Tim Abbot was Managing Director at Creation Records when the band signed and he was one of their biggest allies, becoming a close friend of the band. It was Tim that tracked down Noel when he left in 1994 after the infamous Whiskey A Go Go show, Tim on the cover of Cigarettes & Alcohol having it large with the band, Tim that was helping to manage the whirlwind of activity that Oasis kicked up for Creation.
Tim got Oasis from the very first time the band set foot inside Creation's office to sign the deal McGee had offered/promised them at King Tuts. He fell for their look, their attitude and their music. Oasis, in turn, recognised a kindred spirit.
This is the Oasis I love.
I'm not interested in huge stadium shows, a merchandise overload, insane ticket prices and the brothers getting the band back together for money. Everything seems so controlled, so corporate, so organised, so orchestrated ... down to the hugs between the brothers. It's amazing what a costly divorce can lead to ...
Now, the hugs between Liam and Noel seem to be getting warmer with every passing show, but there is little other interaction between them ... at least that we have seen.
So yes, I'm a little cynical and relatively non-fussed about Oasis in 2025. They have already played to over a million people at the time of writing and are going to make millions more happy. But it's the Oasis of my youth that I still crave. When things were balanced permanently on a knife edge, it could all explode at any given moment, when the tension could be felt on stage and off.
And my God, hasn't Tim Abbot captured the essence of Oasis in this film - which, it should be added, comes in excerpts with Tim talking in between and doing a Q&A at the end. Abbot would need substantial investment to clear music and complete the film. Tantalisingly, Abbot has had 30-hours of footage edited and documented and has another 10-hours being worked on. Last night was a mere glimpse into what he has.
However, what you get to see at present includes; Noel creating the chord sequence to Don't Look Back In Anger in a bar in Montreal, the humour and banter, Guigsy riding round the outside of Earls Court on his new scooter (courtesy of The Chief - AKA Noel) past the fans as Oasis-mania really kicked in, backstage footage, Noel dragging Alan White out his bed to the bar, the desire and ambition, the rollercoaster ride that climbed ever higher but had unexpected dips along the way - before climbing even higher!
There is incredible footage of Oasis in the studio recording Champagne Supernova - Liam getting a warning from Owen Morris to look after his voice, while Liam says he is going out to the pub, but only for a couple. Liam pouring his heart and soul into singing the song, sounding incredible. As Abbot says, (What's The Story) Morning Glory is the album where Liam truly learned to sing.
Elsewhere, Noel lays down some of the guitar parts to Champagne Supernova in the mixing room, with Liam lounging on the sofa to his side. Noel absolutely nails it - he is completely in the zone and producer Owen Morris is super excited, Noel is visibly chuffed. Liam - 'it's alright.' :-)
You had to hang on for dear life as a fan back then, never mind being the Managing Director of the label and close friend of the band. Abbot tells a tale of how a fight between the brothers could erupt from something as simple as one not passing the other a bottle of beer.
His tale of Noel going missing after the infamous crystal meth episode at the Whiskey A Go Go, how he finds him, goes to Vegas and plays a role in getting the band going again is incredible. It's a little film in the making.
Abbot talks of the golden period of Noel writing song-after-song, but also of how the well ran dry and things changed after Maine Road and at Knebworth, highlighting that on reflection, they should have released The Masterplan compilation and taken a break.
Abbot's brilliant quote about Knebworth was; 'when there are more hairdressers (i.e. the Meg Mathews crowd) hanging around backstage than other bands, then you have a problem.'
He also talks of the difference of going to Mustique to write and demo in comparison to the songs that Noel had written to date. Don't Go Away, Stand By Me and All Around The World were the only old songs taken forward to Be Here Now. There is footage from the recording of Morning Glory that shows the former two on the list of songs being worked on.
Tim also talks fondly about the clothes and attitude of the band; how Liam could wear a £15 Millets cagoule and look cool. His photos from the book, and played on a slideshow between films, showcase a devastatingly handsome Liam, super cool hair, eyes you could dive into and an inner fire and soul that leaps out - even in a photo. Abbot affectionately refers to Liam as The Kid and Noel as The Chief.
The film has excellent footage from the Morning Glory and Wonderwall film sets. It's safe to say that Oasis were not fans of recording promo videos! While Tim recording the band walking on to the stage at Earls Court is electrifying.
Tim is engaging company and his passion is still there. Abbot is a super fan, following the band round their reunion shows - he says that the Saturday at Wembley was truly incredible.
His thoughts for the future?
A live album(s) put out in bootleg style. A big rest after the South American leg of the tour, European dates and ... Knebworth 2026 ....
Find out more about Tim's film, cinema tour dates, book and photos via https://oasisdefinitely.com/the-lost-tapes
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