With the reunion of Oasis just a few weeks away, Liam Gallagher had great things to say about the new drummer, Joey Waronker. He remarked, “He’s the best and we’re lucky to have him,” And then he continued. “I’ve enjoyed all our drummers, but this guy is special.”
The members of the band have been spending extensive periods of time in a rehearsal studio in London for hours at a time to gear up and ready for the giant stadium gigs.
This much-awaited reincarnation of the band will feature the greats Noel and Liam, joined by guitarists Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs and Gem Archer, as well as bassist Andy Bell, all longtime Oasis members.
On the drums, however, there is the newcomer Joey Waronker, who has never really played with the Oasis band apart from the tour supporting Liam and John Squire’s collaborative album last year.
An experienced and prolific drummer, he is best known for his work with the likes of Beck, R.E.M., Elliott Smith, and Roger Waters, as well as being a member of Thom Yorke‘s Atoms For Peace band and experimental rock outfit Ultraísta with Nigel Godrich.
Liam Gallagher also retorted to a fan who commented on an alleged leaked audio of the band playing ‘Cigarettes & Alcohol’ in rehearsal. While the fan remarked that Waronker’s playing sounded “just amazing”, he was not so complimentary about Liam’s vocals, which he said “sound dreadful, just shouting, not singing”.
The response of Liam Gallagher was direct and pointed, with the singer simply writing: “SHUT UP”.
There have been widespread guessing games and speculations on who would be the drummer in these monumental shows.
Tony McCarroll, who played on their 1994 debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’, said earlier on that he did not expect to be getting the call, saying “they haven’t reached out yet and to be honest I’m not holding my breath”. He has since written a letter to the band and their fans, urging them to “be proud” and “enjoy it”.
Alan White, who replaced McCarroll and played on most albums from ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory’ to ‘Heathen Chemistry’, did appear to tease last September that he might be involved when he posted an image of a drum kit with Union Jack artwork, but that did not come to fruition.
The first Oasis show is on July 4 in Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, the first of 19 shows in the UK and Ireland with support acts Richard Ashcroft and Cast, including seven at London’s Wembley Stadium.
In the run-up to the dates, the band has partnered with Amazon to launch new merchandise that pays tribute to the legendary moments throughout their career.
They are also looking for fans to share their stories of how the band’s music has “deep resonance” to them and their lives, which will be used in a forthcoming film, Live 25.
Research by Wonderwallets, part of the Barclays Consumer Spend report, estimates £1.06bn will be spent by the 1.4 million fans attending the 17 UK tour dates: more than £766 a person.
It also suggests that Oasis fans are expected to splurge out more than £1bn on the reunion tour, including tickets, accommodation, food, drink, outfits, and merchandise, and even found that a quarter of ticket holders would have been happy to spend even more.
This could be one of the most popular and profitable tours in British history.