Fifteen years after a dramatic backstage altercation tore the band apart, British rock band Oasis has reunited.
Excitement has grown as fans of the rock band are gearing up for what promises to be a lifetime experience at the Oasis Live ’25 Tour.
In this article, we preview the band’s family feud with an extensive overview of the genesis of their fracas, down to the motive behind their reunion, their music records and a detailed preview of their upcoming Reunion Tour in 2025.
Genesis of the Oasis split up
Speculation about a possible breakup had lingered for years, fueled by the Gallagher brothers’ stormy relationship.
However, matters escalated just days after their performances at Knebworth in 1996.
The group was scheduled to film an episode of “MTV Unplugged”, but Liam Gallagher, the youngster brother to Noel Gallagher, withdrew at the eleventh hour, citing a sore throat.
Although he did not perform, he observed the band from the balcony, smoking and drinking while jeering at Noel between songs. A few days later, Liam refused to join the band’s United States tour, forcing Noel to take on the lead role for the shows. Fans were informed by the band’s management that Liam had been “called away at the last minute to address a personal matter.”
Liam later returned to the tour, but another chaotic performance in New York City saw him mock Noel, spit beer across the stage, and abruptly leave. This led Noel to return home early, resulting in the cancellation of the remaining dates. In 1999, founding members Arthurs and McGuigan left Oasis and were replaced by Gem Archer on guitar and Andy Bell on bass. While promoting their fourth album, “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants”, another major confrontation between Noel and Liam occurred.
This incident prompted Noel to announce he was stepping away from international touring. However, he eventually returned to join the band for the United Kingdom leg of the tour.
In December 2002, Liam and drummer Alan White were detained in Munich following a bar fight in which Liam lost several teeth. As a result, the German leg of their ongoing tour had to be rescheduled.
In August 2009, Oasis pulled out of their V Festival performance after Liam came down with laryngitis. Just days later, on August 28, they were set to headline the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.
During Bloc Party’s performance, an announcement informed the crowd that Oasis would not appear. Many attendees believed Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke was joking until the large screens flanking the main stage displayed the message: “Due to an altercation within the band, the Oasis gig has been cancelled.”
Rumours circulated that another major argument had erupted within the band, with Liam reportedly destroying Noel’s guitar. Shortly after, Noel posted a message on the band’s official website, announcing the end of Oasis. The statement read: “It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.”
Despite this, Liam and the remaining Oasis members decided to continue, rebranding the band as Beady Eye. They went on to release two studio albums before disbanding in 2014. In the aftermath of the breakup, Noel issued another statement outlining his reasons for leaving. He explained: “The level of verbal and physical intimidation towards me, my family, friends, and colleagues has become unbearable.
The lack of support and understanding from both my management and bandmates has left me no choice but to don my cape and move on.” During the altercation in Paris, Liam reportedly grabbed Noel’s guitar and began “wielding it like an axe,” according to Noel.
“He was quite violent,” Noel recalled. “At that point, there was no direct physical violence, but there was a lot of WWE-type behaviour. It was an unnecessarily aggressive act, and he nearly took my face off.”
Noel also reflected on the dissolution of Oasis in a 2021 interview, stating: “Oasis tours were always about the struggle anyway. The incident in Paris, was just the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Noel shared that while sitting in the back of a car outside a French music festival, he decided it was time to leave the band. “The driver pulled off and that was it,” he recalled.
“I didn’t feel a sense of relief because I knew there was a s***storm coming. And there was going to be a lot of nonsense talked about it.”
After the confrontation, Noel retreated to his car, realizing he had reached his limit with both the band and his brother. Both Noel and Liam later ventured into solo careers. In 2010, Noel formed Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, releasing four albums. Meanwhile, Liam created Beady Eye with other ex-Oasis members and dropped his solo album “As You Were” in 2017.
Oasis’ first indication of a reunion
Some reports claim that Noel initially had concerns about failing to deliver a performance that would meet fans’ expectations if the band reunited.
However, his perspective shifted after witnessing the success of Blur’s 2023 comeback, which featured two sold-out performances at Wembley.
A massive tour is now scheduled to commence in summer 2025, with Noel and Liam taking fans on a nostalgic ride through their eight No. 1 albums.
Before the announcement, both brothers hinted at it by sharing images styled in the Oasis logo format, featuring the announcement date.
The same image appeared on the big screen following Liam’s headline performance at the Reading Festival.
What brought the band together?
Speculation surrounds the motives behind the band’s reunion, with some suggesting Liam’s reported £20 million financial setback from his divorce may have played a role, while others believe the brothers have finally made peace. Regardless of the reason, fans are ecstatic.
Though the brothers haven’t explained their sudden reconciliation, there’s speculation that financial incentives could be a factor. The Independent reports unofficial estimates suggesting the brothers could each earn up to £50 million, approximately $66 million, just from the concerts.
The entire tour is projected to bring in over $500 million. Liam ignited excitement about the band’s reunion with a tweet: “I never did like that word former.” His strong suggestion that the rock band was reuniting came after he reconciled with his brother Noel, following a 15-year feud.
The Sun revealed that the brothers decided to embark on a £400 million comeback after a series of phone calls. Sources told The Sun that the atmosphere was “electric” when the brothers finally met in person to plan their reunion. They secretly gathered for a landmark photoshoot to accompany the posters that will be released for their upcoming tour next year.
Music records
Anyone who lived in the United Kingdom or certain rock and pop-centric European countries during the 1990s, when rave culture merged with indie and Britpop, would attest that Oasis was an unstoppable force. They ruled record and ticket sales, graced newspaper front pages, and captivated the public’s focus. When the feuding Manchester brothers, Noel and Liam Gallagher, broke up Oasis in 2009, they left behind an impeccable chart legacy.
Each of Oasis’ seven studio albums claimed the top position on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, from their 1994 debut “Definitely Maybe” to 2008’s “Dig Out Your Soul”. After their breakup, the 2010 compilation “Time Flies – 1994-2009” also reached No. 1, making it Oasis’ eighth chart-topping album. Oasis has made a distinctive footprint on the Billboard 200, with 11 entries, including three top 10 hits. Their highest achievement came in 1997 when “Be Here Now” reached No. 2.
The Reunion Tour
“This is it, it’s happening,” Oasis shared on their Instagram three days after revealing the dates for their reunion tour. On August 27, 2024, the British rock band unveiled their long-awaited Oasis Live ’25 Reunion Tour, marking their return after 15 years of solo careers. The announcement came from Liam and Noel on the band’s website. Fans are eager to see how the brothers’ dynamic will unfold.
However, there is no mention of McGuigan, Bonehead, and Tony McCarroll being part of the tour. Many fans remain hopeful that the original lineup will reunite for the performances. Initially, 17 shows were announced, featuring five performances at Wembley Stadium and Heaton in Manchester across five cities in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
As a result of the high demand for tickets, an additional three shows were added to the schedule on 29 August 2024, with two at Wembley and Oasis London tickets are expected to sell out fast. Oasis will launch their reunion tour at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, before heading to Manchester, the Gallagher brothers’ hometown, at Heaton Park. They will also perform at Wembley Stadium in London, Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, and Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland. The tour will conclude at Wembley Stadium on 28 September 2025.
Economic impacts of the tour
The Oasis reunion tour is anticipated to bring in significant economic benefits, with potential revenue levels comparable to Taylor Swift’s U.K. performances, though likely falling short of her overall tour earnings. Given the older demographic of Oasis fans, their higher disposable income could translate to increased expenditure on accommodations, dining, and merchandise.
Billed as a “once in a generation” event, the Oasis reunion tour is already positively impacting local economies, with businesses preparing for a surge during next year’s concerts. Following the August 27th announcement, HMV saw a dramatic 526% increase in Oasis catalogue sales compared to the prior week. Notably, sales of “Definitely Maybe” soared by 443%, “What’s the Story” spiked by an astounding 684%, and “Knebworth” climbed by 209%.
Furthermore, the 30th-anniversary edition of “Definitely Maybe” saw its pre-orders doubled following the tour’s announcement.
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