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They’ve been at each other’s throats for 30 years. Now ALISON BOSHOFF reveals if there’s a bust-up on the Oasis reunion tour between Noel and Liam, it will cost them millions

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At precisely 8:15 PM this evening, right here at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the instant it unfolds, it’s bound to leave an indelible mark in history.

For the first time in 16 years, brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher are set to perform together on stage, marking an end (or at least a pause) to one of the most infamous feuds in pop music history.

In due time, we’ll see whether the much-anticipated comeback of Oasis truly meets expectations as advertised – or if the pricey tickets offer something beyond mere nostalgia.

Certainly, the high-profit gathering of the feuding Gallagher family raises numerous queries, with the main one being both simple and profound: will we observe a healing between individuals who have inflicted themselves, as well as their kin, with nearly half a lifetime of distress? Or is this merely a meeting for financial gain?

In this instance, the sibling rivalry is so profound, long-standing, and open that it led to the creation of a popular song titled “Wibbling Rivalry.” This song was a 14-minute recording of the brothers arguing during an interview with a music magazine in 1995.

More currently, a book titled “The Little Book of Oasis Insults” surfaced. Some of the wittiest remarks include Noel, aged 58, labeling Liam, aged 52, as ‘a man with a fork in a sea of soup’, and Liam referring to his elder brother as ‘a clinging potato… who’s always got an arm around Bono’.

Reflecting on the intense exchanges between Liam and Noel, I often find myself pondering over a question that leaves me deeply perplexed – could such a profoundly hurtful remark ever be forgotten, let alone forgiven? The accusations aimed at the paternity of Anais, a cherished daughter, are certainly not light.

In the 2016 film ‘Oasis: Supersonic’, Noel pointed out that the band’s most potent asset was the bond between him and Liam, but this same relationship ultimately led to Oasis’s downfall.

If the initial concert marks a mending of their relationship, as some fans speculate, how likely is it that this reconciliation will endure throughout all 41 performances?

According to an experienced figure in the music industry, it’s possible for a band that doesn’t get along or share the same vision to complete a tour. However, it requires careful management to be successful.

It sounds like they’ll mostly go their own ways for traveling and partying during the tour, and considering their past, it seems prudent to do so.

As a devoted fan, I’ve picked up that rumors indicate Noel and Liam might each receive a designated batch of complimentary tickets and VIP passes. Moreover, it’s speculated that they’ll each host separate post-concert celebrations, inviting their unique set of guests.

According to my source, the green room and after-party you’ve been invited to depend on which of the brothers you obtained your ticket from.

Always going against the flow, Liam shared his thoughts on post-performance plans on X in his usual endearing manner: “Parties after shows are for fools. I’m leaving immediately after the concerts so I can get a good night’s sleep and maintain this level of attractiveness. Chatting nonsense with bores isn’t how one becomes appealing.

The potential reward is a staggering £50 million per member, payable upon finishing all scheduled performances. Apparently, this contractual arrangement ensures that their focus remains sharp.

So far, professionally speaking, Noel and Liam have seldom collaborated. Noel along with the rest of their band rehearsed for two weeks, followed by just a couple of half-days of Liam’s presence. With his usual confidence, Liam considers this as more than enough preparation. When asked on X this week if he was ‘seriously not nervous’ about the tour, he responded confidently, saying ‘No, because I’ve prepared like a CHAMPION.’ To another inquiry, he added, ‘We wouldn’t be doing it if we sounded terrible.’

Some supporters believe they’ve secretly spent time together off-camera, which is partly accurate. Over Christmas, Noel didn’t join Liam’s grand family gathering in the Cotswolds with their mother Peggy, brother Paul, Liam’s partner Debbie Gwyther, and many of their children. Nevertheless, Liam received a visit from Noel and his two children by ex-wife Sara MacDonald during Easter, as he posted on Twitter: “Easter Sunday was biblical. Noel Donavan Sonny dropped by.” He also mentioned it was nice to meet the young ones, hinting that this was their first encounter. The boys are 17 and 14 years old.

Glenn Fosbraey, an Associate Dean at the University of Winchester who specializes in music culture and has authored books like ‘An Exploration of Hatred in Pop Music: Viva Hate’, suggests that it’s likely they will remain separate due to financial reasons. During the 1980s, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards had strong animosity towards each other and couldn’t even be in the same room together.

Although they’ve had their fair share of disputes off-stage, when they step onto the stage, they shine brilliantly. They’ve managed to pull through these challenges before, and Fleetwood Mac has faced similar strife. This isn’t uncharted territory, but it promises to be intriguing, and seeing them perform together will make the experience all the more unique.

He adds: ‘I think that is the big question – is this a reunion or a reconciliation?

As a dedicated fan, I find myself musing that this moment seems particularly opportune for a gathering. The revelation, coincidentally made just a day following the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe, has kept them in the limelight already. From a business perspective, the timing couldn’t be more ideal.

‘It seems to me that their latest solo albums didn’t sell as well as their previous ones. This could indicate that their solo careers are losing momentum. Historically, when this happens, bands often reunite. The pattern tends to be: first you split up, then you go solo. Then your solo ventures decline, and you rejoin.’

Fosbraey notes: ‘Conversely, the romantic side of me speculates that after some time has passed, everyone involved has evolved, and they now wish to pen the concluding part of the tale for the audience’s sake. It seems they aspire for a more refined ending.’

The longstanding dispute between Noel and his bandmate Liam reached its climax on August 28, 2009, when their band broke up just before a concert in Paris. However, the tension between them dates back much longer. Their eldest brother Paul, not a member of the band, has been a silent observer throughout. He recently hinted that the squabbles began during their teenage years, expressing his frustration by saying: “I try to keep my distance as much as I can. It’s been how many years now, 30? How many times can you say ‘ugh, it’s painful’?

As stated by Mum Peggy, aged 81, their rivalry extends way back into their childhood days. She explained: “Noel was simply stunning as an infant, and then Liam arrives, stealing the spotlight from him. You could sense the tension between them right from the start. It’s a relief they managed to form a band together; I couldn’t imagine Liam in a band without Noel.

Liam admitted that their feud began when they were teenagers, living together in the same room. He joked, “I came home drunk one night and couldn’t locate the light switch; instead, I accidentally spilled beer all over his new stereo.” To this day, he added, ‘Noel still harbors resentment.’ At that time, Noel was more successful between the two, working as a roadie for the Manchester band Inspiral Carpets while Liam spent his days on unemployment benefits, constructing fences and working at a garden center.

Later, Liam established a band with some friends – a surprise for Noel as he found out that his younger sibling possessed an abundance of stage presence and was putting in a lot of effort. Intrigued, Noel decided to join the group and took on the role of the primary songwriter.

Moving forward, a tense dynamic unfolded regarding who held the reins at Oasis – myself, the primary creative force, or Liam, the charismatic frontman whose performances ignited crowds. I explained, “It’s essentially about me taking control and everyone channeling their efforts towards me. Liam’s frustration over this situation was the spark that ignited the whole conflict.

The band was notoriously unstable, with their individual personalities, immense fame, and shared affinity for cocaine and alcohol creating a highly combustible blend. There wasn’t anyone who could outparty the Oasis members – just ask Liam Gallagher’s first wife, actress Patsy Kensit, who famously kicked his car in 1999 following an incident at London’s Met Bar involving Liam and model Kate Moss.

In just a few weeks following their wedding, unbeknownst to Kensit, he had already fathered a daughter named Molly with singer Lisa Moorish.

As a dedicated fan, I’d like to share my journey through the remarkable tale of Oasis. In 1993, this iconic band was signed to Creation Records, and in the year that followed, they unveiled their debut album, Definitely Maybe. The following year, they dropped the epoch-defining masterpiece (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? As a token of appreciation from the record company, reminiscent of John Lennon, Noel was bestowed with a Rolls Royce, while Liam received a Rolex watch. In Noel’s own words: “Liam got a Rolex. I got a Rolls-Royce. Which is brilliant, ‘cos I can’t drive and Liam can’t tell the time.” Their first number one single, Some Might Say, was released in 1995, with their legendary performance at Knebworth taking place in 1996. However, a significant rift occurred in 2000 when there were rumors of Liam questioning the paternity of Noel’s daughter Anais with Meg Mathews, leading to Noel leaving mid-way through a European tour.

2009 marked the year when they officially parted ways, and Noel announced his departure from Oasis in these words: “I’m informing you with a mix of sadness and relief that I have decided to leave the band tonight. Critics may write what they wish, but the truth is, I could no longer endure working alongside Liam for another day. The constant verbal and physical threats directed at me, my loved ones, companions, and associates have become unbearable.

Liam acknowledged that his drinking had contributed significantly to their dynamic, something they both exhibited from the start, which was a defining factor for Oasis. However, all of a sudden, Noel seems to have transformed into someone like Ronan Keating or another soft-spoken individual, saying “We can’t tolerate such behavior.

Years of deep freeze followed.

In 2010, when Oasis received the award for Best British Album at the Brit Awards, Noel was not present with Liam. Additionally, Liam did not acknowledge his brother during his on-stage speech.

Liam wasn’t included in Noel’s wedding to MacDonald in 2011. When asked if they might reunion for the 20th anniversary of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, Liam bluntly replied, “I’d rather eat my own words than play in a band with him again. He’s a real grump.

In 2013, Liam expressed his affection for ‘our child’, but showed disdain towards ‘band Noel’. When asked about a potential reunion by NME, Noel responded: “One can never rule out never, as one might find oneself in need. However, I have no plans. I’m not inclined.

Roughly three years past, when queried about Noel potentially attending the screening of the Oasis: Supersonic documentary, Liam responded with a chuckle: ‘I’m afraid Noel won’t make it. He’s holed up in one of his enormous homes, likely munching on tofu and undergoing a skin treatment. Isn’t that correct, fellow commoner?’

In the subsequent year, their relationship deteriorated significantly. Noel’s spouse, MacDonald, expressed her disinterest in watching Liam, whom she described as a ‘plump individual putting on a tribute act,’ at Glastonbury. Liam then seemingly sent a message to Anais, Noel’s daughter, stating: ‘Inform your stepmother to exercise caution.’ Later, Liam apologized for immature actions, but Noel stated in an interview: ‘That’s not the first time he’s texted my daughter or left threatening voicemails on MacDonald’s answering machine.’

When he’s menacing my wife through our teenager, it crosses my mind: If you weren’t famous as a rock star, but rather an uncle working in a garage, the authorities would likely pay you a visit.

He stated: ‘I possess a significant weakness in my otherwise exemplary character as a person, which is my inability to forgive. If you engage with my children through text messages, and his sons have been harassing her too, then forgiveness will not occur. When you contribute to the bullying of my wife online, where she has to close Instagram accounts due to the offensive comments written about her and my daughter, there is no chance for reconciliation.’

It seems that a significant shift occurred, and we might find its origins in the divorce between Noel and MacDonald, which took place in January 2023.

Through the romantic relationship between Liam and his ex-assistant Gwyther, a truce was established among the brothers. It seems that Anais, Noel’s daughter who is now 25 years old, played a significant role in reuniting the band, as she developed strong bonds with Liam’s children Gene (age 24), Lennon (25), and Molly (27). Additionally, Peggy, their mother, might have been crucial in this process too.

Maybe, with Noel turning 60, they’ve started to understand the brevity of life. Their mother, being quite advanced in age, has played an important role in bringing them back together again.

‘If their reconciliation is genuine and they can work together again, a new album could also emerge.’

It’s rather doubtful, considering what their manager, Alec McKinlay, mentioned in a recent interview with Rolling Stone: ‘Regarding any fresh tunes, there’s no blueprint.’

Noel has explicitly stated that this is likely our final tour. It’s an opportunity for new fans to witness the band, and for some existing ones who may not have had the chance yet.

In terms of our supporters, there’s no doubt about it – we have a strong connection. Back in the ’90s, Oasis was known as the rock ‘n’ roll counterpoint to indie bands such as Blur and Suede, and that legacy continues to evoke immense devotion.

This summer, thousands will rejoice over the rock ‘n’ roll duo who supplied the fierce, empowering tunes that marked their younger days, regardless of any off-stage altercations.

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2025-07-04 03:35

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