Oasis fans shocked by 'weird' origin of name - as they were inspired by little-known group

Oasis enthusiasts are excited for next year, as those who managed to snag tickets for the band's reunion gigs are counting down the days.

The iconic group, which formed back in 1991, shot to fame just two years later with their debut album 'Definitely Maybe'. Despite parting ways in 2009, it seems brothers and have finally made peace and are set to hit the road together as Oasis for the first time since 2025.

The story behind how Oasis got their name is linked to a lesser-known Madchester band (a term for the musical and cultural scene in Manchester in the late 1980s) that had its own share of success. It turns out that may owe their moniker to an Inspiral Carpets tour poster – a band that Noel Gallagher was involved with before joining forces with his brother Liam.

Noel, who worked as a roadie for Inspiral Carpets, found inspiration for the name after being let go by the 'Saturn 5' hitmakers.

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A tweet from /X shed light on the band's naming history, stating: "Before joining his brother Liam's band, Noel Gallagher was a roadie for the Inspiral Carpets. An Inspiral Carpets gig at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon was an inspiration for their name..." This revelation has left many Oasis fans pondering what might have been if Noel hadn't been "fired" by Inspiral Carpets.

Fans have been musing over the peculiar twists of fate that shaped Oasis' journey, with one fan pondering: "Oasis fate is so . What if Liam and Noel never saw The [Stone] Roses, what if Noel didn't get fired from the Inspiral Carpets, what if Liam didn't get hit with the hammer, what if Alan McGee wasn't there, what if they never played at King Tuts."

Another was left scratching their head, writing: "Swindon? You jest," only to be assured by fellow fans that it was indeed a fact. It turns out Noel Gallagher had once aspired to be the lead singer for Inspiral Carpets in 1988 but ended up joining their crew instead.

This nugget comes courtesy of The Oasis Timeline Project, which also notes he was part of their road crew for the 1989 tour. has opened up about how the name "Oasis" came to be, citing a poster in his room from the Inspiral Carpets tour as inspiration.

In a TikTok clip that's made a comeback, he says: "There was a poster in our room with the Inspiral Carpets. It certainly wasn't about Swindon Oasis it was like - you know there was a kebab shop called Oasis, a f**king taxi rank called Oasis, that f**king name keeps coming up. Oasis."

The Oasis Leisure Centre, now a Grade II listed building as of December 2, 2021, after closing in 2020, also seems to have left its mark on Manchester's music scene, with and Happy Mondays' early song 'Oasis' seemingly nodding to the iconic venue.