Liam Gallagher & John Squire – Liam Gallagher John Squire review

It’s every Oasis fan’s dream; Liam Gallagher spoke in a recent interview with Mojo that there had been a serious money offer to reform the band to mark the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe‘s release. Interested, he even thought he’d make the first reconcilliatory move – sort of – by which “My people called Noel’s managment team”.

And the result? “Nope. He ain’t fucking doing it”.

Some olive branches are accepted however, like the one that meant The Stone Roses would reunite again to tour in 2017. There was even new music, although in the same interview John Squire revealed that despite this, the modern intra-band dynamic meant that in his opinion “An album would’ve been beyond us.”

Both men had long been friends, and following the latter’s guest appearance at the former’s Knebworth show in 2022 they began exchanging ideas for what would become the what it says on the tin entitled Liam Gallagher John Squire.

Their joint chemistry is undeniable. Opener Raise Your Hands is the ticket to life affirmation it promises, a thumping Row Z pleaser sounding like all the good old days bottled just in time to scare off the bad new world. Squire’s virtuosity means he never has to try too hard to sound great, and on I’m A Wheel he salutes his adolescent hero Jimmy Page, repeating the tribute act again for Jimi Hendrix on Love You Forever.

Cynics will point to derivation, but everything sounds like something and Just Another Rainbow, Mother Nature’s Song and especially the Muscle Shoals honky-tonk of You’re Not The Only One will hit all right the spots for the people who want Liam and John to hit their spots. Lovers of debit columns meanwhile can add up Make It Up As You Go Along’s lazy B-Side vibe and the tedious self-absorption of I’m So Bored, both feeling like they were ideas which sounded better in the duo’s hive mind.

Neither of them had to do this, and although the inevitable hubris around Liam Gallagher John Squire‘s release is more characteristic than accurate, it’s a record which finds the duo able to harness their respective and mutual powers to find some morning glory. Can’t wait to hear what our kid thinks about it.

You can read a full review here.