Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis on tour in Tokyo. Simon Emmett/Walt Disney Studios
Before the legendary Knebworth gigs, exorbitant recording sessions, meth-fueled brawls, the Battle of Britpop and general hooliganism, Oasis’ Liam and Noel Gallagher were just two brothers trying to become the next Beatles. Thirty-five years after the band’s formation, the Gallaghers’ rise from working-class lads to British rock gods in Oasis is the stuff of music legend. But even though they released generation-defining records back-to-back – in 1994 Definitely possible and 1995s (What’s the story), Morning Glory? – The Gallaghers’ tense relationship became defining for the group. Their dreams of being rock ‘n’ roll stars always seemed on the verge of collapse.
At their best, the Gallaghers’ cat-and-mouse games with each other were light-hearted tidbits to be told to friends in the pub (remember when Noel called Liam “
The Gallaghers have split up over the years and launched separate solo projects and collaborations; Noel forged a relationship with Blur frontman Damon Albarn on a Gorillaz track in 2017, while Liam teamed up with John Squire (formerly of the Stone Roses) to record an album in 2024. The brothers reportedly spent about 15 years without going into the same room as others. So when Oasis announced they would be reuniting for a world tour two years ago, the excitement was palpable but also troubling. With a history of touring bringing out the worst in the Gallagher family, how would they make it work? Even as the tour’s opening show in Wales was ready to begin, the fear remained that they would not be able to let go of old grievances.
And then it happened. They traveled all over the world, and OG Oasis executives and young fans flocked to their large-scale concerts. Amid the good vibes, rumors of a documentary and new music began to spread; the brothers repeatedly denied and teased these rumors, but then confirmed the first ones by publishing Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Angerofficial documentary chronicling their return. Directed by Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern, the film immortalizes last summer’s intergenerational celebration while also delving deeply into the brothers’ newfound admiration for each other. Here are seven things we learned from the film.
Noel enjoys rehearsals, but Liam (maybe) not so much
Don’t look back in anger opens with a bearded Noel arriving on the first day of Oasis’ six-week rehearsal period. As rehearsals continue, Noel notes in voiceover that he plans to work hard on the setlist during these weeks so they can relax and enjoy the tour. He quickly revises the arrangement of “Columbia” like a stubborn but well-meaning music teacher, and is later seen jamming to “Half the World Away”.
While this is happening, Liam has not yet appeared on screen. On the day he does arrive, he comes in and does his job, but there is little conversation between the brothers, and the editing of the documentary gives the impression of lingering tension between the duo. Noel gives him a note to sing the outro to “Slide Away” (which Liam laughs at, but ends up signing up for the tour), and in another clip, Liam sings the final lyrics to the setlist’s closing song, “Champagne Supernova”, and grabs his Adidas gym bag and leaves the rehearsal room before the final notes have even sounded. In another group this would have been considered outrageous. But they all laugh it off and Noel later says he respects Liam’s happy-go-lucky attitude.
The Gallaghers couldn’t believe the crowds around the world, especially in America.
Through Don’t look back in anger The Gallaghers return to a peculiar point: they cannot express the euphoria emanating from the crowds in every city (the Welsh police chief describes fans as having a “herd mentality, similar to that of a football crowd”). Noel says he turned off the first 40 minutes of the premiere in Cardiff, Wales. Although they had already been shocked by the religious stupor they had experienced in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, their next performances would take them to North America, where they were met with a, er, “warm” welcome (in the Gallaghers’ own words). But that’s it: footage from the film continues the party before Liam declares, “We’ve finally woken up America.”
Their Irish heritage and Mancunian upbringing are integral to Oasis’ identity…
For the uninitiated, Liam and Noel were raised by two working-class Irish immigrants in Manchester, England, and flaunt their heritage. The Gallaghers note that some of their songs combine melancholy and optimism, e.g. morning glory“Some Might Say” is a standout, reflecting their Irish identity. As the story goes, Oasis’ working-class image resonated not only with Mancunians who frequented the same places they did, but also with fans around the world who found hope in their songs. One Korean fan quipped in the documentary: “Oasis falls with you.”
…As guitarist Bonehead
Rhythm guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs returned to tour with Oasis after leaving the band in 1999. Although he cracks plenty of jokes throughout the documentary to keep the band in high spirits, Noel states that Oasis owe a lot to Bonehead: “It’s the bloody Oasis sound,” he says. Following Bonehead’s departure, Noel followed the guitarist’s tone throughout the final decade of Oasis’ original run.
Noel learned that young fans flocked to their concerts
Don’t look back in anger the concert film is equally a video portrait of the Oasis fanatics who have long awaited their return. The band’s “live every day like it’s your last” mentality shaped a young, carefree fan base back in the Nineties, and in a voiceover, Noel admits that the crowd for the Live ’25 tour was still young, which he believes is due to parents of the younger generation passing on their love of Oasis. Now, after the 2025 tour, these songs mean something different to Noel, and fans can’t help but wonder if they plan to continue with the 2027 tour.
The brothers now respect each other, flaws and all.
“This is not a power struggle [anymore]- Liam says towards the end Don’t look back in anger. Petty grievances about the opposing Gallaghers’ personalities would have cost them the tour 30 years ago, but now they respect each other’s differences while acknowledging their own arrogance. In one scene, Noel recalls how their single “Susonic” opened with the smug lyrics “I need to be myself/I can’t be anyone else,” and Liam has lived by that uninhibited M.O. all his life; Liam himself says: “It takes a lot of care not to spit.”
Noel also praises Liam’s fashion cool (Stone Island parka, big sunglasses, tambourine as an adorable character) and how much his frontman persona has resonated with fans around the world. Liam describes their reconciliation as the lifting of a huge weight: “Everything was forgiven without a word being said,” he says, and is delighted that they are finally performing Oasis songs together again, as it was always intended.
Are they texting each other now?
Liam and Noel are filmed in their first interviews together in 20 years throughout the documentary and reveal how the good times continue behind the scenes, including communicating with each other via text messages: “The fighting is over,” Noel says. For other families this is a given, but for the Gallaghers it is very important; they joke about sending each other funny social media posts (which we can only imagine are Manchester City FC related) while their kids (including Jean Villanelle, models Anais and Lennon, and Donovan) have become best friends. “I forgot how funny he was,” Noel laughs, remembering Liam.
From Rolling Stone USA.