Manchester-born British rock band Oasis, fronted by Gallagher brothers Liam and Noel, dominated the Britpop cultural movement in the mid-1990s and quickly became a sensation when their debut album, Definitely Maybe, broke through. Oasis weren’t just a rock band, they were a cultural phenomenon, crowned the kings of Britpop amid rival bands like Blur, Suede and Pulp. At the eye of this creative storm were the brilliantly talented Liam and Noel Gallagher, but their explosive Cain and Abel-style sibling rivalry and barely contained, very public rifts that kept the band and their fans on edge finally reached breaking point in 2009 when Noel decided to leave the band following a backstage spat with his brother. (Read more: All about Dogpool: From ‘Britain’s ugliest dog’ to Deadpool and Wolverine cast member)
The brothers’ intermittent bickering was picked up by the tabloids and became an enduring part of the band’s mythology, as iconic as the music they produced. Their creative genius was, in fact, fuelled by this rivalry, taking Oasis to dizzying heights and even threatening to blow them up. Liam’s unpredictable and sometimes completely unbalanced personality often clashed with Noel’s sensible and more calculated approach, with the latter once telling Q Magazine that Liam was “the angriest man you’ll ever meet. He’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup”. The tension between the two reached such enormous proportions that it was difficult to sit them down for an interview without arguing. Indeed, a spat over who was more rock and roll, in a 1994 interview with NME, was released as a 14-minute single titled “Wibbling Rivalry”, which hilariously became a chart hit.
However, the Oasis brothers have apparently reconciled after a 15-year estrangement, much to the delight of fans around the world. In a surprise announcement on August 27, the band announced their next shows in the UK and Ireland, starting in July 2025, and the possibility of touring outside of Europe as well. Their infamous history of cancelling shows over petty squabbles and storming off stage mid-show has fans worried about the success of the new gigs. However, whether the brothers have resolved their conflict or not, the estimated $530 million paycheck should speak louder than any fraternal rancor.
So (What’s the story) Gallagher brothers? While every road the Champagne Supernova hitmakers had to travel was a tortuous one, here’s a look at the legendary battle of brothers in rock lore that made Oasis Live Forever.
It all started in the bedroom:
The animosity between the rival brothers probably began in their teens, when they had to share a bedroom in their parents’ house, while older brother Paul had his own. In Mat Whitecross’s 2016 Oasis documentary ‘Supersonic’, Liam recalls a particular incident that may have been a turning point in their long war: “I came in one night pissed and couldn’t find the light switch, so I pissed all over his new stereo. I think that’s basically what it comes down to.”
Favorite weapon? A tambourine.
After the release of “Definitely Maybe” in 1994, Oasis’ first full US tour turned sour while the band played the legendary Whisky a Go-Go in Los Angeles. To spite Noel, Liam changed the lyrics to Live Forever to “Maybe, I don’t really want to know why you pick your nose,” insulted the audience, hit his brother over the head with a tambourine, and walked off stage before their set ended, all while high on methamphetamine. Noel promptly quit the band the next day, but was persuaded to rejoin shortly thereafter.
Roll with It – Cricket Bat Edition
In 1995, while recording their second album, ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’ in Wales, Liam brought a group of drunk strangers he had just met at the pub into the studio while Noel was trying to record. Noel would not listen and, during an argument, decided to bash Liam’s head in with a cricket bat that was lying around. In a later interview, Liam recalled that their entire studio was torn to pieces, but on a more positive note, the bat was later auctioned off for $1800.
Sore Throat Cure? Cigarettes and Alcohol
Shortly after the band’s biggest gigs at Knebworth, Liam refused to go on stage for their MTV Unplugged show at London’s Royal Festival Hall, citing laryngitis. “As they said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, Oasis,’ we walked out and [Liam] was not there,” Noel said in an interview with Far Out Magazine. However, after leaving the show and several rehearsal sessions, Liam appeared in the audience, drinking, smoking and heartily mocking his brother, with no evidence of his voice failing him. Later that month, he also pulled out of their US tour, leaving Noel as frontman, resulting in the tour being cancelled after just two weeks.
Liam crosses a line with comments about Noel’s daughter.
After Oasis cancelled their Barcelona show in 2000, due to drummer Alan White’s arm injury, the band turned to drinking, which resulted in a heated brawl between Liam and Noel. Liam allegedly questioned the legitimacy of Noel’s daughter Anais. “Noel is on top of Liam in an instant, punches him, splits his lip,” The Guardian reported, “After that, Noel leaves the tour, the rest of the band traipses around Europe without him.” Noel told Q Magazine in 2005 that he still hasn’t forgiven Liam, because he has never apologized.
Guitar for an axe?
After several public spats and erratic appearances at various concerts and festivals, the brothers’ already heated cauldron finally boiled over in 2009, when Noel left the band for good following an explosive backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris. Just before Oasis were set to headline the festival, an argument broke out over a seemingly trivial matter: an advert for Liam’s clothing line, Pretty Green, was featured on the programme. Liam allegedly stormed into Noel’s dressing room, swinging his guitar “like an axe” and smashing it. Noel said: “It was an unnecessarily violent act and it nearly took my face off.” That evening, Noel decided he had had enough of his eccentric family and announced his decision via Oasis’ website, which shocked the music world. “It is with some sadness and great relief that I tell you that I am leaving Oasis tonight. People write and say what they want, but I simply could not continue working with Liam another day.”
The Twitter War:
Even after the 2009 incident, after pursuing their solo careers, the Gallaghers have shot themselves in the foot, antagonising each other in press interviews and on social media, and some of it has been hilarious. As anyone who follows his bandmates on social media will know, Liam is quite active on Twitter and his comments and responses are nothing short of unhinged. After holding a grudge for 10 years, Liam responded to Noel’s comments about soup and fork on Twitter, with a video of him eating soup with a fork, captioned “#happymanwithaforkinaworldofsoup”. Other hilarious incidents include Liam rebranding his brother’s new band, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, as “High Flying T*rds”, and posting photos of his brother and each other with the caption “potato”.
The surprise announcement of the band’s reunion tour comes just ahead of the release of the 30th anniversary edition of Definitely Maybe on August 30. Here’s hoping the fiery duo will sustain their reconciliation and, as some might say, Oasis fans will find a better day!
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