly long enough - timed to
last a second longer than The Beatles' 'Hey Jude', it seems more like a
blockbuster movie than a music video
According to the directors they set the video in a post-apocalyptic
Britain where only Oasis have survived, which is why they're all dressed in
army fatigues. The shoot took place on the set of the film 'Full Metal Jacket'
and though a dozen helicopters appear to fly over the shoot only two were
actually there at the time and the rest were added in by computer- to be honest
I was rather upset when I learnt that as it’s all meant to be grandiose and
huge and stupidly expensive. The phrases 'D'Yer Know What I Mean?' and album
title 'Be Here Now' were translated into Czechosalovkian and painted onto the
side of the buildings as graffiti - even though few fans would have noticed or
understood (and why would there be a war between Britain and Czechesolovakia of
all places anyway?) Noel: 'Guigsy and Bonehead look like they're going to the
bookies, Alan looks as if he's going ski-ing and I look as if I've just come
off manoeuvres in the outer Hebrides - the most unlikely looking bunch of
rockstars you'll ever see in your life...at the time everybody thought this was
the past, present and future rolled into one...but this is fooking
nonsense...they are nice sunglasses though!' Noel also records Paul Weller's
verdict on the video: 'Apocalypse Yesterday!' The video had an unfortunate side
effect: on seeing it the British Army decided both video and song would make
good grounds for a recruitment video and used it without permission, over which
the (relatively) peace loving Oasis sued successfully in 2002.
51)
Top Of The Pops #9 ([51]
'D'yer Know What I Mean?' July 1997)
Though the
TOTP performance was lacking in helicopters, it still felt like a big deal,
breaking the TOTP silence of a lengthy year or so with an only slightly edited
six and a half minute version of the lead single from 'Be Here Now'. This is
arguably the last time Oasis are kings of the world and they make the most of
it with a comfortable mimed performance which was also one of the last times
all of the 'classic' line-up appeared. Liam and Noel both celebrate at the end
as if they've just won the war (see the video clip) with fist-pumps and jumping
on the spot as the crowd go mad fer it. Ah, happy days.
52)
Canal Plus Studios ([51]
'D'Yer Know What I Mean?' [54] 'Stand By Me' July 1997)
Here's an
odd clip - a full fifteen minute mini show tacked onto the end of a French
music show to plug 'Be Here Now', an album that to be honest really didn't need
much plugging. The band turn in a terrific set, one of the best of their
career, with some really confident and hard-edged versions of the new material
which in many cases sounds better than the record with a more stripped-down
production, especially a riveting 'D'Yer Know What I Mean?' which is a brave
stab at such a tricky song. 'Stand By Me' fares less well, with an orchestra
very out of tune with the guitars and an oddly arty concept where Liam sings to
himself playing back on a stack of TVs (did they get the idea from the TV
special 'James Paul McCartney', which did the same thing back in 1973?) Still
officially unavailable, it’s a shame this clip always gets overlooked – perhaps
the last great concert Oasis gave.
53)
[54] Stand By Me (Music
Video September 1997)
A truly
confusing video for a rather too straightforward song. The video, you see, is
shot in reverse and all about changing 'perceptions'. As seen 'our' way round
it looks as if all the hoodies have caused a car crash and a robbery, but seen
the 'right way round' it turns out that the skinhead thug is helping a
businessman break into his stuck car and the robbery going on is actually people
rushing to help a biker whose crashed into a shop and been covered by TVs. The
biker, you see, was swerving to avoid a child. The video was most likely
inspired by an advert series that had run in the Guardian newspapers using
still photographs similar to these and which had ruffled a few feathers back in
the day. However, the idea is never really explained properly on screen and the
presence of various members of Oasis walking past by in 'real' time is
unexplained - do they exist outside time and space as deities? Or did they
'cause' the mess in the first place? The band, meanwhile, play their latest
song for the fictional 'Radio Supernova'. Noel's verdict: 'Yeah I'm not having
any of this...It must have taken somebody minutes to come up with this...We
look like we're wearing other people's clothes in these videos...it's f!cking
bananas!...That's disgraceful, I want my money back for that...what is the...?
what?...That's a bit fooking mad that one!'
54)
Top Of The Pops #10 ([54]
'Stand By Me' September 1997)
Here, in a
single video, is where it all goes wrong. The band sound wretched and slow,
this lengthy track sounding as if it's been going on forever, while Liam and
the rest of the band sound so detached from each other they might as well besinging
different songs. The backing track reduced to a bland chug, even Liam can't
keep this song moving.
55) T-Mex: Live In Manchester ([59] 'Be Here Now' [62] 'Stay Young'
[54] 'Stand By Me' [11] 'Supersonic' [31] 'Some Might Say' [26] 'Roll With It' [51]
'D'Yer Know What I Mean?' [28] 'Don't Look Back In Anger' [58] 'Don't Go Away'
[27] 'Wonderwall' [9] 'Live Forever' [61] 'It's Getting Better! (Man!!!)' [60] 'All
Around The World' [57] 'Fade In-Out' [35] 'Champagne Supernova' [12] 'Cigarettes
And Alcohol' [37] 'Acquiesce' UK Concert December 1997)
Broadcast
on MTV as a sort of early Christmas present, this home-coming show finds Oasis
giving 'Be Here Now' one last plug. Band and audience try to give their all -
and there's a hilarious opening where in an interview Noel tells the crowd to
come back after the advert break 'turn the telly up, cheer when Liam walks out
and then go mad for me when I walk out later and go 'he's a geezer, 'im!'
However compared to previous gigs Oasis seem on their backfoot, taken aback by
the backlash now beginning to greet their third album and beginning to have
second thoughts about the material. The 'Be Here Now' music is, ironically
enough, the most interesting here, if only because of the way the band have
tweaked so many of the songs from the fuller more 'epic' arrangements on the
record. The oldies are starting to sound a bit mouldy by comparison, with a
rare performance of 'It's Getting Better (Man!!!)' the real highlight here.
56)
[60] All Around The World (Music Video January
1998)
As Noel
helpfully tells us, this is a cartoon. Not just any cartoon either, but a 1990s
'Yellow Submarine', complete with a green elephant with thirty eyes,
fish-eating submarines and where the vehicle Oasis are in is made out of flowers.
Apparently it took twenty-four animators six months to make this (well, it's a
long song isn't it?!) delaying its release as a single and it isn't exactly
value for money. It's all a bit mad, even by Oasis standards, with no link
whatsoever now between the song and the images and the band struggling to cope
with the ideas of acting against so much blue/green screen. Noel's verdict: 'If
you're listening to this at home you're advised to go and mow the garden or
summat because this goes on for ages and ages!' 'A man with legs made of
sausages? I know for a fact that's got nothing to do with this song...oh lord!'
, on Liam 'He was always good for a 'na na na na' him, the singer!' and 'Pigs
don't fly never say die? Why didn't somebody stop me at that point and say
'time to go on holiday... I'm actually getting annoyed watching this now...I bet somewhere this song is still
going on even when it finished. And do you know what the strange thing is? This
got to number one - it's one of our biggest singles!' Not one of the band's best moments.
57)
[58] Don't Go Away
(Music Video February 1998)
More
absolute nonsense, relegated to the 'extras' portion of the 'Time Flies' DVD
even though it was a proper single and everything. Liam is at home, painting
and missing his loved one, which is intermingled with shots of random extras
holding umbrellas and flying like Mary Poppins. Liam seems as if he's torn up
quite a few first drafts of something and has littered the floor with them -
perhaps it was the camera script? It's a real shame that Noel didn't give a
commentary for this video as it would surely have been hilarious, with the rest
of the band apart from Liam relegated to appearing as toys dwarfed by the 'Be
Here Now' props. Actually I can see why Noel might want to forget this awful video
now...
58)
The David Letterman Show
#3 ([58] 'Don't Go Away' US TV February 1998)
By now
Letterman is far more respectful, impressed at global sales of 20 million as he
introduces Oasis without any insults or snide comments. This performance is
another struggle though, with Noel and Bonehead slightly out of sync and Liam struggling
to work out which guitarist he should be following. The presence of an
orchestra adding to the noise only makes things worse. This time it's Liam's
turn to upset the host, who turns back to him after shaking hands with Noel and
Bonehead (why not Guigsy or Whitey?) only for the singer to reject his
outstretched arm with a nod.
59)
The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show
([58] 'Don't Go Away' US TV February 1998)
More
plugging in the States, with Noel sporting his famous Union Jack guitar for the
first time, no doubt as a 'gesture' to his yank cousins. Liam sounds a little
better here and the guitarists are closer meshed together although this still
sounds like a song that's a struggle to sing live and a bit of a flog to sit
through to be honest.
60)
Mabudachi ([58] 'Don't
Go Away' Japanese TV February 1998)
Like most
of the best bands Oasis were also a big hit in Japan, curiously beginning with
this third LP which comparatively flopped round most of the world. Perhaps
that's because Noel dropped in dressed in a natty striped suit for a quick
chat. The host offers Noel a present that makes him look worried ('does it
explode?') while the chat keeps being interrupted for lengthy translations even
though most of Noel's responses are mono-syllabic at best. He also sounds upset
to report that other bands have caught with Oasis now, naming The Verve,
Radiohead and The Prodigy as his biggest rivals ('though I still say we're the
best!') 'Don't Go Away' sounds good though, with a nice acoustic performance of
the song that suits it better than the record and sounds good with Noel
singing. The three hosts look suitably awed, as well they should (it must have
made a nice change after the likes of Letterman!)
61)
[37] Acquiesce (Music
Video April 1998)
Goodness
knows why the band decided to celebrate their return to the mainstream with a
launch party for 'Be Here Now' that featured a B-side that was by now two years
old (that's why the band are playing in front of a giant clock, a prop from the
album cover). To be fair, it is a fan favourite this song and for good reason
and the band turn in a storming version even if the director misses most of the
good stuff by playing with the slow-mo button on the camera. A second video has
the band miming to this song while in Japan, although the story spends too long
following a Liam-looking Japanese fan in a parka on his way to a gig rather
than the real deal. The wonders of karaoke then fool the ad hoc crew of mates
that they really are Oasis by the end though only 'Liam' looks the part. Both
are included as a welcome extra on the 'Time Flies' DVD.
62)
[62] The Masterplan
(Music Video April 1998)
Though the
song had already been released on the back of 'Wonderwall' three years earlier,
Oasis gave one of their best loved tracks a new lease of life as the title and
lead track from the contract-filling B-sides compilation released in the gap
between albums three and four. Though Oasis had nothing to do with it, the
video is one of their best and perfectly captures their spirit (and Liam's
apelike walk!), recreating Manchester of the 1980s and 1990s in the style of
local artist L S Lowry. A land of grey buildings and doomed bow-headed crowds,
it's not unlike the shots of rainy grey Liverpool in the 'Eleanor Rigby'
sequence of the 'Yellow Submarine' film. The drawings of the band are all spot
on, while the video actually pays attention to the lyrics, with 'four and
twenty corridors' appearing right on cue and the band actually walking into one
of Lowry's paintings by the end (Noel and Liam even go into the same house at
the song's end, in keeping with the pre-fame vibe, although in a typical
airbrushing of history Tony McCaroll looks suspiciously like Alan White; this
is - sorta – the last time we’ll see Bonehead or Guigsy). A cheapo time filler
it may be, but 'The Masterplan' both single and video are made with a lot more
care than many of the real things. Sadly only an extra on the 'Time Flies' DVD
- come back and record a commentary for this one Noel!
63)
Unknown (Noel Only
Swedish TV ?/2000)
Oasis are
back! Noel takes time off from finishing 'Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants'
to talk about the soon to be released album and set some rumours straight from
Oasis' favoured 'Wheeler Studio' (a rare chance to see his array of guitars).
He likes Liam's first song [82] 'Little James' ('I don't think it's great - but
it is good, yeah') before being unusually kind ('It's better than the first
song I ever wrote, that's for sure'). There's an interesting story that Liam
was too shy to show the band the original song and kept delaying it because it
'wasn't finished', so Noel and Whitey secretly taped him working on it in the
studio and worked the arrangement out while Liam was off on holiday, surprising
him with it when he came back. Noel jokes about the future, saying that he
doesn't want to be the kind of musician who 'records a solo album at 45'
(funnily enough he'd just turned 45 when 'High Flying Birds' came out – odd how
these things turn out!) This is the first interview to talk about the 'history'
of the band rather than the present day and Noel refers to the pre-fame years
as 'the early days', which makes him quite nostalgic and feel old, even though
it's only been six busy years since [11] 'Supersonic'. One of Noel's better
interviews, filling in a relatively 'forgotten' period of Oasis history.
64)
[79] Go Let It Out
(Music Video February 2000)
Ding! Ding!
It's all change as a new-look Oasis reveal their new line-up on a much more
back-to-basics video closer in feel to the 'Definitely Maybe' video set in a
bus depot. However Andy Bell hasn't joined the band yet, leaving Noel to mime
the bass, Liam the rhythm guitar and Gem the lead part. None of the band's
fellow passengers look that thrilled to have the band there - Oasis' halo
really had slipped by the time of their fourth album. The band got into trouble
for their opening joke: 'Only the best videos have space for captions!', a joke
that earned the band an MTV ban, which might be one of the reasons why this
song didn't sell as well as some of its predecessors. When the band finally get
to their destination the set dressers again let them down. 'That was meant to
look like a spaceship - it looks like a load of scaffolding sinking!' Noel
complains about a white unfinished dome covered with lights the band were
afraid might electrocute them when rain fell heavily out of nowhere during
filming.
65)
Top Of The Pops #11 ([79]
'Go Let It Out' February 2000)
After two
years away, Oasis are back on their favourite stomping ground and straight in
at #1, which must have been a relief. Liam has grown his hair and bought
himself a fur coat, while Noel is still rubbish at miming (he misses his 'pick
up the bass' line completely). The camera seems very careful not to view the two
new members too much, who are only seen in the distance throughout.
66)
[84] Where Did It All Go
Wrong? (Music Video February 2000)
Though
Oasis' fourth album 'Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants' hadn't sold anything like
as well as the first three the band propped up the album with its own 'extra'
music video anyway, sensibly choosing the best song from the record not already
out as a single. Drummer Alan White is alone in a hotel room watching the band
on TV playing with amps labelled 'working class hero' while we get some mad
random story inserted featuring a couple having a big row. I doubt the video
will stick around with you until the day you die, somehow, but the tune's a
good 'un. Included as an extra feature on the 'Time Flies' DVD.
67)
Later...With Jools
Holland - The Concerts #3 ([79] 'Go Let It Out' [80] 'Who Feels Love?' [11] 'Supersonic'
[31] 'Some Might Say' [12] 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' [84] 'Where Did It All Go
Wrong?' [83] 'Gas Panic!' [7] 'Rock 'n' Roll Star' [27] 'Wonderwall' [28]
'Don't Look Back In Anger' [110] 'My Generation' [9] 'Live Forever' UK TV March
2000)
Around the
millennium Jools 'plink plonk' Holland varied his show with some full concerts.
Oasis were an obvious band to ask and happy to comply, revealing their new
line-up to the world properly. For one awful moment you think the band are
going to mime the whole gig when the taped drum pattern of 'Go Let It Out'
comes in from the speakers but then the band pile in one by one for real and
hit a really nice groove. Though there are better Oasis gigs out there (Liam's
voice is already losing its natural freedom and beauty) this is a good one for
fans like me of the 'Giants' album whose songs aren't often performed. All four
new tracks sound rather good, with a much more sprightly 'Who Feels Love?'
gaining in organ bleeps what it loses in massed harmonies, a gorgeous Noel 'n'
piano version of 'Where Did It All Go Wrong?' a new highlight of the acoustic
set and a nicely grungy 'Gas Panic' far tighter than the live version on
'Familiar To Millions'. The older songs fare less well - 'Rock 'n' Roll Star'
has already gone from a sneering song of rebellion into a crowd pleasing
singalong and a dodgy 'Don't Look Back In Anger' has seen better days. A
preview of the band's new B-side cover, The Who's jaw-dropping 'My Generation',
is pretty darn good though, with Andy Bell nailing John Entwistle's bass solo.
A pretty welcome return - and as an added bonus no mindless interruptions from
the host. They should go back to using this format!
68)
The David Letterman Show
#4 ([86] 'I Can See A Liar' US TV March 2000)
Oasis never
go for their obvious material in the States do they? This 'Giants' album track
ought to be born for live performance but sounds a little woolly and
unconvincing somehow. Liam, wearing a long-coat for the first time, is a little
shaky and Noel spends most of the performance squealing feedback rather than
playing. The band don't do anything to the host this time, which is perhaps the
biggest shame of all.
69)
[80] Who Feels Love?
(Music Video April 2000)
Oasis are
in a desert looking for love, as you do. The band are now complete ('Andy looks
like he's fooking sixteen!' says Noel) but are walking in five separate ways
looking for inspiration ('We spent all day walking across there...somebody's
sussed out ten years into this that what they do best is they can walk and play
and stand still and look bored...') The band have gone big budget again with
Woodstock-style split screens, but sadly the visuals don't match the audio and
one of the band's more inventive and under-rated songs comes over as bland and
boring. Noel does at least have the grace to apologise to drummer Alan White
for making him bang a conga!
70)
Top Of The Pops #12 ([80]
'Who Feels Love?' April 2000)
This is
Oasis: the Paddington years with Liam wearing his duffel coat to work. On this
evidence he should have worn it more often, turning in a scintillating lead
vocal performance to rate alongside his best on top of his brother's
pre-recorded mass sea of harmonies, at least the beginning. Poor Gem and Andy
don't get a look in.
71)
[85] Sunday Morning Call
(Music Video July 2000)
Noel
famously hates this single (it's only a bonus track on the 'Time Flies' audio
set, at Noel's insistence) and this video and groans loudly when it's
introduced. Personally I've always loved the song, which is one of Noel's
better depressive ballads, though it's so alien to Noel's usual upbeat writing
you can see why he might not like it so much. Noel recorded the song more or
less alone (with just Alan White on drums) and appears alone in the video until
the end, playing behind a bead curtain as a man tries to flee his bedsit only
to be collared and locked up in a mental asylum. Strangely enough, intended or
not, the video serves as a parody of [18] 'Shakermaker', with the inmates
playing imaginary football while a cold and detached looking Oasis stare on
from a window. Filmed in Vancouver as a pastiche of 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's
Nest' It is a truly awful video without any of Oasis' usual twists and turns,
but it seem unfair to take it out on the song. Noel's verdict: 'Fooking
dreadful!'
72)
Top Of The Pops #13 ([85]
'Sunday Morning Call' July 2000)
Only Noel,
Gem and a guesting keyboard player (not the band's usual extra member Jay
Darlington from the look of things) for an unplugged performance of a song Noel
seems to have hated from the moment he released it. You wouldn't know that from
his performance, though, which is powerful and moving and decidedly more
'upbeat' than the version on 'Giants'.
73)
[95] The Hindu Times
(Music Video April 2002)
The first
video from 'Heathen Chemistry', the song named for a T-shirt slogan has a real
return to basics feel - the video even goes back to being shot in black and
white. The band appear apparently playing the song at Abbey Road - the first of
many times the band will be seen where they made 'Be Here Now' and a few other
tracks - but they don't really mime, instead staring out the camera as they
play. Just as with The Beatles' 'Let It Be' film the original plan was to fly
the band out to India and exploit the mood of the song - but the band were too
lethargic to go and filmed it where they were busy recording their fourth album
instead (stopping short of actually playing on the roof). Noel actually likes
one, until the end which has nothing to do with song or video: 'That's weird
though innit? A skeleton drinking milk?'
74)
Top Of The Pops 2
Special ([95] 'The Hindu Times' [98] 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out' [110] 'My
Generation' [37] 'Acquiesce' [28] 'Don't Look Back In Anger' April 2002)
'For a band
of our size Top Of The Pops mean everything because...well it's Top Of The Pops
innit?' Liam's less than erudite introduction to a clips show is bested by his bandmates'
: Noel jokes that the band tend to do their TOTP performances 'on rare days
off, when we treat it as such', while Gem is thrilled to 'phone me nan up and
say I'm on Top Of The Pops - what other programmes can I do that on?' A few
scant years before the show was axed and Jimmy Saville's reputation made it
toxic, the band are still genuinely excited that gruff Mancunians from a
council estate have become the heroes of a British teatime institution. The
band perform (well, mime apart from Liam) their next two singles with a
slightly quicker 'Heart Out' sounding particularly good before performing a
storming 'Acquiesce' that's one of the best in the list ('People like it
because you see my ying to Liam's yang, man').
75)
[98] Stop Crying Your
Heart Out (Music Video June 2002)
Noel hates
this one with a passion, though, perhaps because it's another of the 'big
concept' videos the directors put together without much Oasis input. It kind of
works though: a suicide victim tries to kill herself with what seems like
petrol but turns out to be 'holy water' ('What, that she bought from a garage?
That defines nonsense that does!') It's a typical Oasis twist which goes well
with the shots of Oasis sneering 'you'll never change what's been and gone'.
76)
The Hit Machine ([98] 'Stop
Crying Your Heart Out' French TV June 2002)
There's no
holy water in France - just the French equivalent of Little and Large jokily
introducing one of Oasis' most heart-wrenching songs. Shot in moody black and
white, yet again, it's a fully mimed performance most memorable for Noel
sporting a fuzzy beard which will be long gone by the next appearance.
77)
Top Of The Pops #14
('Stop Crying Your Heart Out' June 2002)
A different
performance to the 'TOP2' one, this is fascinating. The band perform completely
live, with Liam snarling rather than soaring while Noel hits a really
psychedelic guitar groove that takes the song to a whole different place. One
of the very best performances from the second half of the band's careers, this
one teeters on the edge of collapse throughout and sounds a lot more 'real'
than the record without all that polish. Even the comforting move to the major
key on the chorus is accompanied by the loneliest mellotron this side of The
Moody Blues, while Noel's ghostly voice is a great counter-punch to Liam's
aggressive lead. The ending is especially good, the song dying down to just
Noel's vibrato-shaky guitar for an extra long run through of the song's magical
riff. Brilliant stuff that makes you wish the band had done more TOTP
appearances live.
78)
[100] Little By Little
(Music Video September 2002)
An
important video, not just for featuring one of the most important songs from
the second half of Oasis' career but for being the first to feature an actor
'playing' the singer in the band. Robert Carlyle is the victim for this
particular video and he changes height across the song, presumably as a pun on
the song's name. Noel is the only band member to appear in the video at first,
busking in a doorway as people throw him money, until Liam is seen at the end helping
Carlyle up when he falls over and turning him into the 'proper size'. Once
again somebody has been messing around with the colour with several bright
shades across what's otherwise another very monochrome production. Personally I
think it's this video that's absolute nonsense and very much lacks the gravitas
of the music, but Noel seems to like it for once, perhaps because he found it
easier to make than some of the others ('Can you sit on a doorstep and mime the
guitar for a couple of hours?' No problem!) A black and white shot of the band
performing this song in Finsbury Park also turned up on the 'Time Flies' DVD
although it's not a great performance or a great video (why can't they flipping
film something in colour for once?)
79)
[99] Songbird (Music
Video February 2003)
Liam's
video for 'Songbird' is as low key and 'real' as the song itself and both video
and composition are clearly close to the younger Gallagher's heart. The song
was written for girlfriend Nicole Appleton (a former member of All Saints) and
their pet dog who, hilariously, chases Liam in the final shots after Liam is
seen to take him for a walk. Liam simply turns up in Hyde Park, sits under a
tree, grabs an acoustic guitar and starts playing with none of the
pretentiousness of some of the other Oasis videos. According to the commentary
this was because Liam wrote the song in his garden, under a tree, so thought
he’d shoot the video in nature too. Liam's verdict: 'Nice day out, even if it
was a bit cold'. None of the rest of the band appear.
80)
Top Of The Pops #15
('Songbird' February 2003)
This time
it's Noel's turn to go awol as Gem plays acoustic and Jay Darlington piano
behind Liam's energetic lead on his own song. Liam is clearly having fun while
the song sounds prettier and less polished in this version with the rough edges
left in.
81)
Glastonbury June 2004 ([7]
'Rock 'n' Roll Star' [2] 'Bring It On Down' [11] 'Supersonic' [34] 'Morning
Glory' [3] 'Columbia' [124] 'A Bell Will Ring' [98] 'Stop Crying Your Heart
Out' [100] 'Little By Little' [12] 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' [9] 'Live Forever' [120]
'The Meaning Of Soul' [37] 'Acquiesce' [35] 'Champagne Supernova' [99] 'Songbird'
[27] 'Wonderwall' [28] 'Don't Look Back In Anger' [110] 'My Generation')
Oasis'
third Glasto set is a stormy one, with Liam the most out of it we'll see across
his career, with rumours of a heavy drug addiction at the time which thankfully
doesn't seem to have been the case. He doesn't half draw attention to it too,
dressed in pure white and in a costume that looks more like a Eurovision Song
Contest entry which he still nearly pulls off. The rest of the band sound a
little out of it too, though not quite so much, quickly realising that this is
one of those gigs you just have to keep your head down and get through. This
set's 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out' may well be the single most wretched moment
on this list, real car crash television which Noel takes over partway through
when he realises just how much difficulty his brother is in. Luckily Noel has
to sing the next few songs anyway so Liam's voice gets a rest and perks up for
the rest of the set, sounding quite good by the time 'Ciggies and Alcohol'
rolls around. Oasis gigs almost entirely consist of old songs by now with an
impressive amount of songs from the first album now celebrating its tenth
anniversary (heck, where did all that time go?) The band still have a year to
go till 'Don't Believe The Truth' is out (an album that took so long to
complete the band probably booked the festival expecting to have it out by now)
and only play two songs from it: lacklustre versions of 'A Bell Will Ring' and
'The Meaning Of Soul', one of only two live performances of both songs. They're
not quite the same league as the past two Glasto debuts 'Live Forever' and
'Wonderwall' somehow.
82)
[117] Lyla (Music Video May
2005)
Back to the
heavy concepts, with the title character of 'Lyla' ('not so much a song as a
stampede') watching Oasis on TV when she falls out with her
rottweiler-owning husband and running
out like Cinderella to the local club to watch Oasis. The band play to their fanclub
and seem to be having a ball in the video, although Lyla's own story is rather
convoluted and unclear. Apparently she takes too many drugs and gets wasted on
the dancefloor, but I only realised that when Noel told me what was going on -
that in itself makes for a rather odd moral. Was Lyla better off listening to
her abusive boyfriend and not partying after all then? Not very Oasis is it?
Back in the days when the album hadn't yet been released the gossip for ages
was about what the message on the fence at the end reading 'Don't Believe The
Truth' actually meant – we didn’t know at the time that it was just an album
title. Noel adds that he wrote it for his wife Sarah but decided to change the
name 'in case she wanted royalties'.
Noel's verdict 'It's not too bad a video'.
83)
Top Of The Pops #16 ([117]
Lyla May 2005)
The band
are much sharper for this comeback single, which finds the band both looking
and sounding sober and clean-shaven. Zak Starkey is the band's new drummer after
Whitey having fallen foul of an angry outburst from Liam at the end of 2004 and
he very much looks like part of the band here dressed in a sharp mod suit.
Liam, never one for following rules, makes his feelings about TOTP's return to
miming known by walking away from the microphone mid-line, a joke first done on
TOTP by The Beatles almost forty years to the day! (It's 'Ticket To Ride' if
you're wondering...)
84) Live In Manchester ([115] 'Turn Up The Sun' [117] 'Lyla' [12]
'Cigarettes and Alcohol' [119] 'The Importance Of being Idle'[100] 'Little By
Little' [124] 'A Bell Will Ring' [37] 'Acquiesce' [99] 'Songbird' [9] 'Live
Forever' [116] 'Mucky Fingers' [27] 'Wonderwall' [7] 'Rock 'n Roll Star' [120]'The
Meaning Of Soul' [28] 'Don't Look Back In Anger' [110] 'My Generation' July 2005)
Talking of
which, this homecoming to Manchester - screened complete on the BBC - seemed
doomed from the start. Things start going wrong when the capacity crowd edge
towards the stage on the first song, cracking the barrier and the security
guards interrupt opening song 'Turn Up The Sun' to ask the crowd to move back.
While Liam starts posing in a big white hat, it's up to big brother to sort
things out ('They have to fix it or we can't do the gig, if you move back two
or three paces we can sort it and we can tear the fooking roof off this place.
Oh yeah I just remembered, we don't have a roof...') Just as Oasis seem to be
taking it quite well Noel points out all the member of the stage crew he thinks
should get the sack and jokingly wonders if they'll make it to the end of the
first song (amazingly all this was shown complete on television!) The band are
good but not great with Liam on slightly muted form and the mix used for TV
moving the band members apart from each other instead of hard and central where
they should be. 'Lyla' and 'Little By Little' both sound particularly good
though, while 'The Meaning Of Soul' benefits from some great Noel harmonies not
on the record and this one of the better 'Wonderwalls' around too.
85)
[119] The Importance Of
Being Idle (Music Video August 2005)
'If you
need a gruff Mancunian pretending to shave, then I'm your man!' Noel has always
loved both song and video, perhaps because it doesn't really feature the band
at all. Instead it stars Rhys Ifans miming to the words and dancing round
coffins in Grenwich while the Gallagher brothers appear as undertakers. The
video would be great if it hadn't already been done better by The Kinks with
'Dead End Street' in 1966 - the song sounds like a Kinks pastiche too. Noel's
verdict: 'That's fooking brilliant' - I'm not so sure.
86)
Top Of The Pops #17 ([119]
'The Importance Of Being Idle' August 2005)
Liam
doesn't show for his brother's big showcase a few weeks later, with Noel
unwittingly messing up the mimed vocal even more than usual! Noel doesn't look
himself actually, as if 'my heart's not in it' as he barely looks up stage
front and keeps his eyes glued to his guitar. He's also not quite as
immaculately turned out as usual. Oasis are 'going to rock' at the V Festival
soon in the interview apparently. We'll see about that.
87) V Festival ([117] 'Lyla' [34] 'Morning Glory' [12] 'Cigarettes
and Alcohol' [119] 'The Importance Of Being Idle' [28] 'Don't Look Back In
Anger' August 2005)
Bravely the
presenter of the BBC's V Festival footage, Edith Bowman, goes to see Liam
backstage before he goes on. He's eager to get going and much brighter behind
the eyes than at Glasto, plugging his new favourite bands (Red Walls and
Kasabian) and, erm, Spongebob Squarepants. Not just for the show either: Liam
also complains 'I want to be the biggest band in the world - 'cause we're not'
and that he wants to 'stay out of trouble and do the next record as soon as
possible'. Sadly events won't quite turn out that way... All this chat means
that we only get twenty minutes of performance highlights as screened, a long
way from Oasis’ heyday. They sound pretty good though, with Liam at his
sneering best for a crowd-stomping version of 'Lyla' that clearly works well
live, with the band slightly tweaking the arrangement so Noel and Andy arrive a
verse after Gem and Zak. The drummer tweaks old standard 'Morning Glory' into a
much simpler rock and roll song, while 'Ciggies' has a real crunch to it with
only 'Idle' disappointing. Perhaps the last half-great set Oasis ever played.
88)
Let There Be Love (Music
Video November 2005)
An extract
from the 'Lord Don't Slow Me Down' documentary, this is a final moody Oasis
promo made in black-and-white, but slowed down to half-speed as well for some
reason. It doesn't really work: the band are seen walking down stairs and
greeting fans but there's very little sense of what Oasis were really all about
and the result leaves you longing to see it all at the right speed. The footage
is taken from two different shows in London and Manchester on the tour -
neither of which featured performances of this song.
89)
Top Of The Pops #18 ([125]
'Let There Be Love' November 2005)
The last
regular Oasis TOTP performance is one of the very last made by anybody with the
last regular edition of the show broadcast in June 2006,seven months after this
performance. Frustratingly they've just got the format right: no nonsense, no
cameo presenters, no gormless interviews and the bands are free to mime or play
live as they choose. Oasis, of course, play live (well, some of them do) and
turn in a rather glorious rendition of their last single from the 'Truth'
album, singing and playing along to the record so that at times Liam seems to
be in stereo. Noel messes up the synch badly by the end of the song, leaving
Liam and Andy giggling away to his right while Noel looks furious. The 'new'
mellotron string part sounds great however - wish it had been on the album -
and the song sounds like a much more rounded and less plagiarised composition
than it did on the album (where the resemblance to Lennon's catalogue was
disturbing even for Oasis standards).
90)
[135] Lord, Don't Slow
Me Down (Music Video October 2007)
More from
the documentary film to go along with the band's second and last standalone
single. It's slightly more interesting than [125] 'Let There Be Love' simply
because it's all playing at the proper speed and gives a better sense of the
fun and chaos backstage at an Oasis gig. Liam gets a birthday cake, the band do
a bit of dancing and a lot of bottles are swigged back, while outside the
crowds break down the security barriers. The highlight: Noel winning a game of
'Frustration'! It's still not that
interesting though: bring back the man with legs made out of sausages! Noel's
verdict: 'This is one of the good ones...it just looks like one long f!cking
stag do!'
91)
The Brit Awards ([12] 'Cigarettes
and Alcohol' [120] 'The Meaning Of Soul' [34] 'Morning Glory' December 2007)
The band
famously turned down the Brit Awards back in their 1994/1995 hey day, refusing
to mime at the first gig and backing down after being told they couldn't play a
full set to fans waiting to come in at the second. Amazingly the band were
asked again and even more amazingly said yes, playing a good set despite the
reliance on old songs and 'Ciggies' especially hasn't had this much life for a
long time after so many years of being the dog-end of the band's sets. The
punky 'Meaning Of Soul' has also had a wake up call with Zak on one of his last
performances with the band giving up with subtlety and whalloping the drums
with everything he's got on the fastest version of Liam's song around. Only
'Morning Glory' sounds a little sleepy, with the brother's harmonies not going
together at all well.
92)
Standing On The Edge Of
Noise ([7] 'Rock 'n' Roll Star' [139] 'The Shock Of The Lightning' [143] 'To Be
Where There's Life' [138] 'Waiting For The Rapture' [62] 'The Masterplan'[99] 'Songbird' [14] 'Slide Away' [144] 'Ain't Got
Nothin' [119] 'The Importance Of Being Idle'[140]'I'm Outta Time' [11] 'Supersonic'
[28] 'Don't Look back In Anger' [142] 'Falling
Down' Live December 2007)
Another
tour, another concert, another documentary of a concert and one which, funnily
enough, seems to have been named for a Gem song that won't be recorded until
the first Beady Eye album. By now Liam is struggling something rotten with his
vocals and 'Lightning' and 'Where There's Life' are particularly poor, the
latter turned from punchy rock song into mellow groove with Noel trying to
cover for the holes in brother's voice on another of the longest five minutes in
the Oasis catalogue (and I say that as someone who loves the studio take of
this under-rated song). Thankfully this last tour saw a much more interesting
collection of songs than usual recently, with welcome returns of a stunning
'Masterplan' and a poignant 'Slide Away' which really suits Liam's aging voice.
It's nice to see the band playing so many new songs too on what will prove the
only outing for the 'Dig Out Your Soul' material, with 'Rapture' and 'Falling
Down' particularly well suited to the stage. Even so, this band lark is looking
like a dead end and you can tell from the band's eyes that the enthusiasm is
running down, although perhaps thankfully there's less of the aggressive feel
heard on the last album, which might well have been a mellower album during the
early sessions judging by how the band play the six songs from their last
record here.
93)
[139] The Shock Of The
Lightning (Music Video September 2008)
Oasis'
artiest video, which makes up for the last pair of videos in black and white
with a sea of technicolour. The best part of the song is the start, when the
band's four heads (Alan White is long gone, Zak Starkey has just gone) are seen
'inside' each other a la the Rolling Stones 'Hot Rocks' compilation. Somehow a load of images from the album artwork
come to life, which is the part of the video that works least well. Apparently
the band cribbed the idea of the video off U2 - this is a real comedown for a
band who used to at least rip off the best bands in the world like The Beatles
and The Kinks.
94)
[140] I'm Outta Time
(Music Video December 2008)
Most Oasis
videos are a little weird, but they're rarely boring. This one is though as
Liam is dressed as a cowboy but barely seen in his own video as we keep cutting
to random animals. Liam is as cross as Noel over what happened to his concept:
'I okayed the bits of me looking like Clint Eastwood, but what are the foxes
and owls about? Terrible! I wanted to be walking through the streets of New
York like a fooking geezer, that's what this video should have been...' Liam
has a point - the band should have outgrown black and white videos by now and
the visuals add nothing to the song's sense of drama or concepts. Why didn't
the directors pick up on the lifted Lennon speech at the end if they wanted
inspiration?
95)
[142] Falling Down
(Music Video March 2009)
And so it
ends, not with a bang but with a whimper. Not in terms of music - 'Falling
Down' is more what Oasis should have been doing in their last decade, picking
up on the paranoia and scares of the better songs from 'Be Here Now'. But the
video is awful. A society belite doing things she shouldn't betrays the Royal
Family in a Princess Di type way and is snubbed for being part of the establishment.
Well boo hoo hoo, poor thing with all that money and privilege: Oasis are
usually about characters more interesting than that. The band refuse to shake
her hand in the video, sensing that she's 'betrayed' her real character - Noel
says that he would have shook her hand in real life ('What's not to like? Great
house, loads of money, servants - why are you crying? Try being in a fooking
band love - graft!') But this video is just a lazy re-write of the one for [117]
'Lyla'. Noel's verdict on the girl: 'I wish I'd looked like that on drugs -
actually I probably did a few times. I like this video though - both the way it
was shot and the fact I'm not in it!'
96)
Comic Relief TOTP
Special ([142] 'Falling Down' March 2009)
The band
that started as unknowns on forgotten show 'The Word' are by now an institution
who get rounds of applause just for turning up and are 'establishment' enough
to appear on charity telethons (which is where we – should have – come in…) To
be fair, few charity telethons ever feature songs quite as dark and brooding as
this mimed performance of Oasis' last single, a final TV appearance at which
Liam doesn't even show, just like the old days. Noel is half amused, half
angered by comedian Noel Fielding's rambling introduction ('Even cats love
them!') while Noel's live vocal is softer than the album (which is good) but
also more nasal (which isn't). That's a rare appearance by new drummer Chris
Sharrock on drums, filling in for departing Zak Starkey rather well. However
it's a rather sadly muted way to say goodbye to all that we've ever known.
97)
Comic Relief 2015 (Liam
Only)
We've added a few extra final entrys though, this
one purely for laughs and it's another charity appearance that touches on what
we were saying six years earlier, above. There is room in the land of English
showbiz for a 'new' national treasure and those lucky enough to get the iconic
status are auditioning new entrants. The panel, made up of genuine
institutions, are shocked at the riffraff that keeps turning up. Just when
things seem as if they can't get any worse, in through the door walks Liam as
the last guest, swearing and gesticulating his way into the nation's hearts.
It's enough to give poor Stephen Fry a breakdown!
98)
Manchester Tribute (June 2017)
In May 2017 twenty-three people (mostly teenagers)
died at a concert given at the Manchester Arena by pop princess Ariana Grande,
a bomb apparently detonated outside the gig by an Islamic terrorist as people
were walking out. The venue was shut for a week and gigs cancelled, but when it
re-opened wanted to send a defiant message to the killers by featuring a big
concert with many of Manchester’s greatest. Both Liam and Noel got calls to
appear and rumours were rife that there was going to be an Oasis reunion. In
the end Noel turned it down, agreeing to play a second tribute later in the
year, while Liam got to play on the night, turning in a moving setlist that as
well as premiering his ‘As You Were’ album featured some moving versions of old
friends – including the first time Liam ever sang [27] ‘Don’t Look Back In
Anger’ in public (a song he’d always wanted to sing; to be fair the crowd sing
most of it), a track that was being sung in defiance even on the night of the
bombing. Noel will sing his own version a few days later.
99)
The Big Weekend (May 2018)
For our final appearance both Noel and Liam played
gigs a day apart at the Radio One festival. Noel had a rollercoaster ride – his
set was ruined by playing three songs in a row from ‘Who Buolt The Moon?’ that
leave the crowd distinctly underwhelmed (there’s a great shot where one lone
person in a sea of a thousand people are waving their arms and everyone else
looks stunned) while his co-singer plays three pairs of scissors and answers a
phone that rings on stage and natters in French (Noel really is turning into
Lennon isn’t he?) Gem, on stage left, looks distinctly embarrassed, though
Chris Sharrock – sweating buckets from the first song – is the ‘hero’ of the
hour in the new-look High Flying Birds. Things get better when old songs start
turning up with an excellent [100] ‘Little By Little’ though while he ends with
yet another Beatles cover with ‘All You Need Is Love’ (complete with a sneaky snatch
of Rutles song ‘Love Life’ at the end!) Noel quips to the crowd at one point:‘Who’ve
you come here to see? Right answer! I’d go home after this…’ Liam’s set is more
stable. His backing band are awful and ruin all the best moments while his
voice isn’t so good but his choice of songs is much better. There’s a moving
finale of [9] ‘Live Forever’ played slower than usual during which he throws
his tambourine to the crowd and is shocked to see two girls fighting over it. ‘Don’t
do that, it’s about peace’ and to the shock of his minders strides out to the
crowd to hand the girl who lost out a pair of his maracas before walking out of
sight while his younger band play on. A very rock and roll end indeed!
