The Battle of Britpop

How bearded butterflies flew out of Oasis rock

While Oasis (pic) are influenced by The Beatles, many younger bands are now influenced by the Manchester group.
As the Gallagher brothers prepare to return to Cardiff for two gigs, Karen Price speaks to a Welsh band inspired by them

IN a promo shot for his band, Butterflies With Beards, Titch Harvey is wearing a T-shirt with the word “Oasis” emblazoned across his chest. It is, of course, in homage to the Manchester group which Harvey says inspired him to dip his toe into the murky waters of the music industry.

“There isn’t a band who is a bigger influence on us as songwriters than Oasis,” says Harvey.
“We admire their passion for writing no-messing rock’n’roll anthems.
“Oasis were the band that got me interested in music. Before hearing Oasis, I was only listening to the Sunday chart show (on Radio 1), and never really had an interest in any particular genre of music – I just listened to what was in the charts.
“But Oasis introduced me to rock’n’roll, and to indie music.”

Fronted by Liam Gallagher, Oasis – who last night announced they will play the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on June 12 next year – played their first gig in August 1991. At the time, Gallagher’s elder brother Noel was working as a roadie for the Inspiral Carpets but went to see the group play their Manchester gig. He soon joined them and it is his songwriting talents which helped catapult them into the big time.

Debut album Definitely Maybe, released in 1994, was an instant commercial success. But it was the follow-up, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory, which was at number one in the UK album chart for 10 weeks and produced anthems like Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back In Anger and Some Might Say, which really sealed their reputation as serious song-writers.

Harvey, 23, who is from North Cornelly, near Bridgend, was among those who became a huge fan of the band.

“I was young at the time of discovering Oasis, so I can honestly say that they have played a big part in me becoming who I am.
“I love rock music with a passion and, if it wasn’t for my heroes Noel and Liam Gallagher, I wouldn’t be fronting my own rock band, and writing my own rock anthems.”

Butterflies With Beards is made up of Harvey (bass and vocals), his elder brother Tatz (guitar) and cousins Geraint Kinsey (drums) and Matthew Kinsey (guitar).

“The name came from a phoney phone call I once made to Geraint’s stepfather. I used to phone him up and shout random things down the phone, anything that came into my head. One day Geraint was sitting in his living room with his stepfather, and the phone rang. Geraint remembers him picking the phone up, pausing, then slamming it down, shouting in frustration, ‘What the hell is butterflies with beards?’ That was the random thing I chose to scream at him that day.”

As Butterflies With Beards start out on the road to success, their heroes Oasis are still going strong today, despite a few line-up changes. As well as their current UK tour, they have just released their seventh album, Dig Out Your Soul.

“Dig Out Your Soul inspires me in new ways,” says Harvey. “It’s also their attitudes we admire – not the fighting, arrogant attitude you often see portrayed in the media, but their attitude towards music.
“They’ve only ever written the music they want to write, and have always stayed true to themselves.
“And even Noel’s recent comments about shows like The X Factor are opinions that we share.
“Oasis have always been about the music, about rock’n’roll. Oasis are famous for being heavily influenced by The Beatles, and have never denied it. And if one day we can make it in this business, I will proudly say that we’ve been heavily influenced by Oasis.”

Oasis will play two gigs at Cardiff International Arena next week as part of their UK tour and Harvey will be among those in the crowd.

“I can’t wait – it’s going to be an amazing show, I’m sure. I advise anyone who’s never caught them live to make sure they do this time.”

Oasis play Cardiff International Arena on October 23 & 24

Butterflies With Beards play Buffalo Bar, Cardiff, on October 23 and the Swn Festival, which takes place at venues across Cardiff from November 14 to 16

-courtesy of Western Mail-