Oasis (1980s band)

Not to be confused with the more popular rock band from the 1990s, Oasis.

Oasis were a British music group. Formed in 1984,[1] the group consisted of Peter Skellern, Julian Lloyd Webber, Mitch Dalton, Bill Lovelady and Mary Hopkin.

Their only album, Oasis,[2] was released on the WEA label along with two singles. The album reached No. 23 on the UK Albums Chart after first charting in April 1984; it remained in the charts for 15 weeks.[3]

A tour of the United Kingdom was planned for September 1984. A new cellist, Audrey Riley, was brought in to replace Lloyd Webber whose solo commitments forced him to leave. The tour, however, was brought to an abrupt end when Hopkin became ill. The group disbanded shortly afterwards.[4]

When the Manchester band of the same name became successful in the 1990s, Skellern called Liam and Noel Gallagher "louts", and said: "While it's obvious that they revere the Beatles, the Beatles were bright people and never rude. You didn't see photographs of John Lennon sticking two fingers up at everyone."[5][6] He went on to say, "My Oasis never had the same press coverage when I was lead singer - but then again, I'm not Liam Gallagher."[7]

  1. ^ Paul Fowles, Graham Wade; Concise History of Rock Music, 2012, p. 299: "A band bearing the name Oasis had briefly existed c. 1984, comprising Welsh singer and erstwhile Eurovision hopeful Mary Hopkin, classical cellist Julian Lloyd Webber (brother of West End theater tunesmith Andrew), singer/composer Bill ..."
  2. ^ Oasis – Oasis at AllMusic.
  3. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 402. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ^ Margaret Campbell, Julian Lloyd Webber: married to music: the authorised biography, 2001, p. 100: "Soon after the album's release in 1984, Julian left Oasis. 'I felt the project had been hijacked by the record company. Why do they find something they like and then set about changing it into something completely different?' Soon after Oasis ..."
  5. ^ Laing, Dave (19 February 2017). "Peter Skellern obituary" – via The Guardian.
  6. ^ "Obituary - Peter Skellern, singer and composer known for You're a Lady". The Herald. 20 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Pride Of Manchester's guide to Peter Skellern". www.prideofmanchester.com.