The British band John Lydon always hated: “I like them as chaps, I hate their music”
To be a lover of music is, in paradox, also to be a hater of music. That’s because being a true aficionado is to have some serious opinions, both good and bad. John Lydon has almost built his entire career out of his relentless bashing of musicians.
Despite being one of the leading forces of the punk movement during the late 1970s, Lydon was as profound with his interviews as he was with his music, usually dragging anyone through the mud if he thought they weren’t living up to the true ideals of what a rock star should be.
His prowess for punching out at his fellow musicians comes from a sincere place. While he may have been a part of one of the best-marketed bands of all time, it has always felt that his disdain for music was a genuine part of his personality, so he hasn’t been afraid to throw a barb or two. Most people would wear one of Lydon’s critiques like a badge of honour, but he wasn’t a fan of the kind of music he inspired when Oasis came around.
But if you think about it, the Gallagher brothers seemed to be carrying on the legacy of what Lydon had done. Throughout every interview they ever gave, they were more than happy to list off anyone they could think of while also hyping themselves as the greatest band in the world. What’s not there for a punk to love?
The group’s music even took a few cues from what Lydon was doing. Outside of the snide vocal delivery of Liam Gallagher, a lot of the trance-like repetition on Definitely Maybe on tracks like ‘Columbia’ and ‘Rock and Roll Star’ could have easily been taken from the same mindset that birthed some of Lydon’s work in PiL.
The sound was just one small part of their appeal, but if there was one group that would edge out Sex Pistols for Oasis, it was The Beatles. They certainly put a more aggressive edge behind each of their songs, but anyone who says that Oasis sounds absolutely nothing like the Fab Four is either in denial or has never heard a Beatles song in their life.
The attitude was certainly there, but the musical similarities turned Lydon off, saying, “I like them as chaps, but I loathe their music. My mum and dad used to play that ’60s s**t, and it drove me mad then. The Sex Pistols opened a lot of doors 20 years ago, now I have to sit back and watch the likes of Oasis close them. They’re so naff.”
It’s not like Lydon didn’t have a small point there. The beginnings of grunge had started to clear the way for something new coming to the forefront, but once songs like ‘Live Forever’ and ‘Supersonic’ started blowing up, it was hard for some fans not to see it as a blatant retread of where rock had already gone.
The band also dipped into the trends of the day, as the 1990s intended to deliver a cultural boom for Britain, as the 1960s had. A collection of great movies and wonderful albums was filtering out of the small island and once again making a serious mark on the cultural landscape. But to ignore the influence of the 1960s on acts like Oasis is to ignore a huge facet of their popularity.
But calling Oasis purely a nostalgia act is already leaving a lot of great music on the table. Yes, they did have a few similarities to 1960s rock, and Noel readily admits that, but there are also tracks that seem to transcend trends altogether, like ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’. And if you Lydon thought they were birthed from The Beatles, a tune like ‘Bring It On Down’ has the punk icon’s DNA all over it.
While Oasis was proud to represent the golden age of rock and roll while they were still together, seeing them pull from the old guard was hardly a bad thing. Relying on nostalgia may be dangerous for new groups, but it’s important to understand the roots of the music to know where you came from.
