Wait, Was That A Commercial For An Oasis Compilation?

If you’re like me, when you hear the word “Oasis,” a few things come to mind all at once: “Wonderwall.” Drug abuse. Getting bullied in junior high. And of course, the big media circus revolving around Liam and Noel Gallagher regularly beating the hell out of one another, like a bunch of drug-crazed ten-year-olds arguing about who is daddy’s favorite.

Yes, dear readers, now you too can relive all those great memories with the new Oasis compilation, Stop the Clocks.

“But wait a second, Steven,” I can hear you say. “I didn’t know that Oasis had other #1 songs besides ‘Wonderwall!’” Oh yes, reader. They also had “Champagne Supernova," and a bunch of others...in the U.K.

Seriously, though, kudos to this band for still attempting to put out records. Their history goes a little something like this: Once upon a time there was a band called Oasis. They began to reach popularity in Britain in the mid-90s as part of a Britpop movement with songs like “Some Might Say.” In 1995, they scored a runaway hit with the album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?.

Then they got famous and imploded. They lost a bass player, got him back, put out a couple more albums with declining popularity, lost a guitar player, lost the same bass player again, and lost their record label.

After that, they put out another mediocre album, endured more sibling rivalry between Liam and Noel, and ultimately decided to add an experimental flavor to their music...before getting in a brawl with a bunch of kids in a Munich bar, ending in an assault on a police officer and an arrest for the entire band in 2002. Since then, they have put out another, more experimental album, and have toured extensively. This has brought back a little of their popularity, but all in all, it’s been quite a rocky road.

So good for you, Oasis. I expect Stop the Clocks will do really well…in the UK. As for the U.S., well, there’s probably enough nostalgic Gen-Xers (like me) willing to shell out and fuel the Gallagher brothers’ drug habits for at least a week or two.