By Samantha Masters
Oasis siblings Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher once opened up about a pivotal moment that inadvertently set them on the path to stardom. This week, the brothers kicked off their first tour together in 16 years, having reconciled after a long-standing feud. Following two sell-out performances at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, they’re now gearing up for a string of homecoming gigs in Manchester next week. Previously discussing their success, the Gallaghers recounted a harrowing event involving Liam that unexpectedly ignited his passion for music. The 52-year-old recalled being struck with a hammer during a fight in his teenage years, which resulted in a hospital stay and his “head bashed up”. “Until then I was just into football, smoking weed [and] getting into [scraps]. I wasn’t into guitars at all,” the musician shared. Prior to this episode, Liam had dismissed music as something that “was for weirdos”. However, his perspective shifted dramatically post-recovery when he went from disliking Madonna’s Like A Virgin, to hailing it as “a f*****g tune”. This newfound appreciation led him to embrace bands such as The Stone Roses, which then led to the beginning of his love affair with music. “It was like the Bisto kid. Got a whiff of the Roses and that was that. The rest is history,” he said, according to journalist Hamish MacBain. Observing the transformation in his younger brother, Noel, 58, added: “Somebody hammered the music into him, he’s got a lot to answer for. I’ve got the perfect alibi, so it’s nowt to do with me.” Liam formed the legendary Oasis in 1991 aged 19, alongside guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs, bassist Paul ‘Guigsy’ McGuigan, and drummer Tony McCarroll. Noel became part of the group later on, having previously worked as a roadie and technician for Inspiral Carpets. Oasis then released their chart-topping debut album Definitely Maybe in 1994, which soared to number one in the UK charts. According to Oasisnet.com, their second album, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?, became the band’s bestseller with worldwide sales reaching 22 million. Wonderwall remains as the band’s most cherished hit, which has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, and surpassed 1.5 billion streams on Spotify as of 2024. The band’s heyday era came to an end in 2009 when Noel stepped away, falling a backstage row in Paris. In his statement at the time, he said: “It’s with some sadness and great relief… I quit Oasis tonight. “People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.” Post-split, the Gallagher brothers pursued individual musical paths, with Noel founding Flying Birds and Liam establishing Beady Eye. After an influx of calls from fans for a comeback, the siblings finally put their differences to one side and announced a reunion tour in August 2024. The pair are expected to rake in a massive £400 million from the reunion tour, from ticket sales, merchandise, and other associated income streams. Oasis’ next stop is at Manchester’s Heaton Park on July 11th, 12th, 16th, 19th, and 20th.