Was Noel right to 'waste' some of his best songs as B-sides?

[TheQuiet1]

Yeah, this is another Oasis thread, please forgive me etc.

This idea of Noel Gallagher 'wasting' many of his best songs as B-sides is an idea that many music critics have expressed. There is also that old joke that many B-sides were better than the A-side they accompanied (Idler's Dream, Idler's Dream, Idler's Dream!!).

The critics seem to think that if Noel had saved his best songs for later albums rather than wasting them as B-sides (which only a few fans would actually hear) then later Oasis releases would much better than they are now.

Now obviously, part of how you respond to this is going to be based on how you view the later Oasis releases. Whether you think they're excellent or an abuse to music or whatever BUT what I also want to know is whether or not you think B-sides are worth caring about. Oasis have never ever (to my knowledge) put out a remix as a B-side; they only ever put out original songs or (occassionally) live tracks. This is definitely going against the grain, especially nowadays, and I've always thought of it as something Oasis could be proud of. But is it? Or is it just wasting decent songs?

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

I haven't given this much thought, but if you asked me to name my favourite Oasis release, I'd say 'The Masterplan'. There's some who say that Noel's just tipping his cap to Paul Weller and Morrissey who did similar things with their B-sides but I doubt it; I guess he just wants his albums to 'flow' in a certain way.

I think Suede ran them really close in the great B-sides stakes though. 'The Living Dead', 'My Dark Star', 'Europe Is Our Playground', 'My Insatiable One' etc. All fantasic, fantastic songs.

 

[hippy]

Oasis definitely have some of the best b-sides out there


But artists choose to do certain things for particular reasons so I hesitate to say that these songs would have worked on later albums...

The only solution will be for them to release a comprehensive b-side collection!

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

My opinion is that bands/artists always need to save good tracks for the next album instead of releasing them as a b-side. I think Oasis have good b-sides that could have been on an album.

BTW: SEE OASIS WEDNESDAY IN AMSTERDAM!!

 

[hippy]

BTW: SEE OASIS WEDNESDAY IN AMSTERDAM!!

Have an awesome time! I saw them in Atlanta last month

 

[typhoon]

I think Noel did it right; he had songs to get out, so he got them out (and record companies don't like their artists releasing too many albums in a short span--ask Ryan Adams--so he probably had to release them as B-sides or sit on them for a while). It's nice fan service too; if you're going to release a product you expect people to buy, it better not suck, even if it's "just" a single. It's also better for the album if you give it a coherent feel, even if that means leaving off tracks like "Acquiesce" and "The Masterplan" to do it. And I think, occasionally, they'll record a looser or slightly more experimental song as a B-side because there's less pressure for B-sides than for album tracks (and of course, some of them--particularly the B-sides from Standing... and Heathen Chemistry--are outtakes that wouldn't have seen the light of day otherwise). He was also really prolific during the nineties and probably didn't expect to dry up after their first three albums. And I think he would've dried up around there one way or the other (due to stuff in his personal life), so it's good that he pushed himself to get all those songs out while he could.

It seems to be good business too. Last I heard, Noel could crap on a 45 and it'd go to #1 in the UK.

The only solution will be for them to release a comprehensive b-side collection!

Last I heard, they were working on another Masterplan-type collection to release before their next album.

 

[gareth brown]

I'm sure I read a quote of Gallagher's saying he wasn't just going to write a bunch of crap songs for B-sides. If I can find it, I'll quote it here in a bit, I'll have a look through my magazines.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

I think they should have saved maybe half of the b-sides of 94-95 for the third album: Acquiesce, Masterplan, Rockin' Chair, Underneath The Sky..that should have been the backbone of Be Here Now. Then he could still have had a load of great b-sides for the singles..just keeping the very best ones for the next album. I mean, Acquiesce and The Masterplan as b-sides is ridiculous, even though its amazing to think those songs weren't singles or album tunes.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Well once upon a time, artists would release decent, not heard before songs as b-sides. They wouldn't just rely on live versions or 34 different remixes, like some bands (coughU2cough).

The fan is better off for it.

 

[beau2ifulday]

I mean, Acquiesce and The Masterplan as b-sides is ridiculous, even though its amazing to think those songs weren't singles or album tunes.

Particularly Acquiesce.
My friend was at Glastonbury last year when they played. She's not a big Oasis fan, but she heard Acquiesce and called me afterwards and was really enthusiastic about them - she thought it was them debuting it from their upcoming album.

The mediocre fan is most likely not going to come across those songs off of their own back. It's a real shame too, because their B-Sides can be real gems.

 

[U2One]

makes me love noel even more....shows that he really doesn't care about selling boat loads of records. he's just gonna write/play music and do whatever he wants to do. i was actually reading an oasis book and when they were about to release some might say as the next single off of morning glory the band went into the studios to mix it. apparently they kinda fucked up the mix and then the record company wanted them to release acquiesce (the b-side on the some might say single) instead as the single because it was a lot better. but noel wouldn't budge because his plan from the start was to release some might say....noel gallagher, legend...

 

[TheQuiet1]

Last I heard, they were working on another Masterplan-type collection to release before their next album.

Wikiencloypedia says:

In August 2005, only weeks before headlining the dual-venue V Festival, an interview with Noel [2] revealed that the band plan to release a second b-sides album in 2006, embracing material from the last three albums.

Also, (Off topic really, but hey! It's my thread!):

As contradiction to his earlier statement that the band won't release new material before 2007, he said later in October in an interview, however, that Oasis will release a non-LP single (their first since 1994's "Whatever") called "The Boy With the Blues" which was written by Liam. The single is expected early 2006.

What do you think about non-album releases? As an established fan now, I look forward to the idea of hearing new material without having to wait for a whole album to be finished first. But when I became an Oasis fan in 2000 it was only by chance a few years later that I was actually able to get hold of a CD of Whatever. It was on one of those 'Now' complimations, what were the chances of coming across one of those 8 years after it was released? What I'm saying is, it's very frustrating as a fan to want to own this song that everyone says is great, but not being able to find it because they never put it on an album. You could say the same about the B-sides I suppose... think of all the decent songs that never made it onto The Masterplan (D'Yer Wanna be A Spaceman? Round Our Way etc.). Nonetheless, this doesn't mean that I want Oasis to stop putting out great B-sides, I just agree with Hippy, that they should periodically put out a B-side album containing ALL the B-sides of that particular era.

 

[babyman]

Just a title



TALK TONIGHT

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Oasis aren't the only ones - I know he is treated as if if he has the plague here on interference - but Robbie Williams has some masterpieces that have been relegated to "b side" status. 'Better Days', 'Karaoke Overkill', 'Average B Side' (which os anything but!!), 'United', 'Come Take Me Over', 'Big Beef' - silly boy - some of his recent b sides piss all over the new album tracks.