Supersonic
Remastered
Oasis
·
19941994
Oasis never did anything the easy way. Across a career stretching just short of two decades, the Manchester quintet was constantly teetering on the edge; chaos and calamity a crucial ingredient to what made them tick. It was no different with the creation of their debut Definitely Maybe but, for once, their problems had nothing to do with the turbulent relationship between Liam and Noel Gallagher. Despite possessing a collection of songs everyone within earshot could recognize as generational, here the formative Oasis suffered from the humdrum issue faced by many a new band lacking in studio experience: how to replicate their thrilling live alchemy on tape.
Not that you’d ever know it from listening. Definitely Maybe seemed to arrive as a fully-formed modern classic, its swagger so effortless, its brilliance so unrelenting that it felt like it could have been knocked out in an afternoon. “Yes,” it seemed to say, “this album is here to change the game, what of it?” But behind the record lay a series of false starts that could have derailed Oasis long before the fateful final punch-up backstage in Paris in 2009.
Oasis had already established themselves as a ferocious live proposition when they entered Monnow Valley Studio in Wales in January 1994 with the aim of knocking their debut out the park. Sensing correctly that the key lay in capturing the inexorable rush of their live performance, Noel had enlisted experienced soundman David Batchelor as producer, but the decision had backfired. Batchelor’s process of getting band members to lay down their parts separately had removed the abrasive edge from their sound, leaving the songs sounding inexplicably feeble when they should’ve been leaving you in a daze.
In a sign of confidence at what should have been, the band’s label Creation sanctioned a new round of recording, binning off the original sessions at a cost of £50,000. This time, they had to make it work. At Sawmills Studio in Cornwall, the band’s live sound engineer Mark Coyle was tasked with getting the best out of them. Coyle treated it like an intimate gig, positioning the group in close proximity in one room to nail down the basic tracks, with Noel adding swathes of guitar overdubs afterwards. The resultant recordings were spiky and bristling—but not quite there yet. The big breakthrough came with the involvement of Owen Morris, who’d engineered on records by New Order, Billy Bragg, and Electronic. His daring mixes added an imposing dynamism to Oasis’ songs and he brought Liam back in to re-record some of his vocals, coaxing performances out of the singer that would establish him as the most intoxicating rock ’n’ roll voice of his generation.
After all the hurdles, Oasis had got there. One of the most vital rock ’n’ roll records of all time was complete. From the barbed riffs of “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” to the chiming, widescreen sing-along “Live Forever,” the T. Rex-y glam-punk of “Cigarettes & Alcohol” and the epic longing of “Slide Away,” Definitely Maybe was an album that blended ’60s yearning with a Sex Pistols sneer, pairing fervent anthems about escape and breaking out of mundanity with songs that sounded like you’d crash-landed right in the middle of a fevered, frantic night out. You didn’t want to go home.
Released in August 1994, it reshaped the UK’s musical landscape, helping to usher in an era when indie rock dominated mainstream culture and Britpop ruled supreme. At the time, it became Britain’s fastest-selling debut album in history, and made Oasis superstars. Noel and Liam would never have an argument in private again. This is where it all began, an album that still sounds as unbridled and exhilarating as it did on first listen. It took a few attempts, but they cracked it in the end.
Lyrics
This page is still a work in progress.
A
B
Beady Eye
— Different Gear, Still Speeding (2011)
C
Coldplay
— Parachutes (2000)
— A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002)
— Clocks (2003) [Single]
— Speed of Sound (2005) [Single]
— X&Y (2005)
— Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008)
— Prospekt's March (2008)
— Mylo Xyloto (2011)
— Live 2012 (2012)
— Ghost Stories (2014)
— Ghost Stories: Live 2014 (2014)
— A Head Full of Dreams (2015)
— Kaleidoscope (2017)
— Live in Buenos Aires (2018)
— Everyday Life (2019)
— Higher Power (2021) [Single]
— Music of the Spheres (2021)
— Music of the Spheres (2021) [Infinity Station Edition]
D
E
F
G
Genesis
— From Genesis to Revelation (1969) [Deluxe 2CD Remaster 2005]
— Trespass (1970)
— Trespass (1970) [Remaster 2007]
— Nursery Cryme (1971)
— Nursery Cryme (1971) [Remaster 2007]
— Foxtrot (1972)
— Foxtrot (1972) [Remaster 2007]
— Live (1973) [Remaster 1994]
— Selling England by the Pound (1973) [Remaster 2007]
— The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974) [Remaster 2007]
— A Trick of the Tail (1976) [Remaster 2007]
— Wind & Wuthering (1976) [Remaster 2007]
— Seconds Out (1977) [Remaster 1994]
— …And Then There Were Three… (1978) [Remaster 2007]
— Duke (1980) [Remaster 2007]
— Abacab (1981) [Remaster 2007]
— Three Sides Live (1982)
— Three Sides Live (1982) [Remaster 1994]
— Genesis (1983) [Remaster 2007]
— Invisible Touch (1986)
— Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (1987) [Single]
— We Can't Dance (1991)
— Live - The Way We Walk (Volume One: The Shorts) (1992)
— Live - The Way We Walk (Volume Two: The Longs) (1993)
— …Calling All Stations… (1997)
— Turn it on Again: The Hits (1999)
— Archive #2 (1976-1992) (2000)
— Platinum Collection (2004)
— Turn it on Again: The Hits (The Tour Edition) (2007)
— Live Over Europe (2007)
— The Mail on Sunday Promo (2008)
— R-Kive (2014)
— In The Windy City: Chicago Broadcast 1978 (2020) [Bootleg]
— The Last Domino? (2021)
— Apocalypse in LA (2022) [Bootleg]
— The Shrine Auditorium (2022) [Bootleg]
— BBC Broadcasts (2023)
— Montreal 1974 (2023) [Bootleg]
H
I
J
K
Kasabian
— Kasabian (2004)
— Empire (2006)
— West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (2009)
— Velociraptor! (2011)
— 48:13 (2014)
— For Crying Out Loud (2017) [Deluxe 2CD]
— The Alchemist's Euphoria (2022)
— Processed Beats: 2004-2009 (2022) [Bootleg]
— Treat: 2010-2022 (2022) [Bootleg]
L
Liam Gallagher
— As You Were (2017)
— Why Me? Why Not. (2019) [Deluxe]
— MTV Unplugged (Live at Hull City Hall) (2020)
— C'mon You Know (2022)
— Down by the River Thames (2022)
— Knebworth 22 (2023)
Liam Gallagher & John Squire
— Liam Gallagher John Squire (2024)
M
Michael Jackson
— Off the Wall (1979)
— Thriller (1982) [Deluxe 2008]
— Bad (1987)
— Dangerous (1991)
— HIStory: Past, Present and Future (Book I) (1995)
— Earth Song (1995) [Single]
— This Time Around / Earth Song (1995) [Single] [Bootleg]
— Blood on the Dance Floor (HIStory in the Mix) (1997)
— HIStory / Ghosts (1997) [Single]
— Invincible (2001)
— The Essential Michael Jackson (2004) [European Edition]
— King of Pop (2008) [UK Edition]
— This is it (The Music That Inspired the Movie) (2009)
— Michael (2010)
— Immortal (2011) [Deluxe 2CD]
— Live at Wembley (July 16th, 1988) (2012) [Bootleg]
— Xscape (2014) [Deluxe]
— Scream (2017)
Morrissey
— Suedehead (1988) [Single]
— Viva Hate (1988)
— Viva Hate (1988) [Deluxe 1997]
— Viva Hate (1988) [Remaster 2012]
— Everyday is Like Sunday (1988) [Single]
— Everyday is Like Sunday (1988) [Single] [Reissue 2010]
— Bona Drag (1990)
— Bona Drag (1990) [Remaster 2010]
— Kill Uncle (1991)
— Kill Uncle (1991) [Remaster 2013]
— Your Arsenal (1992)
— Your Arsenal (1992) [Deluxe 2CD Remaster 2014]
— Beethoven Was Deaf (1993)
— Vauxhall and I (1994)
— Vauxhall and I (1994) [Deluxe 2CD Remaster 2014]
— World of Morrissey (1995)
— Dagenham Dave (1995) [Single]
— Southpaw Grammar (1995)
— The Boy Racer (1995) [Single]
N
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
— Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (2011)
— Chasing Yesterday (2015)
— Who Built the Moon? (2017)
— Back the Way We Came (Vol. 1: 2011-2021) (2021)
— Council Skies (2023)
O
Oasis
— Supersonic (1994) [Single]
— Shakermaker (1994) [Single]
— Live Forever (1994) [Single]
— Definitely Maybe (1994)
— Definitely Maybe (1994) [Deluxe 3CD Remaster 2014]
— Cigarettes & Alcohol (1994) [Single]
— Whatever (1994) [Single]
— (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)
— (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) [Deluxe 3CD Remaster 2014]
— Be Here Now (1997)
— Be Here Now (1997) [Deluxe 3CD Remaster 2016]
— The Masterplan (1998)
— Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000)
— Familiar to Millions (2000)
— Familiar to Millions (2001) [Highlights Edition]
— Heathen Chemistry (2002)
— Don't Believe the Truth (2005)
— Stop the Clocks (2006)
— Dig Out Your Soul (2008)
— Time Flies… 1994-2009 (2010)
— Knebworth 1996 (2021)
— Live by the Sea (2022 ?) [Bootleg]
P
Peter Gabriel
— Peter Gabriel: Car (1977)
— Peter Gabriel: Melt (1980) [Remaster 2002]
— Peter Gabriel: Security (1982) [Remaster 2002]
— Plays Live (1983) [Remaster 2002]
— So (1986) [Deluxe 3CD Remaster 2012]
— Us (1992) [Remaster 2002]
— Up (2002)
— Hit (2003)
— New Blood (2011)
— i/o (2023)
Phil Collins
— Face Value (1981)
— Hello, I Must be Going! (1982)
— No Jacket Required (1985)
— …But Seriously (1989)
— Serious Hits… Live! (1990)
— Both Sides (1993)
— Dance into the Light (1996)
— …Hits (1998)
— Testify (2002)
— Love Songs: A Compilation… Old and New (2004)
— Going Back (2010)
— The Singles (2016)
— The Singles (2016) [Deluxe 3CD]
Q
R
Red Hot Chili Peppers
— Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)
— What Hits!? (1992)
— One Hot Minute (1995)
— Californication (1999)
— By the Way (2002)
— Greatest Hits (2003)
— Stadium Arcadium (2006)
— I'm With You (2011)
— The Getaway (2016)
— More Hits (2021) [Bootleg]
— Unlimited Love (2022)
— Return of the Dream Canteen (2022)
S
The Smiths
— The Smiths (1984)
— Hatful of Hollow (1984)
— Meat is Murder (1985)
— The Queen is Dead (1986)
— The Queen is Dead (1986) [Deluxe 3CD Remaster 2017]
— The World Won't Listen (1987)
— Louder Than Bombs (1987)
— Shelia Take a Bow (1987) [Single] [Japanese Edition]
— Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)
— Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (1987) [Single]
— Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before (1987) [Single] [German Edition]
— Rank (1988)
— What Difference Does it Make? (1988) [Single]
— Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now (1988) [Single]
— William, it Was Really Nothing (1988) [Single]
— The Headmaster Ritual (1988) [Single]
— Barbarism Begins at Home (1988) [Single]
— Panic (1988) [Single]
— Ask (1988) [Single]
— Ask (1988) [Single] [Reissue 1995]
— The Peel Sessions (1988)
— There is a Light That Never Goes Out (1991) [Single]
— This Charming Man (1992) [Single]
— How Soon is Now? (1992) [Single]
— Best… I (1992)
— …Best II (1992)
— Singles (1995)
— Sweet and Tender Hooligan (1995) [Single]
— The Very Best of The Smiths (2001)
— The Sound of The Smiths (2008) [Deluxe 2CD]
— Songs That Changed Your Life (2008)
— Singles Box (2009)
— Complete (2011)
The Stone Roses
— The Stone Roses (1989)
— The Stone Roses (1989) [US Edition]
— The Stone Roses (1989) [2009 Remaster]
— Turns into Stone (1992)
— Second Coming (1994)
— The Complete Stone Roses (1995)
— Garage Flower (1996)
— The Very Best of The Stone Roses (2002)
— Collection (2010)
T
Tom Meighan
— The Reckoning (2023)
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
