Live Forever: The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Oasis

by John Robb, HarperNorth (publisher)

The finest book on Britain's most popular rock 'n' roll band 'Read on … It's all true' Noel Gallagher Featuring an exclusive interview with Noel Gallagher and bespoke artwork by celebrated Oasis album designer Brian Cannon

Think Oasis was just Britpop and brawls?

Think again.

John Robb was there every step of the way. In this, the definitive book on Britain’s biggest band, he peels back the layers of Manchester’s best-known musical export, revealing a tale of ambition, ego, talent and a whole lot of attitude. From the estates of South Manchester to the dizzying heights of global stardom, Live Forever is a rollercoaster ride through the Gallagher brothers’ turbulent lives and the music that defined a generation. But it is also a portrait of Britain around the turn of the millennium and the cultural forces and places that shaped, and were shaped by, two cocksure upstarts from Burnage – from art to fashion, and from football to politics.

Playful, funny and irreverent, and drawing on dozens of interviews and first-hand stories, this book puts Oasis squarely in the pantheon of music royalty as the last great rock ’n’ roll stars.

Genres: Music, Audiobook, Nonfiction

Audible Audio

Published June 19, 2025

About the author

Author/Music Scribe/TV Presenter/Environmental Activist and Bass Player for perennial post-punk survivors The Membranes, John Robb is a man who cannot sit still. When he’s not touring with his band (they recently toured in Europe with The Stranglers, The Chameleons and Fields Of The Nephilim), he’s presenting, moderating or writing for his popular UK music site Louder Than War. John has previously written the best-selling books “Punk Rock : An Oral History” and “The North Will Rise Again : Manchester Music City 1976-1996”. His latest opus is the 550-page “The Art Of Darkness : The History of Goth”, an in-depth account that he feels presents the first major and comprehensive overview of Goth music and culture and its lasting legacy.

Starting with a night out in a Goth club, it then takes us on a deep-dive into the wider culture, exploring the social conditions that created ‘Goth’ in the post-punk period. It examines the fall of Rome, Lord Byron and the romantic poets, European folk tales, Gothic architecture and painters, the occult to modern-day Instagram influencers.

The book is built mainly around the 80s post-punk Goth period featuring interviews with Andrew Eldritch, Killing Joke, Bauhaus, The Cult, The Banshees, The Damned, Einstürzende Neubauten, Johnny Marr, Trent Reznor, Adam Ant, Laibach, The Cure, Nick Cave and many others. …it looks at the music, style and the political and social conditions that spawned the culture and the great music, fashions and attitudes - clubs that defined it, and is also a first-hand account of being there at some of the legendary gigs and clubs that made the scene happen...

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite 3 stars, don't get me wrong I did enjoy reading this. The first half pretty much covers the back story, leading up to Definitely Maybe. Parts of this are electrifying and John Robb, whose writing/journalism I like, clearly writes as a fan whilst striking a balanced tone.

What makes the book a bit more jarring are sections that read as though it were a "talking heads" TV documentary, with large snippets of interviews quoted. Each album and single is also given a bit of track-by-track commentary which wasn't quite for me and the sections post-2000 feel a bit superfluous, as though the book could have ended sooner.

As a fan I'd still recommend this, just not necessarily as a definitive biography of Oasis.

[Richard S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Live Forever by John Robb and really enjoyed it. Some parts were a little repetitive but overall I learned some new things about my favourite band.
The book provides a detailed exploration of Oasis' rise, fall and cultural legacy. It traces the band's origins in Burnage in detail, and their explosive ascent in the 1990s fuelled by the volatile dynamic between Liam and Noel Gallagher. Robb examines the band's impact not just on music but on British fashion and the cultural and political climate of the time. The book positions Oasis as more than just a band but as a defining force of pre-digital British culture. One of the best Oasis books in a long time!

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oasis is my favourite band. So obviously when I see a book about them in the library I’m going to take it out.

This book is good. It’s fine. It does what it needs to do, which is educate the reader about Oasis; about the songs, the members, the albums, the background and even the sleeve covers.

It did feel very repetitive though, a lot of it is just quoting stuff people have said, and it’s not that unique in the sense that a lot of the stuff in here you could find out elsewhere. But I guess at least you know it’s true that way. And I think there were some mistakes in here in terms of grammar so that wasn’t great…

But it’s good reading if you’re interested in Oasis and want to learn more about the band and things surrounding it.

But the layout is good, it starts at the beginning and ends in 2024.

Oh, and if your favourite Oasis album is one of the first three (like me, mine is Be Here Now) then you’re in luck, because those albums get the most attention in this book.

[Hayden Burgess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the highs and lows of this book and the band in general. There is great detail about the bands inspirations and formation, along with the creating process of each album. I especially enjoyed the events leading up to the first three albums, best described as “dead-end jobs and dreams of escape (Definitely Maybe), the rush of success and thrills ((What’s the Story) Morning Glory?), topped off with the cocaine album and high-decibel toppermost (Be Here Now).”

Noel and Liam have a very interesting dynamic which I’m glad I learned more about. They’re “half a glass of Guinness on a Tuesday and 10 shots of Tequila on a Friday night.” (I’m sure you can figure out who is who).

Feeling pretty special I was able to be apart of the reformation, Oasis Live ‘25 which is highlighted near the end of the book. My only regret is I didn’t get into the band at an earlier age. But can’t look back in anger!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read, I really need to listen to all the albums again, not just the first two.

[Deniz Kuypers]

You can’t fault Robb for devoting most of his attention to Oasis’ first two records. But despite his nods to the strength of their back catalog, he still leans on the age-old narrative that the band lost its spark after Morning Glory, Be Here Now, or The Masterplan (take your pick). The final four albums are compressed into the last 20% of the book, and the “Resurrection” promised in the title—their 2024 reunion—gets only a brief, two-page mention at the very end. Quibbles aside, this is a solid, high-level overview of the band’s career for newcomers and casual fans alike, with Robb’s affection for Oasis shining through every page.

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 / 5 Stars
// Good

Three weeks ago, at the time of writing this review, I saw Oasis live at Wembley Stadium - a dream come true and a night that will live on in my memory forever.

This book was the perfect companion piece for the emotional afterglow that followed in the weeks after the show. With its depth, it gave me all the information I could have wished for; author John Robb perfectly captured the sound of the band in words.

I could have done without the many interview-style quotes from band members and their wider circle - it felt like reading a documentary, a format I’d much rather watch than read.

Overall, though, I enjoyed dipping in and out of this while listening to the music itself. Bonus points for the audiobook, which is narrated in a proper Mancunian accent.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. As an elder millennial, Oasis was the soundtrack to my youth. Their music will always hold a special place in my heart.

Live Forever gives us an extensive look into the lives of the band. We get a glimpse into the origins of where things started. From humble beginnings in Burnage right through to the peak of their success.
As much as I have loved the bands music over the years, I didn't really know too much about them other than what I'd learnt from tabloid headlines, which generally weren't overly favourable. John Robb's writing helped give me context to a lot of those incidences. John was able to humanise the Gallagher's, these brothers have done it tough, they both have their own issues and complexities but they are also incredibly brilliant.

"Noel and Liam.
Liam and Noel
Don't look back in anger...
Rust never sleeps..."

Live Forever.

If you are an Oasis fan, this is a must read!

[D.C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has the potential to be a great book, because the story of Oasis’ career is really compelling. Future editions of this book might fulfill its potential, but currently, it reads like a first draft rushed out to capitalize on their reunion tour. There are glaring typos, repetitive anecdotes (i.e., the inspiration for their logo in two successive chapters), unrefined language (Robb calls the Gallagher’s home town a “close knit community” three times in two pages), and a timeline that’s sloppy at best. With a good editor, this could be the defining biography of the band. Until then, it’s fun but disappointing.

[Chris Barstow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three quarters of a great book with lots of interesting stories and background into the formation and glory years. Falls off a cliff after the Be Here Now period and falls into a pattern of describing the albums track by track and the artwork choices. The 'resurrection' section feels lazy, tacked on, and rushed out to make the most of the current Oasis mania. It contains nothing about the band reforming, just the press release that came out on the announcement.

[Markod0101 · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I loved this book. As a huge Oasis fan I especially appreciated the “rise” part of the story, giving me a decent amount of information I didn’t know previously.

I’ve marked it 3 stars because the reformation is barely covered, no insight, not even speculation, which means the book is marketed in a sneaky way.

Would still recommend to fans though.

[Gary K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epic book about the story of Oasis. Read it straight after the PJ Harrison one. They are probably equally good. There is more in this one about the early days and details of the records, videos and even sleeves. Well worth a read if you are an Oasis fan.

[Lol · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is just a commentary of lots of Oasis songs. The writers description of songs is quite boring and pointless. You might as well listen to their records instead. It’s also quite badly written with wrong grammar. Would not recommend!

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly what I needed after seeing the band earlier this year. Quite in-depth up to the Knebworth shows and then it does go up to their break up but not in quite as much detail. Some stuff in here I knew but new stuff for me too. Great book on the band

[Diego · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is intriguing, delving deeply into the origins of the band and its background. However, it could improve by providing more information on changes in the lineup and the introduction of new members.

[Andrew Carolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly good, but conversely exhaustive on the early career (up to Be Here Now) and all too brief on the latter career.

[Tony Honan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a good account of the band, written by someone that was there. As others have said, it gets a little repetitive, that’s what stops it from getting five stars.

[Todd Tieuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stuff, but I wish it was about double the length. He only really goes deep on the first 3 records. I wanted more. I loved it though!

[Fran Segado · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fear I was hoping for the fall and resurrection part of their story. On one hand this might make me a relentless gossip monger NEVERTHELESS it's like 2/3 of the title.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Hailey Pelham · Rating 4 out of 5]

my Oasis obsession and hyperfixation continues. loved hearing the whole story

🎧🎧🎧

[Shaun Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty good read if you're an oasis fan. a bit annoying though. how much smoke can John Robb blow up the arses of Liam and Noel gallagher? Come on, really?

[noreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned/the content of this book made me feel…

…that maybe sometimes the personalities may have been more heartwarming than the songs - the Manchester history was so fascinating too - genuinely surprised at how much I enjoyed that!