In a landmark interview with Music Week magazine, Alec McKinlay — co-manager of Oasis and director of Ignition and Big Brother Recordings — has shed light on the future of the band, their monumental Live ’25 tour, and the independent spirit that has defined their career since the foundation of Big Brother 25 years ago.
With over 10 million fans from 158 countries vying for tickets, Live ‘25 became the biggest concert launch ever seen in the UK and Ireland. Yet McKinlay was quick to clarify the limits of this highly anticipated reunion. “This is very much the last time around,” he stated. “There’s no plan for any new music. It’s a chance for fans who haven’t seen the band to see them — or at least for some of them to.”
The sold-out tour, kicking off July 4 in Cardiff, will span 41 shows across the UK, North America, Oceania and South America, marking the first time Liam and Noel Gallagher will share a stage since 2009. While the reaction to the announcement was expected to be huge in the UK, McKinlay admitted the global response surpassed all expectations. “We could have sold out half a dozen Rose Bowls in Pasadena and probably eight MetLife Stadiums in New York in a day,” he said.
As Oasis return to the spotlight, Music Week also celebrates the 25th anniversary of Big Brother Recordings — the label founded in 2000 following the end of Creation Records. Initially born out of necessity, Big Brother became the home for the band’s fourth album Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants and a symbol of artistic independence. “It just didn’t feel right to be on a major label in the UK,” McKinlay recalled. “Oasis are the biggest independent rock’n’roll band in the world. It’s in their DNA.”
McKinlay revealed that both Liam and Noel were deeply involved in the creation of Big Brother, with Noel overseeing key decisions. “Over time, it became clear that having that degree of independence was a huge thing for the band,” he explained. The label went on to support a resurgence in Oasis’ commercial success, with Heathen Chemistry, Don’t Believe The Truth, and their tours reaching new heights in the 2000s.
Even after the band’s split in 2009, the Big Brother team has kept Oasis’ legacy alive through meticulously planned campaigns and timely reissues. “It’s an ‘always on’ campaign,” said McKinlay. “We were very conscious of the need to maintain the legacy. That has been the key to supporting the catalogue — there’s always something coming up.”
Oasis’ enduring popularity was evident when Definitely Maybe returned to No.1 in the UK last year — exactly 30 years after its release. With the arrival of spatial audio releases on Apple Music and a continued presence in pop culture, the band’s impact shows no signs of fading.
As Live ‘25 prepares to bring their music back to stadiums worldwide, the message from the band is clear: this is a celebration of a legacy, not a new beginning. “It’s about giving fans the moment they’ve waited for,” McKinlay concluded. “And doing it on their own terms — just like they always have.”
