Despite having parted way more than twelve years ago, Oasis and the way they have diligently and borderline religiously channelled their Beatles worship continues to be one of the most influential British bands of all time. No matter if you were into what was labelled “Cool Britannia” in the 1990s or do not dig them, chances are that you do like at least one of the myriad of bands that have been inspired by them.
As the title suggests, Supersonic – a reference to their first and immensely successful single release - chronicles the heydays, i.e. up to 1996, of a band whose off stage antics was almost on par with their musical output as far as notoriety, drama and hilarity was concerned.
Given the aforementioned, it should not be further wondrous that an oral history comprised of interviews with the never not entertaining arch enemies Noel and Liam Gallagher is far more than an attempt at an autobiography. Rather, it is a vivid and lively portrayal of what made Oasis more than merely another British popular band, i.e. it conveys their swagger, attitude, humour, all of which is fused and amplified through the context of the hedonistic laddishness they found themselves in the centre of in the mid-1990s.
Embedded in contextualising elaborations from their inner circle and family as well as eye candy galore in terms of opulent illustrations, this is an illuminating, upbeat and often hilarious read for both the dedicated aficionado as well as the uninitiated.
Without lionizing their efforts, the coming of age of tale the Gallagher brothers, the forming of the band, the refinement of their DNA and their ascent to one of the biggest rock’n roll outfits is being shed light on, interweaved with Noel’s and Liam’s witty, ever swaggering, nonchalant and more often than not outrageously hubristic quips.
What I like about the book and the interviews is the sense of immediacy and the genuine love of music fueled by the antagonistic distaste for each other that is being conveyed through the interviews, all of which were the integral ingredients of a band that remains unrivalled to this day.
