Liam Fray on Oasis' Definitely Maybe: "Every single song stands the test of time"

21 August 2024, 19:44

The Courteeners frontman has relived his memories of Oasis' Definitely Maybe album and said he wishes he was older when Supersonic debuted.

Liam Fray wishes he was a few years older to have truly experienced the birth of Oasis and their Definitely Maybe album.

Asked of his memories of the record as it approaches its 30th anniversary on 24th August 1994, he told Radio X's Dan O'Connell on The Evening Show: "So I was 10, 11 for [Oasis' second studio album What's the Story] Morning Glory, but you couldn't escape [it]."

"I remember Wonderwall on the radio," he went on. "And I remember this very, very clearly. I'd just been able to sit in the front of the car with my dad, but I remember thinking that I'd never really heard that thing or it never really done that to me [...] but I said early on to a friend I would have loved to have been just five or six years older and when you first heard Supersonic".

He added: "What that would have been like to have been going out to clubs and going to gigs and then hearing Supersonic. Where does that sit? Because it must have gone 'BOOF'.

"I remember getting the 10 year anniversary of it and you got a DVD with it and I remember thinking - what was that 2004 - and I'd just started to do gigs [...] and I was thinking this album is 10 times bigger now than when it came out.

"How must must that feel? So for it to be 30 years, I mean... look. Every single song stands the test of time".

Watch his full interview with Dan O'Connell here:

Liam Fray on Courteeners' new album Pink Cactus Café

READ MORE:

• Liam Fray reflects on Courteeners scoring a no.1 with St Jude album 15 years later
• Liam Fray at 39: Facts about the Courteeners frontman

Fray also reflected on the Courteeners' St. Jude album and his feelings about it finally scoring a UK number one.

The Middleton band's debut - which included the singles Cavorting, What Took You So Long?, No You Didn't, No You Don't and their enduring indie anthem Not Nineteen Forever - reached number four on the UK Albums Chart when it was first released on 7th April 2008.

However, in 2023 the album hit the top spot due to its special edition anniversary re-issue.

Quizzed if the achievement changed how he felt about how the band were received, the 39-year-old rocker mused: "The number one thing last year, it was, I think it was nice for all the other people involved. I think I probably let go of a lot of that because I’m here doing it."

However, Fray went on to went on to say how lucky regardless because many bands from his era weren't able to continue working.

"There are good bands that fall by the wayside," he added. "It’s not their fault. You know, they might not get this, or they might not get that. You have to have a lot of luck along the way.”

READ MORE:

• The best lyrics from Oasis' Definitely Maybe
• Who was on the TV on the cover of Definitely Maybe?

One thing Fray is proud of is the band's forthcoming album, Pink Cactus Cafe, and particularly his collaboration with the DMA'S.

The new album features contributions from friends of the band such as Brooke Combe, James and Ian Skelly (The Coral), Pixey, Charlie Salt (Blossoms), Ola Modupe-Ojo (Bipolar Sunshine), Theo Hutchcraft (Hurts) and of course the Aussie trio.

"I love them to pieces, you know," he gushed. "We go out for drinks, we go out for dinner."

On their collaboration on track number five on the album, The Beginning Of The End, he added: "That song will be one of many, that, because it was easy.

"It's hard because when you do an album, you're proud of it [all], but I love that song."

Pre-order Courteeners' Pick Cactus Cafe here.

Courteeners - Pink Cactus Cafe album track listing:

1. Sweet Surrender (featuring Brooke Combe)
2. Weekend Shy Of A Feeling
3. Pink Cactus Cafe
4. Where Are We Now?
5. The Beginning Of The End (featuring DMA’S)
6. Solitude of the Night Bus
7. First Name Terms (featuring Pixey)
8. Lu Lu
9. Love You Any Less
10. Bitten By Unseen Teeth
11. The Unexpected Rise Of You And I (vinyl bonus track)

Courteeners are also set to embark on a UK tour in November this year, with dates that include shows at Co-Op Live, Manchester and the O2 Academy Brixton.

They'll be joined by special guests DMA'S and Mystery Jets on selected dates, with the London support act still to be confirmed.

Tickets will go on general sale this Friday 19th July at 9am (BST) via gigsandtours.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.

Courteeners' 2024 UK tour dates:

• 14th November OVO Hydro, Glasgow with DMA'S and Mystery Jets
• 15th November Co-Op Live, Manchester with DMA'S and Mystery Jets
• 16th November 02 Academy Brixton, London
• 21st November First Direct Arena, Leeds with DMA'S
• 22nd November Utilita Arena, Cardiff with DMA'S and Mystery Jets
• 23rd November Utilita Arena, Birmingham with DMA'S and Mystery Jets