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Manchester-born British rock band, Oasis, headed by the Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel, dominated the Britpop cultural movement in the mid-1990s and quickly became a sensation as their debut album, Definitely Maybe, tore through the music scene. Oasis was not just a rock band, but a cultural phenomenon, being crowned the kings of Britpop, amidst rival bands like Blur, Suede, and Pulp. At the eye of this creative storm were the brilliantly talented Liam and Noel Gallagher, but their volatile Cain and Abel-esque sibling rivalry and barely contained, very public rifts, which kept the band as well as their fans on their toes, finally reached a breaking point in 2009, when Noel decided to quit the band, following a backstage spat with his brother. (Also read: All about Dogpool: ‘Britain’s Ugliest Dog’ to Deadpool & Wolverine cast member)
The brothers’ on-and-off squabbles were picked up by 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 soaring heights while also threatening to blow it all up in smoke. Liam’s unpredictable, and sometimes utterly unhinged personality often clashed with Noel’s sensible, more calculated approach, as the latter once told Q Magazine about Liam being “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 ginormous proportions to the extent that it was difficult to get them to sit through an interview without bickering. In fact, a squabble about who’s more rock and roll, in a 1994 interview with NME, was released as a 14-minute single called ‘Wibbling Rivalry’, which hilariously became a chart-topper.
However, the Oasis brothers have seemingly reconciled, after an estrangement of 15 years, much to the delight of fans worldwide. In a surprise announcement on August 27, the band announced their upcoming shows in the UK and Ireland, starting July 2025, and the possibility of a tour outside of Europe as well. Their infamous history of cancelling shows over petty quarrels and storming off-stage mid-show has fans concerned about the success of the new gigs. Nonetheless, whether or not the siblings have resolved their conflict, the estimated $530 million payday should speak louder than any fraternal grudge.
So (What’s the Story) Gallagher brothers? While all the roads the Champagne Supernova hitmakers have had to walk were definitely winding, here is a look back into rock lore’s legendary brotherly battle, that has made Oasis Live Forever.
It all began in the bedroom:
The animosity between the feuding brothers possibly began in their teenage years when they had to share a bedroom in their parents’ home, while the eldest brother, Paul, got his own bedroom. In Mat Whitecross’ 2016 Oasis documentary, ‘Supersonic’, Liam recalls a particular incident that might have been a decisive beginning to their long-drawn war – “One night I come in p*ssed and I couldn’t find the light switch, so I p*ssed all over his new stereo. I think it basically boils down to that.”
Weapon of choice? A tambourine.
After the release of ‘Definitely Maybe’ in 1994, Oasis’ first full US tour turned sour while the band played the legendary Whiskey a Go-Go in Los Angeles. Aimed as a slight at Noel, Liam changed the lyrics of Live Forever to “Maybe, I don’t really want to know, why you pick your nose”, insulted the audience, hit his brother on the head with a tambourine, and stormed off-stage before their set was over, all this while being high on meth. Noel promptly quit the band the next day but was persuaded to rejoin soon after.
Roll with It – Cricket bat edition
In 1995, while recording their second album, ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?’, in Wales, Liam brought in a group of drunk strangers he had just met at the pub, to the studio, while Noel was trying to record. The latter was having none of the nonsense, and as an argument ensued, he decided to smash Liam’s head with a cricket bat that happened to be lying there. In a later interview, Liam recalled that their entire studio was smashed to bits, but on a better note, the bat was later auctioned off for $1800.
Cure for a sore throat? Cigarettes and Alcohol
Shortly after the band’s biggest gigs in Knebworth, Liam refused to appear on stage for their MTV Unplugged show at the Royal Festival Hall in London, on the pretext of laryngitis. “As they said, ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, Oasis,’ we walked out and [Liam] wasn’t there,” said Noel in an interview with Far Out Magazine. However, after having bailed on the show and quite a few of their practice sessions, Liam appeared in the audience, drinking, smoking and heartily heckling his brother, with no evidence of a failing voice. Later that month, he also backed out of their US tour, leaving Noel as frontman, resulting in the tour getting cancelled after just two weeks.
Liam crosses the line with comments about Noel’s daughter.
Following the cancellation of Oasis’ Barcelona show in 2000, due to drummer Alan White’s arm injury, the band took to drinking instead, 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, punching him, splitting his lip,” as reported by The Guardian, “Afterwards, Noel leaves the tour, the rest of the band dragging themselves around Europe without him.” Noel told Q Magazine in 2005 that he has still not forgiven Liam, because he never apologized.
Guitar for an axe?
After several public disputes and erratic appearances at quite a few gigs and festivals, the brothers’ already overheated pot finally boiled over in 2009, when Noel quit the band for good, following an explosive fight backstage, at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris. Right before Oasis was set to headline the festival, an argument broke out over a seemingly trivial reason – the showing of an ad for Pretty Green, Liam’s apparel line, in the program. Liam allegedly stormed into Noel’s dressing room, swinging his guitar “like an axe” and smashing it. Noel claimed, “It was an unnecessarily violent act and he nearly took my face off.” That night, Noel decided he had had enough of his family full of eccentrics, and announced his decision via the Oasis website, which shocked the music world. “It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.”
The Twitter Wars:
Even after the 2009 incident, after embarking on their solo careers, the Gallaghers have been at each other’s throats, antagonizing each other in press interviews and on social media, and some of these have been hilarious. As anyone following the bandmates on socials would know, Liam is rather active on Twitter and his comments and replies are nothing short of unhinged. After holding a grudge for 10 years, Liam responded to Noel’s soup and fork comments on Twitter, with a video of him having soup with a fork, with the caption “#happymanwithaforkinaworldofsoup”. Other funny instances include Liam rebranding his brother’s new band, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, as ‘High Flying T*rds’, and posting pictures of his brother and each with the caption “potato”.
The band’s surprise reunion tour announcement comes right before the release of the 30th anniversary edition of Definitely Maybe, on August 30. Hopefully, the fiery duo will stand by their reconciliation, and as some might say, the Oasis fans will find a brighter day!
