What with the much heralded Oasis reunion and sold-out concerts everywhere, it seems fitting to revisit their first album. Some might say, why waste your time on those tossers? Well those tossers wrote some damned fine songs. And if we start chucking chaps out of the rock ’n’ roll circus for being jerks there’ll be a lot of empty cages, won’t there? So off we go.
Photo credit: Ryland Newstead, August 2025
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“Tonight I’m a rock ’n’ roll star”. Rarely in the history of rock has a band laid out its wares so powerfully as Oasis did on the opening cut of their debut album Definitely Maybe.
Having signed to the Creation label in 1993, the Manchester band—constructed around brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher—had released three successful singles before the album hit the stores. And hit them it did, charging to the top of the UK album charts and selling a shedload. Although performing modestly in the US charts, Oasis’ first salvo still shifted a very respectable 1 million copies in America while it was certified platinum in Australia, New Zealand and Canada as well. Not bad for beginners, eh?
Enough about the moolah, what about the music? Opener “Rock ’n’ Roll Star” smashes out with powerful guitars over a rock solid rhythm section. Liam sings the melody in his whiney snarl and by the time the one-line chorus hits we believe that tonight, these guys really are rock ’n’ roll stars.
But it doesn’t let up. Singles “Shakermaker” and “Live Forever” follow up with more high energy rock delivering insanely catchy tunes. On the 2 LP vinyl version, this makes for one hell of a first side. “Shakermaker” deserves special mention because it is an early example of the love of the Gallaghers for The Beatles. Channelling some mystery tour magic, the song unfolds steadily, excitingly… evoking but never aping the Liverpool masters. It’s just fab.
When a band achieves success as rapidly as Oasis, there’s bound to be a backlash, yet focussing on that would miss the point. At the time, British pop/rock music was reinventing and refreshing itself; shaking off eighties doldrums like a dog coming out of the sea. Oasis, Blur, Suede, Pulp… bands competed, jostled and clambered over each other in a hugely influential reboot of popular music. And Oasis were the stars, swaggering with the arrogance and immaturity that accompanies a sudden avalanche of fame.
All of that ambition, aggression and angst is in the grooves of Definitely Maybe. “Supersonic” surges but serenades. “Cigarettes & Alcohol” (a song showing a clear debt to T. Rex) celebrates the everyday drugs that provide escape from the numbing banality of urban working class life. “Slide away” has what songwriter Noel has claimed is brother Liam’s best ever vocal (and who are we to argue?). Plus the vinyl has a bonus track previously only available on Japanese versions, the acoustic “Sad Song”.
Even the album cover is iconic. The band are in the lounge of guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs, surrounded by objects meaningful to each member. Photographer Michael Spencer Jones suggested they bring the personal totems: we have the Burt Bacharach poster from Noel, Bonehead’s soccer photo, and of course cigarettes and alcohol. Although apparently the red wine is in fact diluted Ribena as claret doesn’t photograph well. Hm. If you say so.
There you are. A blast of Britpop from 1994 that has retained enormous listenability and energy. What is more, if you scored tickets for a concert you can sing alon with the brothers in 2025.
Definitely Maybe. Simultaneously of its time and a lasting classic.
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Originally published at Discrepancy Records. Reprinted—with additions—with kind permission.
vinylconnection.com.au 
I have to second your enthusiasm about the music on this album – definitely, not maybe! The sound is great and the songs are very catchy.
It’s really hard to believe I missed all the fuzz about Oasis back in the ’90s. On a positive, this means I also missed all the infantile fights between the Gallagher brothers. That said, you’re right the music business is packed with oversized egos that oftentimes seem to be correlated with fame!
Musically, the ’90s were largely a black hole when it comes to most of what was then-contemporary music. For the most part, I was happily living in a bubble that largely consisted of pre-’90s music or ’90s music by bands or artists I knew from preceding decades.
Music-blogging has been particularly eye-opening when it comes to the ’90s – better late than never!
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I certainly admire your willingness to tackle an entire less-well-known decade, Christian. Glad it has turned up some nuggets!
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From today’s perspective, it almost feels like, ‘hello, was anyone home there?’😆
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I was a fan of Oasis in the 90s. When all this reunion hoopla started, I listened to several of their songs and they bored me. I think I focused primarily on What’s the Story… I’ll try again with Definitely Maybe.
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The debut is just that bit more direct. Hope it strikes a chord, Jeff!
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I bought their first album and still love the track Live Forever, don’ think they ever topped it imo. thanks for a good reminder.
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A pleasure, Pierce. For me the first two make a fabulous pair. No second-album slump there! The one that always takes me by surprise is The Masterplan, the b-sides and rarities collection. One of the best of that category I’ve ever encountered.
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I find myself occasionally subconsciously enjoying the sneakiness when it pops up on the radio/playlist. They really do know how to grab a headline though.
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I think it’s an innate skill, Neil. That and ego-size of substantial proportions.
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It is without a doubt a very very good album. I have played it hundreds of times in my life. And every single song is ten out of ten. Second album is almost as good too
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Given your deep knowledge of the heavier avenues of the rock periodic table, I find this endorsement distinctly heart-warming, Steve.
As I mentioned to Pierce, above (Music Press), I enjoy and admire The Masterplan too. Amazing quality.
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The Masterplan is a masterclass. I never bought it… But only because I already had all the singles up until that point. Be Here now was the most significant drop off in rock memory at the time. I saw them live three times. By BHN it was all over.
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Enjoyed this, Bruce – and agreed re: the post’s closing line!
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Nice piece Bruce, and I like the picture (especially yours, but also thanks for including mine).
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Bunch of limited tossers – I saw em on their first tour, a Leeds fan knocked Liam out for football reasons. I wasn’t sorry.
I bought all the early stuff, a couple of excellent tracks (Supersonic and Columbia) and I’m very glad it’s all worth a fortune now but they were and are total tossers.
I think you may have to be British and have been exposed to as much of them and their bovine fans as we were to appreciate just what a bunch of tossers they were.
Ooh we’re the new Beatles … yeah, right, fucking Roll With It …
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I would have been deeply disappointed if there wasn’t an anti-Oasis rant, Joe. It’s reassuring that your rage has not faded. To help with your blood pressure I’m messaging you the clips my friend sent me from both Edinburgh and Dublin concerts so you can sing along. 💙
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Other opinions are of course available…
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The best thing they used to do was a cracking cover of I Am The Walrus live in their early days. And I concede that I love the front cover of Definitely Maybe too. And Cigarettes is good too.
I remember being so disappointed when I got the 12’’ of Whatever home, terrible sign of the failings of imagination that were to come with the 2nd LP.
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I’ll send you a preview of my five star review of What’s The Story. 😅
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I never bought it. My daughter really likes it though, so what do I know?
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Ah. What do any of us really know, about anything?
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