Oasis Biography

British rock band Oasis, led by lead guitarist and principal songwriter Noel Gallagher and his younger brother, lead singer and songwriter Liam, were originally formed in Manchester, England. The Gallagher brothers are the only remaining original band members from when the band were formed in 1991. The present line-up is completed by Gem Archer (rhythm/lead guitar and songwriting) and Andy Bell (bass guitar and songwriting). Zak Starkey - the son of Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr - is the band's current unofficial drummer.

Musically and lyrically, they cite bands from the British Invasion such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who. They also cite The Sex Pistols, Neil Young, The Stooges, The Stone Roses, and The Smiths as key influences.

With the success of their critically acclaimed debut album Definitely Maybe and its 19 million selling follow-up, (What's the Story) Morning Glory?; coupled with a rivalry with contemporary band Blur, Oasis became one of the most successful and prominent British bands of the mid-90s and one of the leaders of the Britpop movement. The Gallagher brothers featured regularly in tabloid newspaper stories, and cultivated a reputation as both bad boys and a band of the people. At the height of their fame, their 1997 third album Be Here Now reached #1 in the UK charts and also became the fastest-selling album in chart history, with almost half a million copies sold on the first day alone. Oasis have sold more than 50 million records worldwide (including singles).

Having survived the loss of founding members and sustaining support from their loyal fan base, Oasis have managed to outlast many of their Britpop contemporaries. A band known for its arrogance about its success, Liam Gallagher once declared "We still are the most important band in the world, and we'll be the most important band in the world until I say so."

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