Oasis - Is anyone still listening?

[El Unicornio, mang]

I think it was apparent that Oasis were done when Noel Edmonds mentioned 'Champagne Supernova' on an episode of Noel's House Party and the mostly middle aged audience cheered.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Timing had a lot to do with it for me.

Context is, as you say, important.  Coming to Oasis anew post-Wonderwall/Knebworth/tabloid ubiquity could definitely jaundice one's opinion of 'em.

[Jemble Fred]

It helped that I was completely ignorant of them (being busy discovering The Beatles for sort of the first time), until watching the very end of 'Our Friends In The North', when I had to run out the next morning and buy the album that had 'Don't Look Back In Anger' on it. I've always been quite successful in protecting myself from the ubiquity of such songs, and it's still a favourite.

For what it's worth, I cycled to Woolies in the snow and bought 'What's The Story' on cassette, listening to it immediately on my cronky old walkman as the snow fell all around me. I was 17. Yep, context is all.

[jaydee81]

I think it was apparent that Oasis were done when Noel Edmonds mentioned 'Champagne Supernova' on an episode of Noel's House Party and the mostly middle aged audience cheered.

Which ironically was probably near the death of Noel's House Party as well... sigh.

EDIT... Or maybe not... damn wikipedia.

[El Unicornio, mang]

The whole context thing is very true. My favourite music has a lot less to do with the music itself and more to do with the time that I first got into it. 'Definitely Maybe' is my favourite album because I got into it just as I was starting to go out to pubs, to clubs, parties, got a great group of friends who had the same tastes, etc. and the whole Britpop thing swept me up completely. So it's a soundtrack to those feelings. In reality it's probably no better than any of their other albums.

[_Hypnotoad_]

I might get round to ordering this album at some point, despite Oasis being one of my favourite bands

Well they were anyway, like many here back in the days I was starting out in the big wide world of pubs and girls, they along with Nirvana, Verve, Stone Roses, Mondays, Smiths et all were the soundtrack of the time, and how lucky we were when you look at kids these days and the utter, utter crap they have forced upon them when it comes to rock/alternative music

You probably already know this but : Oasis are/were massive fans of Verve who were equally into Oasis, someone working for the label/album design for Verve came across Noel as a roadie and played the demo to Ashcroft and his label. Verve wrote a song called "slide away" first and Oasis copied the title in tribute. "Cast no shadow" is about Richard Ashcroft and was written by Noel to try and cheer his friend up after a breakup

So er yeah, there's those things

[confettiinmyhair]

I might pop in a DVD of 'Live Forever' and go all misty eyed about Britpop

Oasis had the star quality and will probably be the last decent 'rock and roll band' that lived it. but for me Blur were the ones that said more about 'The Way things were' in the nineties.

[El Unicornio, mang]

That film has those really bleak scenes with the two blokes in the Oasis tribute band, sitting in a squalid little living room, supping Stella and going on about "t' fookin' glory days" of Britpop.

[purlieu]

I hate this whole 'they never did anything innovative or blah blah blah' attitude, as if they've ever suggested they're anything more than a pop/rock band.  They've written some memorable pop songs that were the soundtrack to thousands of people's lives.  If you're judging bands on achievements, I bet your favourite band never did that*.



*please do not counter this rhetorical statement, it will derail the thread in an ugly way.

[Blaaah]

Interesting how the few Oasis haters here can't seem to knock the band without mindlessly attacking their fans – which seems to include about two-thirds of the people who've contributed to this thread.

S?-S! had a point. I mean, no-one on this thread so far actually thinks Oasis are musically important, but there are some people who do, and in my experience they're mundane to a man. Those who have posted fond recollections of Oasis back in the day must have noticed that liking them now they know better requires various sleights-of-mind. The 'art is just a nice way to pass the time with your m8s Leo Strauss LOL' sleight-of-mind, which must, I suppose, assume that people listen to classical music because they happen to be really slow dancers. The 'you had to be there, the magic of my first pint and shag, music isn't about anything as mundanely tangible as...er...music...' sleight-of-mind. Everyone knows they're shit, and always were, but some are willing to give their younger selves a break.

Music doesn't, primarily, say things about the world by shouting 'free Satpal Ram', but through its form. What the form of Oasis's music says is that music ended when their dads stopped buying records. That's a problem, though not as much of one now as it was when they were the great white hype. That they're going to use sampling rather than plagiarism this time is a hopeful sign that they have at least come to understand their historical predicament, though it's too late to help anyone but themselves.

Hypnotoad: I think 'the kids' today have it no better or worse than you did. At least they have the good fortune to have missed the prolonged mid-life-crisis period of guitar-based-music, in which the inability of our cultural gatekeepers to admit that the future of popular music was not band-shaped led to silliness like Madchester. Franz Ferdinand can express admiration for Snoop Dogg without trying to sound more like him, or docking him relevance points for not being four white blokes in a suit.

[Blaaah]

They've written some memorable pop songs that were the soundtrack to thousands of people's lives. 

All that 'soundtrack of my/her/his/their/our/people's lives' ad-slogan bollocks means is that those people have Radio 1 on at work and are naturally incurious. Music isn't meant to play in the background semi-subliminally while you're doing something else. You either listen to it or you don't.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Interesting how the few Oasis haters here can't seem to knock the band without mindlessly attacking their fans – which seems to include about two-thirds of the people who've contributed to this thread. I'm surprised by how many Verbwhores seem to still like them, far more than me, as I'd say I was entirely ambivalent by now. Can't even be bothered to check out the new single, which is only a click or two away.

I'm choosing to do so because I know they constitute such a large percentage of the population. Seeing people I like and respect singing along to Oasis just makes my heart sink. It's an emotional reaction I couldn't suppress even if I felt like it.

My main erk is that they don't ever say anything or produce a single positive emotion through listening, despite making loads and loads of music.

What's depressing is the plodding and narrow perspective of it all. The music, the musicians, the fans. It's all so unadventurous- and it bores the hell out of me.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I'd usually let this one slide - along with the assertion that those folk who've expressed a one-time fondness for them in this thread are mundane nobodies - but I find it a trifle rich coming from someone with a fondness for inteminable, noodly, ambient music.  What precisely, seeing as you deem it so important, have bands like The Orb ever said?

I'm afraid I can't see how that is a valid criticism. I don't listen to ambient music for political statements, but I do listen to bands with vocalists in the hope that they'll write some good lyrics.

Besides which- even The Orb have more interesting opinions than Oasis.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Every criticism levelled at them in this thread is basically fair enough,

Cheers.

[Spiteface]

That film has those really bleak scenes with the two blokes in the Oasis tribute band, sitting in a squalid little living room, supping Stella and going on about "t' fookin' glory days" of Britpop.

Those two guys are probably responsible for one of the funniest moments in that film as well, where they're talking about "Wonderwall" being about Meg Matthews which leads to one of them referring to Mathews as "wall-face".  It mad me laugh anyway, and I find Noel Gallagher is always good value for money in interviews - his Meldrew-esque rant about S-Club Juniors etc is priceless. Even Liam is not without his momets in that film, although I get the impression that alot of it is entirely unintentional.

I was scouring the music channels today, and it struck me now how bland most bands are, there's no modern-day equivalent of Oasis in their prime in terms of the people themselves, it's almost like they're content to be completely inoffensive, which in turn offends me.   I blame Coldplay.

I hate this whole 'they never did anything innovative or blah blah blah' attitude, as if they've ever suggested they're anything more than a pop/rock band.  They've written some memorable pop songs that were the soundtrack to thousands of people's lives.  If you're judging bands on achievements, I bet your favourite band never did that*.



*please do not counter this rhetorical statement, it will derail the thread in an ugly way.

I cannot disagree here.

Like I said already, Oasis were important to me at the time, not because of any great innovation, but because I liked their music at the time.  They also shokk me out of the godawful pop I was into at the time.  Everyone can point to a band that has had that kind of impact on them, regardless of what band it is.  I don't listen to Oasis much now, and I probably won't be as quick to buy the new album as I may have done 8-10 years ago, but I'll give them that.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Music isn't meant to play in the background semi-subliminally while you're doing something else. You either listen to it or you don't.

Why not both?  For every time I've sat down and stroked my chin to a 'deep' recording (e.g. the new of Montreal album, which is causing me to scratch my head as well), I've indulged in a drunken singalong to a raucous piece of juvenile party music.

[CaledonianGonzo]

I'm afraid I can't see how that is a valid criticism. I don't listen to ambient music for political statements, but I do listen to bands with vocalists in the hope that they'll write some good lyrics.

Though pop can make great political statements, its not obliged to or even necessary.  You'll look in vain for deep meaning or massive subtext in the discographies of bands like The Ronettes or Slade.

[El Unicornio, mang]

All that 'soundtrack of my/her/his/their/our/people's lives' ad-slogan bollocks means is that those people have Radio 1 on at work and are naturally incurious. Music isn't meant to play in the background semi-subliminally while you're doing something else. You either listen to it or you don't.

I agree with this, but I honestly would listen to the first Oasis album, from start to finish, and it meant a lot to me. As a result, listening to it now is a joy as it brings back fond memories. How good I think it is from a critical viewpoint isn't really relevant.

[confettiinmyhair]

Are Oasis the British equivalent of Metallica?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Are Oasis the British equivalent of Metallica?

What, a bunch of shits?

[Sovereign]

Are Oasis the British equivalent of Metallica?

No, because Metallica are more arrogant and far more technically proficient on their instruments. Even Lars Ulrich.

And for the record, I absolutely love Oasis. Their songs transcend most pop music and have genuinely seeped down into wider society like folk music would do. People will still make up funny chants on football terraces to the melody of Wonderwall in 50 years time. They wont be doing that with Paranoid Android.

Awesome band. Everyone who grew up in the north of england around the early 90's must surely know where i'm coming from. There'll always be a special place in my heart for Oasis, even if they're not innovative or cool or doing anything groundbreaking.

[Jemble Fred]

Seeing people I like and respect singing along to Oasis just makes my heart sink. It's an emotional reaction I couldn't suppress even if I felt like it.

*Tiptoes along to the 'bleakest comments' thread...*

I'm sure none of the people in question miss your 'respect'.

[purlieu]

All that 'soundtrack of my/her/his/their/our/people's lives' ad-slogan bollocks means is that those people have Radio 1 on at work and are naturally incurious. Music isn't meant to play in the background semi-subliminally while you're doing something else. You either listen to it or you don't.

That's a startlingly literal reading of it.  An album that I'd describe as a soundtrack to part of my life is a record that I listened to a lot at a certain point, maybe something that was popular amongst myself and friends and thus became part of social events, a record with songs I danced to in clubs, shared with loved ones, &c. &c.
Not an actual movie score to my life.  That's just silly.
The point is, Oasis were very important, culturally, for a period in the 1990s.  Whether in a good way or not, they were a big, known band, they wrote British sounding loud guitar music, of which there wasn't much around at the time (at least in the public eye), they had attitude and they introduced guitars to a lot of people, while releasing a considerable number of catchy, memorable pop songs (alongside a number of terribly dull ones, I'll admit; I'm looking at you, Little By Little).  If this doesn't count as a soundtrack to the life of someone who was taken in by it, I don't know what does.

[Blaaah]

  That's a startlingly literal reading of it.  An album that I'd describe as a soundtrack to part of my life is a record that I listened to a lot at a certain point, maybe something that was popular amongst myself and friends and thus became part of social events, a record with songs I danced to in clubs, shared with loved ones, &c. &c.

No, it's just the correct reading. What you're describing is exactly the same as what I'm describing, you're just using different language. To say a record becomes part of social events other than listening to it means that it ceases to matter as music and starts to matter as a Pavlovian stimulus. Oasis are the kind of band whose music only ever functions as a stimulus, they never began by mattering as music. Essentially, they aspire to the achievment of Chas 'n' Dave - pure reflex test.

[_Hypnotoad_]

Hypnotoad: I think 'the kids' today have it no better or worse than you did. At least they have the good fortune to have missed the prolonged mid-life-crisis period of guitar-based-music, in which the inability of our cultural gatekeepers to admit that the future of popular music was not band-shaped led to silliness like Madchester. Franz Ferdinand can express admiration for Snoop Dogg without trying to sound more like him, or docking him relevance points for not being four white blokes in a suit.

Sorry you've lost me, I don't know why the future of pop music should have mattered a toss

90's grunge/britpop/shoe-gazing and the arrival of house music into british clubs was a fucking great time to be a teen into youe early 20's, everyone had fun and most of us got home safely

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Essentially, they aspire to the achievment of Chas 'n' Dave - pure reflex test.

Again, what exactly is wrong with that? Seriously. You're saying that all music that's designed solely for the purpose of people enjoying it in a - for want of a better word - "mindless" manner is worthless? Garage rock, bubblegum pop, disco, loads of funk and soul records - all of that is of no consequence because it exists as "a pure reflex test"?

You seem to be adopting a singularly humourless and limited view of what popular music is "allowed" to do. 

[Beagle 2]

What's depressing is the plodding and narrow perspective of it all. The music, the musicians, the fans. It's all so unadventurous- and it bores the hell out of me.

Isn't there space for the odd band with a narrow perspective in your record collection though? Never a time when  you're looking for something safe, comforting and unchallenging? There's as much room for your AC/DC's and Oasis's as there is your Venetian Snares or Radioheads isn't there? It would seem to be a narrow perspective of your own if not.

People enjoying pop music, un-cliquey inclusive positive pop music, shouldn't depress you even if the tunes do nowt for you in particular. I mean it does kind of annoy me when I see kids in tribes not really looking like they're enjoying what they're listening to but going along with it for the sake of some other reason, but most people stopped swaggering and having rubbish mop tops a long time ago. Well,  except Liam and Noel.

[purlieu]

To say a record becomes part of social events other than listening to it means that it ceases to matter as music and starts to matter as a Pavlovian stimulus.

So you're saying you have no good memories associated with music, and if you do the music no longer has musical worth?  Music is solely there to be enjoyed, by oneself, in a 'pure listening' state and has no other purpose?

[The Mumbler]

They wont be doing that with Paranoid Android.

I'd be fascinated to hear one crowd have a stab at it, though. The 7/4 bits alone would defeat them.

[Derek Trucks]

I was scouring the music channels today, and it struck me now how bland most bands are, there's no modern-day equivalent of Oasis in their prime in terms of the people themselves, it's almost like they're content to be completely inoffensive, which in turn offends me.   I blame Coldplay.

Everybody blames Coldplay, but it was The Verve that nailed that vibe first.