Damon Albarn has described himself as “prophetic” after he suggested an Oasis reunion could happen two years ago – but he might not be going along to a show himself.
In 2023, the Blur frontman said he thought the “road is clear” for Oasis to get back together, and that he’d “put money” on them reuniting amid his own band’s comeback tour.
Two years later, he told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, “The Oasis reunion? Two years ago I was prophetic when I said that they would do it and that the road was level. Well, you can’t think that two brothers can’t reconcile, sooner or later. It’s a good thing, the way I see it.”
When asked if he’d be catching a show, however, he said, “No: I’m literally too busy.”
While Oasis and Blur were rivals in the 1990s, the rivalry peaking with the 1995 ‘Battle of Britpop’ when Blur’s ‘Country House’ and Oasis’ ‘Roll With It’ came out on the same day, the relationship between Blur and the Gallagher brothers seems to have mellowed since.
In particular, Albarn and Noel have collaborated on stage and on the Gorillaz track ‘We Got The Power’, becoming friends after sharing experiences in the ’90s, though Liam has also offered friendly words to Blur – in 2022, he called Albarn a “great songwriter”.
And even if Albarn’s diary is looking packed, his Blur bandmates could be off to see their former rivals. Drummer Dave Rowntree might be off to see Oasis himself, saying in September that he’d be “first in the queue”, while guitarist Graham Coxon described the reunion as “good for fans” in October, after saying in 2022 that he’d be happy to see them reform.
Bassist Alex James will likely join Albarn in not attending, admitting in December that he “genuinely won’t be going”, but he did describe the reunion as wonderful and “great for Blur” in April, adding: “It’s awful that most bands end up hating each other.”
As for Albarn, he’s got some one-off live Gorillaz shows to look forward to from August 29 to September 3 in London. They’ll see him joined on stage with the full Gorillaz band and backed by visuals from Jamie Hewlett as the band play their earliest albums in full. There’s also set to be another Gorillaz album coming later this year.
Albarn has also brought back his Africa Express project this year. In May, they announced their first album since 2019, Africa Express Presents… Bahidora.
The Oasis reunion tour, meanwhile, resumes on Friday (July 11) at Manchester’s Heaton Park for the first of five huge homecoming dates.
In a glowing five-star review of the tour’s opening night in Cardiff last weekend, NME wrote: “It’s breezy and drama-free, complete with a classy tribute to the late Diogo Jota. Noel has a cheeky mention of the dynamic pricing fiasco, and later Liam asks: “Is it worth the £40,000 you paid for the ticket?” As the flares light up for ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ into the spoils of colossal closers ‘Wonderwall’ and an everlasting ‘Champagne Supernova’, the sweet escape comes to an end. Lord knows we needed a taste of that halcyon ‘90s hope and abandon in 2025 – especially for the raving and craving Gen-Zers. The world is a rotting shitty bin-fire and tomorrow never knows, but tonight, you’re a rock’n’roll star.”
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