Podcast Summary: Ongoing History of New Music – "In the Studio with Oasis"
Host: Alan Cross (Curiouscast)
Release Date: October 1, 2025
Episode Theme: Deep Dive into the Studio Stories Behind Oasis's Biggest Songs
Overview
In this immersive episode, legendary music documentarian Alan Cross takes listeners behind the scenes into the world of Oasis, exploring the intricate and colorful stories behind the creation of seven of their most iconic songs. With a focus on the band's time in the recording studio, Alan contextualizes each track, sharing both technical insights and vibrant anecdotes that illuminate Oasis's creative process. The episode, timed with the band's recent reunion, serves not just as a historical recap, but as a celebration and rediscovery for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Power of Context in Music Appreciation
- Knowledge increases enjoyment: Alan argues that understanding the backstories, recording conditions, and inspiration behind songs enhances the listening experience.
"Knowing something about what you're listening to can greatly enhance what you get out of a song. Its backstory, the meaning behind the lyrics, who's playing on it, where it was recorded. Quirky and interesting things to listen for, that kind of thing." — Alan Cross [02:35]
2. The Origins & Studio Stories of Oasis's Biggest Tracks
A. "Columbia"
- Oasis’s humble beginnings: Oasis's first gig as a band was August 9, 1991; "Columbia" was the first song Noel wrote for the group.
- White label mystique: The original release was a DIY effort—plain wrapper vinyl, minimal info, a mix filled with obscure samples (including British politician Tony Benn), and only sent to select DJs and journalists.
- Inspirations: Noel was inspired by Manchester bands The Chameleons and obscure act Tortuga.
“The sticker on the plain wrapper read, not wishing to wind everybody up, but Oasis have got everything. Hear for yourself.” — Alan Cross [06:13]
- Legacy: First Oasis song played on radio, December 6, 1993 (BBC Radio 1's Evening Session).
B. "Supersonic"
- Born from frustration: The band tried and failed to record "Bring It Down," broke for Chinese food, and in that downtime, Noel—pestered by a “farty” studio Rottweiler—knocked out the riff for “Supersonic.”
“While everybody was in the next room chowing down on kung pao chicken or whatever, Noel retreated to the back room and started noodling with a riff he'd had in his back pocket.” — Alan Cross [10:05]
- Lyric inspiration: The lyric “a girl called Elsa, she's into Alka Seltzer” refers to the studio’s dog, not a human muse.
- Completed in under 12 hours: The song was demoed, arranged, and recorded before the food was digested.
C. "Live Forever"
- Personal adversity as creative catalyst: Noel wrote the chords while working (and becoming injured) at British Gas; he would play guitar during idle hours.
- A response to grunge pessimism: Inspired in part by the upbeat tone of the Rolling Stones' "Shine A Light" and as an answer to Nirvana’s "I Hate Myself and Want to Die"
“He couldn't understand how this guy with all his fame and money and talent could be so miserable…Live Forever is supposed to be an answer.” — Alan Cross [12:03]
- Band disbelief: When Noel finally played it, the rest of Oasis doubted he’d really written something so good.
- Recorded at Manchester’s Clear Studio, August 8, 1994.
D. "Acquiesce"
- Serendipity on a stalled train: Noel, stuck in a train tunnel, heard a stranger use the word “acquiesce,” which sparked the title and song structure.
“He strummed the opening chords over and over and over again, something that eventually prompted one of the passengers to scream, do you mind, mate, we've heard enough of the guitar now.” — Alan Cross [17:31]
- Studio division of labor: Liam sang the verses; Noel took the chorus due to vocal range limits.
- An iconic B-side: Despite label head Alan McGee’s pleas to make it the lead single, it was relegated to a B-side before being promoted later.
E. "Wonderwall"
- Multiple meanings: The song’s meaning shifted—from being about Noel's then-partner Meg Matthews, to an abstract savior figure, to a nod to George Harrison’s album "Wonderwall Music."
- Sound influence: Inspired by Portishead’s “Dummy”—seeking a stripped-down aesthetic.
- The Great Wall of Wales: Recorded at Rockfield Studios, with some speculation the “wall” of Wonderwall refers to an actual wall on the grounds where Noel would write guitar parts.
- Vocal showdown: Noel gave Liam the option to pick between singing “Wonderwall” or “Don’t Look Back in Anger.”—Liam chose "Wonderwall."
"You do this one or don’t look back in anger. Whichever one you don’t choose, I’ll do." — Alan Cross [20:01]
- Lasting success: Now one of the world’s most recognizable anthems, making Noel £3,000 a day in royalties.
F. "Don’t Look Back in Anger"
- Birth in Paris: Written in a single, rainy night after a strip club visit while opening for The Verve.
- Major influences: Musical inspiration from Mott the Hoople’s “All the Young Dudes,” and lyrical fragments akin to Lennon’s "Imagine" and "Watching the Wheels."
“He was particularly impressed by this quote from Lennon trying to ‘start a revolution from me bed…’" — Alan Cross [22:01]
- Iconic misheard lyric: The “Sally can wait” phrase originated from Liam mishearing Noel mumbling at soundcheck.
- Mass cultural impact: After its 1996 release, the song became a near-national anthem, sung on major public occasions like weddings, funerals, and in the wake of the 2017 Manchester bombing.
G. "Champagne Supernova"
- Title origin: A mashup of the Pixies’ “Bossa Nova” and a misheard BBC documentary line about champagne.
- Deliberate mystery: Even Noel “doesn’t have a clue” what the lyrics mean.
“I should know what that means because I wrote it, but I don't have a clue.” — Alan Cross [27:24]
- Studio guest: Features Paul Weller (the Jam, Style Council) on lead guitar, whistle, and background vocals—he and Noel were close neighbors at the time.
- Cosmic footnote: Astronomers named an actual supernova “Champagne Supernova,” giving poetic closure to the song’s legacy.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On the power of backstory in music appreciation:
“Streaming is great, but that's what it is. A continuous stream of sounds coming at you with zero context… Knowing something about what you're listening to can greatly enhance what you get out of a song.” — Alan Cross [02:35]
- On “Supersonic” being written while the rest of the band ate:
“In the time it took, the four remaining members of the band and the producer to eat a Chinese meal in the other room. And it's still Noel's favorite Oasis song. Nobody.” — Alan Cross [10:31]
- On Live Forever’s defiance of grunge’s nihilism:
“He couldn't understand how this guy with all his fame and money and talent could be so miserable…Live Forever is supposed to be an answer.” — Alan Cross [12:03]
- On “Acquiesce” and sibling dynamics:
“A great story about brotherly love, right? No, no. Noel says that it's just bs, but he's going along with the story.” — Alan Cross [18:45]
- On Noel’s royalties from “Wonderwall”:
“Noel once told me that he makes about 3,000 pounds a day from the song.” — Alan Cross [20:52]
- Noel’s own confusion about “Champagne Supernova”:
“I should know what that means because I wrote it, but I don't have a clue.” — Alan Cross (quoting Noel) [27:24]
Timestamps of Important Segments
- Artist & podcast intro, importance of context: [02:35]
- Oasis’s formation and the story of “Columbia”: [04:08]
- The creation of “Supersonic”: [10:02]
- Inspiration and recording of “Live Forever”: [11:40]
- Studio stories and the accidental B-side “Acquiesce”: [17:30]
- The making and evolving meaning of “Wonderwall”: [18:55]
- Writing and legacy of “Don’t Look Back in Anger”: [22:01]
- “Champagne Supernova” and its cosmic resonance: [27:20]
Additional Resources & Recommendations
- Book recommendation: “A Sound so Very Loud: The Inside story of every Oasis song ever recorded” by Ted Kessler and Hamish McBain.
- Alan’s podcast plug: “Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry.”
Conclusion
Alan Cross’s episode provides an insightful, witty, and detailed look at how Oasis’s most beloved songs were written, demoed, and recorded. From last-minute creative bursts and random sources of inspiration to tales of sibling rivalry and market-defining singles, the episode reveals the messy, magical world of Oasis at their creative peak. Even for die-hard fans, there are new tidbits and “deep cut” stories that reveal the artistry and chaos behind the anthems that defined a generation. For anyone who loves music history, or simply wants to hear Wonderwall in a new light, this episode is a must-listen.