The Most Legendary Feud in British Rock Scene

If you were to ask an average person, someone with no deep interest in music but who occasionally listens to the radio or visits pubs, born in the 90s or who had access to MTV, if they have ever heard “Wonderwall,” the answer is likely to be yes. And if you asked about the most famous feud in British pop culture, it would probably be either one of the many scandals within the royal family or the rivalry between Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher—often referred to as the "royal family" of Britpop and champions in creating colorful epithets.

Oasis is an inseparable part of Britain's musical history. Their magnum opus “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?” sold over 5 million copies, making it the fifth best-selling album in the country's history. Noel's metaphorical, sometimes psychedelic lyrics, combined with Liam's powerful voice, famous for its unique timbre and delivery, made the band one of the most recognizable musical groups of all time.

Oasis' story began in 1991 when bassist Paul McGuigan, guitarist Paul Arthurs, and drummer Tony McCarroll invited Liam to become the lead singer of their band, The Rain. Eventually, they changed the name to Oasis. Liam’s older brother Noel, who was working with another band at the time but had a significant collection of songs, joined the band. In 1993, they caught the attention of Creation Records, which allowed them to release moderately successful singles like “Supersonic” and “Shakermaker.” This gradually made the band popular throughout the UK. In 1994, their debut album “Definitely Maybe” became the fastest-selling debut album in the country. That same year, an infamous incident occurred when Liam provoked a fight between football fans and Oasis at a dock in the Netherlands. All members of the band were deported except for Noel—he had fallen asleep before the fight started and didn’t participate.

Oasis members led a hedonistic lifestyle: songs were written under the influence of illicit substances, and concerts often ended in scandals. During one performance in Los Angeles, Liam hit Noel with a tambourine, which led to Noel’s first departure from the band.

International success came with the release of “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?” the following year, which included hits like “Wonderwall,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” and the iconic “Champagne Supernova.” The famous Britpop battle between Oasis and Blur became the publicity campaign. Despite controversial remarks, the culture of "canceling" had yet to emerge, and both bands achieved recognition. Although Blur won the "single battle," Oasis triumphed in the "album war." By the way, during the album’s recording, a well-known incident occurred when Noel hit Liam on the head with a cricket bat due to the presence of outsiders. The bat was later sold at auction.

Also during this time, a leaked interview of the Gallagher brothers for NME in 1994 surfaced. For 14 minutes, the brothers traded insults, starting with the failed trip to the Netherlands and ending in heated arguments about the essence of rock-n-roll culture. The recording was released as a single and made it into the UK charts.

A milestone moment was Oasis’ performance on MTV Unplugged in 1996, when Noel took over the vocal duties due to Liam’s “illness,” while Liam watched from the audience with a beer and a cigarette. Tension between the brothers grew, and concerts were repeatedly canceled. They reunited during their performance of “Champagne Supernova” at the MTV Video Music Awards that same year, when Liam made offensive gestures toward Noel and dramatically left the stage.

Their next album “Be Here Now” broke records for sales speed, but its material received mixed reviews. Many copies of the album ended up in second-hand stores due to its overly complex production.

Subsequent albums “Standing on the Shoulder of Giants,” “Heathen Chemistry,” and “Don’t Believe the Truth” are ranked from weaker to stronger. The band gradually regained their reputation by releasing more quality material. The members received more creative control, leading to the success of singles like “Go Let It Out,” “Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” “Songbird” (the first single written by Liam), and “Lyla.”

Oasis’ most recent album was “Dig Out Your Soul.” In August 2009, their concert at the V Festival was canceled due to Liam’s “illness,” though Noel claimed it was due to his brother’s hangover. After mutual insults and legal disputes, the band finally split when Noel announced, “With great sadness and relief... today I have left Oasis. I can no longer work with Liam.”

Despite the long-standing feud and constant insults during interviews, in 2024, Oasis unexpectedly announced a reunion and a major world tour for 2025. This news shocked fans and the music community, as the brothers managed to find common ground after more than a decade of separate projects. The tour promises to be one of the most anticipated events in the music world. Let’s hope the brothers will have separate dressing rooms.