Oasis

Book excerpt: In 1991, five wannabe Mancunian musicians came together to form Oasis. The band went from obscurity to become a global phenomenon in the space of a year, achieving worldwide recognition and selling over 70 million records. Pre Oasis, drummer Tony McCarroll joined The Rain, linking up with guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, bassist Paul McGuigan and singer Chris Hutton. Hutton was later replaced by Liam Gallagher who in turn brought brother Noel along. What started out as five young lads with a common dream of becoming rock stars eventually disintegrated into in-fighting, clashes of egos and financial disputes. In 1995, following the release of Definitely Maybe -- the fastest-selling debut album of all time -- things came to a head and Tony left the band. In this candid and hilarious book, Tony tells one of the most in-depth rock'n'roll stories of modern times: he reveals the truth about the early years before the band was even formed; he tells of the drug consumption and sexual activities and he talks of his much-publicised rift with Noel. Tony's recollections include stories involving David Beckham, Prince, Eric Cantona and John McEnroe. This is not the distorted truth that some may want you to believe -- this is the real story. Witty, revealing and fascinating, this book is a must-read for any worthwhile music fan.