"Oasis are the best band on the planet. That's not arrogance. That's just a fact." - Liam Gallagher

"I don't need any fat pig record executive to tell me how good my group is. I know how good my group is." - Noel Gallagher

Who are they? They're a five-piece initially featuring Liam Gallagher (vocals), Noel Gallagher (lead guitar), Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs (rhythm guitar), Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan (bass), and Tony McCarroll (drums). Tony left in April 1995 and was replaced by Alan White. In October 1995 Scott Macleod filled in for Guigsy, who had nervous exhaustion, but he walked out after a couple of weeks, causing the band to cancel the rest of the tour.

What's The Story? They're the best. Oasis have swept the board at The Brits, The Brats and any other award you care to mention (including an Ivor Novello writer's award which Noel refused to accpet because he had to share it with Blur). They are, as the band have been telling anyone who's been listening for the past few years, the biggest and best band in the world.

Many does think the band's very Beatlesque. As Paul McCartney admitted to the London Press Association, "Their stuff sounds very Beatle-ish. I sometimes have to check to see if it isn't one of ours that's if it's a track I haven't heard very much or something."

Noel Gallagher admits with unashamed passion that he composes songs to Beatles tracks, trying to better them.

From 1994 to 1997, Oasis released 3 original albums: "Definitely Maybe", "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?", and "Be Here Now". According to Noel, "If the first album was a soundtrack for going out on the piss and the second was for staying at home and having a shag, then the next one is going to be about staying home, having a shag and then going straight back out on the piss afterwards." D'You know what Noel means? This is Oasis. Mad for it!

After the release of their B-side album, titled "The Masterplan," in November 1998, Oasis had recorded the new album in Britain and France. After they finished their work on the recordings of the new album, however, Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs and Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan left Oasis in August 1999. In November 1999, Gem Archer joined Oasis as their second guitarist, replacing Bonehead; Andy Bell joined the band as their bass guitarist, replacing Guigsy.

Oasis' biggest-yet world tour kicked off in Japan on Leap Year Day (February 29th, 2000) and rolled through South America, the USA and Europe before coming to Britain in July 2000. These shows should have been the first opportunity for fans to see Oasis play live in their new line-up with new guitarist Gem Archer and bassman Andy Bell.

The start of the Oasis World Tour coincided with the release of their fourth studio album, "Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants", a 10-track CD that went on sale at the end of February, 2000. Incidentally, the album includes the first song that Liam Gallagher has written for Oasis, "Little James"; all of the other songs are written by Noel Gallagher, who co-produced the new album with Mark 'Spike' Stent. In the UK, the album and the first single "Go Let It Out!" are the first releases on Oasis' own label "Big Brother Recordings." The 'Standing on the Shoulder of Giants' world tour was captured on the 2000 live double-album "Familiar To Millions", which includes many of the hits taken from the bands previous 5 albums as played at Wembley Stadium, plus the bonus track "Helter Skelter" recorded on their US tour.

In October, 2001, Oasis celebrated ten years as a live band on the UK tour entitled "Ten Years of Noise and Confusion." In April, 2002, Oasis released their first single in nearly two years, titled "The Hindu Times." The single, which was premiered on their "Ten Years of Noise and Confusion" UK tour, is the first song to be heard from the band's fifth album. On July 1st, 2002, Oasis released their fifth studio album (and their first album of original material from the new line-up), "Heathen Chemistry," in the UK. They supported the album with their 2002 World Tour.

For the best representation of the music of Oasis, anyway, check out their 2nd album "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?".

"I hate people who say they only write songs for themselves and if anyone else likes it it's a bonus. If people don't like Oasis, they're shit." - Noel Gallagher

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