Clash Picks: Oasis Deep Cuts
Delving into the darker corners of their discography...
*Noel Gallagher* might be one of the UK's biggest hoarders. Or perhaps he doesn't clean his cupboards that often.
Either way, the songwriter surprised fans earlier this week when an old cardboard box tumbled open in his house, with a lockdown spring clean unfurling a never-before-released Oasis demo.
Online now, 'Don't Stop' is a sombre, affecting piece of jangle-hewn indie songwriting, the kind of melancholic masterclass Noel Gallagher would pin down with ease.
A tantalising glimpse of what else Noel might be secreting away for a rainy day, 'Don't Stop' set our minds racing - so the Clash team decided to nominate the very best Oasis deep cuts...
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*The Quiet Ones*As the summer days are approaching, all I do is sit and reminisce, dreaming of a day where I can see my friends and family together again.
Even with the grey clouds overhead, music always brings us closer to those warm summer nights. ‘The Quiet Ones’ has always been able to lift my spirits. Whether it be the depths of winter or a crispy autumn night, this song has the ability to take you back to those sunny days. It’s stripped back and melancholic melody reminds us that “When it’s dark and you’re overcome / Listen Now”.
Often forgotten about, this short-but-sweet single is a soothing voice of optimism, with each strum of the guitar guiding us through the nostalgic memories of our past. In these uncertain days, why not listen to music that helps you reminisce on the times you’ve enjoyed, and look forward to a future that awaits you. (Sophia Metcalfe)
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*The Shock Of The Lightening (Primal Scream Remix)*
‘The Shock Of The Lightening’ was the final comeback single from Oasis. It has been three years since lackluster ‘Don’t Believe The Truth’ had been released. They needed to go big or go home. Massive drums welcome you with open arms. Then that classic Oasis chugging riff kicks in before Liam delivers his best vocal performance for about a decade.
But what makes this remix so special is how murky Primal Scream make it. Through the dirty Krautrock treatment it goes from being this bolt of shining lighting to something far more interesting. It leaves questions. What would the resulting album have sounded like if Primal Scream, or Jagz Kooner, produced it…? (Nick Roseblade)
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*Cast No Shadow (UNKLE Beachhead Mix)*At first glance, there is little difference between the original and this remix. The tempo is a little slower and there are some instrumental that have been extended. But what UNKLE have done is drawn out the tender essence of the song. Ultimately this is a love letter from Noel to Richard Ashcroft.
The crowning moment of the song is when the strings, guitar and drums all come together and everything lifts for a few moments, before the vocals kick in again. The melancholy seeps from the speakers. (Nick Roseblade)
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*Teotihuacan*The first X-Files film, Fight The Future, joins the long list of soundtracks that are better than the film. From The Cardigans ‘Deuce’, The Cure’s ‘MoreTthan This’, Bjork’s ‘Hunter’ and X covering the Doors’ classic ‘Crystal Ship’ it’s a fun ride, unlike the film.
But the most surprising track is ‘Teotihuacan’. A rare, for 1998 at least, seven-minute solo track by Noel. I remember buying the soundtrack blind and expecting, to hear the first glimpses of what that much debated solo album would sound like.
Instead ‘Teotihuacan’ is an instrumental built around a stark piano melody. As the piano ebbs and flows, trip-hop beats and synths fill in the gaps to create something that is both surprising and comforting. Noel has never really revisited this style of music before, but maybe he should as ‘Teotihuacan’ is one of the most transfixing, polarising and overlooked, songs in his back catalogue. (Nick Roseblade)
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*Solve My Mystery*In the 90s there were few more prolific songwriters than Noel Gallagher. Towards the end of the 90s that well was becoming slightly more dry but The Chief was still capable of pumping out glorious anthemic classics to store in his back pocket for later use.
The soaring, organ powered gospel of ‘Solve My Mystery’ was written sometime in late '98 and became something of a lost treasure for Oasis fans for over 15 years until Noel and his High Flying Birds finally released it as a B-side in 2015 under the definitive title of ‘Revolution Song’. (Martyn Young)
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*Angel Child*‘Angel Child’ is a somber Oasis gem, featuring stripped back vocals from Noel. The acoustic guitar tune is crooner, tugging at your heartstrings. The strumming rhythm is simple but effective, and Noel’s wallowing vocals are a heartfelt performance on a rough recording. “This is your life, Angel child,” Noel repeats against the chords as the vocals drift away and tender plucking ends the tune.
The track was a demo that featured on the B-side on the band’s single ‘D’You Know What I Mean?’ Although once unreleased, the demo was included on the remastering of the third album, as part of the 14 Mustique Demos recordings. (Caroline Edwards)
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*Stay Young*I was taking my GCSEs right around the time this gazillion-carat-diamond banger came out – the B-Side of Oasis's third-LP lead single 'D’You Know What I Mean'.
From that introductory enfilade of crackling snare, to its overdubbed, over-driven and overproduced coda, ‘Stay Young’ represents everything magisterial about mid-period Oasis. It’s just so… colossal, and ballsy. And dumb, yes; but in a way you simply can’t stay mad at.
This is summer 1997, by the way, and Oasis are still very much masters of all they survey, wanking out purebred pop wonderment like this while we all naively enjoy the sunshine of the early Blair premiership.
Google their live version, from that year's hometown show, to witness Alan White annihilating the shit out his drumkit from inside a hollowed-out Rolls Royce. ‘Stay Young’ indeed – if only we’d paid attention. (Andy Hill)
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*'Rocking Chair'*Still one of 'The Masteplan's biggest highlights, 'Rocking Chair' remains one of Noel’s hidden gems. At a time he could bash out classics by the day, it’s the work of a man running faster down the hall faster than a cannonball. Still a classic. (Clarke Geddes)
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*Cloudburst*OK, virtually everyone knows about ‘The Masterplan’, but the sheer strength of Noel Gallagher’s imperial run beggar’s belief. Take this B-side, hidden away on the CD single of ‘Live Forever’, a long-time fan favourite that couldn’t even make the cut on ‘The Masterplan’.
Distilling the DNA of Oasis down to a fine essence, it’s practically a blueprint for what would follow, penned when Noel was struggling to escape day job dreariness.
The sound of someone looking to the stars only to find torrential Manchester rain, it’s about someone accepting that it really is now or never. (Robin Murray)
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