Alan White (Oasis drummer)

Last updated

Alan White
Birth nameAlan Victor White
Born (1972-05-26) 26 May 1972 (age 51)
Lewisham, London, England
Genres Britpop, rock
Occupation(s)Drummer
Years active1987–2004, 2008
Formerly of
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1997;div. 2004)​

Alan Victor "Whitey" [1] White (born 26 May 1972) is an English drummer, best known as the drummer of the rock band Oasis from 1995 to 2004. Before Oasis, he was the drummer of Starclub from 1991 to 1994. He joined the band in April 1995 after the band's original drummer Tony McCarroll was removed, and is the longest-serving drummer in Oasis's history, performing on four studio albums, a B-side compilation, and one live album during his tenure. He was recommended to Noel Gallagher by Gallagher's friend Paul Weller. Notably, Alan's brother, Steve, [2] had been a longtime drummer for Weller. White left Oasis in early 2004 and was replaced by Zak Starkey, drummer of The Who and son of The Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr.

Contents

Career

Idha, Starclub and Dr Robert (1987–1995)

In 1988, White auditioned to join future Oasis member Gem Archer's band Whirlpool. "He came down and just blew us all away," remembers Archer. [3] "I thought he was mega but the others were worried what a 15-years-old kid on the road and on the lager would be like. I rang his dad and told him: 'Sorry. But don't worry he's fantastic. He'll go all the way.' And he did. It was the weirdest day when he welcomed me to Oasis. And he hasn't let me forget it." White also played drums on Andy Bell's wife Idha's debut solo studio album Melody Inn, forming a connection with another future Oasis member. It was at this session that Noel Gallagher first heard him playing, though he was recommended to Noel by Paul Weller. Prior to joining Oasis, White drummed with London-based band Starclub and also for Dr Robert, lead vocalist of The Blow Monkeys.

Oasis (1995–2004)

White replaced original Oasis drummer Tony McCarroll in April 1995 and was immediately "thrown in the deep end", joining the band the very next day to perform a playback of "Some Might Say" in front of a national TV audience on BBC1's long running music programme Top of the Pops . One of White's first live shows with Oasis was in front of a massive crowd at the Glastonbury Festival in June 1995.

Until the arrival of Andy Bell in the Autumn of 1999, White was the token southerner in the otherwise Mancunian Oasis. Initially known as 'Whitey', he was later re-christened 'Dave' by the band because he once served himself a drink from an unattended bar, therefore resembling the character Dave from "The Winchester" in the '70s TV series Minder . White commented on the "North/South divide" saying it was not that bad, but "for ages I was the 'Cockney cunt' and they were the 'Manc fuckers'". In his book, What's the Story? Ian Robertson (who served as Oasis' tour manager from 1994 to 1995) stated that White was also known by the phrase "Alan White – He's alright". White was also entrusted with the job of being Liam Gallagher's 'official' drinking partner and was also said to be his best friend in the band. Together, the pair were known as 'Bert and Ernie', named after the Sesame Street-characters. In December 2002, Liam and White were involved in a high-profile brawl in a German bar. Consequently, Liam allegedly lost some of his front teeth, and White needed a brain scan after suffering minor head injuries. Both were arrested by the authorities and were released only after the band's management paid for their bail.

Noel Gallagher has stated that White had a far greater significance to the band than a mere session and touring drummer, claiming that he helped immensely in the recording process. Noel also said that when he wrote a song, he would play it to White who would often adapt the rhythm of the song or advise Gallagher on possible changes in the tempo. [4] On the other hand, Oasis producer Owen Morris described White as "essentially a jazz drummer" who "was always shuffling away on his snare [...] and never hitting the basic back beats in a big dumb rock and roll way", feeling that he did not understand Oasis' sound as well as McCarroll. [5]

At the time of his departure White was the longest-serving member in Oasis beside the Gallaghers (he was later passed by Gem Archer and Andy Bell) and passed through thick and thin with the brothers despite being struck down several times with bouts of alleged tendinitis during his later years with the band. White performed on four of Oasis' studio albums: (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995), Be Here Now (1997), Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000), and Heathen Chemistry (2002). He also played on the majority of band's B-sides, some of which were released on the record The Masterplan (1998).

Personal life

White married an American actress and model Liz Carey on 13 August 1997 at Studley Priory Hotel, Oxfordshire. They had met on the set of the "Don't Look Back in Anger" music video in December 1995, as Carey was one of the models for the music video. They divorced in 2004.

White later had a son with a woman named Charlie, sold their London home in 2013, and moved with them to the country. [6]

Steve White had played with Weller's The Style Council and various other famous musicians, including The Who. Because of this connection, Alan said, his brother greatly impacted his development as a drummer. Other influences include Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, Chad Smith, Mick Avory, and John Bonham.

Discography

Dr Robert

Oasis

Studio albums

Live albums

B-side compilation

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oasis (band)</span> English rock band (1991–2009)

Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as the Rain, the group initially consisted of Liam Gallagher, Paul Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan and Tony McCarroll (drums), with Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher joining as a fifth member a few months after their formation. Noel became the de facto leader of the group and took over the songwriting duties for the band's first four albums. They are characterised as one of the defining groups of the Britpop genre.. The band have been cited by the Guinness World Records as being the most successful act in the UK between the years of 1995 and 2005.

<i>Heathen Chemistry</i> 2002 studio album by Oasis

Heathen Chemistry is the fifth studio album by English rock band Oasis. It was released on 1 July 2002 by Big Brother Recordings. It is the first Oasis studio album recorded with guitarist Gem Archer and bassist Andy Bell, who both joined the band after work on previous album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants had been completed. It is the last album to feature longtime drummer, Alan White, who left in early 2004, with Noel Gallagher citing White's lack of commitment to the band as the reason for leaving.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Gallagher</span> English singer and songwriter (born 1972)

William John Paul Gallagher is an English singer and songwriter who achieved fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis from 1991 to 2009. He later fronted the rock band Beady Eye from 2009 to 2014, before starting a successful solo career in 2017. Oasis had various line-up changes; Gallagher and his elder brother Noel were the only constant members. One of the most recognisable figures in British rock music, Gallagher is noted for his distinctive vocal style and outspoken personality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noel Gallagher</span> English singer and guitarist (born 1967)

Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician, singer and songwriter. He was the primary songwriter, lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis until their split in 2009. After leaving Oasis, he formed Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. He is one of the most successful songwriters in British music history, as the writer of eight UK number-one singles and co-writer of a further number one, as well as the sole or primary writer of ten UK number-one studio albums. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential songwriters in the history of British rock music, cited by numerous major subsequent artists as an influence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zak Starkey</span> English drummer

Zak Richard Starkey is an English rock drummer who has performed and recorded with the English rock band the Who since 1996. He is also the third drummer to have appeared with the English rock band Oasis. Other musicians and bands he has worked with include Johnny Marr, The Icicle Works, the Lightning Seeds, and The Semantics. Starkey is the son of the Beatles' drummer Ringo Starr.

<i>The Masterplan</i> (album) 1998 compilation album by Oasis

The Masterplan is a compilation album by English rock band Oasis. It was released on 2 November 1998 by Creation Records, the band's final release through the label. It comprises B-sides which never made it onto an album up to that point. Originally intended for release only in areas such as the United States and Japan, where the tracks were previously only available on expensive European-import singles, The Masterplan reached number 2 in the UK, where it initially went platinum, and number 51 in the United States. However, it did reach the Top 20 in various charts around the world, going on to sell 3 million copies. It has since been certified triple platinum in the UK. Four songs from the album appear on the 2006 compilation album Stop the Clocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Arthurs</span> English musician

Paul Benjamin Arthurs, known professionally as Bonehead, is an English musician. He is best known as the co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and occasional keyboardist and bassist of the rock band Oasis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony McCarroll</span> English drummer

Anthony McCarroll is an English drummer and one of the founding members of the English rock band Oasis, as their drummer from 1991 until his dismissal in April 1995. He played the drums on their debut album, Definitely Maybe, in addition to performing on the singles "Whatever" and "Some Might Say", the latter of which was Oasis' first number-one single from the album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gem Archer</span> English rock musician

Colin Murray "Gem" Archer is an English guitarist and singer. He is best known as a member of the rock bands Oasis, Beady Eye and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, making him, alongside Chris Sharrock, one of the only members of Oasis to have been part of both Liam and Noel Gallagher's post-Oasis projects. He is also known for his work with Heavy Stereo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyla (song)</span> 2005 single by Oasis

"Lyla" is a song by the English rock band Oasis. It was released in May 2005 as the first single from their sixth studio album, Don't Believe the Truth (2005). "Lyla" was the band's first single following the departure of their long-time drummer Alan White, and replaced by Ringo Starr's son and the Who drummer Zak Starkey as an additional drummer of the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Some Might Say</span> 1995 single by Oasis

"Some Might Say" is a song by English rock band Oasis. It was released as the first single on 24 April 1995 by Creation from their second studio album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995). The song was written by the band's lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. "Some Might Say" provided Oasis with their first number one on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 10 in Finland, Iceland, Ireland and Sweden. The song is also the last to feature all five original members, as original drummer Tony McCarroll was fired shortly after the song's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acquiesce</span> 1998 single by Oasis

"Acquiesce" is a song by English rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher. The song originally appeared as the B-side to Oasis' first UK number-one single, "Some Might Say", in 1995. Its popularity led to it being included on the B-sides compilation album The Masterplan, released in 1998, after being voted for inclusion by fans of the band on their official website.

"The Masterplan" is a song by English rock band Oasis. It was written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher and originally released on 30 October 1995 as a B-side to the single "Wonderwall".

<i>Stop the Clocks</i> 2006 greatest hits album by Oasis

Stop the Clocks is a compilation album by English rock band Oasis. It was released on 20 November 2006 by Big Brother Recordings. The "retrospective collection" is an 18-track double album with the featured songs chosen by Noel Gallagher. It went 5× Platinum in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slide Away (Oasis song)</span> 1994 promotional single by Oasis

"Slide Away" is a song by the English rock band Oasis, taken from their debut studio album Definitely Maybe (1994). It was written by lead guitarist Noel Gallagher and serves as the tenth track on the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Sharrock</span> British drummer

Chris Sharrock is an English drummer, hailing from Bebington, Cheshire, England. He has been a member of the Icicle Works, the La's, the Wild Swans, World Party, the Lightning Seeds, Robbie Williams's live band, Oasis, Beady Eye and is currently in Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

<i>Standing on the Edge of the Noise</i> 2008 film

Standing on the Edge of the Noise is an hour long video of the rock band Oasis performing in their rehearsal space Black Island Studios in front of 100 fans prior to touring in 2008. It is also the name of a track on Oasis's successor band Beady Eye's debut album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beady Eye</span> 2010s English rock band

Beady Eye were an English rock band formed in London in 2009 by former Oasis members Liam Gallagher (vocals), Gem Archer (guitar), Andy Bell (guitar), and Chris Sharrock (drums). In 2013, former Kasabian guitarist Jay Mehler joined the band as a touring bassist following the departure of Jeff Wootton. The band was created when Oasis' lead guitarist and primary songwriter Noel Gallagher quit in August 2009, after which the remaining members decided to rename themselves and continue making music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds</span> British alternative rock band

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are an English rock band formed in 2010 as the solo moniker of former Oasis songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist Noel Gallagher. The touring band consists of former Oasis members Gem Archer (guitar), Mike Rowe (piano), and Chris Sharrock (drums), as well as former Zutons bassist Russell Pritchard. The band has also had a variety of guests contribute to albums such as the Crouch End Festival Chorus, Amorphous Androgynous, Johnny Marr, and Paul Weller.

References

  1. ↑ Be Here Now (CD booklet). Oasis. UK: Creation Records. 1997. CRECD 219.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ↑ Leonard, Michael (21 July 2008). "Steve White slams Oasis treatment of drummer". MusicRadar. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  3. ↑ Archived 6 March 2005 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Getting High: The Adventures of Oasis by Paolo Hewitt
  5. ↑ Morris, Owen. "The Rise and Fall of Me Recording Oasis". owenmorris.net. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  6. ↑ Hyslop, Leah (5 June 2013). "Oasis drummer Alan White's Knightsbridge house for sale" . The Daily Telegraph.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.