Supersonic. Oasis

Of course the documentary has been released quite some time ago. This weekend it was on the telly and I decided to give it a view, despite the negative reviews the film received mostly over here. So let me write just a few words.

Somehow Oasis never got as big over here in NL as it was in the U.K. It seems the destiny of most U.K. bands that are hyped beyond recognition by the British music press. Almost since The Beatles no band from the U.K. got as big for a number of years. Oasis never scored more than five hits over here, with three of them not crossing the number 30 spot out of 40. Only one top 10 hit. 'Wonderwall' reached to #9. That is all. (Now that says more about the Dutch charts, than anything else. I can't find a lot of decent songs in them for about 25 years. It's all dance, rap and what ever stuff, next to horrible Dutch language songs. But hey, the charts are for kids, right?)

The band came into my life with the first album at the time I heard 'Live Forever' for the first time. Immediately I went out to get the album. If Oasis had only released one song, the one opening 'Definitely Maybe', 'Rock And Roll Star', it would have made a lasting impression on the world. It's the kind of song that is not only great, it's a declaration of intent and victory march in one. It truly would have been enough. Just like the first song on their greatest heroes' first album, 'I Saw Here Standing There'. The kind of song that says it all.

Many great songs followed, of course, but the period highlighted in Supersonic, was the period. Not one thing that followed could live up to the expectations created here. The Knebworth event Supersonic opened and closed with said it all. After that (and just before I found) things started to fall apart.

Just like the 'Amy' movie I'm somewhat surprised how much tape there has been lying around, even from before the band broke. Having grown up in a family without camera's I'm used to having not much (and not placing much value on) film.

The film shows brilliantly the reason why there's no more Oasis. The one brother is at heart an ego-centric attention seeker, the other is perpetually jealous of the attention his baby brother is getting. Whenever for a second a camera is directed at Liam, Noel darts into view trying to be cuter, wittier, whatever and forever loses. Having all the talent was not enough. He had to have more than that and that spelled out disaster for the band, leaving everything and everybody by the wayside. The fire consumed nearly everyone involved. Band members and entourage alike.

One interesting fact remains though. Had it not been for Liam recognising his brother's talent for writing songs, no one would, most likely, ever have heard of either Gallagher. So who is indebted to whom, really?

Another interesting fact. Despite the fierce competition with that other U.K. band at the time, unless I've missed it, the name is not mentioned once in the whole movie. A bit strange if the goal is to show the sign of the times.

Fascinating boring stuff Supersonic is. And the legacy? If you're from the generation that grew up in the 90s, especially in the U.K., this will probably be your band forever. For me, it was a nice interlude before I moved on, forever thinking that The Beatles were better and hardly ever playing one song any more. Sometimes I even wonder what all the fuzz was about.

There are two new albums out instead of one. Let's see if they are worthwhile reviewing over the coming weeks.

Wo.