Paul Weller on Oasis’ claim they were bigger then The Beatles

Paul Weller on Oasis’ claim they were bigger then The Beatles



Taken from a recent interview with Paul Weller for undertheradarmag read the full interview here.

Paul Weller


I’m a fan of your work with Oasis, like how you played on “Champagne Supernova” and how Noel Gallagher played on your album Stanley Road. But, as a Beatles diehard fan, what did you think of them infamously saying they were bigger than The Beatles? 

[Laughs] Well, quite clearly, it’s not true. But they say a lot of things, don’t they, man? God bless them. They’ve always got some sort of quote. So, I don’t really pay it much credence. They know they’re not bigger than The Beatles, it’s not possible. The Beatles were the pioneers. That’s not to say Oasis weren’t great, they were. But for one band to have that much impact, as The Beatles did, I don’t think it was possible in the ’90s or now.

Even if Oasis and the Britpop era can’t compare to The Beatles, it must have been an exciting time for you to get involved with them and experience a mid-career revival? 

It was a fun time, yeah. It was a messy time though. Because everyone was on load of booze and the rest of it, me included. It was a lot of fun, for a little bit. Then, like any hangover, it becomes sort of depressing. I thought the early ’90s were quite good. Lots of great Britpop, and also hip-hop, R&B, and jazz, too. It seemed like everyone was going out to see bands live again, and it felt like the last boom time for that in Britain. People wanting to go out was inspiring in itself.

Photo: Dean Chalkley