Doves recall how Oasis ‘did them a real solid’ at 2000 Wembley shows

23 January 2025, 19:30

Doves: "Oasis did us a solid at 2000 Wembley shows"

By Jenny Mensah

Jez and Andy Williams spoke to Radio X about everything from their fond memories of supporting Oasis to frontman Jimi Goodwin & their forthcoming album Constellations For The Lonely.

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Doves have reminisced about their time supporting Oasis in 2000 and credit the band with giving them some of their oldest fans.

Jez and Andy Williams visited Radio X to to discuss everything from their new album Constellations for the Lonely, to their frontman Jimi Goodwin's mental health and their first tour in 15 years.

Asked about fellow Manchester rockers Oasis and their 2025 reunion, Jez told Dan O'Connell on The Evening Show: "We go back to when we first played Wembley with them. They did us a real solid by putting us on. We'd just put our first album out called Lost Souls and they were big fans."

"[It was] the old Wembley," continued the guitarist and songwriter. "90,000 people and everyone turned up early for that one and obviously at that stage we were playing pubs if you like, so to go from that to 90,000, it was insane. It was completely insane and they were there at the side of the stage."

"We all got freaked out when we were about to go on stage," interjected his twin brother Andy, before Jez continued: "We were like, 'Holy F!' And they were cracking themselves laughing because they knew it was freaking us out."

Though the brothers can recall "loads of memories" with the Britpop band and went on to work with and support Noel Gallagher during his solo career, they credit those Wembley shows as being pivotal to introducing them to a huge audience.

"It really helped us out because it helped our first album," Jez admitted. "Loads of people got turned onto it, by [us] doing that gig and it's quite an unusual thing to do a gig and have loads of people turn on to your album. They did us a real solid, yeah."

Drummer and vocalist Andy added thoughtfully: "And it's people who heard us at that first gig who are still with us now."

Catch up with the full interview on Global Player, the official Radio X app.

Doves Jez and Andy Williams have reminisced when they supported Oasis in 2000. Picture: Dave Hogan/Getty, Radio X, Brian Stevens

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Doves - who are completed by Jimi Goodwin - return this year with their sixth studio album Constellations for the Lonely, which is released on 14th February and includes lead single Renegade and new track Cold Dreaming.

Speaking about cinematic influence on Renegade, Jez explained: "It was kind of our version of trying to put Manchester in a futuristic kind of film. So, very Blade Runner."

"We're big, big fans of certain composers for films, so it's nice to get a little nod in there,' he went on. "When we were kids and we first saw Blade Runner, the original I should say, it had that impact on us. It's never left us, so it's great to actually get that into a song.".

Though they've admitted their songs can be very dark and emotive, they hope they also offer a sense of escape for their fans.

"You want it to sort of have that escapism," Jez added. "Life can be tough, so when we were writing it we found it was our escape from our reality, so it's nice to think people can escape their world for a bit."

Doves - Renegade

On their recently unveiled track, Cold Dreaming he mused: "There's always been a bit of Belearic in our music. I'd like to think we've taken that vibe with us as well."

"We loved that period of music in the '70s, that psychedelic soul," Andy added. "That was our pop. There's a song called Les Fleurs [by Minnie Riperton]. That was an inspiration."