Secret early versions of songs from the first doomed recording session of Oasis' debut album Definitely Maybe will be released this week amid speculation that the band may reunite.
Those early recordings from Monnow Valley Studios in south Wales will be released to celebrate Definitely Maybe's 30-year anniversary.
Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher said the tapes had been lost for almost 30 years.
"I kept saying there's no way they've gone missing, those tapes must be somewhere," he said.
"The tapes went to our record label and never seen again. It was canned. Turns out it was mislabelled. So I'd never heard that Monnow Valley record until six months ago."
Gallagher said at the time he and the band thought it sounded "great" but the Oasis management felt they lacked the raw intensity of their live sets.
So the songs were redone and remixed before Definitely Maybe went on to become the UK's then fastest-selling debut album of all time.
Fans have already had a taste of one of the classics but not as we've known them as Oasis released a new old version of Bring It On Down, which was going to be their first single and now remixed by songwriter Noel Gallagher, last month.
Friday's release will also include early cuts of songs like Shakermaker and Columbia from their three-week stint at Monnow Valley in January 1994.
Fans feared those first versions were lost and never heard but from Friday, they will finally be able to hear how eight of those Definitely Maybe tracks - known by some as Oasis's lost album - might have sounded.
Cult classic Slide Away, an Oasis setlist staple until their split in 2009, was the only Monnow Valley recording that appeared on the record released on 29 August, 1994.
Oasis used various places to record the album, but most recording was done at Monnow Valley and Sawmills, a riverside studio near Fowey, Cornwall.
It was all supposed to be at Monnow Valley, a remote riverside studio on the Wales-England border, close to Rockfield Studios where Queen recorded Bohemian Rhapsody and Oasis would record their second album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Oasis guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs said Liam Gallagher's vocal performance on fan favourite Slide Away was "the best vocal delivery he'd ever done".
Liam also recalled he was haunted by a ghost in his bedroom during their stay and admitted helping steal a combine harvester to go partying with the Stone Roses who were recording their Second Coming album at nearby Rockfield.
Alan McGhee, the boss of their record label Creation, told them it was not good enough and lacked the raw power and energy of their live shows.
"When you hear the Monnow Valley stuff, it's not got a swagger to it," Noel told Oasis's YouTube channel.
"The songs were still great but it isn't very loose. We'd only played 14 or 15 gigs when we got to Monnow Valley, it was too early to make that record.
"We were all playing in different rooms. There was loads of backing vocals and that's not what we sounded like on stage. It was missing that thing and that was playing live together .
"I remember being frustrated because I just wanted to get it out. Thank God McGhee and our manager Marcus Russell had the wherewithal to say you can't put that out. Thankfully we eventually got it right."
The album was re-recorded in a few days at Sawmills after they'd played a host more gigs.
Bonehead said Oasis's management were in "panic stations" to rescue the recordings after they had sacked successive producers.
So their manager asked a Welsh producer called Owen Morris to have a go at capturing the essence of the band without even meeting them.
Morris transformed songs like Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Supersonic into generation-defining anthems that helped make Oasis one of the biggest British bands of all time.
Aside from the place where Oasis made Slide Away as well as some rookie recording mistakes, those doomed sessions did provide the backdrop for the world's first glimpse of the band.
The front cover of debut single Supersonic was shot in Monnow Valley's recording space in front of the studio's famous cartwheel doors.
"Initially the drums were at the front but Liam was the focus and him being prominent was important," photographer Michael Spencer Jones said.
"It was a band-led shot because this was the first single and introducing them to the world. But even then Liam was a fully-formed rock star. I used big lights to put them in the spotlight.
"The studio was initially too clean and ordered so we cluttered it up a bit. We put cables everywhere and Supersonic was a guitar song so having guitars around felt apt.
"This shot was captured at the inception of Oasis when they more innocent, if you like and Definitely Maybe cover aside, the only cover shot with the original line-up in."
"They were a great people to be around, entertaining, funny and clever and you couldn't wish for a more focused band," added Michael, who also did cover shots for The Verve and Suede.
"Despite what you might read, they were always a professional, punctual band that were always where they were supposed to be."
Noel recently returned to Monnow Valley with Oasis's long-time art director Brian Cannon to prepare artwork for the release of these previously unheard versions.
The eight remixed songs from Monnow Valley include singles Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Shakermaker while the older versions of Rock 'n' Roll Star, Up In The Sky, Columbia, Bring It On Down and Digsy's Dinner have also been redone.
Michael is one of a select few people that have heard those sessions in person back in early 1994.
"I obviously haven't heard them for 30 years but I remember loving them," said Michael, who is currently writing a book about his years with Oasis.
"My recollection their Monnow Valley tacks were significantly different to the stuff that ended up on Definitely Maybe - it'll be interesting to hear them again and see what fans think."
Former Monnow Vallew enginner Callum Marinho, who is now Noel Gallagher’s in-house producer at his Lone Star Studios in London, is helping remix the old sessions.
"It feels like it has gone full circle," said Jo Riou, Monnow Valley's owner.
"Callum did work experience with us, he trained here and worked here for years so he knows our room so well. We're really proud."
Definitely Maybe's 30th anniversary edition will also include outtakes from their subsequent recording at the Sawmills studio in Cornwall and a previously unreleased demo version of Sad Song featuring Liam on vocals.
Monnow Valley became a recording studio in 1976 when the 17th Century Old Mill House, as it was called then, was a rehearsal space for nearby Rockfield Studios.
It became a seperate studio in the 1990s and has welcomed Black Sabbath, Simple Minds, Biffy Clyro and Phil Collins as well as Oasis.
"We've had Lemmy here shooting air rifles," recalled owner Jo.
"And Sir Tom Jones watching Eggheads, we've had both extremes!"
Now Jo and husband Phil are selling the 11-bedroom, 10-bathroom farmhouse - complete with fly-fishing rights on the River Monnow - for £1.95m.
"It's still regularly used as a rehearsal space because we've taken the studio out because it was getting so expensive," said Jo.
"So it's a good business that I hope someone can continue. Plus it's a popular holiday let as people want to stay where their favourite musicians once recorded."
The Brothers Gallagher: From Music to Mischief
The excitement surrounding the release of the early 'Definitely Maybe' recordings comes alongside increasing speculation about a potential Oasis reunion. Noel Gallagher recently praised Liam's vocal abilities in a new interview, highlighting the unique energy Liam brought to the band's sound.
"I can't sing 'Slide Away' and 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' and 'Rock 'N' Roll Star' and 'Columbia' and all that," Gallagher said in an interview, referring to songs primarily sung by Liam. "I mean I can do it but it's not the same. It's the delivery or the tone of his voice and the attitude. I don't have the same attitude as him."
Despite their public rifts over the years, Noel's recent comments further fuel the rumors of a potential reunion. While a confirmed date for a reunion is yet to be announced, Liam Gallagher has hinted at the possibility, adding to the buzz surrounding the release of the new 'Definitely Maybe' recordings.
The Legacy of 'Definitely Maybe' Lives On
The re-release of the 'Definitely Maybe' recordings serves as a reminder of the enduring legacy of Oasis, a band that captured the heart of a generation with their raw energy and anthems. The unearthed tracks, while capturing the band's early sound, also provide a fascinating insight into their creative process, reminding us of the journey that culminated in the iconic album that we know and love. The release of the early tracks alongside the continuing whispers of a reunion keeps the Oasis story alive, ensuring that the band's music and the Gallagher brothers' dynamic will continue to captivate audiences for years to come.
The release of the 'Definitely Maybe' 30th anniversary edition comes at a time when interest in Oasis' music and the Gallagher brothers' relationship is at a fever pitch. As fans eagerly anticipate the release of the previously unheard recordings, the question of a potential reunion continues to linger, further fueling the excitement around this milestone release.
