There’s Liam looking surly, determined, vindicated. Noel: aloof, expectant, possibly photoshopped. And behind them in their first joint photoshoot in fifteen years, a whole lot of white space where a veritable ‘Sgt Pepper’ cover of backing musicians could be. Obviously, Liam and Noel are the Deadpool and Wolverine of the Oasis reunion, but which other players from the band’s universe might be making high-profile cameos? Bonehead or Gem? Andy Bell or Guigsy? The Lazarus-like comeback of Tony McCarroll? Let’s look at the runners…
Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs
If Noel is Oasis’ guv’nor, Bonehead is, at the very least, its assistant to the regional manager. Guitarist, founding member, and – according to Noel – “the spirit” of the band, the Oasis icon was reportedly pivotal in bringing Liam and Noel back together and has been reported to be taking part in the reunion shows in some capacity.
His departure from the band during sessions for ‘Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants’ in 1999, replaced by Gem Archer, marked the end of their imperial phase, despite Noel commenting, “It’s hardly Paul McCartney leaving The Beatles”. Post-Oasis, Bonehead DJed around Manchester and London, presented a BBC Radio Manchester show with Terry Christian and played in several local acts, including Moondog One (with ex-Smiths Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce), Parlour Flames and Phoneys & Freaks. Since 2013, he’s been a regular presence in Liam’s orbit – he replaced Gem in Beady Eye, played on his solo album ‘As You Were’ and has made sporadic appearances in his live band, despite battling – and thankfully beating – throat cancer in 2022. Was almost on Dancing On Ice in 2018, until he injured himself crashing into a barrier.
Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan
Another founding member, it was bassist Guigsy who first invited schoolmate Liam to join The Rain. His enthusiasm for the band was limited, however. Noel described being in the band as fifth on his list of priorities after cricket, Doctor Who, weed and football – his favourite magazine was FourFourTwo, and he co-wrote a book about 1970s player Robin Friday called The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw. He’s rumoured to have quit the band in 1999 by fax (Andy Bell stepped in) and has refused to take part in any Oasis business since. His appearance, alongside Bonehead, would certainly put a cap on the reunion as the closest we’d get to an authentic ‘90s Oasis experience, but would Liam and Noel consider him essential enough to cut him a decent slice of the magic money pie?
Tony McCarroll
Original drummer, ousted in April 1995 in favour of Alan White following his sub-standard performance on ‘Definitely Maybe’, where a replacement drummer sat in for later sessions. “I like Tony as a geezer, but he wouldn’t be able to drum the new songs,” Noel explained. He’s since played with a band called Raika, yet the likes of Owen Morris and Alan McGee have hailed his primitive drumming on early Oasis tracks as key to their punkish appeal, so a guest spot on a ‘Supersonic’ or ‘Columbia’ would be quite special. If unlikely, since McCarroll sued the band for £18 million in 1999, eventually bagging £550,000 in return for all future royalties and, presumably, reunion favours.
Alan White
Formerly the drummer for London band Starclub, Dr Robert and Andy Bell’s ex-wife Idha, White was recommended to Noel as McCarroll’s replacement by Paul Weller in 1995. He would become the longest-standing drummer, Liam’s drinking partner (they were dubbed Bert and Ernie) and, until Andy Bell’s arrival, the token Southerner or “cockney c**t”. His first day in the band was performing ‘Some Might Say’ on Top Of The Pops, his first live show was headlining Glastonbury 1995, and his real initiation was when he and Liam got into a high-profile bar brawl in Germany where Liam lost some teeth. After being replaced by Zak Starkey in 2004, White has gone the Guigsy route, staying out of the public eye. If the reunion cares a jot for the Knebworth vibe, Whitey will be back on the hot stool.
Gem Archer
The one-time frontman of Heavy Stereo, Archer has been Oasis-adjacent ever since replacing Bonehead in 1999 for a reported £85 session rate per gig. Songwriting duties on subsequent albums tided him over, though, and following the 2009 bust-up, he joined Liam in Beady Eye until 2014, between occasional live stints with Paul Weller.
Then – keeping both sides of his bread buttered – he switched allegiances to Noel’s High-Flying Birds in 2017, having been known to keep the elder Gallagher chilled out in their Oasis days. Which makes his potential position in the reunion an intriguing one: the High Flying Birds are said to be making up most of the band, but Bonehead’s presence may make Gem superfluous, particularly since he’s probably charging well over £100 a show now, cost of living and all that. Still, what’s one more guitarist at an Oasis gig?
Andy Bell
Already an indie hero in his own right with Ride, Bell’s arrival in the Oasis ranks from Hurricane #1 – replacing Guigsy – made the band a de facto supergroup. He also followed Liam into Beady Eye but has been back with the reformed Ride for the past ten years, who reportedly have an album ready to go, which will likely keep him on the road in 2025. That said, he’s been moonlighting in another supergroup called Mantra Of The Cosmos with Shaun Ryder and Bez, so maybe he’d be willing to clear his schedule.
Mike Rowe
The High Flying Birds’ keyboardist has a glittering CV featuring work with Mick Jagger, Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks and, yes, Oasis – that was him playing keyboards behind a bar on the ‘Be Here Now’ tour. They’ll likely shell out for real strings, but the ‘Digsy’s Dinner’ piano part isn’t gonna play itself…
Chris Sharrock
Previously of The Icicle Works, The La’s, World Party and The Lightning Seeds, among others, Sharrock was Oasis’s final drummer, replacing Starkey for the ‘Dig Out Your Soul’ tour in 2008 after a stint with Robbie Williams. A fact that Liam had trouble processing: “It was just too much of a temptation to piss Robbie Williams and Liam off in one phone call,” Noel said of his decision to hire Sharrock. Liam quickly came around, though – Sharrock joined Beady Eye before following Gem to NGHFB. Odds on favourite to be thumping out that ‘Live Forever’ intro in 2025.
Russell Pritchard
Ex-Zutons bassist Pritchard, now with NGHFB, isn’t part of his old band’s current reunion but has a good chance of making the team, given that The Chief will be back in charge.
Jessica Greenfield
A member of jazz-hop group The Herbaliser, soul combo Wonder 45, one half of The Kondoors and NGHFB, Greenfield is probably the least likely of Noel’s band to make it to Wembley for understandable reasons. Few Oasis songs need female backing vocals or that many keyboards, and it’s a foolhardy tambourine player indeed who takes Liam Gallagher on at his own game on home turf. What Noel’s old scissor player Charlotte Courbe could add to ‘Champagne Supernova’, on the other hand, we’d love to see.
Zak Starkey
Ringo’s son and beat-keeper of renown in his own right, Starkey was Oasis drummer during the creative and critical wilderness of 2004-2008. His side gig with The Who has kept him sporadically busy since, along with his own band Penguins Rising (an underestimated revolutionary threat, all told) and work on his Trojan Jamaica reggae label. Has the pedigree, if not the recent connections, to fill the seat this time.
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