TOKYO -- Fifteen years after their breakup, popular British rock band Oasis have decided to reunite. While looking back at the social landscape in Britain in 1994, when Oasis rose to stardom following their debut, the Mainichi Shimbun interviewed insiders said to be the closest Japanese people to the band about the personalities of core members and brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, plus the prospect of a Japan tour.

Long-awaited new heroes

Noel and his brother Liam, five years his junior, are from the British city of Manchester. The two were brought up in a typical working-class family.

"When they first appeared on the scene in the 1990s, economic stagnation was continuing in Britain, creating a cooped-up feeling," recalled Takeshi Uno, a professor at Meiji University's School of Business Administration who has researched British society and culture. In 1979, the Thatcher administration, which continued for over a decade, had advanced social welfare cuts and the curbing of labor unions under the slogan of a "small government." The unemployment rate rose and it was a tough period, particularly for the working class.

"The Conservatives stayed in power for 18 years, which was unusual for Britain, where changes of government had occurred regularly," Uno explained. "The period when Oasis appeared was a transitional one, just before the inauguration of the Labour Party administration of Tony Blair (in 1997). Over 20 years had passed since The Beatles disbanded and members of the British public may have been looking for the emergence of new heroes."

Liam Gallaher's Beatles rendition in Tokyo's Roppongi

Oasis were hugely popular in Japan, and they came to perform in the country 11 times between their debut and their breakup. Both before and after they disbanded, the members frequently visited "Abbey Road Roppongi," a restaurant in Tokyo's Roppongi area featuring live music events. The venue was the base of Beatles tribute band The Parrots, who had made a name for themselves worldwide and even been invited to a private event by Paul McCartney himself. The Gallagher brothers, fans of The Beatles, had visited the venue to see The Parrots. Member Takeshi Noguchi, who played the part of Paul McCartney, and Akihiro Matsuyama, playing George Harrison, had close contact with the Gallagher brothers for over 20 years.

Regarding the Oasis sound, Noguchi reflected, "The songs Noel wrote had a 'simple beauty' without any fastidiousness. And Liam's persuasive voice was added to that. They were like no other." As for their personalities, he said. "They were big stars, but they treated us with a humbling level of respect. They didn't look down on us at all because we were from the East."

During a visit to the restaurant in 2001, Liam suddenly came onto the stage and started performing The Beatles' numbers "Paperback Writer" and "Rain" together with the band. "When he sings, even Beatles songs take on an Oasis edge," Matsuyama recalled. "He commands the stage just like you'd think he would." Regarding Oasis' reunion, Matsuyama said, "I'm thrilled. It's the talent of Noel and Liam together that make the band. I hope they come and visit Roppongi again."

The brothers' quarrel in Paris

On Aug. 27, the world learned of the reunion of Oasis and its live tour beginning in London, and as of the early morning of Aug. 28, there were over 47,000 posts in Japanese on X (formerly Twitter) featuring the word "Oasis" and 540,000 containing "oasis" in English.

Akiko Ozawa of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. has met and worked with the Gallagher brothers many times and is one of the closest Japanese people to Oasis. She recalled, "A 'No. 1 world trend' on X typically requires about 7,000-8,000 posts. The response to Oasis that day was extraordinary."

It was a long-awaited reunion, but the split 15 years before had come out of the blue.

In August 2009, Ozawa received a message from a local staffer: "Did you hear? The band broke up." She immediately got on the phone to find out the details. She learned that there had been a big fight in the band.

The quarrel apparently occurred between Noel and Liam in the dressing room during a performance in Paris. The Gallagher brothers were known for their wild comments and controversial characters, and fans were no strangers to their feuding. But this time Liam broke Noel's guitar, and it was different from their previous arguments.

About a month before this, Oasis had come to Japan for the Fuji Rock Festival. "They were in a good mood at the time," Ozawa recalled. But with several days of the Paris performances remaining, Noel announced he was pulling out of the band, and Oasis effectively broke up. The two each went on to pursue solo careers with different bands.

True brotherly bond, and hopes for a Japan visit

Ozawa maintained her connection with both brothers, handling contracts for their respective activities related to business in Japan. "I wanted to create the conditions for them to come back here anytime if they happened to reunite sometime," she explained. It appears that her preparations are now ready to bear fruit.

"Liam always wanted to reunite. He has always adored his older brother but due to the natural inclinations of his personality, he expresses his affection in unusual ways," Ozawa says.

After the breakup, Liam publicly branded Noel a "potato," and there was apparently no apology for the fight, but he had hinted at his readiness for a reunion.

But is a visit to Japan on the horizon?

"Absolutely," said Ozawa, but she added a word of caution: "The time, place and other details haven't been decided. The details that circulated online right after the reunion announcement are baseless."

(Japanese original by Tomohiro Inoue, Cultural News Department)