Today, Oasis release the first music from the band’s initial Definitely Maybe album recording
session at Monnow Valley – unearthed for the first time and newly mixed by Noel Gallagher
recently to feature on the debut album’s 30th Anniversary Deluxe Editions. Listen to ‘Up In
The Sky (Monnow Valley Version)’. Available on
30th August 2024, on Big Brother Recordings, Definitely Maybe (30th Anniversary Deluxe
Edition) features tracks from the abandoned original recording session at Monnow Valley
Studios, along with outtakes from the definitive album recording session at Sawmills Studios
in Cornwall.
With its barbed lyrics rubbing shoulder to shoulder with contagious, chiming hooks, ‘Up In
The Sky’ has often been interpreted as taking aim at people putting themselves on pedestals
or those making grand, political gestures. As captured by ‘Up In The Sky (Monnow Valley
Version)’, at the time, these recordings were felt to be overly technical and somewhat
polished, at the expense of capturing the essence of the band. Noel’s mix of ‘Up in the Sky’
offers a fascinating insight into the juxtaposition the band could have found themselves in at
the time. The sessions were ultimately abandoned, and the band moved to the remote
confines of Sawmills Studios in Cornwall to re-record the album. Eventually, with the addition
of Owen Morris joining to complete the definitive mixes, Definitely Maybe was formed.
Shelved until now and recently mixed by Noel, the Monnow Valley recordings and Sawmill
outtakes (including the recently released epic ‘Columbia (Sawmills Outtake)’ – listen here)
showcase the recording process that led to the finished article of Definitely Maybe.
Revisiting the archive 30 years on, these tracks tell the story of the creation of an album
which is now widely regarded as one of the most vital and greatest debuts of all time, while
demonstrating the incredible self-belief that drove the early years of Oasis.
The 30 th Anniversary Deluxe Editions of Definitely Maybe feature brand new artwork by the
original art designer Brian Cannon for Microdot and original sleeve photographer Michael
Spencer Jones, plus new sleeve notes from Creation Records boss Alan McGee. The album
also includes an unreleased demo version of Sad Song. Originally released as a bonus track
on the LP, this very special alternative version features Liam Gallagher’s vocal. Available to
pre-order now on Limited-Edition Deluxe 4LP and Deluxe 2CD formats plus exclusive
coloured vinyl formats, cassette and digitally with all formats including the 2014 remastered
version of the album.
Photo credit – Paul Slattery