On May 31st 1993 Alan McGee walked into King Tut's War War Hut in Glasgow & stumbled upon Oasis - immediately after the gig he rang Creation Records Press Officer Johnny Hopkins to enthuse about his new discovery - the calls were repeated every hour throughout the night. Johnny joins us this week for the first part of our conversation about the beginnings of Oasis & the making of their debut album Definitely Maybe.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

The day after King Tut's, Alan McGee arrives back at Creation HQ in Hackney with the famous Union Jack demo tape - Bring It On Down being the first track Johnny & the Creation staff heard.

Within a week Liam, Noel & Bonehead come into Creation & are sharp & funny - impressing everyone. Shortly after they sign with Creation in the UK & Sony worldwide.

The first thing many people hear is the Columbia white label 12" which appears towards the end of 1993 & is instantly played on Radio 1.

Also in late 1993 Oasis decamp to Monnow Valley Studios with original producer Dave Batchelor, however the results are deemed unsatisfactory & Noel Gallagher & Mark Coyle take over production duties for further sessions at Sawmills Studios, but again the recordings fail to capture the sound everyone is hearing at Oasis gigs.

Owen Morris has a go at mixing the record & nails it - producing the sound you hear on the finished album.

The first London gig takes place at the Water Rats in Kings Cross in January of 1994 & features the first known performance of debut single Supersonic, which comes out on April 11th.

This landmark gig is followed by a legendary trip to Amsterdam which is where we end Part 1 of our Definitely Maybe 30th Anniversary episode - part 2 will follow next week.

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Hosted by Mark Hart & Simon Cardwell

Written & Produced by Simon Cardwell

Edited, mixed & spruced up by Andy Maxwell

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It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

Join us to discuss the music book of 2024 & one of the best music books of all time - Street Level Superstar - A Year With Lawrence has swept the board in the end of 2024 charts. Sunday Times writer Will Hodgkinson spends a year with Lawrence from Felt.

Our starting point is the West Midlands suburb of Water Orton - Television, Subway Sect & T-Rex proving formative influences of Lawrence's earlier years.

Eventually he forms Felt & they achieve a degree of success with their debut 7", Index. The band achieve a degree of success with 10 albums across a 10 year period including a stint on Creation Records.

However their success was limited by the many rules Lawrence enforced upon the band including a specific type of plectrum only, rectangular guitar cases only, specific clothing & others.

Lawrence's next project in the early 90s was Denim - while seemingly on the cusp following a tour with Pulp in 1996 the band did not achieve the success Lawrence long craved. His complete lack of compromise at some points of his life more of a hindrance.

The books is not a typical music biography & is more a character study & an examination of Lawrence's eccentric life. Will spends a year in Lawrence's company as they travel to Waltham Cross, Chelsfield, Welling, Beckenham & Temple Fortune.

We cannot describe how engaging this book is & really could not recommend it any higher.

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

Blue Sky: @musicmaps.bsky.social

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted by Mark Hart & Simon Cardwell

Written & Produced by Simon Cardwell

Edited, mixed & spruced up by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tiffany Murray grew up at Rockfield Studios after her Mum was appointed chef - she tells us about meeting Black Sabbath & Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie, Queen, Iggy Pop, Motorhead, Simple Minds, The Teardrop Explodes, Echo & The Bunnymen, Adam & The Ants, Siouxsie Sioux, Lemmy's parents, Showaddywaddy, Rush & Bauhaus.

It takes anything from 5 to 40 hours to prepare each episode of Music Maps - if you’d like to make a contribution to help us cover the costs & time of producing these episodes for you, you can do so at this link: ko-fi.com/musicmaps

It is hugely important for us to get positive reviews & star ratings - if you have enjoyed Music Maps & can spare the time to do either we would hugely appreciate it.

You can see our upcoming live events here: https://rocknrollbookclub.co.uk/live/

Instagram: @rocknrollbookclube17

Blue Sky: @musicmaps.bsky.social

X: @simonmusicmaps

Facebook: E17rockbookclub

Hosted by Mark Hart & Simon Cardwell

Written & Produced by Simon Cardwell

Edited, mixed & spruced up by Andy Maxwell

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.