OASIS: Monnow Valley & The Lost Album

In Autumn 1993 Oasis recorded at Monnow Valley. This is the story of their studio session and the album they produced... which the public have never heard.
Thanks to everyone who came to the Lowestoft gig, it was great!
JH
Many images and videos in my KZbin content have been found online without any attribution or credit available. In many cases I have therefore not been able to add a credit in the videos themselves due to lack of information. If your image or video has been used and a credit is required, please email me with your details and evidence of authorship and a credit will be added into the video description.
Many thanks, JH.

[@Whatupdoctor]

The thought of Liam sitting there in silence listening to Ian Brown talking about prophecies for hours is fking hilarious

[@GT380man]

Ian was right, though.

[@malcomgladstone]

@@GT380man In what way ?

[@BlackCountrySoul1]

The reason the studios are so close together is because Monnow Valley Studios was originally the rehearsal space for Rockfield Studios which was set up by Kingsley Ward and his brother Charles on their farm in the 60's. Later in the 80's, Charles converted the rehearsal space into a full studio and it became Monnow Valley Studios. The cover of the Supersonic single is a picture of the band in Monnow Valley. You can see the iconic coachhouse doors in the background.

[@lustycourtier2425]

And them doors are so heavy!

[@woodyp50]

Good to hear they are releasing the Monnow Valley versions for the 30th anniversary

[@hellooohowareudoing]

"Definitely Maybe would go to #1....again" That gave me chills, how amazing would that be!

[@db0800]

It wouldn't it sounds sh#t. Like coats are on top of the speakers and the treble is right up.

[@thegeordie4life550]

@@db0800 how you look like a complete fool now mate.

[@Stewbert_72]

@@db0800I do believe it’s no1 this week 😂

[@MickPurvis1986]

​@@Stewbert_72 and still .1 i think👌😃

[@techbro404]

Man you're legit af! No misleading titles and you wait to advertise your own music until literally the last 10 seconds of the video. Respect!

[@mumbles215]

You’re attention to detail is sublime. You’re dedication to this band is unbridled and unparalleled. You really do a service to the fans of this band. I caught them at their peak, 3 weeks after Knebworth (Philly/Stateside) and few times after. I even got to work with Noel and Gem once when they came to our studio and played acoustic to the audience (radio listeners) (Y-100 show April 2000). Mixing Noel on the Mains was a highlight of my career. Even had a small convo with him about how bad Columbus, Ohio was…no nightlife lol (they played there the night before). I enjoy your channel bud. Keep it up

[@justinsixx90]

I live like 2 hours from Columbus lol!

[@mumbles215]

Hahah. That’s funny. I related to Noel when he said that it was a “Beat town” cause 3 years earlier I had passed through there going out west So I knew what he meant. Lol.

[@Mattythebassman]

The two nicest located studios of all time in my opinion. It would be a dream to spend a few days or a week or whatever living and recording there with some mates.

[@darrenmuso2621]

It was..👍

[@kieranjquigg6670]

Amazing video again. As a massive Oasis fan from their 1st album and to have found a channel of someone who shares the same passion I have for that band is just brilliant. You deliver your videos in such a personable manner and style. It would be amazing to hear the original sessions on vinyl. We know that Noel or someone from his office watches your videos so keep the pressure up, you never know. Keep the amazing content coming.

[@LikeSomeDude]

I’m from the States and Oasis is my fav band of all time. Be Here Now was released on my 18th bday in Britain and they were my fav band back then too. I listen to Morning Glory more than any other album, and I listen to a lot of music. I’m an Oasis nerd and I have to say that I am totally humbled by your Oasis scholarship. I fookin loov all yer fookin videos yeah? Mad fer it.

[@neilsun2521]

Be Here Now was released the same day UK schools gave out their final GCSE results. Everyone went to the school for the last time ever to collect the envelope... So I have a lot of memories connected to that album's release. School friends etc. Was exciting at the time to finally hear some new stuff. I'd mainly been listening to their b-sides for 2 years.

[@LikeSomeDude]

@@neilsun2521 Mad fer it!

[@nicolascage9440]

Hello James, from Sheffield city!!! I just wanted to say that your videos are amazing and detailed (been binging them all week haha). You've actually turned me into a slight Oasis skeptic, and into a fan! I never quite understood how deep the songs actually were. And the history of the lads. Bonehead seems like a stand up guy too! Hope he gets through his diagnosis and lives to rock another decade + Sorry for the cheesy message 😅

[@J_M_300]

Slide away is my favorite song ever thx you for letting me know the whole backstory 🙏

[@MickPurvis1986]

Im enjoying the monnow valley and sawmills recordings as well as sad song recorded in mauldeth and grateful for these being remastered & released which led me to dig deeper and came across some authentic demos from sawmills before Noels remastered and released them ,you can hear the imperfections and Liam making noises and singing but I love these rare Oasis & ones that aren't really known , Thanks for sharing this James I know i write it on all the vids but your insight makes these even more great ❤️🤟

[@alicebarker7682]

James, I've just come across your channel in the last few days; I'm absolutely loving your content. You're a fabulous musician. Your Oasis videos (and your Britpop era videos) are incredible! I'm on a listening binge! I have never come across such insightful, well researched, passionate and fabulously delivered Oasis content from a fellow Oasis fan. I have been waiting for a channel like this since 1994!!!! Huge respect, keep up the good work and THANK YOU xxxx

[@jackwyllie3243]

Great informative seminar in Lowestoft last night Mate. Was great to meet you and ask some questions. Keep up the excellent work!

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it 👍👍👍

[@seinfeldfan442]

I never get sick of your videos, your doing a great job.

[@lassereden7785]

Been to rockfield 2 weeks ago. It was all a bit unreal. Slept in the room where Noel used to sleep. Stood where Liam sang Champagne Supernova. Our entourage was ace as was as the food. Noel left the family a signed poster that read "you made the sandwiches, we made history"

[@mywhychromosome]

Wow, that's an amazingly insulting thing to leave them, lol

[@rivolinho]

Lol, that is such a Noelism!

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

Cokehead

[@alexandersmith3687]

wow the lost album is now a real thing!!!! Looking forward to James' future video discussing it :)

[@andrewbclinton]

my band Senser was in Monnow valley right after Oasis. I remember riding a big 1000cc motor bike across the fields scaring the cows. I also for some reason pored a load of petrol in the river and set fire to it

[@YoungukJo]

It's finally released!

[@stevem-h3562]

Been on a few songwriting retreats at Monnow Valley in the last ten years. Always a pleasure to stay there and record there. Pity that it couldnt still be open and running as a fully functional enterprise in its own right but theres not enough trade to keep these residential places going. Lots of good memories. The control room, when I went there had at first an ex-PWL/Hit Factory SSL 4000G console and after that a beautiful Neve 8038(I think) that belonged to Andrew Scheps. Plus a huge pile of outboard.. and the last time I was there a couple of big flightcases full of Schep's rack fx units.

[@mitchellfuentes03]

my favorite 'Oasis's nerd' you rock James Noel's gonna hate you and we're gonna like you more. Keep on mate; I love this channel!

[@litters5656]

A video ordering all oasis songs from the first few albums from when they were written (not released) would be very interesting!

[@TheRubberStudiosASMR]

Loving your channel mate❤ what a beautiful place

[@Oklatucky_Guitarman]

Looks like your wish has been granted!

[@threedog14]

You need to make an update on this! I know me and other fans would love to hear what you think of the actual tracks now that theyre no longer lost media!

[@REALLYRANDOMREVIEW5]

Binging on your Videos atm Loving them all almost as much as i love Oasis lol

[@Holonomics]

What can I say - another excellent video and what I am really appreciating is the way you really bring these stories alive so it's almost as if we are there experiencing the anecdotes as you are telling them (if that makes sense?).

[@garyallwood3451]

Hi James, loving the Oasis videos. It blows my mind how different producers can get completely different outcomes via mixing. Would love an in depth video using your producers ear. Listened to the Owen Morris 5th Beatle video, that was class also Keep it up.

[@michaelwilson2340]

Imagine Martin Hannet still alive at this time and producing Oasis. Absolute chaos! Could you possibly do one on Noel's friendship with Bono? Two complete opposites together. How? Why?

[@michaelwilson2340]

@MADCHESTER UTD Yes. You can hear So Young on The Complete Stone Roses CD. A good compilation except for the singles from their debut album are edited down so those tracks are a bit shorter. Still, worth the money.

[@michaelwilson2340]

@MADCHESTER UTD There needs to be a Stone Roses box set released that covers rarities and unreleased live tracks. I'd buy it. Joy Division/New Order are my favorites, but The Stone Roses first album is the best debut album I've ever heard. And I've listened to a lot of albums in my 52 years on this earth.

[@generalcustard1]

Great video James, I guess on Noelly G's tendency to embellish that is something a lot of great storytellers do. A video on heathen chemistry would be very welcome as it's an interesting one for me - the first recorded with the new members and had great Oasis-sounding singles on it (with great b sides too) but the album was a major letdown and Liam's voice had went downhill big time from SOTSOG, when arguably he was still in his peak. Could a proper producer have influenced things, would they have been better releasing a few EPs instead, was Noel's writing at the time just too different from the typical Oasis sound, hence a lot of his better songs from the time like Idlers Dream or Shout It Out Loud ending up as b sides ... sorry to go off topic!

[@generalcustard1]

@@badgasaurus4211 particularly on The Hindu Times I can't stand the mix of it, much prefer the sound and arrangement of the demo version. You're maybe right in terms of the album tracks being Oasis-lite sounding, was more thinking of some of those great b sides from the time, which are more like Noel solo tracks

[@berkborke]

The worst Oasis record will always be Dig Out Your Soul for me. SOTSOG and HC were meh but they still had a few great tunes.

[@mywhychromosome]

@@berkborke what?! Really?? That's shocking to me...I remember late at night, catching the video for "Shock of the Lightning" and being knocked sideways, I still think it's one of the greatest songs they ever did. Admittedly, there are sections of the album that run together a little bit with similar material, as others have mentioned here about other albums, it would've been even stronger and much more tight had it been, say, a 5 or 6 song EP, but even so...I thought Noel reaching back to "Columbia" and some of the psychedelia of his youth, and especially his finally making use of having a world class drummer in the band and putting some heavy percussion up front for the first time, really paid off, as opposed to the largely Oasis-by-numbers of "Shoulders" and "Chemistry".Although, there are songs I like on both of those and, as always, it's all about personal taste! It's just intriguing to me that someone would pick that out as their worst, when it largely has an 'Oasis regains their artistic mojo' reputation (although not to the same degree as "Don't Believe the Truth")

[@mywhychromosome]

@@generalcustard1 Oh man, the demo of "Hindu Times" is brilliant...the sonics, the heavy drum loop, the shoegazer guitars, the vocals, even the alternate lyrics...everything is much stronger than on the album version. Once I discovered it, it became the only version I listened to. Actually, in recent years, it's started to seem to me that after the first few records, Oasis is one of those bands (and there are several others I like) where, with some of their clunkier albums, if you go digging amongst the demos of said album, you can find some buried gold--whether great tunes that didn't end up used or, more often, songs they lost the plot on by the time it came to record the album version. Occasionally, it's true even with strong material: the Noel demo of "I Wanna Live in a Dream" from when he was in Oasis, with the clattering drums and little funky bass going in and out, is much stronger than the final version as put out on HFBs first record.

[@r.edward5701]

@@mywhychromosome I was extremely disappointed they split because I thought this album was a return to form.

[@rylan6637]

hey james was wondering if you could possibly do a deep dive on “Cast no shadow” it’s one of my favs and i’m just so fascinated by the intrumentals and harmonies in the song

[@rylan6637]

@MADCHESTER UTD i like the theory that it’s about noel more ngl

[@rylan6637]

@MADCHESTER UTD really just want more of a deep dive into each of the tracks for the song

[@seanp6990]

Addicted to this channel its brilliant!

[@Luke-ph9xf]

Another super video. Thanks James!

[@PunkMarioBros]

13:52 that would be a great thing for them to do for the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe in 2024 kind of like how for the 30th anniversary of Nirvana’s Nevermind they added live versions of songs that were previously unreleased

[@MickPurvis1986]

Your comment 2 years ago 😉😃👏

[@MickPurvis1986]

@PunkMarioBros

[@jakehope6811]

Great video James mate best oasis vids on KZbin keep it up bro 👍❤️

[@marklees206]

Love your content pal.love oasis.best band ever.keep up brilliant work.

[@BackToBackJames]

I would pay to see recordings of The Rain.

[@miketransporter5638]

They should release the lost album for the 30 yr anniversary

[@galagalaxia6286]

I think it's about time to release some kind of Lost Album. Maybe most are pretty annoyed by the "music" crap these days plus it might create new hype and inspiration for young guitar bands...

[@alfieralph8036]

There are so many great stories to be found on this channel 👍👍

[@lewisclark1122]

I guess most of us have now heard the Monnow sessions. They aren't bad, IMO, but they definitely haven't got 'the fire'

[@rizzledizzle9801]

The time of events is that the rain existed, with bonehead, guigsy, tony and chris hutton. They sacked chris, liam joins, changes the name. Then about a year later noel joins. Liam was never in the rain.

[@User-jk8wq]

I swear to god every clip of Mani in that Definitely Maybe documentary is comedy gold

[@shredder9536]

Look up Lawrence Carpenter's video on the Flying V guitar Johnny Marr lent Noel. Apparently it was used to record Slide Away and Cigarettes and Alcohol

[@greensgreens5386]

The way Tony describes Liam sat there is exactly how I feel when totally twisted in weird social situations haha Giving me anxiety thinking about it

[@trelard]

I'm not a huge fan of Oasis, but your videos are great for filling out the actual stories behind the sensational headlines in the daily rags.

[@ArenClegg]

thanks dave scott for slide away!

[@GregRichards-vv4bj]

Also, not far away is Clearwell Castle. Ozzy rehearsed Blizzard there. Inside the cover of Rush's A farewell to kings is taken inside the front door, just for some. I've been to raves there too - even a car boot sale! Lots of R n R history around here...

[@martinharvey-olson8553]

Be curious to hear your thoughts on the Monnow Valley versions now that they’re out in the 30th Anniversary version. Personally I think they’re really really interesting. A bit punkier, more loose and with a lot less power in the guitars.

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Yeah I need to do something on the new tracks definitely! I will get to it...

[@seanjones180]

Looks like it's incoming...

[@Tmacker71165]

At your best when you these stories. ... Really enjoy them 👍

[@cv-bo5to]

Are you ever going to do a video on vinyl vs cd? I personally think they really messed up the mixes on the re issued vinyl, making the Original CD releases better and the best way to hear the band.

[@justineddy5306]

Another great video James! Tons of well researched details that I was previously unaware of. WIll you ever do a video on the Munich incident? There was so much insanity around it at the time and it would be great to get to the truth of exactly what went down. Thanks

[@ducoh2093]

Im a bit confused, I thought Slide Away was recorded after their live break through, in those sessions where Mark Coyle was replaced by Owen Morris... Amazing slide away was already finished as a single way before that.

[@chrisjones1931]

Not sure if I'm hearing this clearly, but at 1:00 into the video it's mentioned that 'When Oasis recorded here at Monnow Valley in the autumn of 1993, they had only released their first two singles Supersonic and Shakermaker'. Supersonic was released in April 1994 and Shakermaker was released June 1994. Not sure cos i'm tired that I could be hearing it wrong or . . . have those dates mentioned been mixed up in this video? it's just that by the time they recorded in Monnow Valley 1993, oasis had not released any singles at all not until April 1994 with their first being Supersonic. I'm sure cos I'm just really tired and so am it hearing it wrong but even with the sub titles on it sounds like you might have got the first 2 single releases in 1994 mixed up with 1993??? Sorry to be a dick if i'm hearing you wrong, but sounds like a mix up. Supersonic wasn't even written in 1993, apparently Noel states that he wrote in about an hour in early 1994 when the band were in the studio in Liverpool and they needed a b side for the first planned single 'Bring it on down'. He came up with Supersonic and it's mad scatty lyrics in the studio and they recorded it there and then in 1994, and as a result dropped 'Bring it on down' as first single and so therefore Supersonic was the first single. I'm going to bed now cos my face is gonna hit the keyboard :)

[@keithrichard2874]

The Stories in this. Laughing out loud. Legendary 😂

[@keithrichard2874]

Would love to hear the original recordings ✊

[@Qba19xx]

Hi, please make a video about the conflict between Richard Ashcroft and Noel. I believe in your research and the ability to understand why Noel started hitting him verbally.

[@Qba19xx]

@MADCHESTER UTD In 2018, Noel suggested that Richard is not writing his songs, comparing him to Ed Sheeran and Harry Styles.

[@Channel-kj3ho]

You're amazing! Thanks for sharing!

[@EddieG1888]

Was the version of Live Forever on the compilation "Creation For The Nation" actually a demo? Its listed as having been recorded in 1993, I suspect it could be from the Monnow Valley sessions.

[@JamesHargreavesGuitar]

Just listened, great call you could be right!

[@EddieG1888]

It certainly seems a bit odd that Noel would write a song in 1991, and wait two years to demo it, only doing so in the same year as they go to record their debut album, eh?

[@coldacre]

it was recorded at Loco Studios, Newport. September 93. so this was 3 months prior to them starting on Def Maybe.

[@cullipyt]

My lord has uploaded a new video

[@alex506d]

Don't sound like no sonnet

[@Drummer8282]

35:50 - no way. Earl’s Court ‘95-‘98 is Liam’s prime before touring did it’s damage.

[@adamthomasthom2948]

So Noel Gallagher lied about not hearing Liam sing before the boardwalk gig . You can tell Noel always puts salt and pepper on stories aka a bit of a liar

[@robwood8331]

He's full of shit more like lol

[@matthill263]

I don't think you can place too much blame on whoever mixed it, If something is incredible difficult to mix then there's usually something off with the arrangement like too many sounds occupying the same area of the frequency spectrum.

[@Aspen_Chap]

i would like for them to release loads of them old demos

[@arnesl929]

Preordered the anniversary CD (cd for the 90s experience)

[@robertgallagher5285]

On January 1 1994 did Oasis have Supersonic and Slide Away recorded and nothing else??!!!

[@REEP_N_ROLL_STAR]

Now we get the "Lost Album"

[@craignightingale8022]

I'm surprised it took so long for Oasis and The Roses' paths to cross. Can anyone confirm who played the lead on that 3 song demo tape they did in Manchester after the Gallaghers joined?

[@TinshipTravels]

I met the Dandy Warhols once and they asked for my "demo cd" I didn't have one on me, but it's one regret I'll always have... I did smoke pot with them though.

[@malcomgladstone]

Will there be anything on Suede? they were apart from everyone and respected by most of the big bands Or at least interview BB, he is surely the best all-around guitarist of that time anything on Manics , Pulp , Radiohead etc

[@mojojojojuniper6122]

Wow a lost treasure😎

[@jonnygatenby6333]

Any idea if the original tapes still exist or if they were destroyed?

[@robwood8331]

Wow was that a picture of The Rain? Apparently Chris Hutton wasn't bad but Liam had the look too

[@shaunw9270]

Superb video again mate 👍

[@FGD135]

Oi, amazing doc! If you have Patreon please share it, cheers

[@tijannjai1207]

It's a great facility, but I didn't see a jukebox ! Definitely substandard

[@andyallthings]

James may of found The Whitfield Street Sessions the failed Dave Dave Bachelor sessions thire is recordings on Thejus Nambiar you tube channel

[@markw.loughton6786]

Brilliant Video 👏

[@GallahersGreen]

This MIGHT be the original album mix.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3W4ZIadm6mDfbM

[@mattpotter8725]

I'm a little confused, are you meaning release the slow, not very Oasis versions, or maybe, if I'm getting what you're saying right, they are only slowed down by the engineer? I'm sure, from what you're saying, they could include different guitar parts from Noel that aren't included, but wouldn't they really just be very similar to what actually ended up on the released album? They would be definitely interesting to hear, but I'm not sure what you'd get from this, except inferior versions of the classic songs, and can you see Noel, the perfectionist that he is, going for this. If it was mixed professionally with today's tools then I'm not sure you could release it as Definitely Maybe, perhaps it could be called Maybe Definitely?!!! I guess it could be named Definitely Maybe: The Lost Sessions, or something like that.

[@mattpotter8725]

@@abcxyz53 Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I wouldn't want to hear them, just wondering if the other songs were that different from those that were released. If Noel thought they were rubbish then will they be worth hearing even if that's possible? I don't know, maybe. Isn't it up to them though so it's very unlikely them ever be released?

[@mctv7416]

Could you do some research then make a video on the lost album they made with death in vegas and why it was scrapped. Also it would be interesting is for the amorphous androgynous album that noel canned. Gary Cobain has a while fb post on it and it is not the same as how it went down according to noel.

[@GregRichards-vv4bj]

Me and my mate took some weed to Rock field for these nutters.... Am a big Oasis fan, although we were ravers ATM. 😁

[@terrancestamp31]

Are you going to do a video on the new Morrissey single "Bonfire Of The Teenagers'? Morrissey sings... And the silly people sing: "Don't Look Back in Anger" And the morons sing and sway: "Don't Look Back in Anger" I can assure you I will look back in anger 'till the day I die

[@joaquin8637]

31:49 that's the least haunted room i've seen in my entire life

[@supershedseven]

I would say a very interesting video would be on the Heathen Chemistry leak. A lot feel it was Alan who did this and was the real reason for his sacking but nothing has ever properly come out. Very little info of it around though so might be just one a bit too far.

[@eddysandland58]

Makes sense coz you can't hear The Drums on the Lead Single! Let alone the rest of The Album's Drums Mix are Shockingly Bad! And I like HC 👍

[@FGD135]

Mega

[@mixplacetube]

I liked the recordings, its not raw but at least its all in phase.

[@chrisbrehaut]

They should open another studio then it can be Stereo Valley rather than Monnow Valley 🙃

[@ChorltonandtheWheelies]

Monnow Brow would be more apt for early Oasis 😉

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

2 quality comments! 😁🇬🇧👍

[@myrskylintu1]

Ok, you are Oasis nerd, but is there such a thing as a Blur nerd?:) I have not heard of any.

[@endezeichengrimm]

You really are the Oasis nerd.

[@ianlittlefear4690]

My problem with the production it that it’s very toppy. It’s quite tinny and not enough bass.

[@mneugent7658]

Do you have three eyebrows?

[@kfcblaziken495]

:)

[@sjin8896]

Imagine calling your child "Bonehead", what terrible parents that guy has.

[@harwoods11]

I think you'll find it's a nickname 🙄

[@trippyleo5609]

The real people have the first oasis sound and Noel stole rifts and full lines from them where as Liam stole their sound

[@scoot8534]

Are you pissed off?

[@trippyleo5609]

@@scoot8534 nope 👎 why are you?

[@5urg3x]

LMAO 2:48

[@tt-du6vc]

Fifth!

[@richardmoores]

Fifth place is no place mate

[@zenbear4149]

Don’t even like Oasis and find these videos interesting.

[@ffedor77]

Dont like oasis? U crazy?

[@jimmybgoodeuwu7204]

Second comment haha

[@msgretrogamer]

Great video