So…reunions are a big deal right now, well, they were when I was writing this blog a few weeks ago. One of the biggest and most influential guitar bands... ‘Oasis’ are going back out. We never thought it would happen, but it has. Love them or hate them, the band have opened the door to a reinvigorated interest in guitar music.
But, outside of the context of the band, what does this mean?
On a larger, macro perspective it demonstrates the sheer importance of bands and music in people’s lives. It’s not just the musicians themselves, it’s bigger than this, I think bands or musicians have the power to capture emotions, certain times and as Jung says – a collective unconscious. Something almost spiritual… some may say!
The media buzz has most definitely generated a new wave of nostalgia and optimism back to previous brighter days when our society wasn’t gripped in the post COVID, divided world we currently find ourselves in. Perhaps this event will help to bring a little more unification into the music scene. Perhaps it won’t. For me it felt exciting (we won’t talk about ticket prices, sky high prices and the big corporations, don’t get me started).
I also hope that this surge of interest brings about a new wave of guitar band curiosity. It feels as if bands have been demoted recently, especially in the realm of the mass market , younger demographic (there’s always fantastic bands doing the underground). On another note, I hope this reinvigorated interest moves this new blood away from technology and into embodied musicking where they can practise, play shows and galvanise people to come together. It’s my personal opinion but I think technology has made us far more insular and lonelier than ever (research also is starting to point towards this). So what better way to counterbalance this than through building relationships through playing instruments. Writing melodies together, bouncing harmonies between each other, sculpting performances as a joint vehicle can do wonders!
As a last ramble, maybe the government will also take an interest and realise what British music has to offer and invest in music education… I can only hope.
Oh yeah, and there was also another reunion….but my lips remained sealed.
Adam Ficek hosts a monthly show 'Tonic Music' on Totally Wired Radio, where he talks to various guests about music and mental health. You can listen again to any of the previous show on the Tonic Music Mixcloud page.
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