Some of the most recognisable and significant acts in British guitar music have come from Manchester. Joy Division, a mainstay of post-punk, originated in Salford in the late 1970s. The Smiths’ jangly misery started in Stretford, a short distance away. The list includes The Fall, Buzzcocks, Stone Roses, and many more. The city is still churning out plenty of indie bands, like Blossoms and Delights. However, Oasis is arguably the band that is most inextricably linked to Manchester.
The Gallagher brothers, who had grown up in the city, would play a crucial role in its musical history when they founded Oasis in the early 1990s. All-time hits like “Wonderwall” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger” quickly won over Britpoppers and guitar fans with their football chant-esque lyricism and massive melodies. Their sound would be influenced by Manchester’s musical heritage, but it wasn’t the only scene they looked to.
Liverpool, a port city just across the M62, was one of Oasis’s biggest influences. The Beatles were laying the groundwork for Liam and Noel from the Cavern Club years before they were even born. In a 1995 interview with Addicted To Noise, Noel responded to a question regarding the Beatles’ influence by saying that the Fab Four were “the be-all, end-all” of Oasis, “where it starts and where it finishes.”
He exclaimed, “The Beatles inspires everything we do,” and it’s easy to see this in their work. The group has made numerous allusions to the Liverpudlian band throughout their discography. These include references to helter skelters and yellow submarines. In their tenure, they have also performed a number of Beatles hits. These include “I Am The Walrus” during their renowned Knebworth show.
Oasis developed a sound for their original music that set them apart from the Beatles. Similar to The Beatles, they produced breezy, youthful guitar music that was ideal for the Britpop era. However, the core of their sound remained strong guitar songwriting. However, Oasis was influenced by other bands in addition to the Fab Four. Noel also acknowledged that although Irish rockers U2 had no effect on the band’s sound, they continued to have an influence on the band’s direction.
Instead, Bono and his fellow musicians guided Oasis through situations outside of the recording studio and provided inspiration for the band’s future direction. He clarified, “They began as a working-class band and went on to become the biggest band in the world. Just like the Beatles did.” The manner in which they have proceeded, then. It’s undeniable that Oasis successfully mimicked this trajectory. Although U2’s sound isn’t evident in their Britpop songs, they did follow a comparable career path, going from childhood pals to global superstardom.
Oasis would never quite achieve the same level of impact and influence as The Beatles, despite their previous declarations to the contrary. It’s an almost unachievable feat that, as of right now, it appears that nobody will ever accomplish. If this didn’t work out, though, Oasis went on to become one of the biggest bands in the world, as well as in Manchester. Oasis earned their place in guitar music history by blending U2’s ethos with The Beatles’ sound.
