Story behind its Manchester shoot | Manchester News

The first of five homecoming shows for Oasis takes place today at Manchester’s Heaton Park with a set list compromising of the band’s biggest hits.

The band’s strong connection to Manchester has always been a huge part of their appeal, with fans believing Oasis captured the experience of living in the region in their songs, and shared it with the world.

It was therefore fitting that their 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe featured an album cover of the band shot in rhythm guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs’ house in West Didsbury, south Manchester.

So what is the story behind the image that has gone on to have such a cultural impact on the band’s home city and beyond?

Brian Cannon designed the album artwork for Definitely Maybe, as well as (What’s the Story) Morning Glory and Be Here Now.

He previously told the the Definitely Maybe cover shoot, by photographer Michael Spencer Jones, was done in the front room of Bonehead’s house.

While other bands would often do “some sort of pose” for their first album cover, Cannon said he wanted to capture something more natural.

“Oasis are sat watching [Clint Eastwood Western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly on] the telly which I thought was hilarious,” he said.

But there were plenty of deliberate elements to the cover, like the placement of items like a Burt Bacharach record, photos of footballers Rodney Marsh and George Best, a pink flamingo and a packet of Benson and Hedges cigarettes.

Cannon said: “The mirror on the wall was out of my flat.

“But all of those little bits including the inflatable globe came from recording engineer Mark Coyle and roadie Phil Smith’s house.”

Cannon said he was inspired by a photo of the Beatles shot in a hotel room, which was used on one of their compilation albums.

“The photograph on the back of A Collection of Beatles Oldies was taken in Japan in the mid-60s,” he said.

“They know there’s a camera person there, clearly, but it’s a proper fly-on-the-wall shot.”

He said he also drew inspiration from an Flemish Renaissance portrait by 15th century artist Jan Van Eyck, which featured a number of “visual metaphors”.

While their Manchester set list is not confirmed, the Gallagher brother treated fans in Cardiff to a few tracks off Definitely Maybe when they performed the first show of the reunion tour at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

Here’s the full list:

Hello

Acquiesce

Morning Glory

Some Might Say

Bring it on down

Cigarettes & Alcohol

Fade Away

Supersonic

Roll With It

Talk Tonight (Noel sings)

Half the World Away (Noel sings)

Little by Little (Noel sings)

D’You Know What I Mean

Stand By Me

Cast No Shadow

Slide Away

Whatever

Live Forever

Rock ‘N’ Roll Star

The Masterplan (Noel sings)

Don’t Look Back in Anger (Noel sings)

Wonderwall

Champagne Supernova