What is Oasis - The band - ?

Oasis are a rock band originally formed in Manchester, England. The band is led by principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and occasional vocalist Noel Gallagher and his younger brother lead vocalist/songwriter Liam Gallagher, who are the only remaining original band members. Musically and lyrically, they cite bands such as the British Invasion bands like The Beatles, Slade, T.Rex and The Kinks amongst their extensive influences. Thanks to the success of their critically acclaimed debut album Definitely Maybe and its 19 million selling follow-up (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, coupled with a supposed rivalry with contemporary band Blur, Oasis became one of the most successful and prominent British bands of the mid-90s and one of the leaders of the Britpop movement. The Gallagher brothers featured regularly in tabloid newspaper stories, and cultivated a reputation as both bad boys and the band of the people. At the height of their fame, their 1997 third album Be Here Now reached #1 in the UK charts and also became the fastest-selling album in chart history, with almost half a million copies sold on the first day alone. Having survived the loss of founding members and sustaining support from their loyal fan base, Oasis have managed to outlast many of their Britpop contemporaries. Suede, Pulp and some other peer groups have split up, or record only infrequently, while Oasis maintain a regular schedule of releases and touring to popular acclaim. Their latest album Don't Believe The Truth, released in 2005, was a critical and commercial success.