Oasis released their Platinum-selling third album, Be Here Now, 25 years ago. It was the follow-up to the UK’s best-selling album of the 1990s, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, and the Gallaghers’ first album since becoming the biggest rockstars in the world.
Be Here Now followed the lead of Morning Glory and 1994’s Definitely Maybe in topping the UK albums chart upon release. It also went to number one in Australia and number two in the US, but the 71-minute album soon earned a reputation as bloated, drug-fuelled and altogether unwieldy.
One’s fondness or otherwise for the druggy repetitiveness of Be Here Now is a question of personal taste, but Be Here Now remains a curious artefact a quarter of a century after its release. We asked the Music Feeds audience for their views on the divisive release. Here’s a collation of the best responses.
What Music Feeds readers think of Oasis’ Be Here Now
Michael A.: “Too many nose beers, not enough editorial control.”
Stewart B.: “An ambitious collection of over-blown, drug-fuelled tracks that always sounds like they’re having a stack of fun.”
Ryan P.: “So god damn biblical it made the creator of the Bible retire as nothing else could be written to top this album.”
Anonymous: “Shit follow up to What’s the Story, but sounds great on vinyl.”
Mickey: “All killer no filler.”
Andy G.: “A brilliant, timeless masterpiece.”
Adam H.: “Be Here Now encapsulates the highs, lows, and excess amount of drug and alcohol intake around that time from a talented band who were at the peak of their rock’n’roll powers, but also showcasing the first glimpses that they were turning into a Ferrari that was on the verge of spinning out of control.”
Matt S.: “Madferit.”
Keiran N.: “When you’re already the biggest/best band in the world, ambition, with a pinch of Abbey Road studios and a tractor full of cocaine, will take you to dizzying heights; zero compromise on a record that still stirs conversation a quarter century later.”
Jed M.: “A loud, messy, risky and audibly-invasive masterpiece.”
Nick J.: “COCAINE.”
Oasis – ‘All Around the World’
Jan A.: “If you’re not opening a can of lager by the time ‘D’You Know What I Mean?’ climaxes, then buckle up, because Be Here Now brings out the lad in every listener until you find yourself ‘avin it at everything including the way you order soy decaf flat white extra hot.”
Billy C.: “Bloated perfection.”
Cameron G.: “Be Here Now represents the music of a generation that lived and breathed the music through their own eyes and ears, and everyone around them lucky enough to be there then.”
Alexander S.: “I Hope, I Think, I Know the words My Big Mouth could say to describe how this album will always Stand By Me, but it’s a slice of Magic Pie for people All Around The World and gives you feelings that Don’t Go Away.”
Adam E.: “Be Here Now is probably the most bloated and drug-fuelled album of all time but I still love it.”
James E.: “Be Here Now gives you front row seats to a balls-to-the-wall, lyrically ambiguous yet no-less thrilling Mancunian circus more so than any of the other great Britpop records of the 90s.”
Peter B.: “Bloated it may be, but with a large chunk of Magic Pie it fills your ears with earworm melodies.”
Natalie S.: “Life in a northern town.”
Daniel P.: “Expectation, millions of pounds, drugs, a car in a pool, rockstar excess and fighting brothers = an absolutely underrated masterpiece.”
Jamie L.: “The lovechild of one man’s unmitigated guitar-driven songwriting while under the influence of copious amounts of cocaine.”
Richard K.: “Needs a good slap.”
Andrew P.: “Fantastic musical odyssey with twists and turns and two endings.”
Greg F.: “Better than the copious amount of nose beers dripping Liam’s nose during the recording process, or is it?”
Oasis – ‘Magic Pie’
Be Here Now has been reissued as a Silver LP and Picture Disc.
Further Reading
Liam Gallagher: 10 Essential Interview Moments
Noel Gallagher’s Guitar Used The Night Oasis Split Is Up For Sale
“Nothing Since Has Even Come Close”: Watch The Trailer For ‘Oasis Knebworth 1996’
