It is one of the most legendary rock bands of the late century. Founded in 1991, Oasis created an event every time they played in stadiums, in front of a crowd that rallied to the rhythm of their songs. But the discord that reigned between the Gallagher brothers eventually led to the group’s breakup, splitting up in 2009. It was a heartbreak for the fans and the music world. While many had given up hope, the long-awaited news of their return for a 2025 tour caused a real tidal wave.
Fans had been waiting for this for 15 years. On Tuesday, August 27, the announcement made headlines in the press and on social media with undisguised enthusiasm: the British band Oasis is finally making a comeback.
News that some consider a miracle, given how strained the relationship between Liam Gallagher and his brother Noel seemed. In recent years, exchanges between the two members of the band from Manchester were limited to insults hurled through interviews or posts on social media.
The siblings have apparently managed to put their animosity aside (but for how long?) and a world tour has been announced for the summer of 2025. Fourteen dates in England and Ireland were initially scheduled, before three new concerts were added ” due to unprecedented demand,” as explained by the band on their X account.
Oasis has not yet finished writing the history of Britpop and is preparing to start a new chapter full of promise.
The guns have fallen silent.
The stars have aligned.
The great wait is over.
Come see.
It will not be televised. pic.twitter.com/FaELtNlVMh— Oasis (@oasis) August 27, 2024
Spokesperson for a Damaged Generation
From its beginnings, Oasis presented itself as the voice of a generation struggling with discontent. The Gallagher brothers, Noel the elder and Liam the younger, grew up in 1970s Manchester. Pure products of a post-Thatcher working class, they were raised in a deprived family under the rule of a violent father.
As children of Irish immigrants, they faced the tense atmosphere resulting from the attacks by the “Provisional” IRA (Irish Republican Army), a terrorist organization advocating for the complete independence of Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom monarchy. Liam and Noel found themselves, despite everything, victims of segregation in the schoolyard due to their Irish heritage, which created a real identity crisis for the two brothers.
Years passed, and like many young people from the working class, much like the legendary Beatles, music became a means of escape.
Liam was the first to take the plunge, joining the band “The Rain,” consisting of bassist Paul McGuigan, guitarist Paul Arthurs, drummer Tony McCarroll, and Chris Hutton as the lead singer. Liam auditioned to replace the latter and soon suggested changing the band’s name to Oasis, a suggestion inspired by a tour poster of the Inspiral Carpets that the Gallagher brothers had in their room, which mentioned the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon as a concert venue. Noel joined the band shortly afterward, insisting on becoming the sole songwriter for Oasis.
The British band achieved its first success in 1994 with the album Definitely Maybe, a year after signing with the independent label Creation Records.
The following year, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? became one of the best-selling albums of all time, with over 22 million copies sold worldwide.
An Unconcealed Hostility
While Oasis’s music ensured the group’s growing popularity, it was primarily the countless tensions that fueled the relationship between Liam and Noel that captivated the press.
The performers of “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Wonderwall” have a long history of altercations. Their childhood with a violent father likely left scars on both men, particularly on Liam, who is often described as an excessive and sometimes aggressive person.
The tabloids thrived on this fratricidal war, filled with razor-sharp tensions on stage and fights backstage. In 1994, the public witnessed an altercation during a concert in Los Angeles. Liam performed under the influence of methamphetamines, provoking Noel’s anger. The two ended up fighting with a tambourine.
Addicted to provocation, Liam continually stoked the animosity of his older brother and reveled in it.
Finally, years of disputes reached their climax on August 26, 2009. Oasis was scheduled to headline the Rock en Seine festival at the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris. Fans were waiting in front of the stage, but there was no sign of the British band. A festival organizer eventually took the stage to read a statement signed by Noel Gallagher. The news broke in front of a stunned audience: the band was no more.
Many speculations circulated about the reason for this sudden breakup: ” Liam Gallagher allegedly told his brother Noel that his daughter, Anais, who was 9 years old at the time, was not his. It’s said that punches were thrown. It’s also said that a guitar dear to Noel was used as a projectile,” explained journalists Benjamin Durand and Nico Prat, authors of the essay Oasis or the Revenge of the Hooligans.
This was followed by years of jabs and insults thrown on X, leaving no doubt about the state of their relationship.
“Now or Never”
The impossible finally happened a few days ago: Oasis is returning for a world tour. The announcement thrilled fans worldwide, as many had lost hope for this reunion.
” Noel and Liam will never be best friends, but they want to reform Oasis for the fans. They’re not getting any younger, and the demand is huge. They’ve decided it’s now or never,” a source told the English tabloid The Sun.
Thought we’d never see them together again 🥺
📷 Simon Emmett
OASIS FOREVER ♡ pic.twitter.com/2fcQBcZscz
— Liam Gallagher Daily (@liamgdaily) August 27, 2024
For now, dates have only been announced in England and Ireland. The inaugural concert of this new chapter for Oasis will take place on July 4, 2025, at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The band will then perform four concerts at Heaton Park in their hometown of Manchester, followed by four more at Wembley Stadium in London.
Ticket sales, scheduled for Saturday, August 31, promise to be a true gold rush. In 1996, the band played two concerts at Knebworth in front of 250,000 people: nearly 4% of the entire UK population tried to buy tickets.
It is highly likely that on August 30, ticketing servers will be overwhelmed by the massive demand from fans. Regarding prices, they will vary from one city to another but are expected to go up to 600 euros for premium seats.
While a brother’s love can’t be bought, this family reunion is set to become the most lucrative in rock history.
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Featured Photo: © Facebook Oasis
