A Sound So Very Loud

“Lots will be written about Oasis this summer, but little with the flair, insight and adventure of A Sound So Very Loud. Using a mix of archive interviews and their own experiences in the Gallaghers’ orbit, the pair tell the Oasis story through lovingly and painstakingly detailed and contextualized analysis of every song. Essential accompaniment to the rock’n’roll reunion of the century.”– “Record Collector magazine”“The best new Oasis book of all is A Sound So Very Loud. Kessler and MacBain use the Gallaghers’ songs as jumping-off points for head-spinning anecdotes, interspersed with accounts of the writers’ dozens of personal dealings with Oasis. Crucially, the authors’ own clear love of the music comes with enough journalistic objectivity to balance the zing of rollicking storytelling with the ballast of serious scrutiny. The pair have written something special: a book of wit and verve about why Oasis matters.”– “The Telegraph”“Astute, intimate, hilarious and candid, Kessler and McBain have produced the definitive Oasis book. Every page is jam-packed with insight, analysis, access and anecdotes.”–Terri White, author of Coming Undone“If you want to know why Oasis are such an enduring phenomenon – and learn why, say, 1998’s ‘Gas Panic!’ is something of an underrated gem – this song-by-song portrait of the great British band is the definitive account. Ted Kessler and Hamish MacBain combine the enthusiasm of fandom with the rigor of journalism, and having both interviewed Liam and Noel Gallagher countless times they capture them brilliantly: the humor, the chaos, the surprising perceptiveness.”–Will Hodgkinson, Chief Rock & Pop Critic, The Times (London)“This, unquestionably, will become the Oasis book against which all others will be judged. To read it from start to finish is to fall in love with Oasis all over again.”–Simon Goddard, author of the Bowie Odyssey series, in The A-Z of Oasis magazine“Whether you’re a super fan or Oasis novice, this book is essential reading. Hamish and Ted have had front-row tickets to the Oasis story from the very beginning. There’s no one who knows more about the band, the music and its impact than these two.”–Mat Whitecross, director of Oasis: Supersonic“Will make hearts still smitten by Oasis’s music beat faster. If you happened to have a ticket for one of the reunion shows and were looking to get in the mood, this is the one to reach for.”– “Mojo magazine”“With both wild-eyed fan devotion and a NASA-style attention to detail, Kessler and MacBain perfectly capture the lightning-in-a-bottle joy of Oasis.”–Alex Needham, Arts Editor, The Guardian“Music journalists Kessler and MacBain celebrate rock group Oasis with this enthusiastic analysis.”– “Publishers Weekly”“Ted Kessler and Hamish McBain are fantastic chaps.”–Liam Gallagher, lead singer of Oasis

Ted Kessler was on the staff at NME before joining Q magazine’s staff, working there for sixteen years. He first interviewed Oasis around their debut single “Supersonic” in 1994, for NME; his final Oasis interview was on the road in Amsterdam with them in 2009 for Q, a few months before the band spilt. In between, he interviewed them more than a dozen times. Since then, he has written five Liam Gallagher cover interviews. He also is the author of several British music books, but A Sound So Very Loud will be his first book published in America. Ted lives in Britain.

Hamish MacBain also worked at NME, where he had a front row seat to the breakup of Oasis. He wrote the words in the band’s last ever official tour program and was set to review what would have been their final UK show before it was cancelled last minute. With Noel Gallagher, he co-authored the 2018 book Any Road Will Get Us There (If We Don’t Know Where We’re Going). His sleevenotes for the reissue of Be Here Now were blown up to 8” x 8” size to form part of Chasing The Sun 1993-1997 Oasis exhibition. A Sound So Very Loud will be his first book published in America. Hamish lives in Britain.