Noel Gallagher Plans to Release Unheard ‘Definitely Maybe’ Takes
Noel Gallagher said he rediscovered alternative takes from Oasis’ Definitely Maybe album sessions in 1993 and 1994 and was hoping to release them.
In a new interview with Spin, he discussed his plan to remix the band’s follow-up LP, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? But once again he emphasized that such projects were the closest he’s come to a reunion.
“I found some master tapes with some cool stuff on it that’s going to be coming out,” Gallagher said. “It was in the Sony vault and was mislabeled. When Oasis did Definitely Maybe, the idea was we would do three takes of each track and then move on. I remember saying to somebody, ‘So presumably … there’s another two versions which weren’t chosen, right?’ They said, ‘Yeah,’ but the master tapes had gone missing. It turns out they have been with Sony for the last fucking 30 years, mislabeled.” He said there was “some interesting stuff” among the recordings and added that “now we can sell the album for the fifth time all over again!”
Gallagher said he's abandoned the idea of remixing 1997’s Be Here Now, which he started on because he felt the sound was wrong and the songs were too long. Explaining he had spent a week on the track “D’You Know What I Mean?” he said, “I was just like, ‘You know what? What’s the fucking point?’ ‘D’You Know What I Mean?’ sounds great, but let’s leave it how it is. ... I’d like to remix Morning Glory because I hate the fucking sound of that record. I guess I’ll get around to it one day if all the stars align. You never know.”
Turning to the inevitable question of reuniting with brother Liam, Gallagher said, “If Oasis hadn’t fulfilled its potential, I might have a different attitude towards it. But as Oasis did everything it set out to do and more, I don’t see the point. It was a moment in time and if you missed it, tough shit. I missed the Sex Pistols, and I’ve managed to get over that. So, people should get over it.”
He offered another argument: “The thing about Oasis was if you wanted to see them, you’d have to go and see them. Whereas now if you wanted to, you could pick up your phone and judge Oasis by some shit video that somebody posted on YouTube and go, ‘Eh, they’re not for me.’ Back in the day before the internet, once Oasis got you in the venue, you were a fan.”
He reflected that “we were controversial at the time. Imagine how controversial we’d be now? We’d be canceled after the first rehearsal.”