Oasis’ ‘Definitely Maybe’ Is ‘Last Great Punk Album’

Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash, Iggy and the Stooges … Oasis? While Oasis may not be the first band you think of when punk rock is mentioned, Noel Gallagher recently referred to his band’s breakout album, Definitely Maybe, as “the last great punk album in many respects.”

During an interview with Mojo magazine reflecting on the iconic 1994 release, Gallagher commented, “Definitely Maybe was the last great punk album in many respects. We were a punk band with Beatles melodies. We had no effects, barely any equipment, just loads of attitude, 12 cans of Red Stripe and ambition.”

He then took things a step further drawing a comparison to punk icons the Sex Pistols, noting, “If you listen to that and Never Mind the Bollocks, they’re quite similar. That album was about the angst of being a teenager in 1977. Fast forward to 1994 and Definitely Maybe is about the glory of being a teenager.”

He continued, “It’s being down the park with a ghetto blaster distilled. It’s no coincidence that it’s lasted this long. Maybe there have been technically better or bigger records since, but that album is the real fucking deal. There’s no bullshit on it. It’s an honest snapshot of working-class lads trying to make it.”

While their sound might not be traditional punk rock, Oasis definitely had the swagger that you saw in many punk icons of the decade that preceded them. “We always had unshakable self-belief in Oasis. Going into the start of 1994 we didn’t have ‘Supersonic,’ but everything else was already written. Everybody who heard the demos of what would become Definitely Maybe were freaking out, so we just wanted to seize the moment. We’d been talking the talk amongst ourselves for a couple of years and when it came down to it, we were ready. Every minute I spent awake, I just knew it was going to happen,” said Gallagher.

He went on to add, “Back then, I’d hear Blur or Pulp or Suede on the radio and think – fuck these idiots. But looking back at it now, it was an amazing time for indie music, or whatever you want to call it. But we were ready to take over. We were ready to wipe everybody out. I thought Blur, Pulp, The Stone Roses, The La’s, whoever, they were great people and they had one or two great tunes, but we had twelve. However loud they were, we were louder. However fast they were, we were faster. However good they were, we would trump it. They were all great bands, but we were better. It was as simple as that.”

READ MORE: 10 Rock + Metal Songs Written Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs

“Once you’ve written ‘Rock And Roll Star,’ ‘Live Forever,’ ‘Supersonic,’ ‘Slide Away,’ it’s like, come on, everybody get out the way now… The confidence came from the fact that we had these songs and we could fucking play them.”