He interviewed many people equally close to the brothers to fill in the gaps of his knowledge about the Gallaghers,  The result is a comprehensive account of the 'fall and rise of OASIS'.

I was in the entertainment business for almost 3 decades, but withdrew in 1993, when I emigrated to Australia. That was the same year Oasis started their recording career, so I know little about them and their music and so I was eager to read this book to expand my knowledge.

Harrison begins his odyssey by delving into the Gallaghers remarkable rise to fame. Their first album 'Definitely Maybe' became a top seller around the world. Their second album '(What's the Story), Morning Glory?' surpassed that success and more. 

They packed out music festivals in Britain, Europe, Australasia and America. They were on top of the world, as the author put it, 'they went from the dole to millionaires and rock gods, in just over a year'. 

However, the Gallaghers, Noel and LIam, had a dark side to their personalities which culminated in the eventual demise of Oasis and sent them on a tailspin in 2009.

The biography gives an account of the separate lives of the two brothers, as they forge ahead with their own bands.

At roughly the middle of the book, Harrison takes us back to their childhood, growing up in Burnage, a council estate in the rougher side of Manchester, England. Noel and Liam had an older brother, Paul, a year older than Noel and six years older than Liam. 

During the years that the book spans, Paul has been sitting on the sidelines, trying to act as a peacemaker between his two brothers and written a book about their careers from his perspective.

They had a violent, terrorising drunk of a father, Tommy, who would physically abuse their mother, Peggy and the two older brothers, while young Liam looked on, absorbing the cruelty and vowing to some day, get his own back. 

Noel was one of the victims, forcing him to withdraw into himself and sheltering in his bedroom, alone with his guitar, a present from his mother, and with his talent for writing songs.

Liam became a 'street fighting man' in his later teenage years. Down the pub with his mates and at football matches watching his beloved Manchester City. He was a charismatic figure and the life and soul of the party, ready for a punch up, if necessary. 

By accident, Liam joined his school friend in a band called The Rain (appropriately named for Manchester). Liam's big talent was his voice, his attitude and his charisma. They played occasional gigs at local pubs, usually to indifferent audiences and, by all accounts, were not that good.

When Noel was in his early twenties, he  joined another Manchester band, Inspiral Carpets, as a road manager. The 'Carpets' were making a name for themselves, nationally. While on tour, he learned a massive amount about the music industry, the setting up of the equipment and lighting, the presentation of live performance and the necessity of being professional at all times. 

After the Inspiral Carpets finished their tour, he returned to Manchester and visited the venue where his brother's band were playing. 

He was not impressed with them at all, but joined them as their leader and sole songwriter and suggested they should change their name from The Rain. Liam had a poster in his bedroom from the Oasis Holiday Resort in Southern England and thought Oasis would be a good name.

Their reputation grew around Manchester and they started attracting more and more fans. They heard that a band competition was being held in Glasgow, so they set off North, in the dilapidated van, and talked their way onto the playlist. Alan McGee, the founder of Creation Records, offered them a 'record deal on the spot'. A quick decision, the band took a whole thirty seconds to decide, and signed.

The story then continues with a detailed account of the rough and tumble of recording their first album. Liam and Noel were constantly at each other's throats, disagreeing on many facets of the recording process, throwing tantrums, walking out in anger, not turning up for the recording sessions. The escalating recording costs soared past the £50,000 mark, threatening to end the project before it started.

Fortunately, it was completed and 'Definitely Maybe' soared, selling 86,000 copies in the first week. They folllowed this up with their second album, '(What's the Story) Morning Glory?' the following year, which sold over 340,000 in the first week, alone.

Harrison then proceeds with the in-depth account of Oasis' rise, their further albums and then their dramatic and instant fall. He chronicles each brother's personal and professional lives, one chapter at a time for each of them, over the next few years.

Look out for the extremely surprising twist in the tale. The whole biography is captivating reading, even if you do not like the foul language. 

P J Harrison writing is a pleasure to read, with his riveting narrative that keeps the excitement at an intense level. 

Unfortunately, there are a number of typos that upset my reading flow and I keep wondering why publishers continue to allow mistakes to filter through their proofreading process.

Reviewed by Ken.

The Author 

P J Harrison has had a diverse career in the entertainment industry, spanning music, television, sports and creative direction. In music, he has worked with world renowned artists, such as Nas and Lauryn Hill, and has served as a writer, director and host for television. With a keen interest in sports, he co-founded LA football club City of Angels as well as Block Training alongside NBA legend Steve Nash. PJ lives in London. This is his first book.

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