Chasing the Sun: Oasis 1993 to 1997

I've sweated, danced and sung my way through hundreds of gigs over the years, but it all started in a field in Hertfordshire, aged 13. On Saturday 10th August 1996 - a date etched on my memory - I went to my very first gig, Oasis at Knebworth.

I don't recall the lengths I went to in order to persuade my parents to buy me a ticket, but for some reason they did. And so it began, surrounded by 124,999 other people, chaperoned by my older brother and sister (my eldest brother also went, but on the Sunday), a thirst for live music that's not let up in 18 years. That day was also significant because I first saw, and fell hard for, the Manic Street Preachers.

Having had such a massive impact on my life, it was only right I shake along to Chasing the Sun: Oasis 1993 to 1997 to step back into my childhood for an hour or so. An exhibition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of Oasis' first single 'Supersonic', Chasing the Sun offered an opportunity to gawp at old photos, memorabilia and more to the ultimate 90's soundtrack.

 Chasing the Sun

I think this is from when they played Maine Road, Manchester

Oasis at Knebworth, 10th August 1996

Well lookie what we have here, an aerial photo of the crowd at Knebworth on the day I was there. I'm pointing to where I stood for the gig, I couldn't believe how close I was at the time. I was a pretty lucky bastard when you think about how many people at the back were basically just watching TV in a field.

Oasis played to 250,000 people that weekend. Apparently those gigs smashed box office records when one in every 20 people in Britain applied for tickets for one of the two gigs. Madness.

This photo does help to explain why we didn't get home until 5am the following morning. I remember falling asleep on the coach and waking up a few hours later to find we were still in the Knebworth car park. I still have my t-shirt from the gig, my green Pit 2 wristband and my ticket stub - £22.50! Bargain!

Ticket stubs, wristbands and VIP passes

I had my nose pressed up against this display for ages. I loved gawping at all the old ticket stubs and seeing all the old places they'd played before they were a household name. Some of the tickets were just £4 and plenty of those old venues have now gone. Such as the one below...

I was probably still going to Granby Halls to roller skate back in '95
I've also never heard anyone call it Granby Hall, it's always been plural

 Brit Awards, Brat Awards, the gramophone from the 

'Be Here Now' cover and other memorabilia

  Handwritten 'Don't Look Back in Anger' lyrics

 Noel Gallagher's iconic Union Jack guitar

And me, slightly weeing myself with excitement

 Single and album posters

Toniiiiigggghhhhht, I'm a rock 'n' roll staaaaarrr...

Of course, the best bit of the exhibition was stepping into a recreation of the 'Definitely Maybe' set, complete with cig packet and wine glasses. Since we were a duo, rather than a five-piece, we went for the Gallagher positions, with me being Noel and Dan being Liam.


A few nerdy facts on the Definitely Maybe cover for you: 

• The glass to the right of Liam actually contains Ribena, not red wine
• The still on the TV is from 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly'
• It was shot in the house Bonehead lived in at the time

Record Store Day 2014

I can hardly believe it's been a year since the last Record Store Day, but here I am again hauling my arse out of bed at 4am. To buy some records. To buy some special records. To celebrate music. To help keep indie record shops alive. To do what I love doing the most! HEY HO! LET'S GO!

5.20am at Rough Trade East

The queue is already about 50 deep

Start worrying that we won't get in with the first lot of people

On the plus side I came prepared this year with four layers of clothing, a hot water bottle and a pot of porridge. I was getting quite cold towards the end though and could hardly feel my feet, but on the plus side the time went so quickly. It was just the last five minutes that felt like forever. 

The time may have gone quickly because I was busy planning in my head what to do when I finally got in there and everything that could go wrong. At one point I'd stood still for too long so my legs and feet had started seizing up, I then became convinced that I'd just fall flat on my face as soon as I tried to walk in the door. I'm one of life's worriers, by the way. I could be worse though, last year I overheard a guy saying he'd had really bad dreams that he'd missed out on all the records he wanted. Now that's just going too far...

Brits doing what Brits do best

It's now 7am - just one hour to go - and the queue goes right around the corner

I'm in this pic stuffing my face with a croissant

At least 30% of it flaked off and got stuck in my scarf

Some of it may still be there

 The Rough Trade East scrum

Obviously this was taken after the shopping had been completed

When we eventually got in - yes, on the first round! - it was pretty hectic, but an incredibly polite shopping scrum. Being a little lady kinda went against me, as it was difficult to nudge my way in, but luckily I had my Danny Boy who I'd occasionally hear shouting out band names - PIXIES! SPRINGSTEEN! RAMONES! - to confirm he had located the precious. Meanwhile I went of to the 7" table, shopping list in hand, to grab what I could. 

We were very lucky to get everything we wanted, except one... Ghostbusters. IT GLOWS IN THE DARK! IT'S ON GREEN ECTOPLASM VINYL! It is possibly the coolest piece of vinyl I've ever seen. But it just wasn't meant to be. By the time we figured out it was filed under 'P' for Parker, they were all gone. 

Other than that, I was very happy with my new toys. A few days before Record Store Day I'd added up the cost of everything I wanted and after a rather loud gasp, thought to myself 'fuck off, I'm not spending that much'. Of course, that all went to shit the minute the records were in my hand, looking all seductive, whispering my name. But hey, it's all in a good cause and I'm giving them a warm and loving home, which is what every record needs.

On the downside, I do agree that some records were ridiculously priced and that it is in danger of becoming a cashing in exercise for major labels. There are some interesting features on that here and here. On the other hand, if you're a big fan of a band - whether they're still going or split up long ago - you'll always want to add to your collection, even if it's with something that isn't technically new. I would've loved the Soundgarden, Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys box sets, but at £100, £80 and £60 respectively, I think they were really in the spirit of the day. Ultimately, I do think Record Store Day is a good thing, because it celebrates physical music and record shops, and encourages people to do their bit to keep them alive.

A little over excited perhaps...

After splashing the cash and posing for photos, it was time for a quick coffee and cupcake. We also shared our commiserations with another couple who'd missed out on the Ghostbusters record, before catching a live set from The Rails. Then it was time to give some other people a chance to do some shopping...

10am and the queue is still going strong 

Yes, that is two bags of goodies I'm holding there

Yes, I did go slightly over budget

Yes, it is lucky my hair has blown over my face so you can't see how tired and horrendous I look

Two coffees and a can of Red Bull later, it was off to Berwick Street to soak up the party atmosphere and enjoy some more live music...

The incredible Edwyn Collins performing at Berwick Street

What a privilege it was to catch Edwyn Collins' set. Having survived two brain hemorrhages, plus MRSA, it's amazing the guy is still alive, never mind still making music. Due to weakness in his right-hand side he's no longer able to play guitar and has had to learn to speak, read and write again, but he' still managed to write and record a new album. 

The most incredible thing about his latest work is how positive and uplifting it feels. One of the songs he performed, with help from two guitarists, featured lyrics about how lucky and happy he is to be alive, despite having more reason than anyone to be bitter and feel cheated. His experience has now been made into a documentary called The Possibilities.

And yes, he did finish the set with THAT song.

My bag of swag...

Top: Botch, Pixies, Joy Division

Middle: Heavens to Betsy, Ramones, Oasis, Shonen Knife

Bottom: Mastodon, Bruce Springsteen

Top: Clutch/Lionize split, OFF!, Nirvana

Middle: Terminator 2, Carcass/Cerebral Bore

Bottom: The Julie Ruin, The Sonics/Mudhoney split 

My favourite purchase of the day and the main reason I dragged my arse about of bed at 4am

First album from the Pixies since 1991

I didn't even realise it came with a special 7" as well as until I opened it

Let's all just bask in the beauty of the Ramones 10" for a second...

So, that was my Record Store Day 2014. I had a lovely day, I bought some great records and now I'm going to spend the rest of my Bank Holiday weekend with the record player cranked to 11.

Happy Record Store Day 2014!

Rubble n Shit #4 (part one)

Issue #4 of Rubble n Shit was cut n pasted in the summer of 2001, which was a hot and sunny one if I remember correctly. This issue is probably my favourite as it features my first ever band interview, with King Adora, which was at the time the most terrifying and exciting thing that had ever happened to me. I was obsessed with that band and still have my signed album, singles and t-shirt from the signings covered in this issue. It also includes an awesome in-store performance and signing at Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street - later HMV and now closed down, I think - as featured in this video. I might even be in it somewhere, with terrible hair and too much eyeliner on.

I've had to remove a few pages though, cos some stuff was just a little too personal and embarrassing to share. There's also funny photo of chubby-faced teenage me in part two, so do come back for the second half if you want a good laugh.  

The King Adora signing was held at Left Legged Pineapple in Loughborough, a new and second hand record shop, which sadly closed a few years back. This was the first time I visited Left Legged, but a couple of years later I would pop in every Friday after college en route to the pub. I always scoured the second hand section first to try and save money, and it was rare I left empty handed.

I think York was the furthest we ever travelled for a gig, but we probably would have gone anywhere to see the Pachinos. It was a bloody long way. I made mixtapes to keep us entertained, which I still have stashed away in my shoe box of old cassettes. I rarely throw anything away.

Ooh, here it is, the big interview with Maxi from King Adora. And I got a kiss on the cheek, that was all 18-year-old me really wanted from life...

'So we went in, sat down and announced we were 'absolutely shitting ourselves''

I think honesty is always the best policy.

We were so baby faced we always got away with 

buying child train tickets whenever we went to gigs.

 This was the first time we met Crackout. 

We went to the dressing room to meet 

Steven and Jack after the gig. They were being filmed 

for the video for 'You Dumb Fuck' at the time. 

I think some of the live shots in the video are from that gig.

Wish I could remember more about this gig, sounds like it was awesome. 

Didn't have the guts to interview Therapy? at 18, but I did many years later.

Also met Andy Cairns in a pub in late 2001.

I was so terrified and awe-struck I think I only managed a 'hello'.

King Adora signing at Virgin Megastore.

Rubble n Shit #3 (part two)

Here's part two of Rubble n Shit #3, written and slapped together in early 2001. If you missed part one you can read it here.

Jag and Mem from Outmeasured went on to be in Ghost of a Thousand.