Oasis’ Definitely Maybe album and the remote Cornish studio that helped make it happen 30 years ago

It is hailed as one of the most iconic British albums of recent decades, and some would argue the absolute pinnacle. But did you know that the creation of Oasis’ ‘Definitely Maybe’ was largely due to the band’s time in Cornwall?

The 1994 release, which brought us timeless tracks such as ‘Live Forever’, ‘Supersonic’ and ‘Shakermaker’, quickly became a defining moment for Britpop and broke records as the UK’s fastest-selling debut album at that time.

However, the road to success for the Gallagher brothers was fraught with challenges. Initially, the recording sessions at Monnow Valley Studio in Wales did not stop. It produced a sound that was too polished and soft for the band’s liking, despite costing £800 a day. And as the 30th anniversary approaches this week, with the band teasing a potential re-release of the iconic album, we look back at the role a remote recording studio in Cornwall played in bringing it to life.

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When the sound produced at Monnow Valley didn’t cut it, it led to the firing of producer Dave Batchelor. Noel Gallagher then took the tapes around various studios in London, trying to save what had been recorded. But as Tim Abbot of Creation Records pointed out, the records lacked the “attack” and sense of urgency they needed.

After a disastrous trip to Amsterdam in January 1994, Oasis made their way to the secluded Sawmills Studio in Golant, near Fowey, Cornwall, determined to give “Definitely Maybe” the powerful edge it needed.

Ruth Taylor, Sawmills’ long-time manager since 1990, recalled the early days of Oasis to CornwallLive in 2018: “No one really knew about Oasis in 1994. When The Verve had previously recorded A Storm In Heaven, they They were talking about them, so there was a buzz when they arrived, there was something about Oasis because this was their third attempt at recording the album and there seemed to be pressure on them to do well this time.”

She recalled her first impressions of the band: “I had no idea they were going to get so big, they just seemed like typical Mancunian boys. I told Liam I was from Nell Lane in Manchester which had a notorious council estate. The first thing Liam said to the rest of the band was “hide your watches, she’s from the estate”.

The moment Oasis’ trajectory changed was still fresh in her mind as Ruth recounted how their debut single ‘Supersonic’ arrived at Sawmills, with an excited Liam Gallagher insisting ‘listen to this, we’re going to be massive “. She noted, “He wasn’t arrogant, he just had a lot of self-confidence.”

Reflecting on the recording process, former drummer Tony McCarroll said: “At Sawmills we recorded as a band in the same room again, unlike Monnow Valley. It was a recreation of the set-up we both had in rehearsal. room and Bootle, and I had that feeling back, that understanding that a nod or a wink could bring, that spark.”

Anjali Dutt, a recording engineer who worked closely with producer Mark Coyle and Noel in Cornwall, shared her experiences with Oasis Recording Information. She said: “They had control over the sound and were also aware of the noise that awaited the material if they could just touch it.

“Greere had a peaceful and productive atmosphere. It’s halfway up a tidal creek, so twice a day even pedestrian access is closed. Sometimes you could only go out by boat. We could go out rowing for fun and we did it eventually, with funny results.

“You also had to take the boat to the pub and bring back kegs of beer to fuel the night sessions if that was what you wanted. Across the stream there were trees and birds and there was forest around you a wonderful atmosphere, miles away from anything. and especially away from urban Manchester and corporate London, both management and record company.”

“The boys were very young then. It felt like a school outing. Ruth’s sausages and chips were devoured with gusto; seconds and pudding were the highlights of the evenings, school dinner food, nothing foreign or exotic.”

Adding to the banter, she recounted: “There was also an incident with the golf carts at Gleneagles at a Sony conference and most of the band were stuck in Holland with no ferry tickets even before recording started and he enjoyed all this a lot. It was hard to wake them up in the morning, then get them off the TV, Match of the Day and the pool table and assemble them in the studio, it might as well have been an early PlayStation.

“Once we had everyone in the studios, it was pretty late at night and I recorded every single thing they played and checked it the next morning. Noel was around during the day, but no one else in the band was and It was frustrating to hear him play all the instrumental parts, usually much better than anyone else could, but it wouldn’t have had a band feel if we would have him play all the music on the album and he was just as aware of it. as we were.”

Anjali said Liam “always sang like a bird, usually a one-off” while Noel was frequently seen “often around, generally enjoying being around musical things in the studio. He’s actually a good drummer.”

In an effort to reproduce the concert sound on the track, the band members decided to record together, with no soundproofing between individual instruments. This was followed by Noel who superimposed a vast wall of guitars over the tracks.

Oasis band member Bonehead said: “That was Noel’s favorite trick: take down the drums, bass and rhythm guitar, then put it on with the stick. “Less is more” didn’t really work then.”

However, the Sawmills sessions weren’t up to it, so most of those guitar overdubs were removed by producer Owen Morris. He was brought in to mix the tracks for the final release, which made the tracks louder and more vibrant. In UK album history, their album ‘Definitely Maybe’ went straight to number 1, was certified seven times platinum and sold over eight million copies globally. NME readers named it the best album of all time.

The band returned to Cornwall and Sawmills, which were put up for sale in 2022, a decade later, only to experience failed album sessions. Noel attracted tabloid attention when he was photographed walking onto the nearby railway line. Their last Cornwall gig was in 2009 when they headlined the Eden Project.

“They were lovely lads and still were when they came back. I thought at the time that Liam hadn’t changed at all. He was a regular little brother with all the jokes. They put us on the guest list when they played the Eden Project. and gave Sawmills a shout, which was great,” revealed studio manager Ruth.