Oasis

Published on

April 19, 2024

Photo by Brian Rasic/Getty Images

Oasis appeared almost from nowhere in 1991, just as the Madchester scene was fading. Oasis really did put the rock back into roll. They were rough and ready and willing to take on the world. They had that rare winning combination: great songs, attitude with lots of swagger, and Liam’s elder brother Noel had been secretly plotting world domination for some years, crafting his songwriting skills while working as a guitar tech with another great Manchester band, The Inspiral Carpets.

When The Inspiral Carpets headlined Reading Festival in 1990, they brought a pantomime cow onto the stage. The band’s guitar roadie Noel Gallagher was half that cow, his first headline appearance. But who’s laughing now?

I was working at a Manchester radio station in the early ’90s and had heard reports of Oasis playing blinding live sets in and around the city. I actually opened the door for a young, fresh-faced Noel Gallagher at the studio one early evening as he was coming in to give his first ever radio interview with the evening presenter Craig Cash. I didn’t know it was the Oasis leader until the next day.

Shop the best of Oasis’ discography on vinyl and more:

Oasis signed to independent record label Creation Records in 1993 when they were spotted by Creation co-owner Alan McGee and released their record-setting debut album Definitely Maybe (1994). The following year they recorded (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) in the midst of a chart rivalry with Britpop peers Blur. Spending ten weeks at No.1 on the UK Albums Chart, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? was also an international chart success, and became one of the best-selling albums of all time.

Oasis were a proper rock ‘n’ roll band. They made headlines, they broke records and rules, and they had fights. They have had eight UK number one singles and eight UK number one albums, and won 15 NME Awards, nine Q Awards, four MTV Europe Music Awards, and six BRIT Awards. Oasis sold over 75 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time.

They are among the most successful acts in the history of the UK Singles Chart and the UK Albums Chart, with eight UK number-one singles and eight UK number-one albums. With their record-breaking sales, concerts, sibling disputes, and their high-profile chart battle with Britpop rivals Blur, Oasis were a major part of 1990s UK pop culture, an era dubbed Cool Britannia.

Oasis came to an end before a gig near Paris, France on 8 August 2009, following a fight between the Gallagher brothers in a backstage area, which reportedly resulted in Liam Gallagher breaking Noel’s guitar.

As well as music, the two brothers had an amazing bond through football; both are lifelong Manchester City supporters (the team all true Mancunians follow, as opposed to Manchester United). Since the once-struggling club was bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group, fans have seen a flurry of successful bids for high-profile players, seeing City on a winning streak culminating in winning the 2011 FA Cup, ending their longest trophy drought in their 131-year history. But apparently, because Liam was at Wembley to see his team win the cup, his brother Noel stayed in LA, not wanting to be in not just the same stadium as his brother, but not even in the same country!

They will come back one day; the brothers will make it up, and they will be great once more, I’m sure. They might even make another great record. Liam, you are the Jim Morrison of modern times. We miss you and your brother.

Important Dates In The Life Of Oasis:

On this day in music

1 Oct 2024 It was reported that the six bosses at one of the firms involved in the controversial ticketing and promotion of Oasis' reunion tour had received a £14.8m total dividend for 2023. The directors got the payout after the firm, SJM, made a £11.8m pre-tax profit, according to its accounts for last year. A row had erupted after fans found they were being asked to pay about £350 for some tickets that were originally advertised as being priced at around £150.
6 Sep 2024 Definitely Maybe the debut album by Oasis returned to the top of the UK album charts, a week after their reunion shows were announced. The record, which debuted at No.1 when it was first released in 1994, was back in the same position, thanks to a 30th anniversary edition that includes several outtakes and unreleased demos. Fifty per cent of its sales were on vinyl - and the album also topped the official vinyl chart this week.
5 Sep 2024 The UK competition regulator launched an investigation into the sale of Oasis tickets, including the use of "dynamic pricing". The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) was investigating whether ticket-selling platform Ticketmaster breached consumer protection law, external. Dynamic pricing meant that, on Ticketmaster, where tickets to the reunion tour were originally sold, prices rose in line with demand. In January last year, Ticketmaster apologised to Taylor Swift and her fans during a US Senate hearing, months after its system was overwhelmed by demand for her ongoing Eras Tour.
4 Sep 2024 Oasis announced two further Wembley Stadium London shows due to "unprecedented demand" for their reunion tour, which they said, "saw all ticket platforms struggling to cope". In the same press release Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher, and bandmates publicly distanced themselves from the decisions that led to the use of Ticketmaster’s ‘dynamic’ pricing tools during the sale of tickets. This resulted in tickets from a face value of around £150 to an ‘In Demand’ price tag of around £355 – causing fan outcry on social media platforms.
27 Aug 2024 Almost 15 years to the date of their 2009 split, and two days before the 30th anniversary of their debut album, Definitely Maybe Oasis announced that they would reform for performances in the UK and Ireland in July and August 2025, stating "The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised."
3 Sep 2022 The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert was held in London, England. Sir Paul McCartney, Queen and AC/DC were among the rock royalty to pay tribute at Wembley; while Liam Gallagher opened the show with a fitting rendition of Oasis's 'Rock And Roll Star'. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl choked back tears as he played the band's first show since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in March of this year. The star was singing 'Times Like These' when he paused to collect his emotions on the lyric: "It's times like these you learn to love again."
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7 Jun 2022 Liam Gallagher was at No.1 on the UK chart with his third solo studio album C'mon You Know. It was preceded by the lead single 'Everything's Electric', co-written by Dave Grohl, which charted at No.18 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Gallagher's first solo single to reach the UK Top 20. C'mon You Know became Gallagher's fourth solo album to debut at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.
12 Mar 2022 Stereophonics scored their eighth UK No.1 with their 25th anniversary album Oochya! The achievement made them one of the most successful chart acts of all time, tying with Taylor Swift, Oasis, Kylie Minogue and R.E.M. - who also have had eight chart toppers. The Beatles have the most, with 15, followed by Elvis Presley and Robbie Williams, both of whom have 13.
29 Aug 2019 Noel Gallagher said he wanted to start a petition to break the Foo Fighters up. It followed Dave Grohl and co’s headline performance at the UK Reading Festival, at which the frontman and Foos drummer Taylor Hawkins told the crowd they wanted to start a petition to get Oasis to reunite.
21 Jul 2017 Justin Bieber was banned from performing in China, according to Beijing's Culture Bureau. In a statement, the ministry said it was not appropriate to allow in entertainers who have engaged in "bad behaviour." The pop star, who was allowed to tour China in 2013, joined a long list of musicians who have found themselves similarly blacklisted. Most though, like the British band Oasis and the US group Maroon 5, because of perceived political statements, rather than on the grounds of bad behaviour.
6 Mar 2017 Ed Sheeran's new album ÷ (Divide) became one of the fastest-selling releases ever in the UK, shifting 432,000 copies in just three days.The all-time list for first-week sales has Adele's 25 and Oasis's Be Here Now at the top with 800,000 each. ÷ smashed the Spotify record for the most-streamed album in a single day - notching up 56.7 million streams on its day of release.
28 Oct 2014 Police in Manchester England, said "an Oasis fan" could've been responsible for breaking into an art gallery to steal a picture of the band after a window was smashed at MASA-UK in Greater Manchester. The black-and-white painting by Olga Tsarevska Loma was inscribed with 'otz2013'.
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12 Apr 2014 The Pulp hit 'Common People' was voted the top Britpop anthem by listeners of BBC Radio 6 Music in the UK, beating Oasis, Blur and Suede to take the title. More than 30,000 people voted, with The Verve's 'Bittersweet Symphony' second and Oasis tracks 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Wonderwall' in third and fourth.
29 Dec 2012 According to sales data, Adele's 21 had overtaken Oasis’ (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? to become the UK’s fourth biggest selling album of all-time. Latest data confirmed that, Oasis’ 1995 second album had sold 4,555,000 copies to date, while Adele’s 21 has surged ahead with sales of over 4,562,000 copies. The news came just over a year since 21 overtook Amy Winehouse's Back To Black to become the UK's biggest selling album of the 21st Century.
12 Nov 2012 A guitar signed by some of the biggest names in Manchester's music scene sold for £6,600 in a charity auction. The Madchester Guitar, which was sold through online auction site eBay, was covered in signatures from the likes of the Stone Roses, Oasis, Elbow and Buzzcocks.
18 Sep 2012 In a survey of more than 160,000 readers, British music magazine NME named John Lennon as Rock's ultimate icon. Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher was placed second, followed by David Bowie, Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner and late Nirvana icon Kurt Cobain.
15 Jul 2012 Queen were crowned top of the patriotic pops in a survey of 100,000 music fans. The band's anthem 'We Are The Champions' was named number one by fans who were asked what song made them proud to be British. The track, which got to number two in 1977, picked up 13,000 votes in the survey carried out among users of the Lucky Voice website. It was followed by the Oasis hit 'Wonderwall' which was nominated by 11,000 karaoke singers and then 'Let It Be' by The Beatles which got 10,000 votes. Elton John's 'Candle In The Wind' and 'London Calling' by The Clash rounded off the top five.
28 Aug 2009 Noel Gallagher quit Oasis saying he could no longer work with his brother Liam. Noel, the group's lead guitarist and chief songwriter, had recently been involved in a series of rows with Liam, and admitted he and his brother rarely spoke, did not travel together and only saw each other on stage. The guitarist said: "It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. The band were due to play the Rock en Seine festival in Paris but cancelled at the last minute. When the support band said Oasis would not be performing, many fans thought it was a joke.
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25 Feb 2009 Winners at the 2009 NME Awards, held at London's O2 Academy included Oasis who won best British band, Elbow won the outstanding contribution to British music award. The Killers won best international band and Kings of Leon won best album for "Only by the Night" and The Cure won the godlike genius award.
12 Oct 2008 Oasis went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Dig Out Your Soul' the band's seventh and final studio album.
9 Sep 2008 A man was charged with assault after an attack on Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher during the band's set at the V Festival in Canada. Gallagher was admitted to hospital after a man ran on stage and pushed him over while he played guitar. Toronto police said Daniel Sullivan, 47, had been charged over the incident. A band statement said the guitarist "fell heavily on to his monitor speakers".
15 Jun 2008 Liverpool was voted England's most musical city in a national campaign set up by the Arts Council. The home of The Beatles Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and The Zutons took 49% of the vote in an online poll set up by the funding body. Sheffield - which brought the world the Arctic Monkeys and Pulp - came second, while Manchester with Oasis, Stone Roses and The Smiths came third.
19 Feb 2008 Two releases by Oasis were voted the best British albums ever recorded in a poll of 11,000 people. Their 1994 album Definitely Maybe came top, while their 1995 follow-up (What's the Story) Morning Glory was second in the vote for Q magazine and HMV. Radiohead's OK Computer finished third, followed by Revolver by The Beatles and the Stone Roses' self-titled debut. The full list of 50 British albums included five by The Beatles.
14 Feb 2008 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher married his long-term partner, the ex-All Saints singer Nicole Appleton at a civil ceremony in London. The venue, Westminster Register Office, was where Gallagher married his first wife, Patsy Kensit, in 1997. Gallagher was divorced from Appleton in April 2014.
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18 Nov 2007 22-year-old X Factor winner Leona Lewis set a British record for the fastest-selling debut album with Spirit. The singer sold more than 375,000 copies in seven days, 12,000 more than the Arctic Monkeys' 2006 release Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. Oasis still had the overall record for the fastest selling British album, selling 813,000 copies in 1997.
10 Oct 2007 Sting topped a list of the worst lyricists ever, for such alleged sins as name-dropping Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov in The Police tune "Don't Stand So Close to Me," quoting a Volvo bumper sticker ("If You Love Someone Set Them Free"), and co-opting the works of Chaucer, St. Augustine and Shakespeare. The survey in Blender magazine placed Rush drummer Neil Peart at No. 2, Creed frontman Scott Stapp at No. 3 and Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher at No. 4 saying Gallagher "seemed incapable of following a metaphor through a single line, let alone a whole verse."
26 May 2007 Contemporary musicians recorded their own versions of songs from the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album to mark 40 years since it was released. Acts including Oasis, Travis, The Fray, Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, Bryan Adams and The Magic Numbers all worked with Geoff Emerick - the engineer in charge of the original 1967 sessions, using the original analogue 4-track equipment to demonstrates the techniques employed for the recording at Abbey Road studios in 1967.
14 Feb 2007 Winners at the 27th annual Brit Awards at London's Earls Court included Muse who won Best British Live Act, British Breakthrough Act went to The Fratellis. Winner of the Best International Breakthrough Act was Orson. Take That won the first-ever live vote, when they took home the Best British Single for 'Patience.' Arctic Monkeys were named Best British Group, James Morrison was named Best British Male and Amy Winehouse won Best British Female. Justin Timberlake won Best International Male and Nelly Furtado won Best International female. The Killers won Best International Group and Best International Album for Sam's Town and Oasis won the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award.
1 Jan 2007 Queen beat The Beatles to be crowned greatest British band of all time by BBC Radio 2 listeners in the UK.They pipped the Fab Four in a live contest, trouncing other finalists The Rolling Stones, Oasis and Take That.The bands were judged on song-writing, lyrics, live performances, originality and showmanship.More than 20,000 listeners voted by email, text and phone.
1 Dec 2006 An Oasis fan enjoyed "the best day of his life" when Noel Gallagher popped round to his house in Poynton, Cheshire to play an intimate gig. Ben Hayes had won a BBC Radio 1 competition to have the star play in his front room as part of a week of gigs compered by DJ Jo Whiley. 15 people packed into his lounge for the tiny gig - with his mother on hand making cups of tea for the crew.
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1 Jun 2006 The 1994 debut album by Oasis, Definitely Maybe was voted the greatest album of all time in a survey to mark 50 years of the Official UK Albums Chart. The Beatles came in second and third place with Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Revolver, OK Computer by Radiohead was fourth and (What's the Story) Morning Glory by Oasis was voted fifth.
10 Sep 2005 The 1967 Beatles track 'A Day In The Life' from Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was voted the best British song of all time by music experts. The survey by Q magazine called the track "the ultimate sonic rendition of what it means to be British". The Kinks' song 'Waterloo Sunset' came second in the poll and 'Wonderwall' by Oasis was voted in third place.
27 May 2005 Robbie Williams was voted into first place beating Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie to be named the best live solo artist. A UK nation-wide survey of 5,000 people saw the former Take That star beat music icons including Madonna, Michael Jackson and Bob Dylan. U2 were named best live band, ahead of Queen and Oasis, in a poll by Carling to celebrate the UK's live music scene.
13 Feb 2005 Readers of UK newspaper The Sun voted George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’ as the greatest British pop single of the past 25 years. Oasis came second with ‘Wonderwall’ and Kate Bush third with ‘Wuthering Heights’. The rest of the Top 10: No.4, Robbie Williams, ‘Angels’, No.5, The Jam, ‘Going Underground’, in equal 6th, Sex Pistols, ‘God Save The Queen’ and Joy Division, ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, 7th was Queen, ‘We Are The Champions’, 9th, The Stone Roses, ‘Fool’s Gold’ and 10th The Undertones ‘Teenage Kicks’.
20 Nov 2004 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was fined £40,000 after a fight in a German hotel. Gallagher was arrested along with drummer Alan White and three other members of the band's entourage after the brawl in Munich in December 2002. Gallagher lost two front teeth in the fight, which led to the band abandoning their German tour.
13 Aug 2004 'Angels' by Robbie Williams was voted the best single which should have been a No.1 but never was, in a poll for VH1. The ballad, which reached No.4 in December 1997, beat Savage Garden's ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply’ and Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing.' Other songs said to have deserved a No.1 included Madonna with ‘Ray of Light’, ‘Beautiful Stranger’, ‘Crazy For You’ and ‘Material Girl’, Bon Jovi with ‘Always’ and Oasis with ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Live Forever’. Sir Cliff Richard's hit 'Millennium Prayer' was voted the worst No.1 single of all time.
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4 Feb 2004 Police questioned Noel Gallagher after a photograph of him trespassing on a railway line appeared in a newspaper. The Oasis guitarist was in a studio in Cornwall recording the bands new album when he took a walk along the railway line. British Transport Police said 'he was setting a bad example.'
2 Dec 2002 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was arrested and charged with assault after he Kung-Fu kicked a police officer. The incident happened at the Bayerischer hotel in Munich, the singer lost his two front teeth in the brawl and an Oasis minder was knocked out cold.
28 Nov 2002 Tony McCarroll the original drummer with Oasis failed in a bid to sue the group's lawyers after he was sacked because he took too long to file his claim. Judge Justice Gray, at the High Court in London, told McCarroll his case could not proceed because he had brought his claim outside of the six-year time limit.
7 Aug 2002 Three members of Oasis were injured when the taxi they were travelling in was involved in a crash during a US tour in Indianapolis. Noel Gallagher, Andy Bell and Jay Darlington were all taken to hospital and treated for cuts and bruises.
21 Apr 2002 Oasis went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Hindu Times', the bands sixth UK No.1 and the first single to be released from their fifth album Heathen Chemistry.
19 Apr 2002 Police were investigating how tracks from the forthcoming Oasis album 'Heathen Chemistry' had been illegally circulated on the Internet. They thought the person responsible had access to their private recording sessions.
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13 Apr 2002 Thieves broke in to a house in Bexhill, Sussex and stole a hi-fi system and several CD's. They left albums by Madonna, Robbie Williams and Oasis but took the owners entire Showaddywaddy collection.
3 Jan 2002 Liam and Noel Gallagher topped a poll of celebrities you would least like to live next to, getting 40% of the vote. Readers of Your Home magazine voted the brothers from Oasis as 'Neighbours From Hell'.
4 Aug 2001 Dave Stewart married fashion photographer Anouska Fisz on a private beach on the French Riviera. Guest's included Elton John, Mick Jagger, Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher and his former Eurythmics partner Annie Lennox.
25 May 2001 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher won a damages settlement from The Daily Mirror after they claimed he lied in court during divorce proceedings with Meg Matthews.
11 May 2001 Oasis, The Black Crowes and Spacehog kicked off 'The Tour of Brotherly Love', a North American tour at The Hard Rock in Las Vegas, Nevada. (The three bands featuring pairs of brothers, (Noel and Liam Gallagher, Chris and Rich Robinson, Royston and Antony Langdon, respectively).
18 Jan 2001 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher was granted a quickie divorce from Meg Matthews at the High Court in London. The couple had split last September, eight months after Meg had given birth to their daughter, Anais.
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12 Jan 2001 British Airways staff complained about Oasis singer Liam Gallagher after he had grabbed a stewardess' bottom, refused to stop smoking and threw objects around the cabin during a flight from London to Rio De Janeiro.
4 Jan 2001 Madame Tussaud's waxworks in London revealed that Oasis singer Liam Gallagher had come third in 'The Most Hated Characters' list of exhibits, behind Adolf Hitler and Slobodan Milosevic.
26 Nov 2000 Manchester club the Hacienda was auctioned off raising £18,000 for charity. Madonna made her UK TV debut at the club when C4 music show The Tube was broadcast live from the venue. Oasis, Happy Mondays, U2, New Order, Stone Roses, The Smiths and James all played at the club.
31 Oct 2000 Winners at this years Q Awards included, David Gray, best single for 'Babylon', Oasis won best live act, Coldplay won best album for Parachutes, best act in the world went to Travis, Badly Drawn Boy won best new act and former Clash member Joe Strummer won the Q Inspiration award.
22 Oct 2000 George Michael paid £1.45m for the Steinway piano on which John Lennon wrote 'Imagine'. George said, "I know that when my fingers touch the keys of that Steinway, I will feel truly blessed. And parting with my money has never been much of a problem, just ask my accountant." The singer outbid Robbie Williams and The Oasis brothers.
26 Jul 2000 Oasis were booed of stage during a show at the Paleo Festival in Switzerland after singer Liam Gallagher had insulted the 35,000 strong audience.
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15 Jul 2000 An Oasis fan was killed when he tried to walk home along the M61 motorway in Manchester, England after Oasis had played a sold-out gig at The Reebok stadium.
14 Jun 2000 Noel Gallagher from Oasis was voted into first place in Melody Maker's annual 'Un-coolest People in Rock' survey. Marilyn Manson came second and Robbie Williams was voted third.
13 Jun 2000 A roadie who worked for The Spice Girls, Oasis, Elton John and Whitney Houston was arrested and charged with smuggling millions of pounds worth of Ecstasy into the UK.
23 May 2000 Noel Gallagher walked out on his band Oasis during a European tour. The move was put down to a series of burst-ups with his brother Liam. The band drafted in replacement guitarist Matt Deighton for the rest of the European dates.
25 Sep 1999 Oasis singer, Liam Gallagher was stopped by customs officials at Heathrow airport and made to pay £1300 after not declaring a fur coat he had bought in America.
10 Aug 1999 It was announced that Oasis rhythm guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthur's had quit the band after finishing his guitar parts on the bands new album.
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7 Jul 1999 It was reported that to attract young people to their mobile vans UK ice cream sellers would start to play pop hits as music instead of the traditional chimes. Spice Girls and Oasis hits would be the first to be played.
12 Jun 1999 It was reported that Oasis had paid Gary Glitter £200,000 ($340,000) as an out-of-court settlement after being accused of using the Gary Glitter lyric, 'Hello, hello, it's good to be back' in the song 'Hello'.
3 Mar 1999 Oasis agreed to pay their former drummer Tony McCarroll a one-off sum of £550,000 ($935,000) after he sued the Manchester band for millions in unpaid royalties. McCarroll had been sacked from the band in 1995.
4 Nov 1998 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was arrested after an alleged drunken brawl with photographer Mel Bouzac at a London pub. Bouzac had been tipped off that Liam was in the pub wearing a Russian hat and attempted to take photos.
19 Oct 1998 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher made a surprise appearance at the launch party of the new London venue Sound Republic. He jammed onstage with Pete Townshend and members from Ocean Colour Scene and Boo Radleys.
9 Jun 1998 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall were involved in a brawl at The Metropolitan Hotel, London.
8 Jun 1998 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller and Martin Carr from The Boo Radleys were all involved in a fight at music venue Dingwalls, Camden in London, UK.
6 Mar 1998 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher appeared handcuffed in a Brisbane court on charges of head butting a fan during a gig in Australia. Gallagher was released on bail.
23 Feb 1998 All members of Oasis were banned for life from flying Cathay Pacific Airlines after "abusive and disgusting behaviour" during a flight from Hong Kong to Perth, Australia.
18 Feb 1998 Oasis' Noel Gallagher's Epiphone Supernova guitar raised £4,600 ($7,820) in aid of Children In Need at a Bonhams auction held in London, England.
28 Jan 1998 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher played a 20-minute solo gig at the King Head, an English pub in Santa Monica in front of 250 fans.
24 Jan 1998 Oasis went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'All Around The World'. The longest running-time for a UK No.1 with a total duration of 9 minutes 38 seconds. It was one of the first songs to be written by Noel Gallagher, with the band rehearsing it as early as 1992.
11 Jan 1998 Rolling Stone magazine readers poll picked Be Here Now by Oasis as album of the year. Be Here Now was an instant commercial success, becoming the fastest-selling album in British chart history and topping the album chart in 15 countries. It was the biggest-selling album of 1997 in the UK, with 1.47 million units sold that year. As of 2016, the album has sold eight million copies worldwide.
31 Aug 1997 Oasis went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their third album 'Be Here Now.' The album had sold over a million copies on the first day of release. At that point, Oasis were at the height of their fame, and 'Be Here Now' became the United Kingdom's fastest selling album to date.
21 Aug 1997 Oasis' third album 'Be Here Now', became one of the fastest selling albums ever, shifting over 350,000 units on the first day of release. The cover image for Be Here Now was shot at Stocks House in Hertfordshire, the former home of Victor Lownes, the head of the Playboy Clubs in the UK.
20 Aug 1997 BBC TV aired the documentary 'Oasis Right Here Right Now', with the group talking about their troublesome last year, plus performances of three new songs from the Manchester band.
24 Jul 1997 Police gave Oasis singer Liam Gallagher a formal caution after he admitted criminal damage following an incident with a cyclist in Camden, north London. Gallagher had grabbed the rider from the window of his chauffeur driven car and broken the man's Ray-Bans sunglasses.
19 Jul 1997 Oasis went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'D'You Know What I Mean'. The first single from their third album 'Be Here Now'.
7 Jun 1997 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher played a five-song set at the Tibet Freedom Concert, Downing Stadium in New York City. U2, Patti Smith and Radiohead also appeared at the concert.
27 May 1997 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was left with cuts and bruises after a scuffle with a youth at the Tower Thistle Hotel in east London. Members of the band had been drinking at the bar when the fight broke out.
15 May 1997 Oasis became one of the first artists to attempt to exert censorship over the Internet. The group were working with Sony to put an end to unofficial websites carrying lyrics, sound files and photographs of the band.
9 Nov 1996 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was arrested after being stopped by police in London's Oxford Street and charged with possession of a class A controlled substance.
13 Sep 1996 Both Noel and Liam Gallagher arrived back in the UK on separate flights from the US amid rumours that Oasis were splitting. A statement from the record company said there would be no live gigs but the band would continue to record.
11 Sep 1996 Noel Gallagher walked out on the rest of Oasis half way through an American tour after a fight with his brother Liam in a hotel in Charlotte North Carolina. Noel flew back to London the following day.
4 Sep 1996 Oasis created outrage at the MTV awards held at New York's Radio City Hall. During the bands performance of 'Champagne Supernova' singer Liam spat on stage and threw a beer into the crowd.
29 Aug 1996 Liam Gallagher was reunited with the rest of Oasis in Chicago after a week of speculation on their future of the group, after he had walked out on the band a few days earlier.
24 Aug 1996 Oasis singer Liam Gallagher failed to turn up for the recording of the bands MTV unplugged session at London's Royal Festival Hall in front of 400 fans. He later sat in the audience and watched the show with his brother Noel taking over on vocals.
4 Aug 1996 Oasis played two sold out nights at Balloch Castle Country Park, Loch Lomand, Scotland to over 80,000 fans. Oasis roadie James Hunter was crushed to death between a fork-lift truck and a lorry during the bands two days shows.
13 May 1996 Oasis became the fastest selling group in UK history after all 330,000 tickets for their summer shows sold out in just nine hours, the tickets for shows at Knebworth and Loch Lomand were priced at £22.50.
27 Apr 1996 Oasis played the first of two nights at Manchester's Maine Road football ground as a 'thank you' to their fans, the 80,000 tickets sold out in hours.
2 Mar 1996 Oasis scored their second UK No.1 single when 'Don't Look Back In Anger' went to No.1. From the bands 'What's The Story Morning Glory' album it was the first Oasis single to feature Noel on lead vocals instead of his brother, Liam Gallagher.
19 Feb 1996 Winners at this year's Brit Awards included Paul Weller who won British Male Solo Artist, British Female Solo Artist went to Annie Lennox, Oasis won British Group, Best Album for ‘(What's The Story) Morning Glory' and Best British Video for ‘Wonderwall. British Breakthrough Act went to Supergrass, International Group was Bon Jovi, International Breakthrough Act went to Alanis Morissette and David Bowie was awarded Outstanding Contribution to music. Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker was arrested after a stage invasion during Michael Jackson's appearance, (who won Artist of a Generation). Cocker was accused of attacking children who were performing with Jackson; all charges against Cocker were dropped on March 11th of this year.
14 Jan 1996 Oasis went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their second studio album (What's The Story) Morning Glory, the group's second UK No.1 spent a total of 145 week's on the chart. It was also the band's breakthrough in the United States, reaching No.4 on the US Billboard 200. The album yielded four major hit UK singles, 'Some Might Say' and 'Don't Look Back in Anger' reached No.1, and 'Roll with It' and 'Wonderwall' peaked at No.2; the latter has emerged as the band's biggest selling UK hit, spending 30 consecutive weeks on the chart.
17 Oct 1995 During an interview with The Observer magazine Noel Gallagher from Oasis said he wished Damon Albarn and Alex Cox of Blur would die from AIDS. He later retracted his statement.
2 Oct 1995 Oasis released their second album '(What's The Story), Morning Glory', which entered the UK chart at No.1. The album has gone on to sell over 18 million copies worldwide, and it won the award for the best British Album of the last 30 Years at the 2010 Brit Awards.
4 Sep 1995 Blur, Oasis, Radiohead, Paul Weller, Manic St Preachers and The Stone Roses all recorded tracks for the War Child charity album, which was released five days later. All profits went to children caught up in the current war in former Yugoslavia.
26 Aug 1995 Blur scored their first UK No.1 single with 'Country House' and won a media battle with Oasis for the No.1 position. Both acts released their new singles on the same day, 'Country House' topped the chart, selling 270,000 copies, compared to 'Roll with It' which sold 220,000, seeing Oasis entering the chart at No.2.
23 Jun 1995 Drummer Alan White made his live debut with Oasis at Glastonbury Festival. Also former Take That member Robbie Williams appeared on stage with the band during the show.
6 May 1995 Oasis scored their first UK No.1 single when 'Some Might Say' went to the top of the UK charts. It was the first single to be released from the Manchester bands second album '(What's the Story) Morning Glory?' And the last Oasis track to feature original drummer Tony McCarroll.
24 Apr 1995 Oasis released 'Some Might Say' which went on to give the band their first UK No.1 single. The planned promo video for the song was cancelled due to Liam not turning up for the shoot. Instead, a makeshift video was created using footage from the 'Cigarettes & Alcohol', US 'Supersonic' and UK 'Whatever' videos.
18 Apr 1995 Oasis drummer Tony McCarrol was told by phone that he was being sacked from the group. McCarrol sued the Manchester group for millions in unpaid royalties and in 1996 Oasis agreed to pay him a one-off sum of £550,000 ($935,000).
5 Sep 1994 Oasis appeared at The Hacienda in Manchester to celebrate the launch of their debut album Definitely Maybe. The album went on to become the fastest selling debut album of all time in the UK and marked the beginning of Oasis' success in America, selling over one million copies there.
30 Aug 1994 Oasis performed a selection of new songs at London's Virgin Mega store Marble Arch. Main man from The Lemonheads Evan Dando joined the band for a new song called 'Whatever'.
29 Aug 1994 Oasis released their debut album Definitely Maybe which went on to spend 177 weeks on the UK chart. It also became the fastest selling debut album of all time in the UK and the album went on to sell over eight million copies worldwide. Definitely Maybe was embraced by critics for its optimistic themes and rejection of the negative outlook of much of the grunge music of the time, and is regarded as a cornerstone of the Britpop genre.
13 Aug 1994 Members from Oasis and The Verve were arrested after smashing up a hotel bar and breaking into a church to steal communion wine. Both bands had been appearing at Hulsfred Festival in Sweden.
9 Aug 1994 During an Oasis gig at The Riverside in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, guitarist Noel Gallagher was hit in the face by a man who had jumped on the stage. Noel refused to carry on playing and after leaving the stage a mob of over 300 people attacked the bands bus as they were leaving.
21 Jul 1994 Oasis played their first ever American show as part of the New Music Seminar at Wetlands in New York City.
29 Jun 1994 Oasis made their debut on BBC TV's Top Of The Pops performing their new single 'Shakermaker'.
11 Apr 1994 Oasis released their first single 'Supersonic' which peaked at No.31 on the UK charts. However, over time it has amassed sales of over 215,000, making it their 13th biggest selling single ever in the UK. 'Supersonic' was also the band's first single to chart in the United States, where it peaked at No. 11 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
8 Feb 1994 Oasis were forced to cancel their first foreign tour after they were deported from Holland. The band were involved in a drunken brawl on a cross-channel ferry resulting in members of the band being arrested and locked in the brig on the ferry.
7 Jan 1994 Oasis started recording their debut album Definitely Maybe at Monnow Valley Studio in South Wales. When released in August 1994, it became the fastest selling debut album of all time in the UK, (being surpassed in 2006 by Arctic Monkeys debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not). The album went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide.
22 Oct 1993 Oasis signed a six-album deal with Creation Records for a £40,000 advance.
31 May 1993 Sister Lovers, 18 Wheeler, Boyfriend and Oasis appeared at King Tuts in Glasgow, Scotland. Creation Records boss Alan McGee who was in the audience declared after seeing Oasis, 'I've found the greatest rock 'n' roll band since The Beatles'. McGee had missed a train at nearby Queen Street station, and decided to head to Tuts to kill time before the next one. He signed Oasis to his Creation label.
11 Mar 1993 Oasis recorded their first demos at The Real People's studio in Liverpool. The set included 'Rock 'n' Roll Star', 'Columbia' and 'Fade Away.'
19 Oct 1991 Oasis played The Boardwalk in their hometown Manchester, the group's first gig with Noel Gallagher in the group.
18 Aug 1991 Sweet Jesus appeared at the Boardwalk, Manchester. Support act was The Rain (later to become Oasis) minus Noel Gallagher who had yet to join his brothers band.
26 Jan 1991 Queen had their second UK No.1 with 'Innuendo'. At 6 minutes 30 seconds, it exceeded their epic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by 35 seconds and became the third longest UK No.1 song of all time, behind The Beatles ‘Hey Jude’ and Simple Minds 'Belfast Child' (subsequently the 9 minutes 38 seconds 'All Around The World' by Oasis took over the top slot and demoted Innuendo to fourth place). For 'Innuendo's' flamenco guitar solo, Brian May was joined by Yes guitarist Steve Howe.
21 May 1982 The Hacienda Club was opened in Manchester, England. Madonna made her UK TV debut at the club when C4 music show The Tube was broadcast live. Home to many Manchester acts including Oasis, Happy Mondays, The Smiths, Charlatans, James, M People who all played at the club, (The club closed in 1997).
15 May 1968 George Harrison and Ringo Starr attended the premiere of Wonderwall at the Cannes Film Festival. The 1968 film by first-time director Joe Massot starred Jack MacGowran and Jane Birkin, and featured cameos by Anita Pallenberg. The soundtrack was composed by then-Beatle George Harrison. The film provides the name for the Oasis track 'Wonderwall', which was inspired by George Harrison's score.
2 Feb 1962 The Beatles played their first professionally organised gig outside of Liverpool at The Oasis Club, Manchester. The groups set started with their version of 'Hippy Hippy Shake'.

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