An Oasis of Memories

Today I spent the day with an old friend who, due to not being very well, has been away for a while. As I drove him home we played Oasis through the car stereo and reminisced. It reminds us both of a happier and more simple time in his life. As I drove away I wasn't ready to come home nor end my trip down memory lane, so I decided to go for a drive and make my way through as much of Oasis' back catalogue that my journey would allow.


This band took the world by storm; it was suddenly cool to be a Manc and adopt that oh so famous Oasis swagger. The long Beatle-esque hairstyle and Lennon glasses propelled back into fashion and it became acceptable or, dare I say it, 'cool' to slur your way through a song slightly off-key. As they released 'Roll With It' into the charts, they battled with Blur for the number one spot; so was born the Oasis vs Blur saga. Blur won the race with 'Country House' and took their place at number one in the UK charts. I was a massive Blur fan at the time, drooling over Damon Albarn and his floppy blonde locks. I remember playing 'The Great Escape' on loop whilst my eldest brother drowned me out (owning a sound system that was epically louder than mine) with 'What's The Story'. Needless to say, it wasn't long before I was converted, recognising Oasis as whole new sound and one I wanted to hear more of.

As we watched the band and Liam's ego get bigger by the minute, many sat back in awe watching in amazement as they grabbed third place in the UK's best selling albums of all time with 'What's The Story' Other Stats include:

• Eight UK number-one singles
• Eight UK number-one albums
• Fifteen NME Awards 
• Nine Q Awards
• Four MTV Europe Music Awards
• Six BRIT Awards; including one in 2007 for outstanding contribution to music and one for the best album of the last 30 years as voted by the BBC Radio 2 listeners 
• Nominated for three Grammy Awards. 
• As of 2009, the band have sold an estimated 70 million records worldwide.
• Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2010 for “Longest Top 10 UK Chart Run By A Group” after an unprecedented run of 22 successive Top 10 hits in the UK. 
• Hold the Guinness World Record for being the "Most Successful Act of the Last Decade" in the UK between the years 1995 and 2005, spending 765 weeks in the Top 75 singles and albums charts.

These stats are nothing short of impressive and, alongside my generation's memories of a great and pertinent decade of music, Oasis certainly left their mark on Britain. 

Beauty

Thinking Too Much

You think you have it all 

figured out,

you think you’re clever.

You think you’re great

you think you’re the good guy

you think you’re strong.

I think you’re too busy

trying to suss others out .

I think you don’t know

Yourself.

I think you’re scared,

you think too much.

Desire

Desire is a knife

slicing reason.

Exposing our weakness, 

it lies on the bread board.

Mirrors our vulnerability

I'm Sorry

It was sunny that day,

but the chill in the air stayed still.

Everything seemed dark, our clothes,

our mood.

The car pulled up, black.

Stopped.

There was no bump starting this hearse.

You stepped out in your suit, black.

I didn’t know what to say.

I couldn’t take time back

Your brother followed,

then your mother too.

I didn’t know what to say

to you. 

We gathered inside, silence,

you began that march.

You held him up.

How did you find the strength? 

I didn’t know what to say.

Tear stained faces gathered outside

I squeezed your hand,

I didn’t know what to say.

And now when I see you

your eyes seem to speak

to me.

I see inside your hard exterior.

“I’m sorry.”

School's Out!

Well, I've finally handed in all my work. Friday felt like it would never arrive but I managed to hand in; a 3,000 critical essay, 500 word critical reflection, a lecture by lecture accounted log book and 125 lines of poetry (of which some I shall post some of poetry over the next few days).

     So, I've broken up for Easter and have a six week break ahead of me. Well, I say 'break' but with six books to read and a proposal for my final project to complete, I shan't be short of things to do! I have decided to construct my final project around the great Bob Dylan. With many poems, lyrics, critical works and films to reference, I'm excited to get started on this personal study.

     I plan to spend the next six weeks catching up with family, reading, writing and badgering my Dad for music and tales of Dyaln. I've really enjoyed this past term. I have finally been converted and opened my mind to more modern and abstract poetry. I have written some of my best poetry to date over the past few months. I am now to read; Shakespear's Romeo & Juliet and Twelfth Night, Alice Walker's, The Colour Purple, Austen's, Emma, Pat Barker's, Regeneration and Lorraine Hansbury's, Raisin in the Sun in preparation for next term's film adaptation module.

     Here's to a chocolate, alcohol, family and literature fuelled Easter break!