From Weekend 1
It would be easy to argue that, without The Beatles, Noel Gallagher might not have been inspired to write songs, but then you could also argue that without Chuck Berry, The Beatles might not have been spurred on to form a rock `n' roll band. But once The Beatles got past doing cover versions and began writing their own songs, they didn't try to make their all their songs sound like Chuck Berry. In fact, Lennon and McCartney established their own, original style, and a testament to their originality is that they spawned more initiators than any other band in music history.
Are we going to start saying Kula Shaker are better than The Beatles, just because they're somewhat liberal with the old sitar? Or that Northern Uproar are better because lead singer Leon Maya looks a bit like a young Paul McCartney? I think not.
Some might say Oasis are better than The Beatles because they're here and The Beatles are not. Beatlemania was then, Oasisteria (Oashysteria?) is now. Great. You can't put your arms around a memory and all that, although you can still fork out for a digitally remastered CD version. The Beatles were around before many Oasis fans were born, and Oasis are providing today's rock kids with the same thrill their parents enjoyed back in those hazy, crazy 1960s. Fine. But just because Oasis are of the moment doesn't make them momentous.
The Gallaghers are following the paths laid down by groups like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, even The Sex Pistols, making all the right moves, saying all the right things and writing all the right words. That's because it's all been done before, and the blueprint is there for all to follow. Oasis know how to read that rock `n' roll map better than anyone around, and that's what makes them great. But it doesn't make them better than The Beatles.
But it's early days yet, isn't it? Too early to dismiss them as inferior to their predecessors. Look how much Oasis have achieved in the past two years, you say. In the time it took The Beatles to get as far as The Cavern, Oasis have gone all the way to Loch Lomond and beyond. What's to stop them getting better, man, till they've completely overshadowed the band which inspired them in the first place? They could soon be causing riots at JFK which will make The Fab Four's arrival there look like a tea party Noel's songwriting could develop beyond nicking riffs and lyrics from various Beatles' tunes, until by the year 2001 the airwaves are awash with cover versions of Noel's original, Grammy winning tunes. Liam could find reserves of passion and melody which will blow away both Lennon and McCartney's voices, and also find something to say to his generation beyond "fook off."
But it won't make a blind bit of difference. Because The Beatles wrote the songs, while Oasis just took a few notes. I love Wonderwall and Don't Look Back In Anger and Some Might Say much better than Love Me Do or Please Please Me or She Loves You. But I'll never love an Oasis song better than I love Tomorrow Never Knows or She Said, She Said or Strawberry Fields Forever. Why? Because they're the real thing, genuine, priceless antiques. In years to come, Oasis songs will increase in value, but they'll never fetch the same amount in Sotheby's. They'll always be seen as "post Beatles". You can't turn back the clock, hard as Noel tries.
The Beatles were far and away the best and the most original, and even Noel Gallagher must agree with that otherwise he'd be nicking riffs from Herman's Hermits.
