The Oasis album Liam Gallagher “can’t even remember”
Oasis fever has swept up the nation as millions eagerly count down the days on their calendar until they are in a field watching the Gallagher brothers turn back time to 1997. Due to the immense interest surrounding Oasis at the moment, one could be mistaken for ever believing they were ever out of vogue. Yet, not every album they made was greeted with open arms.
The story of Oasis’ record-breaking rise to the apex of the music industry has been told on countless occasions, most notably in the documentary Supersonic. The film concluded with Oasis performing two historic shows at Knebworth, which cemented their name as British rock icons for eternity. At this stage, they were yet to put a single foot wrong, and on top of releasing two beloved albums, Oasis seized the cultural zeitgeist like no other band had done for decades.
However, there is a reason why Supersonic ended at Knebworth and didn’t continue to document their story until the first chapter closed in 2009. Culture is an ever-changing beast, and it can be difficult to stay attuned to it once tasting fame. Although Oasis remained able to sell out stadium-sized venues, their new albums failed to have the same relevance in comparison to their first three LPs.
While Oasis, even at the bitter end, was a behemoth, new bands such as The Strokes and, later, Arctic Monkeys came for their throne. 2000’s Standing on the Shoulder of Giants failed to hit the same heights as their earlier work, and the follow-up, Heathen Chemistry, was even more forgettable in the eyes of Liam Gallagher.
Oasis in the 2000s: Legacy tested by changing times
During a conversation with NME, Liam pinpointed Standing on the Shoulder of Giants as the beginning of the end, remarking. “That was when the band went a bit tits-up so I’m not fond of that really. We lost good members; I can’t say I’m arsed about it. I’m sure I’m great on it but whatever – I’ll leave that up to you, mate.”
As much as Gallagher feels vacant towards Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, Heathen Chemistry is a record he’s erased from his memory. The album featured tracks such as ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’, ‘Little By Little’ and Liam’s finest songwriting moment, ‘Songbird’, yet Gallagher prefers not to think about the 2003 record. After placing the LP in last place in his ranking, he told the publication: “I can’t even remember that one. I didn’t like the title either. Heathen Chemistry? F**k off.”
Before the album had been released, Noel was publicly feuding with his brother over Liam’s alleged lack of involvement in the creative process. At the time, Noel commented: “I was really happy with (the album) until recently, but I’m fucking livid now. I finished my bits three-and-a-half months ago, and then we handed it over to Liam, and in three-and-a-half months he’s done nothing. Just concentrated on his drinking habit again.”
His outburst continued: “Hand it over to the singer and it just slows down and becomes this one really long, drawn-out, painful process. So, to be honest with you, I don’t know when it’ll come out now. It’s down to him.”
The cracks between them had already started to show, and six years later, their relationship became unsustainable. Creatively, they had begun to be on different pages, and the fallout surrounding Heathen Chemistry was a sign of what was to come for Oasis. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, they are brothers. Only two years ago, a reunion seemed a far-fetched dream, and they are now back in the same room playing the songs that captured Britain’s heart and preparing a new chapter in their iconic career.
