| Oasis are an English rock band, formed in Manchester in 1991. The band were formed by Liam Gallagher (vocals), Paul Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan (bass) and Tony McCarroll (drums), who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher (lead guitar). Oasis have sold more than 50 million albums worldwide,[1]
and have had eight UK number one singles. Liam and Noel Gallagher are
the only continual band members. The present lineup is completed by
songwriters rhythm/lead guitarist Gem Archer and bass guitarist Andy Bell, rounded by as-yet unofficial drummer Zak Starkey.
The band gained prominence performing on the Manchester club circuit. They were signed to independent record label Creation Records and afterwards released their debut album Definitely Maybe
(1994), kickstarting and becoming leaders of the Britpop movement. With
the loss of their original drummer, the band recorded their 19 million
selling (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) which was coupled with a rivalry with their contemporary Blur. The Gallagher brothers were 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, Oasis' third album, Be Here Now
(1997), reached number one in the UK charts, number two in the U.S. and
also became the fastest-selling album in UK chart history, with almost
half a million copies sold on the first day alone and just under
700,000 copies in its first week. The album, however, was critically
lambasted for its "cocaine" sound and the extensive length of the songs.
While recording their fourth album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants
(2000), Oasis lost two founding members, and suffered a notable drop in
popularity in America. Adding replacements Gem Archer and Andy Bell,
the band managed to soldier on and their first with new members Heathen Chemistry
(2002) was commercially successful and well-received among fans. With
shaking off the last member of their Britpop era and replacing him with
Zak Starkey, the band recorded turbulently their sixth album Don't Believe the Truth
(2005), which became their best-selling and best-received album in a
decade. In 2006, the band released their first "best-of" album entitled
Stop the Clocks,
which received great attention, especially in the UK, selling more than
one million records in three months. In February 2007, Oasis received
the BRIT Award for outstanding contribution to music. Since July 2007, the band have been working in Abbey Road studios on their seventh studio album, expected to be released around mid-2008.
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