The Blur vs Oasis Feud: “I’d Rather Drink Petrol Than Listen to Them”​

The Blur vs Oasis Feud: "I'd Rather Drink Petrol Than Listen to Them"

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The feud between Oasis and Blur is one of the most iconic and well-documented rivalries in the history of British music, particularly during the Britpop era of the 1990s. Both bands were at the forefront of the Britpop movement, which was a genre of alternative rock that celebrated British culture and music.

Oasis, hailing from Manchester, consisted of brothers Liam Gallagher (vocals) and Noel Gallagher (guitar, vocals), along with other members. They quickly gained popularity with their debut album “Definitely Maybe” in 1994, followed by the hugely successful “What’s the Story Morning Glory?” in 1995.

Blur, on the other hand, originated from London and featured members Damon Albarn (vocals), Graham Coxon (guitar), Alex James (bass), and Dave Rowntree (drums). They had already achieved moderate success with previous albums but truly broke into the mainstream with their album “Parklife” in 1994.

The rivalry between Oasis and Blur was largely fueled by the British media, which often portrayed them as representing two opposing sides of the Britpop movement: the working-class, rebellious image of Oasis versus the more art-school, middle-class persona of Blur.

The feud reached its peak in the summer of 1995 when both bands released their new singles on the same day, in what was termed “The Battle of Britpop.” Oasis released “Roll with It,” while Blur released “Country House.” The media hyped this chart showdown as a pivotal moment in the Britpop rivalry.

In the end, Blur’s “Country House” single outsold Oasis’s “Roll with It,” reaching number one on the UK charts. However, Oasis’s album “What’s the Story Morning Glory?” eventually became more successful than Blur’s “The Great Escape” in terms of album sales.

The rivalry continued with snarky comments and insults exchanged between the bands in the media, and the press often asked members of both bands about each other during interviews.

    “I hope they catch AIDS and die.” – Noel Gallagher (Oasis)

    “Blur, who are they?” – Liam Gallagher (Oasis)

    “I’d rather drink petrol straight from the nozzle than listen to [Oasis].” – Alex James (Blur)

    “Our first priority is to be as brilliant as possible, and their first priority seems to be to wind people up.” – Damon Albarn (Blur)

    “Oasis are just a bunch of Manc [Manchester] rubbish.” – Graham Coxon (Blur)

Over time, as the Britpop movement waned, both Oasis and Blur found success in their own right and evolved musically. In the years following, the members of both bands have expressed respect for each other’s music, and any lingering animosity seems to have subsided.

Despite the feud being a significant part of music history, it’s worth noting that the media’s portrayal of the rivalry might have exaggerated the actual animosity between the bands. Today, Oasis and Blur are regarded as two of the most influential bands of the 1990s and are remembered for their contributions to the Britpop era.

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