OASIS: Everything That Went Wrong In The USA In The '90s

In the 1990's, while Oasis were global megastars the world over, they had a love / hate relationship with the United States. Join me to look at why they never truly broke the US in their 1990s heyday.
If you would like to view the extended cut of this documentary (approx 8 mins extra content) it is available on my patreon: www.patreon.co...

[@mallardcutter7209]

I’m a huge Oasis fan from America. I found them to be very refreshing because They didn’t constantly sing about shooting herion and killing themselves. They made fantastic music.

[@BeneathTheGold]

Noel hated all that sh1t. I’m sure he said he wrote live forever partly in response to a nirvana song about suicide. Could be wrong but I’m sure I read or heard that somewhere. Most likely on this channel is where I heard it.

[@darrenstopper1806]

@@BeneathTheGoldyip it is true”I hate myself and I want to die”was the title live forever was in response to

[@jamesm.3829]

It’s an interesting perspective cause many grunge fans welcomed oasis. With cobain now dead, oasis was more proof that hair metal and the likes of Motley Crue and Aerosmith was truly done for good. That the alt rock of the 80’s prevailed in the end. I’m positive fans of nirvana/grunge certainly preferred them over the “post-grunge” bands like silverchair and nickelback.

[@Wildeheart79]

That's a very asinine comparison, the music's two different genres in two different time periods it's perfectly acceptable to like both. There's no need to be so tribal about things. Also Kurt never sang about heroin or killing himself. They had an unreleased song called "I hate myself and want to die" but firstly that isn't the subject of the lyrics and likely not the intended final title as Kurt often just picked a mnemonic nickname for the songs until they were fully recorded and then he'd pick the final name for the tracklisting. Not once in that song does he sing about drugs or killing himself. It's actually a song about the cynical commercial music industry that isn't interested in musicians developing their craft, they just want the new hot sound that sounds as close as possible to the last new hot sound without getting them sued.

[@johndotcue]

​@@Wildeheart79 Noel didn't like the title of that song I think. But Kurt usually wrote about rather obtuse stuff that has nothing to do with depression or suicide. And Noel is a fan of Nirvana so yeah, it's weird lol.

[@angiebowles1614]

I’m an American and Oasis is my favorite band of all time. I’m heartbroken that I didn’t get tickets for the tour.

[@davidl1173]

Wait closer to the date. Scalpers are still holding some, and people have shit that will happen. Good luck!

[@neilsun2521]

To be fair, they are ridiculously expensive though. Use that 293gbp to get a signed LP or something else. ;)

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

Let's hope there's more tours!

[@FromGregaWithLove]

As an American OASIS fan it always burns me that everyone in my country immediately thinks of "Wonderwall." Some may know "Champagne Supernova" as well, but since most think of "Wonderwall" a lot of Americans are surprised when I tell them that OASIS had a massive guitar sound and made kick-ass rock songs. I can't wait to see OASIS in Los Angeles in September.

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

It's their loss mate!!

[@Azabaxe80]

The first time I heard Oasis I didn't know it was "Oasis" that I was listening to. In fact, I didn't know that the band I heard on the radio in 1993 or 1994 covering "The Walrus" was them until years later. In '96 or so, in the initial music festival in Bayfront in Miami, what I think later turned into an EDM thing, was the first time that I properly heard the band. In between sets, the people manning the PA decided to play a song I was unfamiliar with, but lots of people in the audience sang along to. It was impressive. That song was "Wonderwall". To your point, "Wonderwall" is the one song from this band that approaches art in its own merit. It does so in the way Andy Warhol's art deserves appreciation precisely because it wears its derivativeness on its sleeve. Oasis music is not particularly groundbreaking or deep, but then again, music needn't be either of those things in order to be great. What it does have to do with do, however, is touch people. 'Wonderwall" does that to a degree that no other song in their catalog does. That's why it's popular in the States. For me, Oasis at their best were that band who had the balls to distill a Beatle song that I had never heard properly covered before to its most important constituent parts, and play it in a way that Lennon and McCartney themselves would have said, "this is how you do this song live". There's merit in that. Otherwise, for people like me who were listening to the Stone Roses in '88-'89, Oasis came a little late with very little new to offer.

[@robertgoulet7886]

I saw Noel at Radio City Music Hall seven years ago. I couldn't understand him went he bantered with the crowd between songs. Also, we Americans needed subtitles for "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels", "Trainspotting", and "The Full Monty".

[@MickPurvis1986]

Thats understandable esp in the Guy Ritchie films you mention esp ..In England the different Cities have hugely differing and accents which and like us Scottish well they don't speak as fast as us ,I'll give you a heads up ,you'll need subtitles if you ever decide to watch Guy Ritchies film Snatch with Brad Bitt playing the Gypsy bare knuckle fighter who walks into the ring for a fight with Oasis Intro track " fuckin in the busues " i just remembered 😄

[@robertgoulet7886]

@@MickPurvis1986 Brad Pitt's accent was a meta-gag about Americans not understanding the dialog in the previous Guy Ritchie film. He added a character who the other characters couldn't understand. 🤣

[@MickPurvis1986]

​​​@@robertgoulet7886😂😂😂 so he did ,i forgot about that ,brilliant ! Have you ever saw Snatch ? That films actually great tbh

[@TheChadTI]

There is a lot of self sabotage, in my opinion. It's almost like they subconsciously created plausible deniability for if it didn't go over.

[@robingardella6240]

Yeah, good point. I think they do that a lot.

[@martz1191]

*Liam*

[@nwils6944]

Definitely, maybe.

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

Yep. They had to cancel one gig through poor sales, then went home, maybe the other gigs hadn't sold either

[@deadseagull-xf3lk]

@@martz1191 I always felt there was genuine damage done WAY before Oasis when it came to Liam and Noel and resentment for some reason toward Noel from Liam. Noel writes his little brother a note telling him how much he loves him and Liam calls it soppy and rolls it up to do a line. Says it all really. He subconsciously fkd up the all important American tour in '96 either out of resentment towards Noel and how much he wanted it, or because he himself was scared of being THAT big.

[@JeffVeillette]

Great vid. One note - the "16 years ago" bit from One of Us lines up with Noel "losing" his passport (before starting a US tour!) in 2002. Liam's implied that there was something up there (Noel's ex Sara hiding the passport) in the past and he sees her as separating him and Noel to a point of no return. "You and I for the last time" meaning from that moment on she was in the way. Whether or not any of that's true, who knows, but that's how you make the dates line up.

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

You could be on to something there mate!

[@woah_its_a_guitar]

I always find it funny reading about the tours, and the general turning point for everything going wrong is “then America happened”

[@christopher9152]

Not really. Touring in the States broke many a British band worldwide, beginning of course with the Beatles. But yeah, it is a sort of trial by fire ordeal that some very good bands from the UK didn't pass, for whatever reason.

[@darrenstopper1806]

It ruined the sex pistols

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

Kinks too

[@petercena9497]

@woah_its_a_guitar After three great decades the British hit a wall in the 90s as Grunge/Alternative was an American phenomenon.

[@prettyshinyspaghetti8332]

15:50 Noel playing "Goodbye Cruel World" by Pink Floyd in a southern accent

[@robingardella6240]

Oh my God 😂😂

[@MFCMUFC]

So good

[@Laiton_et_Celluloid]

Honestly, as a non english speaker, this sounds a lot like the original JAJAJ

[@cph2004]

I used to have this on a cd back in the 90s. I got it from afflecks Palace Manchester. The cd had gotten thrown out by mistake. 😢

[@johnmurphy9385]

All he does here is make a fool of himself. Northerners like himself -- from working-class, industrial cities -- are the "rednecks" of the UK. So he comes off as a total dipshit here and betrays all the blue collar values for which he claims to stand. He's indulging in the cheapest kind of anti-Americanism to get snobs in London to pat him on the head.

[@Marc-ps3mn]

I’m an American and an Oasis mega fan. I’ve seen them four times here in the States. From the absolute peak of their powers here selling out arenas to later seeing them at a much smaller venue within walking distance to my apartment (on the latter occasion I met Liam in, hilariously, an English style pub.) There are a number of reasons Oasis didn’t sustain a huge popularity here. As Richard Ashcroft noted, America is a place where English bands just kind of lose it and I think there is a lot of truth to that. He joked it was the British Rock and Roll Tradition. And Oasis always seemed to self sabotage at crucial moments in their career. Take the MTV Music awards performance as an indication. Even while they were an enormous import here, US music fans still held a resentment toward them and their attitude (which many DID love and I think solidified their bonafides long term) created an exhaustion on the part of much of the US record buyer. The US being filled with Americans don’t really give much of a shit what is happening in other countries. Whereas in England there is a sense that if you’re a rock band, you really want to make it in the States to solidify your reputation. The US is an enormous market but that’s because it’s an enormous country. Back then it took an absolute hellish amount of touring to really break it in the US even with a decent amount of airplay and heavy rotation. Post WTSMG while it momentarily appeared Oasis was indomitable their third album (and I know this will annoy many) was an embarrassing slump of a promise unfulfilled. It felt like what it was, a meandering shadow of the previous album that looked positively and suddenly Jurassic compared to Blur’s latest release. And let’s face it, here in America that comparison was absolutely inevitable. It was 97. It was the absolute peak of here in terms of indie rock getting foisted upon mainstream outlets. That would recede of course but that’s the year it crested. And Oasis had missed the boat completely. On top of that, here the audience had grown tired of their antics that were endlessly reported and frankly, BHN just didn’t have the sustainable popularity of WTSMG. I think for good reason. What I did not expect was their absence creating a legendary status here that matched what had always been in England. While somehow Coldplay managed to win the sustained popularity in the US Oasis never could, that generation of bands also were incapable of the spontaneous excitement and anti authoritarian rock and roll spirit Oasis embodied without even trying. In fact I would claim that it’s because rock music became so fucking boring that younger fans who never really lived through Oasis were starved for them. And thank fuck for that.

[@darrenthomas7402]

Sick of hearing this bullshit Oasis didn't crack America. Def Maybe went platinum, Morning Glory went 5 times platinum, Be Here Now just missed #1 by a whisker but also went platinum. Later Don't Believe The Truth just missed Top 10 but Dig Out Your Soul was another Top 5 album in the US. Can I just add Ok Computer and Urban Hymns went platinum in America but Oasis went 5x equalling Coldplay's biggest selling album in America, yet they are huge there apparently abd Oasis not?. Who cares if Oasis had some initial troubles the fact is they were soon huge there and featured on shows Clueless, Roswell, Superman The Early Years, Celebrity Death match,, had 'Oasis Day', on MTV, and were all over the radio there. True they made huge mistakes and didn't play the game but the British media never game them any credit for the succes that they did have Stateside.

[@vermontmike9800]

Not to mention, they owned MTV in the mid and late 90s. On there all the time. Concerts, documentaries, interviews, etc.

[@leamanc]

Yeah, they definitely hit big in America, but Be Here Now killed the momentum. It sold well at first but soon was labeled a flop. They never recovered.

[@HZepp]

And TBH, these days Wonderwall seems to be more remembered and recognized by Americans than any of the hits from Pearl Jam, Offspring, Alice In Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden... way more staying power than like, "Glycerine" or "Lightning Crashes"

[@julesgiddings8747]

You’re right, Oasis did quite well in the US but Morning Glory went 4 x platinum not 5 x platinum but I’m sure it will get an update. Cheers.

[@petercena9497]

Definitely, Oasis were bigger than Radiohead in the 90s, but most people don't believe it.

[@johndotcue]

Aside from Wonderwall and Champagne, Oasis doesn't really get mentioned a lot in rock music circles in America. They usually just get stereotyped as "that band that did that corny song Wonderwall". It is funny though once you make them listen to the rest of their discography, they usually get shocked by how loud and abrasive early to mid Oasis were. Like I remember showing my friend cigarettes and alcohol, and aside from the usual "wait they ripped off T. Rex?" she was really shocked that it's the same band that did Wonderwall lol.

[@andylampert-media]

I was at an Oasis show during the "What's the Story (Morning Glory) tour. They were incredible. That was until someone threw a shoe at Noel. Liam scolded the audience, but I couldn't make out what He was saying. They performed "I Am the Walrus" and stormed off.

[@johnmurphy9385]

They could dish it but they couldn't take it. That's the case with a lot of self-styled "bad boys." Metaphorically speaking, they threw stuff at the American public from the minute they got off the plane, but then they were crybabies when the public threw stuff back.

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

​@@johnmurphy9385true to a point but I wouldn't want coins thrown at my head

[@patradingjournal]

Thanks James, I am turning 33 this year and only gotten to start loving Oasis in my teens, appreciate this long piece of history!

[@claykennedy6790]

Oasis American for 20 years now. I found them in my teenage years and fell in love immediately. I wish they'd be coming within five hundred miles of me on this tour, but alas.

[@MickPurvis1986]

Brilliant thats great to hear ,genuinely happy for you , youll feel almost the exact same as myself then with the live 25 tour ❤🪇🤟

[@georgerios3409]

Excellent video James! Well done! One of your best!🤘🤘

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@matthewrider6456]

As the original #MadFerItAmerican, I gotta push back on the notion that Oasis weren't big in The Nineties.... Because during that disastrous extra leg of touring that (never should've) happened.... They sold out TWO NIGHTS AT THE JONES BEACH THEATER - which, at that time, it had a very deceiving name, quite like The Point Theater, in that it held 11,200 ppl, & to reiterate, they sold it out TWICE - & if, instead, they coulda gotten (after a 'warm-up show' at the 10,000 capacity GMU Patriot Center in D.C., a venue they'd already sold out once before) a booking at Madison Square Garden & then followed it up w/a gig at The Maple Leaf Garden in Toronto & taped both f#¢k!ng gigs, a 'There & Then: North America,' if you will, instead of trying to pull off a whole new - & VERY hastily scheduled - North American leg of the (WTS)MG? Tour.... Would we be talking about this now??? But besides the 2 nights @ MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford/NYC, 2 nights @ Rogers Stadium in Toronto, the one-off @ Soldier Field in Chicago, the 2 gigs at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena/L.A., & 2 shows at Estadio SNP Seguro in Mexico City, Mexico..... They could've also probably sold out 2 nights at Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal, 2 @ Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, a one-off at either Arrowhead Stadium or Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, & a last one-off at Nationals Stadium in Washington DC!💯✌🏼

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

Can't argue with that!!

[@TPforangie]

Love your vids! Always so informative and well researched 👏 I am long time American Oasis fan and am thrilled to be seeing them two nights in LA😄. I saw all NGHFB’s shows through the years. The last one I felt so bad for Noel in Austin, Tx with Garbage. Hardly anyone there. I had a feeling Oasis was getting back together so he could sell out stadiums again.

[@Scott-d3z]

That sarcastic bird interviewing them and hating on them looks pretty stupid now

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Yeah, was pretty petty and needlessly nasty I thought

[@johnmurphy9385]

@@JamesHargreavesGuitar Kind of like Oasis themselves!

[@intelligenceofacertainkind]

When Bonehead left they ceased to be Oasis in my opinion. Oasis, at a minimum, has to be Liam, Noel and Bonehead.

[@christopher9152]

The Gallaghers thought they WERE the band. The brothers were talented, but not nearly to the degree they imagined (the new Beatles hahaha, right). Both were probably raging narcissists, which is partly why even though they were brothers, they constantly sabotaged each other.

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

I like the gem and Andy bell version too but I know what you mean, it was never the same

[@MickPurvis1986]

They best they evolved into once Bonehead and Guiggsy left was 2002 ( live ) .not quite as great as the beginning obv

[@Saselder]

Hey McLeod, get off my ewe!

[@GenerationXChick]

American here. I was all in on Oasis from the first album. I had tickets to see them in Indianapolis in 2002 and they had to cancel due to the car accident they were in. Looking forward to seeing them later this year.

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

👍👍👍

[@geoffmustbedestroyed]

I grew up in Indianapolis….i saw them on the Definitely Maybe tour….someone hit Liam in the face with a pair of sunglasses….they left the stage and didn’t finish the show….though, they did come back for the What’s the Story Morning Glory tour….was a GREAT show….saw them in 2000 with the Black Crowes….they always sold shows out

[@bluejay111-IN]

@@geoffmustbedestroyedMan I was there at the show at the Tyndall Armory in Indianapolis during their Definitely Maybe tour and can verify your account of it. Shame that they walked off stage because they sounded great.

[@geoffmustbedestroyed]

@@bluejay111-IN yeah….it was a good show until the sunglasses…….they played at the Egyptian Room at the Murat for the (What’s the Story) Morning Glory show….VERY good….VERY Loud

[@bluejay111-IN]

@@geoffmustbedestroyed I actually had tickets for the Murat show but as this was pre-google maps I literally couldn’t find the venue on time since I’m not from Marion County. Still have regrets.

[@yragnellaable]

Love your videos James . There's one you did in particular on The Beatles and their 2 5 1 key change that is just brilliant; you used Wonderwall as an example and it worked a charm.

[@ShowRyuKen]

Oh wow, I was only thinking about Scott McLeod the other day and wanting some more information on why he left. Amazing to have you shed this new light on the situation James - thanks!

[@jonathancurran2737]

Hey James was wondering how ya been as not seen a post from you in a while … hope you’re well mate love your channel pal

[@robertedwards2527]

“Goodbye Cruel world” Pink Floyd, Noel’s always been a fan.

[@MickPurvis1986]

Whos not ? I ve genuinely never met someone whos not 😄

[@stuartfleming]

Great work enjoyed every second of it

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Thanks :)

[@1megawhite]

You’re bloody excellent. Not often do I lose myself watching something these days. I did for the whole vid. Perfection👊

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Great to hear!

[@Bronzehans]

I wanted to write an alternative history where a small plot line involved Liam left the band in the 90s. The MTV unplugged with Noel offers a glimpse of the better band they could have been.

[@MickPurvis1986]

Thank God that never happened then or we wouldn't have even had Noels amazing b sides since ,which are far better than alot of singles released

[@seinfeldfan442]

Another great video James

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Ta very much 👍👍

[@seinfeldfan442]

@@JamesHargreavesGuitar your welcome. 😀

[@MickPurvis1986]

Nobody could ever question your love and commitment to Oasis James ! your videos are some of the best content on youtube ,your part of the reason my passion for Oasis is still alive imo , " D'you boys like country music ?" 😭😂🤣👏 Noels great , Bootitup is a great chanell too I recently listened to gigs I had went to years ago on there . I think Noel hit it on the head about Americans not going the extra mile for Oasis as they wouldn't do it for them imo ( The media and ones doing interviews esp MTV ) proved by Liam walking out and heckling from the crowd during MTV unplugged. Liam called it and planned it to a T , so rock & roll on live 25 mate 🪇

[@dummytree]

16:32 : Don't forget that Bush was the massive British band of the time in the US, selling millions of albums and being played on the radio and MTV all the time, with a very americanized and seemingly calculated form(ula) of music.They embraced corporate America, and toured a lot. They played the game.Oasis was totally different musically, and much more rebellious.

[@PhoenixGuitars]

This is great insight. I found Oasis later and had no idea. Attitudes and UK vs USA egos clash! Thanks!

[@andydufresne1602]

My first memory of oasis was hearing 98 rock radio station in Baltimore around 2005, the main radio show at the time did a segment where they did a side by side comparison of Wonderwall to Blvd. of Broken Dreams by Green Day, which was the biggest song in the U.S. at the time. The radio host was in awe of Wonderwall and was astounded by how similar the 2 songs sounded. After hearing them played side by side I must admit I did not hear the similarities as the radio host did. But my dad and I were intrigued enough to go pick up WTDMG over the next few days. I was about 12 years old and back then I can only remember Wonderwall. Fast forward to around 2019 or so, I saw the oasis documentary while flipping through Netflix and remember thinking “oh yeah I remember Oasis, that British band that played British contemporary music like Coldplay.” I watched the documentary and glad I did because I realized that Oasis was not like Coldplay whatsoever. From that day on I discovered the vast discography of Oasis from Definitely Maybe to Dig Out Your Soul and have been a mega fan ever since. Thanks to the documentary, I learned that Liam and Noel were brothers, I had NO idea all those years since 2005. It goes to show how little Oasis was talked about in the US. Crazy because they are one of the biggest rock bands in the world. I don’t understand why they weren’t bigger over here, but I’m thankful that I had the proper Oasis exposure in my adult years

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

Agree, nothing like Coldplay!!

[@MickPurvis1986]

@@andydufresne1602 there's also a video going around of Boulevard of broken dreams tune ,playing to the words of Oasis' D'you know what I mean ,its called on youtube : Oasis X Green Day Dyou know what I dream ..some folk didnt realise it was a mash up its that fitting & good ,its from an Oasis gig MTV live in Tokyo ,2002 , i'm watching that just now ,👌✨

[@SGTXSAVAGE]

That girl @3:33 is known for having shit takes on music. Smug, pretentious, gate keeper type bullshit… Oasis had Huge hits here in the states with obviously Wonderwall & champagne supernova… but thats what nearly everyone here knows them for… Not many ppl here knew their more energetic rock songs. ive been a fan for a long time now, going to see them in New Jersey… saw noel in philly last year and liam w/squire in Brooklyn last year as well… now seeing Oasis in September is the ultimate surprise. Very lucky, and grateful 🙌🫡

[@MickPurvis1986]

Brilliant , have you ever looked into alot of there earliest music unreleased songs and b sides on youtube ,there even better than alot of singles ,better than most songs released in UK to this day tbh

[@SGTXSAVAGE]

@@MickPurvis1986 oh yeah! I’m a super fan tbh… those are my favorite tunes. I have every original 7” they released on creation records, and all their Albums solo and Oasis on vinyl. im into all the unreleased stuff aswell! This will probably sound ridiculous but it’s crazy to me, so many people here in the US are now Oasis fans all of sudden… since the reunion. I used to get shit for being an Oasis fan, now everyone loves them 🤔 which is great for the band. Prior to the documentary and the reunion ppl here mocked them and wonderwall(a song they all secretly liked but would make fun of) The tickets for the reunion shows in the US sold out in minutes. They added a second date in NJ otherwise i wouldn’t have gotten a ticket. The only other true Oasis fans i know weren’t able to get tickets…

[@michaelmontalto]

The family and I will be at the Chicago show in Aug '25. Interesting tidbit. I'll keep my eyes open.

[@Ggirard82]

I grew up in the states in the 90s and they were MASSIVE for a few years. Everyone was listening to them and they were always on MTV and radio. So it is always funny when I hear this stuff. I guess it just didn’t last as long in the US for a bunch of reasons. But they still packed out smaller places for years to come and played MSG on their last tour. So it really couldn’t have been that bad, right? Just maybe not like everywhere else. But nothing to be ashamed of.

[@marshallbonnette2606]

Another Oasis fan and channel subscriber from America. I wish I was old enough to see them in concert here in the 90’s (born in ‘92. I will say most of my friends growing up and present day only know Oasis from “Wonderwall” unfortunately

[@anthonyquinn7132]

Young badboy liam , now he's a grandfatherly national treasure, time hey

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

I know. He seemed so cool at the time, now I'm 43 he looked a bit daft

[@blueshattrick]

I was a big fan, even in the early days, but most friends thought Oasis sucked 😄 having such HUGE egos/opinions of themselves was definitely a massive turnoff to many. The competition in rock/alt was also *insane* back then.. Nirvana, PJ, AiC, Radiohead, U2, Pumpkins, STP, Bush, Weezer, Soundgarden(!) Hard time to get noticed

[@bollewillem1]

The main performance of Oasis did not happen on stage. It happend off stage. The ongoing arguments between the two brothers, the arrogant attitude, the drinking. And I think the Americans looked right through it.

[@anthonymichael3029]

American here. They’ve always been the biggest band in the world to me, so it’s felt like a bit of vindication with the recent outpouring of love for them since the reunion announcement. I’ve got tickets for Wembley and New Jersey. Summer can’t get here fast enough

[@oldsoulshow]

American fan since 90s and I wanted to see them this Summer but couldn't get a tickets.

[@StuartBaillie-q2d]

Keep trying, they are regularly coming up for resale here. I haven't bought one because the price seems a little too much.

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

Next your bro

[@jprg1966]

For all their Beatles worship, they clearly missed how the Beatles actually behaved on their 1964 tours -- cheeky, but not nasty. This all sounds a lot more like the Kinks' first U.S. tour ... another pair of rambunctious brothers.

[@johnmurphy9385]

The American audience has always embraced British bands who (a) are actually good, (b) meet the audience half-way, and (c) put in the hard work of breaking the US market -- geographically much larger and culturally much more diverse and decentralized than the one in the UK. In 1965, the Kinks had (a) going for them but not (b) or (c). By 1970, they'd added (b) and (c) to (a) and found increasing success for more than ten years. The problem for Oasis was that they were Oasis, so neither (a) nor (b) nor (c) ever applied. They were a mediocre, over-hyped band who came in with a disrespectful "ugly tourist" attitude toward the US and toward American listeners, then whined like spoiled brats when they realized it would take more than loud mouths and a flash in the pan to make it as big over here as they felt entitled to be. They were big fish in a small pond who found out that they were small fry when they made it to the sea and tried to swim with the whales.

[@open_road_toad]

American here, I was 21 in 1994 and I was a big fan back then. I was the only one in my friendgroup that was into Oasis. The music was so much different at that time, grunge, rap, bands like primus. Oasis was just so much different and people just weren’t open to it. I was and still am

[@robingardella6240]

This is really interesting to me. I was a music maniac in the late 70’s and 80’s here in the U.S. - we were desperate for any new, interesting music we could get our hands on, which wasn’t much. Clash, Boomtown Rats, the Police, U2. . .you can scoff at the predictable nature of my taste but there was nowhere to get cool music in the early 80’s in the Midwest. I think I just missed any sort of scant or passing popularity Oasis had in the early 90’s - too busy with job, family, etc. - so the timing was off. In other words, I’m a bit too old for these guys, but I’m paying attention now. I’ve always observed that America is a tough nut to crack for some bands, but that others manage it with relative ease. U2, for example, created this spiritual sort of American landscape they both revered and despised (Joshua Tree), criticizing and embracing simultaneously. The first thing I remember reading about U2 in a U.S. paper was a criticism by Bono of why all states didn’t celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. They sort of found that, in a way, as a path into America. Oasis just couldn’t find a path.

[@crowhillian58]

Slade, who could arguably be called the missing link between the Beatles and Oasis also fared badly in America while being massive in the UK, Australia etc. Fantastic video, thanks, a new subscriber after your excellent Slade/Reading vid.👍

[@thecoolestmanever9068]

i’m american and love oasis, it’s too bad that they’re only known around here for a song that isn’t anywhere near their best. america lacked good, mainstream optimistic rock in the 90s, the mainstream wanted everyone to be sad because being depressed was now hot. i’m seeing them in los angeles, and it will be great, i just know it.

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Nice

[@S_Over_Street]

As an American who grew up listening to Alternative from the late 80s onward, I first heard Supersonic then Live Forever on the local Alternative Rock station in Northern California when I was 16. I then bought Definitely Maybe album soon afterwards & was immediately hooked cause they were different. Once Wonderwall blew up in the US, everyone knew who Oasis were. America perception of Oasis started to burn out during the Be Here Now era & it wasn’t the same since. Every time Oasis would release a new single / album, it was briefly played on US alternative radio for like a month then would fade away. IMO it is due to US radio stations had an agenda to play what was trendy at the time (Nu Metal/ Rap-Rock, then 2000s bands, etc…). There’s still a huge fan base of Oasis in the US, just that the media had a different narrative to where that hurt their songs on the radio & in the press after What’s The Story, Morning Glory era passed. Anyways I’m seeing Oasis at the Chicago show in Aug 2025 & I cannot wait to see them once again.

[@tropicaleasyrider1]

The whole Manc “couldn’t give a fook” English working class swagger act just did not translate to American culture. End of. They have their own culture over there which is more communicative, a bit more eloquent than English working class lad culture. They didn’t get it and why should they? It’s like if a bunch of Blue Ridge hillbillies came over to the Uk and were all over the media - would the English understand what they were on about? Nope. The Yanks probably didn’t understand their accents too either.

[@johnmurphy9385]

Oasis "couldn't give a fook" about America (or anything else), so America (for the most part) "didn't give a fook" about Oasis. That seems fair enough to me and I don't see why Liam and Noel were such crybabies about it. They could dish it, but they couldn't take it, I guess. They weren't as rough and tough as they thought they were or claimed to be.

[@how2know924]

James, I know you read the comments and often take suggestions from them. I’ve been curious of the truth behind a particular music biz rumor going all the way back to the mid-90s and at this point I believe you’re our only hope for getting it solved. The rumor is to do with who is the actual author of Take That’s final hit “Back for Good”, and is that person actually Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees? Supposedly a secret arrangement exists between Gibb and Gary Barlow that was seen at the time as being mutually beneficial to both parties - Barlow and his management already knew the next TT single would be their last, and he wanted a megahit with his name on it under his belt in order to launch his solo career having reinvented himself as a mature songwriter with serious chops. In return, Barlow agreed to make one of his upcoming A-sides a cover of a Gibb classic because Barry needed to revive his own profile after a fallow period and/or he was possibly in need of a quick influx of cash. Sounds a bit silly, no? But then, now go and listen to “Back for Good” - damned if it doesn’t sound like the kind of magical pop confection that only Barry Gibb could have authored. Your investigative and interpretive skills are sorely needed in this matter. Oh, and this most recent Oasis piece is truly excellent! Thanks for all you do! Cheers - John

[@Tito-en5nv]

Interesting sure sounds like Barry

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

I don't think back for good was their last song? Wasn't it a cover of how deep is your love by the bee gees?

[@Marc-ps3mn]

15:28 Who knew Noel had such a convincing American Accent? Whoa!

[@deadseagull-xf3lk]

Liam didn't get on the plane for the '96 US tour that would make them The Beatles because he bottled it. He was scared. Career procrastination/uncertainty will DESTROY a person. US superstardom in the 90's was like UK stardom x 1000. It would be scary for anyone to accept a responsibility that big. I don't think he knew it of course, but he sabotaged the tour because of the ramifications I'm sure he'd been told of.

[@MickPurvis1986]

Cool story bro

[@deadseagull-xf3lk]

@@MickPurvis1986 I forgot the bit about you being a total cnt though. Don't worry, I''ll make amendments.

[@MickDude]

Yeah, nice one James. Credit the bloke who lifted the Letterman video straight off my KZbin channel. Top research dude. 👍🏻

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

I have literally no way of possibly knowing that. All I can do is credit where I got it from.

[@MickDude]

@ Apart from it being on screen at the beginning and end. No worries.

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

🤷 Well I didn’t know. Genuinely no need whatsoever to come on here and be like that.

[@MickDude]

@ ❤️

[@Tinfintytin]

@@MickDudeStop crying your heart out lad

[@michaelharvey5851]

The footage shown is not the first Wetlands show, it is their 2nd Wetlands show in October 94 where they played the long set starting with Rock n Roll Star.

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

yeah I realised I had it mislabelled in my archive. whoops

[@michaelharvey5851]

​@@JamesHargreavesGuitar Great documentaries though 👍

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

@ cheers :)

[@segafrog]

i always wondered why Oasis went so over the top with the self promotion, because the songs and their characters were already strong enough for huge success regardless of all their added talk. The self promotion made them less popular imo

[@efficiencygaming3494]

Oasis made more of an impression on America than just about every other Britpop-associated band, so I would at least give them that. I see a lot of parallels between the Oasis US tours in the '90s and the Kinks' 1965 US tour you described in that one video from last year. America in general is just a challenging place for foreign bands to find success. Not only are there tons of cities to play, but the cultural differences can be enough to drive band members mad if they can't adapt. A lot can go wrong, essentially. While I'm sure there were quite a few Americans who thought Oasis were cooler than Nirvana, others would have been turned off by the reputation Liam and Noel had of being loud and in-your-face. Terms like "snotty" and "obnoxious" would often be used to describe them here in America. That being said, they did make a mark on American popular culture. You can't pick up a guitar without being made to play "Wonderwall" at some point. Although I'll leave you with a final story: after Oasis announced their reunion tour last summer, a local alternative rock station I was listening to was talking about it. One female DJ said something to the effect of "Who asked for an Oasis reunion? I have no idea, but it wasn't me!"

[@NoNameNo.5]

They were HUGE here in the states, saw them on tour with Black Crowes

[@andymagill1720]

James I went to the Oakland stadium gigs on the be here now tour when oasis supported u2 on the pop tour Oasis were that good I went back for a 2nd night , but the stadium was nearly Empty when oasis played and we left our seats to go touch tight to the stage it was terrific to be that close to the music and live experience It was a hot eve , and to be fair u2 the show lights etc did smash the gig later Good times indeed Thanks for the great work you do on the 2nd alphabet of music after the Beatles oasis 👍

[@OrangeDrink74]

I was at that Pittsburgh gig. They were brilliant but the crowd was small. Pretty much all British people chanting One Nil One Nil One Nil One Nil at them because City had just lost to United the day before. "Typical, 4000 miles from Manchester and the place is full of United fans" says Noel. One of the best gigs I ever went to.

[@Tsa-SONGS-ABOUT-BEING-a-DAD]

Lol trust us Brits to turn an oasis gig into a footy crowd

[@ScareglowSkull]

15:37 Country Noel worked for me

[@Tecumseh-rx5rn]

Bro Oasis was huge in America 😂

[@ceetoye]

I'm going to see them in California. Very excited to welcome them back

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Whooooop!

[@nuahS]

I have the same reaction to American culture as Liam every time I walk out my front door.

[@nuahS]

@@christopher9152 It doesn't cost 2k to go to the hospital for stitches, you don't have to live in fear of getting shot, and your politicians aren't cartoon characters. Trust me, it's better.

[@AngryShredder2004]

I may have already posted this fact in a similar video: The people who gave them the crystal was The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Oasis complained about running out of coke and the BJM offered them the meth

[@juliemarie5926]

If you don't play the game you don't win the prize it's as simple as that for Oasis in America

[@irishkid_G]

For years I’ve heard this that and the other about their WAGG gig. I’ve watched that gig and it’s not anywhere near as bad as it’s been portrayed to be. Yeh, there were a few bum notes and mistakes but it was Noel’s (and Sound Engineers) that stood out more than anyone else’s. You’d swear everyone else fkd it up and was lagging behind while NG & Coyle were on point. Couldn’t be further from the truth. Worlds apart.

[@robertgoulet7886]

You can the same thing about ABBA. They were a big deal everywhere except the US. They finally broke through here with the their greatest hits album in the 90s.

[@aisle_of_view]

Saw them in 96 or 97 in LA. Universal Amphitheater. I think tickets were $35. They were good, a typical Oasis show.

[@peterdaigle4772]

Was this guerilla marketing planned? I thought the Beatles reference was a bit much, but not a bad band

[@jr8612]

Strange that they seemed to be so well received in the lord don’t slow me down doc compared to the early days, MSG, red rocks some big hitting venues

[@johnlenz420]

18:12 MILWAUKEE MENTIONED !

[@patmccrotch5373]

She's asking some really irritating questions.. it's gotta be annoying to have to sit there and waste your valuable time answering ridiculous questions like that.

[@NickFlood-p5n]

I just dont get the Oasis obsession and we share birth city, they were pretty overated back then, theres so many other bands from that era , bands from the US that were so much more talanted and creative.

[@joeterzio7175]

Posted on r/Oasis. Great job, James.

[@aaroncharlesworth6415]

WHERE'S THE NEW ALBUM????

[@robertgoulet7886]

The Beatles and their contemporaries grew up listening to Fats Domino, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry. The Gallagher Brothers listened to T Rex, Bowie, and of course, The Beatles.

[@MickPurvis1986]

Alot more and wider ranges than just those 3 .Other British legends mostly

[@robertgoulet7886]

@MickPurvis1986 I'm oversimplifying a bit. The Beatles seemed to admire American culture more than Oasis did. But Noel is a big fan of Burt Bacharach.

[@bentonbragg2065]

American here, I actually have tix to the show in Chicago the 28th, gonna be mad

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Nice!

[@Chris_34]

What went wrong in the USA? Liam being Liam.

[@DarkCloudCompendium]

Love your Oasis deepdive videos

[@robsol123]

I’ve been the biggest oasis fan forever, every time I learn summat new about them = I fucking love them even more

[@areamusicale]

22:10 do you know the "angry British kids" video? that one about responding to some facebook comments? it's hilarious!

[@anthonybird546]

As a teenager raised on a steady diet of 90s MTV, especially with Beavis & Butthead, I was a little nonplussed with Wonderwall. I still picked up their album and loved it. It kinda felt like the media didn't like them at the time. Which is weird, considering all the antisocial weirdos that had been bubbling around thanks to Grunge you'd think they'd be used to it. Americans took to Blur immediately after that in a big way, of all things. Clearly Americans loved Britpop, I sure did, it was an awesome mix on rock radio, before nu-metal blew up, of a bi-national mix up of weirdos.

[@torinoscaletunes]

Re that date this year. Noel plays the long game, that's all I'd say. If, for example, you had an album to put out...

[@NoelG702]

My first Oasis concert was in January 1998 at the Patriot Center. The crowd was so wild and raucous that Noel had to tell us to calm down. So, no, not all American audiences just stared blankly at the stage. Oasis did play a couple of US gigs in December of 1999.

[@chrisgatesmusic]

CANADA!! (AKA..the 'other' Gallagher Brother...that still lives w Peggy) Watching this & how Oasis went down over here in the 90's, really does kinda seem like being stuck between Noel & Liam...LOL. We're far more aligned w UK 'thought', but due to sheer proximity, a MAJOR portion of our media was US driven. Oasis DEFINITELY had fans here, but if ANYTHING steered CDN public away, was the arrogance, but ONLY when came to the Beatles....bizarre, I know. US 'arrogance' (like WWE) generally annoys the avg Can, but is laughed off as if comes from sheer ignorance. Oasis KNEW what buttons they were pushing, & the "We're bigger than the Beatles/I am the reincarnation of John Lennon" bit, did not go well over here...yet, we all held them as a guilty pleasure (& GENUINELY went for the blood of the guy that attacked Noel in '08)...Idk, the Oasis/CDN experience really is like 'sitting in the middle' The ONE major belief I remember was that Oasis WAS a promotional tool used to get the youth in to the Beatles...it did align w release of the Anthologies & Free As a Bird on the charts...& CERTAINLY got a ton of kids in to the Beatles, whilst backfiring on Oasis (All Around the World vid, etc), so at the time was "Why listen to a knock-off, when we're discovering the REAL thing?" A MAJOR change of perception for them over here came since the break up. In interviews you'd hear the brothers, individually, being intelligent & sincerely endearing..charming, witty etc... ah fug it...'POLITE' (We ARE CDN after all!!)

[@DavidCarrol-i2q]

It's true to say that Oasis' popularity did not sustain beyond 95-98. However first 3 albums all went platinum. Morning Glory 5x or 5 million😮 They were hardly failures and this 2025 tours almost guarantees them to be riding high on the US billboard and Spotify charts.

[@glennconnell6785]

The tour in 1996 was crazy 🤪 especially some of the concerts liam was In great form stand there giving 1000 yard stear they just didn't give a f### that's what makes them one of the greatest bands

[@APMTenants]

Oasis were equally loved and hated here in the states. They had two big hits but the backlash was pretty immediate as they quickly devolved into tabloid fodder. For every fan they had 5 detractors and they were the butt of jokes. They honesty deserve the bad reputation they have here based on their own behavior and disrespect for their fans. Maybe you can get away with dissing the former Beatles in the UK, saying they haven’t been good since 1969, but that doesn’t fly over here. Especially when it’s demonstrably false. Should have stayed in their lane and kept their head down instead of constantly talking themselves up when they didn’t have the talent to back it up.

[@Monkeypole]

What are you on about? They're all massive Beatles fans 😂

[@APMTenants]

@ Here is just one example. There are many. They were fans of the Beatles but also said none of their solo work was good and oasis was better. How about keep your mouth shut or don’t be surprised when people don’t like you "All these old farts, slagging us off - they'll be dead and buried by the time we start getting senile and shitting in our pants. And we can remember all their shit tunes. 'I've Got My Mind Set On You', 'When We Was Fab'. The quicker they f*****g go, the better for everyone. Anyway, John and Ringo were The Beatles. Isn't It A Pity? It will be when I meet George Harrison. I'm gonna stand on his head and play golf. I'm gonna do me Roy Castle impersonation on his head [that is tap dancing, except he is dead now; cancer]. So who wants a fight? Any old fart who's allowed out of the rest home wants a fight with me, yeah? After I've had me steak and kidney pie, I'll be ready. Do you want it? Any of you senile bastards want a ruck? I'll meet you in the pub, six o'clock. Yeah, it's unlikely, you never know, they might turn up. Whoof! I'll do the lot of them. That should be the headline: 'I'll do the lot of you.' I had a dream where I drop-kicked him in the throat, George, and smashed McCartney from here to Jupiter and back. He didn't have his seatbelt on. My name is disturbance. I love the music. I played the game. Thought I wasn't bothered. Then I thought - I do want it. Keith, Mick and any other old bag who decides to get out of bed in the morning to slag us off. Dirty old nipple. Sweaty old mushroom. I wanna meet you in the middle of Primrose Hill. Thursday afternoon, 12 o'clock, on the green. They say they got misquoted. I won't be misquoted. The main thing we're talking about here is this: any dick who wants it, regardless of what time or day or what shoes I've got on. Anyone who wants a rumble will get it because the man is mad for it and that's the end of it. I don't like fighting but you've not been slagged off like me. And there'll be no big chaps around, man. Just me and me dick, man. And I'll hit him with me knob. I've said I wanted to chill, but I've got loads of knobs picking on me anyway, so I might as well say - 'Let's have it!"

[@APMTenants]

@@Monkeypole McCartney even told GQ in 2016, “Oasis were young, fresh and writing good tunes. I thought the biggest mistake they made was when they said ‘We’re going to be bigger than The Beatles’. I thought ‘So many people have said that, and it’s the kiss of death.'” He added: “Be bigger than The Beatles, but don’t say it. The minute you say it, everything you do from then on is going to be looked at in the light of that statement.”

[@Monkeypole]

@APMTenants Yes but that's not "dissing" The Beatles... jesus, Liam dressed as John Lennon for years 😅 They absolutely love them

[@APMTenants]

@@Monkeypole "All these old farts, slagging us off - they'll be dead and buried by the time we start getting senile and shitting in our pants. And we can remember all their shit tunes. 'I've Got My Mind Set On You', 'When We Was Fab'. The quicker they f*****g go, the better for everyone. Anyway, John and Ringo were The Beatles. Isn't It A Pity? It will be when I meet George Harrison. I'm gonna stand on his head and play golf. I'm gonna do me Roy Castle impersonation on his head [that is tap dancing, except he is dead now; cancer]. So who wants a fight? Any old fart who's allowed out of the rest home wants a fight with me, yeah? After I've had me steak and kidney pie, I'll be ready. Do you want it? Any of you senile bastards want a ruck? I'll meet you in the pub, six o'clock. Yeah, it's unlikely, you never know, they might turn up. Whoof! I'll do the lot of them. That should be the headline: 'I'll do the lot of you.' I had a dream where I drop-kicked him in the throat, George, and smashed McCartney from here to Jupiter and back. He didn't have his seatbelt on. My name is disturbance. I love the music. I played the game. Thought I wasn't bothered. Then I thought - I do want it. Keith, Mick and any other old bag who decides to get out of bed in the morning to slag us off. Dirty old nipple. Sweaty old mushroom. I wanna meet you in the middle of Primrose Hill. Thursday afternoon, 12 o'clock, on the green. They say they got misquoted. I won't be misquoted. The main thing we're talking about here is this: any dick who wants it, regardless of what time or day or what shoes I've got on. Anyone who wants a rumble will get it because the man is mad for it and that's the end of it. I don't like fighting but you've not been slagged off like me. And there'll be no big chaps around, man. Just me and me dick, man. And I'll hit him with me knob. I've said I wanted to chill, but I've got loads of knobs picking on me anyway, so I might as well say - 'Let's have it!"

[@tobysbreathisverybad]

A decade earlier I grew up on The Replacements so self sabotage seems pretty familiar.

[@lewisclark1122]

30 odd years later - Oasis are selling out NFL stadiums in the US.

[@rizzledizzle9801]

"Goodbye cold world" is actually what kings of leon based their whole career.

[@MedalionDS9]

I am canadian... I have never struggled to understand Liam or Noel... never needed subtitles *shrugs* or at the very least, get the general gist of what is being said

[@DaveGray-l4r]

This is my entertainment tonight after work ! Going in aug upto Edinburgh for the gig ! Not sure how true it is but I’ve seen a predicted set list … no wonder wall master plan roll with it or little by little.. but apart from that it’s mega

[@malupit8ian]

6:01 classic liam crashing out

[@BrownElectrons]

I like the feud they had with the screaming trees/Mark lanegan

[@FromGregaWithLove]

Okay, I’ve never heard Noel doing an American accent, but that’s fucking hilarious.

[@seinfeldfan442]

I feel sorry for noel being stuck in a position where he was the only one taking the us market seriously.

[@bruceartur]

The Americans never understood Liam since he spoke in Morse codes :D

[@generalcustard1]

Just to note James that the video you reference as being from the Wetlands gig in July 94 is actually from their more famous gig in October 94 at the Wetlands (more famous to bootleggers at least as fantastic soundboard of it) . English guys in audience being dicks I think from Paulo Hewitt's book

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Ahhhhh crap. Wrongly labelled in my archive. I swear there's one cock up in every video. How annoying

[@generalcustard1]

No worries loved the video as always, some great detail in there! It's interesting that some American hip hop stars have referenced Oasis (Kendrick Lamar wearing Oasis t shirt, 2pac listening to them in jail), wonder if their attitude is part of the appeal there and as you say part of reason mainstream America didn't get them

[@CloseToTheEdge89]

In a way i was i was a kid when Oasis came out. But i was in my 30's. Some of my mates liked them. But i never got it. But then i was a guitarist who liked stuff like Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains. And playing Road Rash. It was great seeing all the kids going mad at the concerts. Looked fun to be young. Mind music these days is shit.

[@michaelmcdonald5175]

That Canadian gig where people were throwing things on stage at least got another chance. In the SECC Glasgow Be Here Now Tour some prick threw one thing at the side of Bonehead after maybe 9/10 songs, and Noel walked. Fair play to Liam he wanted to stay and shrugged his shoulders. All Noel should have said was, "sort it out" and it would have been "sorted out". He made up for it at the Barrowlands Noise and Confusion Tour. By god did he make up for it! "That's Glasgow" he exclaimed to a nearby camera after Don't Look Back in Anger.