Happy Mondays star Bez says the Oasis reunion has “given us a push as well”.
The Britpop icons returned to the road last year for their first tour in 16 years, and the 62-year-old dancer and DJ – a familiar face from Manchester’s Madchester era – says the Gallagher brothers’ comeback has lifted the whole scene.
He told BBC Radio Stoke: “We’re lucky enough to be part of that Manchester scene which, at the time, grew so big it was unbelievable.
“We’ve got that legendary status from that time, and of course Oasis coming back last year helped all things Manchester again, so I think that’s given us a push as well.”
He said of attending the Oasis Live ’25 tour last year: “It’s absolutely incredible, the phenomenon of Oasis.
“I was actually blown away by it all, both to see them at Heaton Park and to see hordes of young people all running around. It was just an incredible moment.”
That boost is set to continue as the Live Forever rockers recently announced the Oasis Live ’27 tour.
Demand has been phenomenal with extra shows added.
It will include a six-night Knebworth residency, which will set a new record for the most shows performed at the estate, surpassing Robbie Williams’ three-night run in 2003.
Frontman Liam Gallagher recently sent Oasis fans into meltdown after appearing to suggest the band have a new album in the works.
The singer, who regularly stirs excitement online with cryptic posts, responded to a fan on X who claimed Oasis had “SEVEN great albums”, prompting Gallagher to reply: “8 including the new 1, I mean happy birthday. (sic)”
The comment comes as Gallagher continues to tease the possibility of fresh material following the Oasis Live ’27 tour. Speaking to another fan on X, he said: “Listen if all goes well with the tour I guess next step is to have a chat about new music. Can’t see us touring again unless we have new music.”
Fans have spent years pleading for new songs, especially after Gallagher previously insisted the pressure of matching their ’90s catalogue would be “too much”. When one fan begged for a new record, he fired back: “NO I’m just not prepared for the criticism if it doesn’t sell 100 million copies in the 1st hour… let’s just do some gigs and be happy thank you (sic).”
Oasis’ legacy looms large. Tracks like Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back in Anger and Champagne Supernova didn’t just dominate charts – they defined an era. Gallagher has long argued that expectations for new material are sky-high, even joking the band would “split up again” if they attempted another album.
The group’s last studio release, Dig Out Your Soul, arrived in 2008, a year before Oasis imploded following a backstage bust-up between Gallagher and his brother Noel Gallagher.
