In June 1994, an obscure band hailing from Manchester was set to perform at London’s iconic Marquee Club. Meanwhile, in a quaint guitar shop situated in London’s West End, two brothers were preparing for their inaugural national television interview. The presenter awaiting their arrival was Gary Crowley.

“It felt as if a whirlwind had just swept in from Denmark Street,” he reflects on meeting Noel and Liam Gallagher. “They both radiated a palpable energy.”

Oasis is gearing up for their long-anticipated reunion tour, and the host admits he never envisioned the band’s skyrocketing ascent, despite recognizing early indicators of their star potential.

Crowley secured what would be the first of many interviews with the Gallagher siblings while hosting Carlton Television’s The Beat, a show he characterizes as a “sophisticated music magazine TV program.”

“1994 was such an exhilarating year for music,” Crowley remarks.

“It seems like a wave of distinctly British bands began to emerge. Whether it was Saint Etienne, Pulp, Elastica, or of course, five young visionaries from Manchester known as Oasis.”

Crowley first encountered Oasis through their radio promoter, who provided The Beat team with a recording of “Columbia” – a track destined for their debut album, Definitely Maybe – which he claims left both him and his producer enchanted.

“I was drawn to their punk attitude, which I found very appealing,” the BBC Radio London presenter shares.

“Liam was all over the place, like a squirrel on a washing line… doing that distinctive Liam walk, the swagger he embodies,” Crowley reminisces. “He had this magnetic charm. When his attention was on you, it was hard not to be captivated.”

As for Noel, Crowley felt he was someone who seemed to possess an exhaustive understanding of how to achieve pop stardom. “He had a great sense of humor and was delightfully irreverent, often poking fun at other bands we’d featured.”

What leaves a lasting impression on Crowley upon revisiting the interview—aside from his past fashion choices he now questions—is how at ease the brothers appeared in front of the camera.

“They were eager for the red light to illuminate,” he comments. “They weren’t timid, shrinking violets.”

The Gallagher siblings had the production crew in stitches—”behind the camera, everyone was stifling their laughter,” Crowley recalls.

He swiftly recognized their captivating dynamic as a duo, even though he notes that “Liam dominated the conversation” throughout the interview.

At one point, Noel interjects to assert, “Can I say something? I’m Noel, and I’m the one who writes the songs.”

Liam expresses his dreams of “being a star” and “owning a large house,” to which Noel quips, “Ideally not anywhere close to my big house.”

Crowley observed that the rapport between the two in 1994 reflected the typical banter found between brothers collaborating together. The underlying tension that would later contribute to Oasis’s prolonged hiatus had yet to surface.

“They were clearly teasing each other,” he notes. “It was evident there was a bond of affection.”

After the interview wrapped up, Crowley recalls that Noel pulled him aside.

“He said, ‘Hey, you should join us for the show tonight.’ I replied, ‘I have to catch this movie for a review.'”

The film was Shopping. “It was absolutely dreadful. I think I even referred to it as ‘shocking’ in my review,” Crowley chuckles. “I sat through about a third of it before racing over to the Marquee, and that turned out to be the best choice I made that year.”

Reflecting now, Crowley is struck not only by their charisma but also by their inherent confidence.

“Where did that self-assurance come from?” he wonders. “To me, they appeared as if they had been performing for years. They exuded such tranquility.”

While many bands typically let the music speak for itself, Crowley describes Oasis as a group that fully embraced the spotlight.

“They took the initiative and bolted out of that guitar shop with it.”

That initial interview marked the beginning of many conversations Crowley would have with the Gallagher brothers.

When asked why he believed they kept inviting him back as their fame escalated, he jokes, “Because I’m affordable.”

Crowley admits watching the footage brings a “big silly grin” to his face. “It’s a wonderful glimpse into who they were at that moment.”

“I never anticipated it,” he shares regarding Oasis’s worldwide success. “But I walked away from that interview feeling enriched by having met them.”