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Deep Cuts: B-Sides, Album Tracks & Rarities of OASIS: An Unofficial Song-by-Song Companion
In 1995, Noel Gallagher wrote one of the best songs of his life — and hid it on the back of "Wonderwall."
He has spent thirty years regretting it. "The Masterplan" went out as a B-side, where it reached a fraction of the audience it deserved. And that single decision tells you almost everything about the band this book is really about.
Everyone knows the anthems. "Live Forever." "Don't Look Back in Anger." Songs that slipped the band's grip long ago and became public property, roared from football terraces by people who couldn't name another track. Those songs can look after themselves.
This is a book about the other side of the record.
Deep Cuts takes twenty-five Oasis songs — B-sides, album tracks and rarities, from the Definitely Maybe sessions of 1994 to the last weary flourishes of Dig Out Your Soul — and gives each one a chapter of its where it came from, what it was reaching for, why it landed where it did, and whether the verdict of time has been fair.
▸ "Slide Away" — written in twenty minutes on a guitar Johnny Marr lent him, ranked ever since among the finest things the band recorded, and refused as a single by the man who wrote it.
▸ "D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?" — the deep cut so deep that even The Masterplan, the album built to rescue songs exactly like it, left it behind.
▸ "Columbia" — a drugged, circular jam by a band that could barely play, reportedly drawing Radio 1 plays before Oasis had a single for sale.
▸ "Married with Children" — cut in a bedroom in half an hour, on John Squire's guitar, and quietly containing half the band's future.
▸ "Gas Panic!" — Noel's rattled account of the night sweats that arrived with the fame.
This is the Britpop story the legend leaves the tender, literate, Noel-voiced shadow-band that lived almost entirely on the flip sides while Liam's roar took the singles — and the strange, spendthrift decade when the backs of Oasis records were routinely as good as the fronts, and now and then a good deal better.
If you ever bought an import CD single for one song on the back of it, this book was written for you.
A reunion is a machine for remembering the obvious. Deep Cuts is an attempt to remember everything else.
Turn the record over.
An unofficial, independent work of music criticism. Not authorised by or affiliated with Oasis, their management, or their labels.
He has spent thirty years regretting it. "The Masterplan" went out as a B-side, where it reached a fraction of the audience it deserved. And that single decision tells you almost everything about the band this book is really about.
Everyone knows the anthems. "Live Forever." "Don't Look Back in Anger." Songs that slipped the band's grip long ago and became public property, roared from football terraces by people who couldn't name another track. Those songs can look after themselves.
This is a book about the other side of the record.
Deep Cuts takes twenty-five Oasis songs — B-sides, album tracks and rarities, from the Definitely Maybe sessions of 1994 to the last weary flourishes of Dig Out Your Soul — and gives each one a chapter of its where it came from, what it was reaching for, why it landed where it did, and whether the verdict of time has been fair.
▸ "Slide Away" — written in twenty minutes on a guitar Johnny Marr lent him, ranked ever since among the finest things the band recorded, and refused as a single by the man who wrote it.
▸ "D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?" — the deep cut so deep that even The Masterplan, the album built to rescue songs exactly like it, left it behind.
▸ "Columbia" — a drugged, circular jam by a band that could barely play, reportedly drawing Radio 1 plays before Oasis had a single for sale.
▸ "Married with Children" — cut in a bedroom in half an hour, on John Squire's guitar, and quietly containing half the band's future.
▸ "Gas Panic!" — Noel's rattled account of the night sweats that arrived with the fame.
This is the Britpop story the legend leaves the tender, literate, Noel-voiced shadow-band that lived almost entirely on the flip sides while Liam's roar took the singles — and the strange, spendthrift decade when the backs of Oasis records were routinely as good as the fronts, and now and then a good deal better.
If you ever bought an import CD single for one song on the back of it, this book was written for you.
A reunion is a machine for remembering the obvious. Deep Cuts is an attempt to remember everything else.
Turn the record over.
An unofficial, independent work of music criticism. Not authorised by or affiliated with Oasis, their management, or their labels.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 9, 2026
“Deep Cuts: B-Sides, Album Tracks & Rarities of OASIS: An Unofficial Song-by-Song Companion” is another good one in this series.
I enjoy these most of all for the inside, behind-the-scenes dope. I also like them because they’re jumping off points for additional listens and scrutiny. The things I enjoyed or want to listen more to are related to the following tidbits in the book: Noel wanted to be an astronaut; they occasionally played on guitars lent by UK music royalty Marr and Squire; Johnny Depp and Kate Moss have played instruments for them at one point; Noel thought the Verve’s 1997 success was well deserved; they lifted from Bacharach/David and Velvet Underground in addition to the Beatles; an album was written at Mick Jagger’s villa.
I’ll happily read more of these, being a huge music fan, and the series digging into big and smaller acts alike.
I enjoy these most of all for the inside, behind-the-scenes dope. I also like them because they’re jumping off points for additional listens and scrutiny. The things I enjoyed or want to listen more to are related to the following tidbits in the book: Noel wanted to be an astronaut; they occasionally played on guitars lent by UK music royalty Marr and Squire; Johnny Depp and Kate Moss have played instruments for them at one point; Noel thought the Verve’s 1997 success was well deserved; they lifted from Bacharach/David and Velvet Underground in addition to the Beatles; an album was written at Mick Jagger’s villa.
I’ll happily read more of these, being a huge music fan, and the series digging into big and smaller acts alike.
September 15, 2026
Deep Cuts: B-Sides, Album Tracks & Rarities of OASIS by Richard Bell takes twenty-five lesser known songs by Oasis and gives detailed information about how they came to be and their place in the band’s body of work. The band broke up in 2009 and only recently reunited, thrilling fans with the ‘25 Live Tour. This short, but fascinating book arrives at the perfect time for music lovers new and old.
I confess I’m only familiar with the band’s most popular work, but I’ve always planned for a deeper dive having loved what little I’d heard. I’m excited to discover new-to-me music and song trivia so this book was especially enjoyable. I was also moved to read more about the band, especially the Gallagher brothers. This book is a must for loyal Oasis fans and curious newbies.
I confess I’m only familiar with the band’s most popular work, but I’ve always planned for a deeper dive having loved what little I’d heard. I’m excited to discover new-to-me music and song trivia so this book was especially enjoyable. I was also moved to read more about the band, especially the Gallagher brothers. This book is a must for loyal Oasis fans and curious newbies.
August 3, 2026
Must read for Oasis fans!
Great little book. It genuinely surprised me how much I liked this. Brilliantly researched, insightful, funny in places and profound in others. My advice: visit YouTube or whatever, play the song that the chapter is about before reading. It's so enjoyable and gives the songs a new depth. Even though I've followed oasis for years, I didn't know half of what the author dives into and brings to life. So many interesting stories. The only reason I haven't given 5 stars is because I wanted EVEN MORE!!
Great little book. It genuinely surprised me how much I liked this. Brilliantly researched, insightful, funny in places and profound in others. My advice: visit YouTube or whatever, play the song that the chapter is about before reading. It's so enjoyable and gives the songs a new depth. Even though I've followed oasis for years, I didn't know half of what the author dives into and brings to life. So many interesting stories. The only reason I haven't given 5 stars is because I wanted EVEN MORE!!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews