Oasis history

It started in 1993, and doesn’t look like it’s stopping for a while. Read all about the rise & “fall” of Oasis. Here you’ll find a complete history of the band. Their antics, their ups, their downs.

The Early years

When “Definitely Maybe” was released in 1994 the hype-surrounding Oasis was monumental, it not surprisingly shot to No1 in the UK album charts. But what was surprising (especially to Alan McGee, Creation Records boss) it became the fastest selling album in UK history. The stage was set, Oasis had the UK enthralled, all the shows were sell outs, the singles & album were flying off the shelves, it was time to break America!

Taking America. Definitely!… Maybe?

When Oasis Landed in America it was clear, even the American’s "got it". Most dates we’re sold out, "Definitely Maybe" had sold over 1 million copies. All looked set for a British invasion, but then disaster... Noel Gallagher walked out after an argument with brother Liam – the brotherly rivalry was to prove a tabloid and press favourite. Noel went "on the run" with the tour float, and his passport and was eventually tracked down in a hotel in Las Vegas, where he was persuaded to stay with the band. It was during this time he wrote "Its Good To Be Free", "Half The World Away" & "Talk Tonight".

Each Single progressively got higher in the UK charts, with "Supersonic" the debut single released in April 1994 going in at 31. "Shakermaker" released in June 1994 at No. 11, the epic "Live Forever" released August 1994 reaching No. 10 and T-rex "inspired" "Cigarettes & Alcohol" released October 1994 reaching an impressive No. 7. They also released a one off single in time for Christmas 1994 called “Whatever” which reached No.3, not quite the Christmas No.1 Noel had hoped for, but he did insist at the time it would be top 5, and several of his mates cleaned up at the bookies in time for Christmas.

The Tough Second Album

With the success of "Definitely Maybe" Oasis went back in the studio to record their second album "(What’s The Story) Morning Glory". With the songs already written in Noels head, it seemed like it would be a case of just turning up to the studio, recording and in a couple of weeks the album would be ready. But as has been widely reported over the years, Oasis like to party, and party hard! Although they would regularly do 18-hour sessions in the studio, and they did work at a phenomenal rate it did almost come crashing down when Noel turned up at the studio to find half of Monmouth playing with his guitars, drinking, smoking and doing drugs. Brother Liam, which Noel didn’t like, had invited them there for a party. It resulted in an intoxicated anger fuelled cricket bat attack on Liam by Noel. Noel decided enough was enough and went back to London for a week until things calmed down.

When Morning Glory was release it got mixed reviews and certainly wasn’t received as the classic era defining anthemic album with which it is now seen. However the buying public loved it, within 4 days of it’s release it sold almost a quarter of a million copies and by the end of the week had sold 346,000, the best first week figures in eight years and only 4000 short of the all-time record held by Michael Jackson’s album “bad”. By the end of 1995 it had sold 1,750.000 copies and by the summer of 1996 it had gone platinum nine times over, marking over 5 million copies sold. Oasis were on top of the world, easily the biggest (and self proclaimed) best band in the world and lets face it they were!