The man described as the original ‘sixth member of Oasis’ arrived in Edinburgh as the warm-up act ahead of the band reaching Edinburgh on their tour.
Keen Oasis fans will recognise Tim Abbot from the cover of Cigarettes and Alcohol. The ex-Creation label boss kickstarted a weekend of Oasis activity with fans arriving from South Korea, Canada, Ireland, and Norway to view a screening of The Lost Tapes: Oasis Like Never Before. Tim has over 30 hours of unseen film of the band, and the cultural value is beyond measure. One section includes Noel Gallagher working out the chords to Don’t Look Back In Anger.
On Thursday night in Edinburgh, he revealed footage of the first time the song was played live at the Sheffield Arena. Also captured is behind the scenes images and film of the band at Earl’s Court for what were the biggest indoor European gigs of the time. As Abbot pointed out, the quick rise of Oasis was unprecedented, with the band’s popularity growing like no band since The Beatles. Fifteen years on since they split and they are now enjoying another cultural moment by becoming the biggest and most significant rock n’ roll band in the world.
The temporary Oasis shop in George Street has welcomed a constant procession of fans, where you have to book an appointment. Yesterday, a number of items had already sold out with fans from around the globe collecting items to wear at the concerts. Abbot invited questions from fans, perhaps the most pertinent was “Will Oasis release any new material?”
He suggested that it’s likely Noel will have around 15 songs tucked away, while suggesting that Liam has become a competent guitar player and songwriter in his own right, who will also have songs in the bank. The film showed Liam sitting with an acoustic guitar when he was still a learner, playing blues riffs while recording (What’s The Story) Morning Glory.
Another high point in the film was Noel Gallagher played the solo to Champagne Supernova live in the studio, leading to applause from the audience. Abbot was also asked about further touring, and he suggested that records will be broken. While billed as a reunion, this now seems the second phase of Oasis, where the sky’s the limit.
A new version of Tim Abbot’s Oasis Definitely is out now. For more info, visit oasisdefinitely.com
