|
|
|
Mp3s
(SOON)
|
In the Spring of 1993 Oasis recorded their first professional sounding demo tape at the Real People's studio in Liverpool. The original tape featured the now familiar looking Oasis logo and swirling Union Jack motif. Only ten copies of the demo tape, which secured Oasis a record deal, were actually produced. The setlist for that first demo-casette is:
1.- Rock 'n' Roll
Star
2.- Strange Thing
3.- Bring It On Down
4.- Fade Away
5.- Columbia
6.- Cloudburst
7.- D'Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman?
8.- Married With Children
From these first recordings, Married With Children was used on Definitely Maybe, and D'Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman? as a b-side to the Shakermaker single. The others are are first takes of later songs, except Strange Thing that remained as an unedited track.
There are other songs which remained unedited too, and they are the following:
Better Let You Know
A cover of an early '90s house track, Better Let You Know really shows up Oasis' baggy roots. This is the song that during last year's Radio 1 documentary, Noel recalls playing at the band's first ever gig. Liam's vocal is badly distorted and echoed, Tony's drumming is far faster than anything on Definitely Maybe, and Noel's plays an obvious lead throughout the entire song rather than just the solo.
Colour My Life
A seven minutes marathon, Colour My Life, is another Manchester influenced track recorded around 1992. The Stone Roses influence is startling as Liam sounds almost exactly like Ian Brown. The drum pattern sounds almost like house music. Strong enough to take its place alongside many of the tracks on the group's debut album.
I Will Show You
I Will Show You is a simple 'rock 'n' roll' song with some pretty appalling, droning vocals from Liam. Noel plays the Squire-like,'jangly' guitar riffs pretty well.
Life In Vain
A brilliant slow, acoustic track. Liam, singing with a really silky, clean cut voice sounds really strange on the live version- perhaps because the vocals are echoed. Noel's lyrics, about leaving a relationship, are pretty scathing - brilliant stuff.
Must Be The Music
Pretty short by Oasis' standards Must Be The Music (demo) lasts for just over three minutes. The track is almost like a Noel instrumental - Liam repeating a chorus over and over with long guitar solos throughout the song.
See The Sun
Again, lead by a strong house beat, See The Sun is a great song similar in feel to Colour My Life. The lyrics are certainly a bit basic but the chorus is fantastic - really catchy, ending with the lines:
"I've been to the slaughter/ Slept with your daughter/So wont you let me have my head, so that I can see the sun?"
Snakebite
A great Noel instrumental jam featuring much more of a rock riff than any of the other demos. Snakebite is a lot closer to the traditional Oasis of Definitely Maybe.
Strange Thing
A 'dazzling' full on rocker, backed by a Manchesterbeat, it shares the same bluesy intro riff as the Stone Roses ''Love Spreads", which may be one reason it hasn't become a single or album track. The lyrics, although clumsy in places, are classic Noel Gallagher:
"Mick said that he could never get no satisfaction. These days, I think I know just what he means. What does he mean?"
Take Me
Probably the best of all Oasis' early demo recordings (again around '92) as Take Me was written by Liam Gallagher and Paul Arthurs. Take Me is apparently the famous Liam track that Noel has always wanted to record properly - Liam wont let him. The lyrics are pretty basic but the song as a whole certainly shows that Liam can write:
"Take Me when I'm young and true/ Was it me or was it you?/ Take me when I'm not so strong/ Why is it taking you so long?" "Take me when you feel I've gone/ I always knew I could be someone/ Take me if you think you're right/ Do it now before its light."
A rumbling, minor-key rocker that seems to have been influenced by early U2, and features continuous soloing throughout by Noel.
