Has old age finally humbled Oasis?
A pair of 50-year-old men, with their hair thinning and bellies starting to round, belting out tunes from 30 years ago kind of sounds like your worst nightmare. A pub karaoke fever dream, right? But that’s exactly what’s been selling out stadiums all over the world this summer, as Oasis are firmly back on the front foot.
I’ll be the first to admit that when the reunion tour was announced last summer, I envisioned the opening night in Cardiff playing out to the tune of only getting through the first number, before one punched the other in the face or someone said something highly cancellable, and the whole thing would go up in flames.
But what has actually ensued is something quite different. Sounding better than ever, holding hands, even saying they’re “proud” of each other? These are not the same Gallaghers we know. Where’s the Noel that said one of the greatest quotes in history that Liam is “like a man with a fork in a world of soup”? Or the Liam that said he didn’t listen to Noel’s solo music as “I can’t stand the sound of his voice”? Instead, when they announced that “the stars had aligned”, it seems that they really took this to heart.
The tour so far, going off without a hitch, really has been a remarkable feat. Whoever the Gallaghers’ family therapist is, is clearly a very talented individual. It’s like almost for the first time ever, the brothers are actually enjoying being in each other’s presence, and long may it continue. But this doesn’t just display itself in their on-stage performances, but also in the concrete words that Noel offered about how the reunion is panning out.
“I’m completely blown away. It’s difficult to put it into words, actually,” he told TalkSport in a new interview, before going on to speak with an uncharacteristic dose of humility when he confessed that his “legs turned to jelly” on the opening night, and even that he was “proud” of his little brother. What the hell’s happened to him? Age and perspective, that’s what.
It’s no secret that Oasis were basically a pair of dickheads in the 1990s, milking the drama of their feuds for all it was worth and taking the role of the petulant rock star to the nth degree. But everyone can agree that’s not such a charismatic look when you’re now 58 and 52. It was a fine line to tread, but one of the main reasons that the reunion has worked so well is that Oasis realised the key ingredient was a slice of humble pie.
It was only a few years ago that Noel Gallagher said the band would never get back together, as no one would want to see two middle-aged blokes singing songs from a past life. But the allure of cash and a costly divorce bill are evidently potent pills for reconciliation, which is all the better news for the fans. By all accounts, it seems to have rubbed off on them as well.
The new Superman film said “kindness is the new punk rock,” but is love and care the new Oasis? Noel was quick to point out in his recent interview that they didn’t like getting emotional about it, because “we’re not that kind of band,” but you can’t shake the feeling that maybe all they had to do, after all these years, was to age and soften their demeanours, and everything would be right as rain again.
I never thought I would say this, but the geopolitical powers of the world should really turn to Noel and Liam Gallagher for advice, for a change. Take a leaf out of their book – avoid each other for a while, get out all the anger you need, then go for a pint and get back out on the world’s stage together, because it’s what we all need.
Age may have humbled Oasis, sure, but some energies never die. They’re still as electric and invigorating as ever – but where this was once fuelled by drink and drugs and bust-ups, it now thrives on genuine connection and love. I think I can safely speak for us all when I say we never thought we’d see the day. The brothers once famously said “we need each other”, and they’re not wrong. It just proves that two blokes in their 50s can’t be written off quite yet.
