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Post by webm@ster on Mar 31, 2014 10:59:07 GMT -5
Great Piece written by our editor and member Dave SmithIt’s likely, halfway through 1994 as one continued the incessant touring trail after finally completing work on his band’s debut album, and the other came to an agreement which would see him adopt the mantle of leader of the Labour Party, that Noel Gallagher and Tony Blair had never even heard of each other. However, just three short years later the pair would meet inside 10 Downing Street with a handshake and a glass of champagne for an image which now – in all its superficiality – suitably defines an era. By then Noel Gallagher was rich, successful and exhalted. Tony Blair, equally, had just been carried to power in the UK on a landslide, himself now carrying the hopes of a nation blossoming with colour after a generation of grey Tory decline. Or so went the narrative anyway. Their meeting was the appropriately bizarre hedonistic tipping point of Britpop – that intangible, loosely defined media invention with which Oasis are now so intrinsically tied. Britart and Cool Britannia had themselves been gobbled up by the tabloids in its wake. “Revolution!” they cried. “London swings again!” Yet now, like the Sex Pistols did a decade on from the Summer Of Love, we must surely look back through gritted teeth knowing that, just like Johnny Rotten in 1977, for the majority it was essentially ‘Bollocks’. Even before that Blair/Gallagher summit was held most of the main protagonists had already come to realise as much. The tabloid press – Dr. Frankenstein to Britpop’s monster – decided enough was enough. Blur were about to re-emerge from their ridiculous Benny Hill cartoon ‘Country House‘ selves with bags under their eyes, a moody camera filter and a far darker story to tell on ‘Beetlebum‘. The gloomy Wigan stroll of Richard Ashcroft and The Verve‘s ‘Bittersweet Symphony‘ would be the diametric anthem for 1997′s summer, ‘Urban Hymns‘ the instant post-Britpop bible. Oasis’ timing was less savvy; the insane riot of ‘Be Here Now‘ arrived right in the eye of a backlash storm, soundtracking a mindset which had already pulled out of the station. It would be another year before Noel Gallagher finally boarded up Supernova Heights and went cold turkey on Billy Connolly videos. All of which, incredibly twenty years on, makes ‘Definitely Maybe‘ retrospectively more important than ever – and why this article chooses to get those Britpop footnotes out of the way at the earliest opportunity. Read the whole feature:
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Post by mimmihopps on Mar 31, 2014 11:53:08 GMT -5
Just read the whole article on Ezine. Great to read, Elias. and very very true:
"What we’re left with, is the greatest debut of all time"
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Post by yearzero on Mar 31, 2014 12:41:52 GMT -5
Thanks for posting! It's a great article that really sums up how Oasis fit into and contributed to their social context, and why Oasis was (and still is) so influential.
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Post by themanwithnoname on Apr 1, 2014 12:18:55 GMT -5
Really good read, some great writing in that and the author's true affection for the band shines through.
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Post by spaneli on Apr 2, 2014 12:24:17 GMT -5
Good stuff! For me Definitely Maybe is the album where the success of Oasis depended most on Liam's voice, even as he became a writer, as time went on, ironically as Noel wrote less, it seemed like the band's success most hinged on Noel.
But Liam's voice makes Definitely Maybe. He's the only reason I can take Shakermaker or Digsey's Dinner seriously. He's the person who lends emotion to the relatively simple and nonsensical lyrics of Noel in Supersonic, Married With Children, Slide Away and anything else you can find.
Liam summed up Oasis' attitude the most, its actions the most, and its spirit the most. From 94-98 he was at the heights of no other frontman, which makes his current decline all the more apparent when compared to his once almost invincible greatness, more so than Noel's (who can still bust out an earth shattering tune at any moment, but obviously with less occurrences than before).
Oasis at its grandest and most invincible was Noel's artistic vision; Oasis at its purest was Liam.
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Post by Elie De Beaufour on Apr 2, 2014 23:18:10 GMT -5
For me it can't compare to Ill by the Beastie Boys. No I don't work for Rolling Stone, just think it was flawed and a remaster won't fix it.
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Post by bardes on Apr 3, 2014 7:04:34 GMT -5
Good stuff! For me Definitely Maybe is the album where the success of Oasis depended most on Liam's voice, even as he became a writer, as time went on, ironically as Noel wrote less, it seemed like the band's success most hinged on Noel. But Liam's voice makes Definitely Maybe. He's the only reason I can take Shakermaker or Digsey's Dinner seriously. He's the person who lends emotion to the relatively simple and nonsensical lyrics of Noel in Supersonic, Married With Children, Slide Away and anything else you can find. Nonsensical lyrics in Married With Children or Slide Away? Eeee?
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Post by spaneli on Apr 3, 2014 13:29:42 GMT -5
Good stuff! For me Definitely Maybe is the album where the success of Oasis depended most on Liam's voice, even as he became a writer, as time went on, ironically as Noel wrote less, it seemed like the band's success most hinged on Noel. But Liam's voice makes Definitely Maybe. He's the only reason I can take Shakermaker or Digsey's Dinner seriously. He's the person who lends emotion to the relatively simple and nonsensical lyrics of Noel in Supersonic, Married With Children, Slide Away and anything else you can find. Nonsensical lyrics in Married With Children or Slide Away? Eeee? The nonsensical does apply to either. I should have put "simple or nonsensical" in my original post. I meant simple applying to the two.
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Post by space75gr on Apr 3, 2014 18:05:55 GMT -5
Good stuff! For me Definitely Maybe is the album where the success of Oasis depended most on Liam's voice, even as he became a writer, as time went on, ironically as Noel wrote less, it seemed like the band's success most hinged on Noel. But Liam's voice makes Definitely Maybe. He's the only reason I can take Shakermaker or Digsey's Dinner seriously. He's the person who lends emotion to the relatively simple and nonsensical lyrics of Noel in Supersonic, Married With Children, Slide Away and anything else you can find. Liam summed up Oasis' attitude the most, its actions the most, and its spirit the most. From 94-98 he was at the heights of no other frontman, which makes his current decline all the more apparent when compared to his once almost invincible greatness, more so than Noel's (who can still bust out an earth shattering tune at any moment, but obviously with less occurrences than before). Oasis at its grandest and most invincible was Noel's artistic vision; Oasis at its purest was Liam. spot on.
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Post by defmaybe00 on Apr 4, 2014 7:11:32 GMT -5
Slide Away is fantastic lyrically
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Post by lahaine on Apr 4, 2014 11:05:52 GMT -5
They never came close to touching this, the perfect rock album. Liam's singing is really at it's best here before it became a cliche. Noel's writing had a swagger and heart to it which was lacking in releases after. WTSMG might have sold more but this is Oasis true statement. For me, it changed my life and I be grateful for it existence. WTSMG and BHN were fine albums but Oasis where never the same for me after this.
Greatest debut of all time? nah The Stone Roses album still has that reign but it runs it close that's for sure.
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Post by Elias on Apr 19, 2014 4:21:16 GMT -5
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Post by cookingsoup on May 7, 2014 10:55:05 GMT -5
www.eventim.co.uk/soupoasisThe Biggest Oasis DM celebration about. Tickets onsale now London Scala 30.8.14 Oasis UK, Phil Smith plus many more Oasis related guests
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