08/29/2024
I wish upon everyone in this world to find something that brings them a sense of elation and joy like I am about to share.
I was in high school. A few years after I picked up a guitar bearing the Union Jack, with a signature on the pickguard of some bum I’d never heard of called “Noel Gallagher,” I discovered the band, “Oasis.”
I heard “Champagne Supernova” and “Roll With It,” and “Supersonic,” and eventually grew into some of their lesser known tracks and b-sides. I loved the “screw it, here’s some words and some loud guitar with a cool melody” vibes, yet it was so euphonic to my ears, like everything was sonically in its right place.
Somewhere in my joyous discovery, I realized that my guitar, which I had by now sold, was a replica guitar of THE Noel Gallagher from Oasis…. Pi**ed? Yes…. I was pissed…
Then, as I was finishing high school, Oasis would release another album, and another as I was midway into College, and another when I was in Florida working on becoming a flight instructor, and I’d get the high all over again of repeatedly playing their newest CD, experiencing their unbridled, bombastic, cantankerous, raucous rock and roll, but always with a melodic sensibility and vulnerable sensitivity akin to a good Beatles or Phil Collins heartfelt banger.
I got to see them once, in Montreal, sometime around 2007, a day after breaking up with my then girlfriend, and not long before they would take a seemingly forever hiatus. Rough times!
Now, I know some people would say, “Eh, what an overrated band! Just a couple of Beatle wannabe, cranky, rude, arrogant brothers fueding it out in the public eye. No one cares anymore!” But see, to me, to my era, they WERE carrying the torch of rock and roll. They were the biggest band in the world! They were the Taylor Swift of my childhood. And ever since their split in 2008, with a few exceptions (Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam…), I felt like heartfelt, rebellious, immature, honest, give society the middle finger rock and roll has just been on a steady retreat, being steamrolled by what I like to call “societally approved” solo pop and country artists, fit for consumption by children and adults alike… And even the government likes them. It’s like someone took away the tequila and said, “here’s a nice non-alcoholic spritzer. This is better for you!” They took away my juicy steak and gave me a tofu salad… Sometimes I like a tofu salad, but come on man…. I need my steak!!!
Now, I mean no disrespect to solo pop and country, but again, this was MY era…. MY band… MY rebellion! So, musical inspiration wise, and artistically, I’ve felt like my kind has been a bit cast into the shadows (no pun intended.)
In nothing less than PERFECT timing, as I personally emerge tonight to play publicly for the first time in about 8 years, Oasis has announced a reunion tour next summer! I can’t really explain to anyone else, despite how silly it may seem to you, how meaningful this actually is to me. I feel a little like somebody grabbed some flint and steel and started sparking, and there’s a LOT of kindling lying around, and just maybe, someone lurking around has some propane tanks that have been in storage and maybe they’ll bring them to the bonfire. Thanks Oasis! I hope we get this sucker burning again! Long live obnoxious, not approved for consumption, unabashed rock and roll!
The band said tickets for the 14-date tour will go on sale at 9 a.m. Saturday. The announcement ends a hiatus and, presumably, the long-held feud between brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher.
