Oasis get Beatles-style logo to help rebrand the band

Jane Robins,Media Correspondent
Saturday 04 December 1999 00:00 GMT
Comments

Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, it is perhaps not surprising that the band Oasis has followed the Beatles, first in its stormy relationship with its record company and now in coming up with a new logo.

Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, it is perhaps not surprising that the band Oasis has followed the Beatles, first in its stormy relationship with its record company and now in coming up with a new logo.

Noel Gallagher has designed a new look for the band's latest album which is to be emblazoned across T-shirts and posters for the Oasis tour scheduled for next July.

Instead of the old white-on-black, lower-case "Oasis" presented in a box, Mr Gallagher has come up with dark, bold, rounded lettering, cut through horizontally. "I think it's more modern. At least it's more Seventies," an insider at Creation, Oasis's record company, said. "The basic idea is that Oasis are back with a new line-up, a new album, a new producer and a new tour, so why not try a new look?"

The logo has attracted particular attention because the change in design comes as the band is caught up in a row with Creation's boss Alan McGee, brought about when Mr McGee, who discovered the band six years ago, announced that the was quitting his own record label after 17 years.

The trauma for Liam Gallagher has been presented as the explanation for his recent 48-hour walk-out from his wife Patsy Kensit and baby son Lennon, while the need for Oasis, overall, to change its image and split from the past has been underscored.

The new logo represents some bravery. The band has ditched the tried and tested logo designed by the highly-respected Brian Cannon of Microdot, in favour of its own, home-grown, idea. Noel Gallagher produced it in the form of a sketch, which he gave to Creation's design team.

In the record industry, the new Oasis lettering is being watched with interest. It has become important for successful bands to have recognisable logos, to help with merchandising and promoting a group's image. But how important, in general, is a good logo for a band's success?

"A bad logo is not the end of the world, but a good one is a real asset," says Andy Ross, managing director of Food Records, who has been a main player in the successful branding of rival Britpop group Blur over the past 10 years.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in