Before Noel Gallagher found fame in Oasis, he was a roadie for ‘80s band Inspiral Carpets.
It was a job he loved, and it gave him helpful, first-hand insight into the background cogs and wheels of the music industry – and, more specifically, the mechanics of touring. But nearly 40 years later all that insight appears to have been forgotten.
In an extraordinary display of penny-pinching for the multi-millionaire rockers, the hard-working crew slaving behind the scenes at Oasis’s much anticipated reunion gigs this summer are not, I’m told, being given free gig tickets for their friends and family – something which is standard across the music industry and is seen as a perk of the job.
Sources close to the tour say the decision has sparked astonishment and anger among the crew, many of whom will spend months away from their loved ones to keep the gigs running smoothly.
As one remarked, bitterly, it has become clear to many of them that the gigs are ‘all about the money’ for Noel and his once-estranged brother Liam.
‘The crew will be travelling around the country with the band, setting up the venues, and will be on hand throughout the concerts in case they are needed,’ one source said.
‘They’ll be away from their family and are usually given tickets to invite them down to join them at one of the shows.
‘But the Gallagher brothers have banned any free tickets being given out. The crew are all fuming. Many of them have toured with other big-name artists and have never known anything like it. All Oasis seem to care about is making as much money as they can. Is this about fans, or is the truth that it’s all about the money?’
It has become clear to many that the gigs are ‘all about the money’ for Noel and his once-estranged brother Liam, writes Katie Hind
It’s a good question. The sell-out tour – their first live performances for 16 years – is set to rake in an astonishing £600million, playing 41 dates in the UK and across the world as they prepare to hit the road next week.
And it’s not just roadies who have been left upset. Even close pals and industry colleagues have found themselves without a free ticket.
Among those having to pay full price for the show, just like the band’s lifelong fans, are record executives who worked with the brothers throughout their careers and mates who have worked alongside the band.
The only thing they avoided was the controversial, hours-long queue for tickets on Ticketmaster. One veteran friend of the band told how he had been directed to a special website with a code to access a ticket – bypassing the queue – but was still expected to pay the basic face value.
‘A lot of industry people are pretty stunned,’ a well-placed source told me.
‘These are people who’ve known the band for years in some cases, or worked in and around them directly, and they’ve never seen anything like it.
‘Oasis are making millions and they’re acting like they can’t spare a few tickets for those who have been very, very good to them.’
Setting the tone for what many see as a profiteering approach was, of course, that scandal last August over ticket sales for the band’s gigs.
Among those having to pay full price for the show, just like the band’s lifelong fans, are record executives who worked with the brothers throughout their careers and mates who have worked alongside the band
And the hard-working crew are not being given free tickets for their friends and family either – something which is standard across the music industry and is seen as a perk of the job
Die-hard fans who queued online for hours on Ticketmaster’s site were shocked to find that prices had surged well beyond their initial face values.
A standard seat had more than doubled from £148 to £355, and a VIP package soared to over £500. This was said to be due to a ‘dynamic pricing’ model on the website, which automatically raises the cost of the most in-demand tickets – but Ticketmaster told MPs it did not use such a system, and the band itself claimed they weren’t consulted about the pricing model at all.
In a statement, the band said that ‘it needs to be made clear that Oasis leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management,’ adding that they ‘at no time’ had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used. Those who know the group blamed their long-time manager Marcus Russell for agreeing to the strategy.
The furore was particularly awkward for Oasis frontman Liam who additionally found himself labelled a ‘hypocrite’ by fans because he had previously criticised the high prices charged for tickets to see Noel’s other band, High Flying Birds.
In 2017 he posted on Twitter: ‘£350 to go and see our kid in USA, what a c*** – when will it stop?’
‘Liam’s made it clear to people around him that he’s not happy,’ said a source close to the singer. ‘He was called out online and he didn’t have much to say other than to tell them to shut up. But Marcus has been running the business side – and that’s very much Noel’s turf really.
‘Liam has had his own management team, including his partner Debbie, who has been overseeing his career away from Oasis.’
I understand they’ve bagged themselves an ‘almost unprecedented’ deal to get up to a 30 per cent cut of profits from some venues – a move that has left promoters stunned.
Die-hard fans who queued online for hours on Ticketmaster’s site were shocked to find that prices had surged well beyond their initial face values – thanks to ‘dynamic pricing’
One, with begrudging respect, said: ‘They’ve got themselves an incredible deal – almost unprecedented. They might get as much as 30 per cent for some things, it’s unheard of.
‘Most bands negotiate a cut, but Oasis have gone in very heavy. Every beer, glass of wine, snack, T-shirt and poster sold – you name it – they’ll get a chunky slice.
‘They knew they were in an extraordinary negotiating position to get this deal finally agreed.’
Also set to boost the brothers’ coffers is a branded Oasis clothing range with Adidas – with T-shirts priced at £55, sweaters at £70 and a jacket at £100.
Many of the items sold out almost immediately after the range went live online last week though they will be back in stock in time for the gigs and also sold at venues.
One source even claims there were discussions about the band taking a cut of car park profits – though that has been profusely denied.
‘Look, if they could monetise breathing the air in the stadium, they probably would,’ an insider joked.
As one source summed up: ‘Rinsing everyone for every last penny doesn’t feel very rock and roll. It’s certainly not like the Nineties.’
