Forgotten 90s star who was founding member of legendary UK band seen for the first time in 25 years
A FORGOTTEN 90s star who was the founding member of a legendary UK band has been seen for the first time in 25 years.
The reclusive music star was pictured out and about near his North London home.
He is best known for being part of the iconic band Oasis, arguably the biggest guitar band of the 90s.
Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan, 52, keeps a low profile, but was snapped in the capital wearing a light pink top.
He was a notoriously quiet member of the group, once described as a “calming influence” on the Gallagher brothers.
In 1999, Guigsy quit the group along with Bonehead, to spend more time with his family after his wife Ruth gave birth to their first son Patrick while he was on the Be Here Now tour.
Meanwhile, original drummer Tony McCarroll, also 52, has been seen in Manchester.
Tony appeared in high spirits while enjoying a walk further north in a blue coat.
Despite the eventual songwriting dominance of Noel Gallagher, Oasis were actually formed by Guigsy.
He founded the group The Rain in the 1980s, with bandmates Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, 58, and Tony on drums, before Liam Gallagher , 51, joined.
Soon after, Liam brought on his brother Noel Gallagher to the group.
They changed their name to Oasis when Noel joined the band as guitarist after having spent time working as a roadie for Manc baggies Inspiral Carpets.
Oasis were famously signed at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow, Scotland – and the rest is history.
Dismissing false modesty in favour of supreme confidence, Oasis set out to be the biggest band in the world.
The iconic band rose to prominence throughout 1994 – including a performance at the legendary 100 Club in London.
Their debut album, ‘Definitely Maybe’, entered the UK album chart at Number 1 upon its release in August 1994, and in the process became the fastest-selling debut album in the UK at the time.
They first headlined the Glastonbury Festival’s celebrated Pyramid Stage in 1995, where they previewed tracks from the yet-to-be-released ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory’.
Oasis next headlined Glastonbury in 2004 with former Beatle Paul McCartney and pomp-rockers Muse.
But despite achieving unimaginable heights, their success came at a high personal price, leaving brothers Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher on not-so amicable terms.
Oasis officially split in August 2009. Noel broke the news on the band’s official website.
He wrote: “It is with some sadness and great relief…I quit Oasis tonight.
“People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.”
The relationship between brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher was always fractious at best – as evidenced by the bootleg single ‘Wibbling Rivalry’.
It comes after Oasis released a previously unheard live track – a version of Supersonic from back in 1994 recorded the day ‘Definitely Maybe’ went to number one in the album charts.
The song, which captures the band’s early live sound, was recorded at the Limelight, Belfast on September 4, 1994, and is available on YouTube and Spotify.
Shortly before taking to the stage, the band learned their debut album had reached number 1 in the UK Official Album Chart.
The track has been released to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the classic debut single Supersonic, originally released on April 11, 1994.
What have Oasis members done since their split?
Oasis split in 2009 but it didn't stop the musicians from embarking on separate careers
Noel Gallagher
Noel, now 56, was the last to join the group in 1993, with Liam originally asking him to manage them, which he refused.
It was Noel who walked away from the remaining members of the band in 2009, following a spat with Liam at Rock en Seine festival in Paris.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds are enjoying enormous success, releasing their fourth album in June 2023.
Noel shares a daughter Anais, 24, with Meg Mathews and sons Donovan, 17, and Sonny, 14, with Sara MacDonald.
Liam Gallagher
Liam topped the album charts just last month, with a collaboration with John Squire, and has also enjoyed solo No. 1 albums
He has also won plaudits for his solo efforts since Oasis was wound up, including 2017 album As You Were.
Liam’s solo career took off following the demise of the post-Oasis outfit, Beady Eye.
The singer, who blames brother Noel for calling time on the band after a bust-up in 2009, said that if Noel sent him a “box of choccies”, he would forgive him.
He is happily married to wife Debbie Gwyther, after several high profile divorces from All Saints singer Nicole Appleton, who he shares son Gene, 22, and Patsy Kensit, who he shares son Lennon, 24.
He also has a daughter Molly Moorish, 26, from a previous relationship with Lisa Moorish.
Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan
Guigsy was the group’s bassist from 1991 to 1999, although he briefly quit the group in 1995 due to exhaustion, and was replaced on bass for the video accompanying Oasis’ hit Wonderwall.
Guigsy was notoriously quiet member of the group, once described as a “calming influence” on the Gallaghers – besides an occasion in 1994 when he and Liam were locked in a cell on a ferry travelling to Amsterdam for getting into a bust-up on board, before being deported back to the UK from Holland.
n 1999, Guigsy quit the group along with Bonehead, to spend more time with his family after his wife Ruth gave birth to their first son Patrick while he was on the Be Here Now tour.
Now living quietly with his family outside London, he occasionally DJs.
But he stays out of the limelight and declined to participate in the 2004 Definitely Maybe DVD, or the 2016 Supersonic documentary.
Tony McCarroll
Just a year after Definitely Maybe’s release, drummer Tony left the group in a bitter breakup while they recorded What’s the Story Morning Glory?
Noel reportedly said: “I like Tony as a geezer but he wouldn’t have been able to drum the new songs.”
Tony attempted to sue Oasis for £18m, but in 1999 it was settled out of court for a six-figure sum. Tony said he “got drunk for three whole years” as the court case dragged on.
In 2019, McCarroll went to a party for the Oasis documentary “Supersonic,” where he had a fond reunion with Liam.
In 2021, he suffered a heart attack and praised the NHS for helping him recover.
In 2022, he got married to wife Sue, who he lives in Manchester with, and works as a guest speaker, presenter and podcaster.
Paul Arthurs aka Bonehead
In April 2022, Bonehead was diagnosed with tonsil cancer but announced months later that it had “gone” after a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
He quit Oasis in 1999 following a spat with Noel, and to spend more time with his family.
His two children, Lucy, 28, and Jude, 25, were just four and one when he walked away.
Bonehead was replaced by Gem Archer, and went on to perform with Liam in Beady Eye during the 2010s.