by Daniel Stephens

Created on: March 10, 2009   Last Updated: September 08, 2011

Oasis arrived with feet-stomping, loud-mouthed pomposity in the summer of 1994 with their critically acclaimed debut album Definitely, Maybe. Mixing a range of styles to form what would become the blueprint of Britpop - the rock and roll revolution striking the UK by storm in the middle part of the 1990s - Oasis were the harbingers of arrogant guitar heroes tempered by a wholesome heart and love of melody.

Definitely, Maybe, their critically acclaimed first album, became the fastest selling debut in UK history. Featuring what would become one of the most cherished Oasis songs Live Forever, Definitely, Maybe brought together the youthful exuberance of lead guitarist Noel Gallagher and brother, lead singer Liam, into a collection of songs inspired by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and early British proprietors of raw, melodious rock The Stone Roses, and The La's.

Oasis have never been afraid to hide their love of The Beatles, or indeed, borrow quite obviously from their idols. Noel once commented: "With every song that I write, I compare it to the Beatles. The thing is, they only got there before me. If I'd been born at the same time as John Lennon, I'd have been up there." Early in their career, they covered Beatles song I Am A Walrus on Jools Holland's show in 1994 and appeared on a John Lennon tribute singing All You Need Is Love.

In their early work they name-checked Yellow Submarine in first UK single Supersonic, borrowed lyrics from Ringo Starr's Octopus' Garden for B-sides The Masterplan and Take Me Away, and Liam was seen holding a Paul McCartney album in the video for Shakermaker. They would title their later album Be Here Now after an utterance spoken by John Lennon in the sixties, and Liam simply produced a slowed down version of The Beatles' I Wanna Be Your Man for his song Guess God Thinks I'm Abel[sic]. And in 2008 album Dig Out Your Soul, John Lennon can be heard speaking on song I'm Outta Time.

The band initially formed in 1991 when Liam asked brother Noel to join him and three friends as lead guitarist and back-up vocalist in their then-named band The Rain. Noel agreed on the proviso he got creative control. The band changed its name to Oasis and started touring small venues in the northern city of Manchester, learning to hone their sound. The band caught their big break in the Spring of 1993 when, having seen the group perform in Glasgow, Alan McGee of Creation snapped them up to a record deal.

Oasis immediately saw singles Live Forever, Shakermaker,

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