Noel and Liam Gallagher, two of rock music’s most polarizing figures, unknowingly changed the course of British rock forever in the mid-1990s. The brothers and bandmates were catapulted into the mainstream following the surprise success of their albums Definitely Maybe and What’s the Story Morning Glory?
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Oasis, comprised of the Gallagher brothers, guitarist Paul Arthurs, bassist Paul McGuigan, and drummer Tony McCarroll, helped usher in a new era of chart-topping acts within the U.K. Their sudden fame coincided with a string of public feuds and headline-making statements from both Gallagher siblings. The music they made together as Oasis continues to influence artists and spark discussion, decades later.
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From a look back at one of their most iconic gigs to a deep dive into a formative album, here are four Oasis books every music fan should read:
1. Getting High: The Adventures of Oasis
Music journalist Paolo Hewitt documents his time spent accompanying the band on tour during the mid-1990s in this engaging 2016 release. Getting High: The Adventures of Oasis offers a revealing look into the often chaotic lives of the Gallagher brothers, seen up close during their rapid rise to fame.
2. Oasis’ Definitely Maybe
This installment of Bloomsbury’s ongoing 33 1/3rd series takes a deep dive into the creation and impact of Oasis’s influential 1994 album, Definitely Maybe. Author Alex Niven gives context to the musical movement spurred by the band’s debut record, which arrived at a time of intensive societal transformation for the band’s home country.
3. Supersonic: The Complete, Authorised and Uncut Interviews
The band hand-curated this comprehensive and insightful collection of interviews, offering a surprisingly authentic look into their often turbulent career. Released in 2021, Supersonic: The Complete, Authorised and Uncut Interviews looks back through the years while not glossing over some of the Gallagher brothers’ most controversial moments.
4. Oasis: Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever
In 1996, the group performed two dates in the green fields of Knebworth, England, drawing more than 250,000 fans. That weekend of live shows, now ranked among the group’s most important concerts of their career, is documented in this impressive 2021 compilation. Through a collection of intimate, rarely-seen photos, readers get transported back to a moment that helped signify Oasis’ prominence in modern music.
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