Back in late 1993 and early 1994 I started to see live reviews in NME & Melody Maker for a new band from Manchester called Oasis. Then, before they had even released their first single, NME gave away a free tape which included a demo of a track called Cigarettes & Alcohol and suddenly it felt like all the hype was justified.

By the time I saw them play in the middle of the afternoon on the NME stage at Glastonbury that summer, they had released 2 singles and a further demo track (of Fade Away, given away on a tape with Select magazine). I recorded all the music they had released to that point on a blank tape, which then became the soundtrack of my summer, and for many of my mates: I made several copies of the tape as one of the few people who had both CD singles and the NME & Select tapes. One of those early live reviews had said something along the lines of “this band will change the clothes you wear and how you cut your hair” and I am pretty sure that the debut album hadn’t even been released before I proved this prophecy true.

I am almost certain that next summer will prove to be an extended version of the Sunday at Knebworth; over-crowded, expensive & disappointing, but in the meantime listening back to those very early tracks has reconnected me with my 18 year old self and the excitement that I experienced hearing them for the first time.