In 1995, at Earl's Court in London,
Oasis played the biggest indoor concert yet held in the United Kingdom and the release of (What's the Story) Morning Glory? in that year confirmed Oasis's status as the most successful new British band, despite McCarroll's departure (to be replaced by Alan White) during the recording.
The combination of Noel Gallagher's songwriting talents and Liam's sneering vocals is equally suited to blistering rock songs (such as "Cigarettes and Alcohol", 1994)
and subtly arranged ballads (the 1995 hit "Wonderwall"). Noel's influences range from Burt Bacharach and the Beatles, to 1980s groups such as the Smiths and the Stone Roses. In August 1997 the band released Be Here Now.
Showcasing their first new material for nearly two years, it included the songs "My Big Mouth", "D'You Know What I Mean?", and "All Around the World".

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The Red Hot Chili Peppers' were formed in 1983 when Anthony Kiedis and Flea (real name, Michael Balzary) who had met in high school, decided to start up a band. Soon Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons joined the guys and began doing gigs around L.A. It was not instant success, but The Red Hot Chili Peppers did become well known for their crazy stage antics and bizarre clothing. The Red Hot Chili Peppers had an ever-changing list of members for a while and in 1988, founding member Hillel Slovak died from a heroin overdose.

A year after Hillel Slovak's death, the Red Hot Chili Peppers hit it big with the release of the CD Mother's Milk. After that the Red Hot Chili Peppers released the wildly successful Blood Sugar Sex Magik, which had mainstream hits like Under the Bridge and Give It Away. 1999's Californication was another huge hit. The Red Hot Chili Peppers' were also honored that year with a Video Vanguard Award. Today the band is made up of lead singer Anthony Kiedis, "Flea" on bass, John Frusciante on guitar and Chad Smith on drums.

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Hailing from the coastal town of Lowestoft - the most easterly town in the United Kingdom - Justin, guitarist brother Dan eventually found himself in London, where they met exiled Scot bassist Frankie Poullain. Ed Graham was enlisted to pound the skins, and The Darkness was born. The band began playing North London's pubs, week in and week out. While the venues were tiny, the band's spandex jumpsuits, pyrotechnic guitar solos, and over-the-top persona made the dank barrooms feel more like Madison Square Garden.

In a musical era dominated by self-important artistes and teary hearts-on-their-sleeves troubadours, The Darkness have grabbed rock'n'roll by its shoulders and given it a swift snakeskin-booted kick right where it counts. "PERMISSION TO LAND", the London-based quartet's acclaimed Atlantic Records debut, offers something truly magnificent: an irresistible - and unapologetic - blend of anthemia hard rock and sheer showmanship, complete with virtuoso guitar solos, killer hooks, and massive sing-along choruses.

"PERMISSION TO LAND" - which was nominated for Britain's prestigious Mercury Music Prize - was released in the UK in July 2003. It made an extraordinary #2 debut on the UK album chart and quickly rose to #1 - marking the first debut album by a British artist to hit the top spot since Coldplay in 2000. Kicking off with the rifftastic "Black Shuck," and blasting through a trio of remarkable singles - "I Believe In A Thing Called Love," "Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman," and "Growing On Me" - the album positively explodes with a no-holds-barred spirit that hasn't been displayed in aeons.

"It's good-time stadium rock," singer/guitarist Justin Hawkins avows. "Bombastic, undeniable music that connects with people."

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As the Eighties drew to a close, it was as if Depeche Mode were released from their shackles, and any preconceptions that one may have had about the group, from the decade that spawned them, were seemingly blown away. "Enjoy the silence" was released in February of 1990 and reached the Top 10 in America, achieving similar success throughout the world, without even breaking into a sweat. Anton Corbijn directed an image of Dave as "The King" into everybody's imagination and Depeche Mode won their first "Brit" award for Best Single. The World Violation tour was a more compact version of The Masses tour, but apart from the USA and Europe, still managed to take in Japan and Australia. The U.S. leg saw the band play Giants Stadium in New York for the first time, but the west coast fans, not to be outdone, bought enough tickets for a second night to be added at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles. Success was snowballing, and "Policy of truth" became the third hit single from "Violator'. Depeche Mode returned to their home country triumphant, and finished "World Violation" with "triple-nighters" at Wembley and Birmingham's NEC....

After Fifteen long years together, several lifetimes for a lot of bands, restlessness had appeared in one member at least, and Alan Wilder decided to leave Depeche Mode after being with them for all but the formative years. An announcement was made on 1st June 1995, Alan's birthday. Later in the same year, once again defying detractors, the three remaining Mode's entered Eastcote studios to achieve the impossible - to make another album after the Devotional tour. The recording wasn't easy, and as well as Eastcote, took in sessions at Sarm West and Abbey Road in London, and Electric Ladyland in New York, among others. Tim Simenon was appointed as producer, and as recording continued throughout 1996, the style moved away from the "real" instruments of "SOFAD", and more towards the "electronica" style that Depeche Mode had defined in the previous decade.

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