Whatever – Oasis

To have all this hoopla and no Oasis would be a bit off. They may have been a flash in the pan that lingered a little too long. They may have stolen a considerable amount of their choruses. So what? When they were good, they defined their era and united football lads, Indie kids and rock and rollers in their admiration for a mix of Glam, Pop, Punk and Rock influences. I turned down seeing some pretty major metal bands to go and see Oasis several times.

I saw them live very early on. In Southend at a show captured on film for their first live release. It wasn’t an album but a VHS video titled Live By The Sea (a little lyric reference there for the fan-nip). I saw them storm Glastonbury, Knebworth and Loch Lomond. I also saw them return to Glastonbury what felt like only a year later and fall completely flat. The rocket had soared out of sight. The lightning was out of the bottle.

Noel’s songs stand the test of teatime as 85 to 90% classics. I was off the mailing list (and the Christmas card list) by the time Be Here Now had finished pinching out singles.

During the inbetween time though. Before album two took them from Indie pack leaders to the 6 O’Clock news they released this little gem. At Christmas no less. I was washing pots in a hotel kitchen on Christmas Day. My copy of the Whatever EP (title track, (It’s Good) To Be Free, Half The World Away and do-over version of Slide Away) was already well played. It had been out a week. Their attempt at a Christmas Number One. The song came on the radio as they did the chart run down on BBC Radio 1. They’d not got the top spot. It was still the highlight of my day.

Number two in Britpop week (in a day) Oasis’ best single. Whatever.