Be Here Now is the third studio album by the English rock band Oasis. Released in August 1997, the album was highly anticipated by both music critics and fans as a result of the band’s previous worldwide successes with their 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe, and its 1995 follow up (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?. The album’s pre-release build up led to considerable hype within both the music and mainstream press. At that point, Oasis were at the height of their fame, and Be Here Now became the UK’s fastest selling album to date, selling over 420,000 units on the first day of release alone, and over one million within two weeks. As of 2007, the album has sold 8 million copies worldwide.
Oasis’ management company Ignition were aware of the dangers of overexposure, and before its release sought to control the media’s access to the album. Ignition’s campaign included limiting pre-release radio airplay, and requesting that journalists sign gag agreements. These tactics resulted in the alienation of members of both the music and mainstream media, as well as many industry personnel connected with the band. Ignition’s attempts to limit pre-release access served to fuel large scale speculation and publicity within the British music scene.
Although initial reviews were positive, retrospectively the album is viewed by much of the music press, the public, and by most members of the band as over-indulgent and bloated. In 2007, Q magazine described Be Here Now as “a disastrous, overblown folly the moment when Oasis, their judgement clouded by drugs and blanket adulation, ran aground on their own sky-high self-belief.” The album’s producer Owen Morris said of the recording sessions: “The only reason anyone was there was the money. Noel had decided Liam was a shit singer. Liam had decided he hated Noel’s songs […] Massive amounts of drugs. Big fights. Bad vibes. Shit recordings.” None of its songs were included on the band’s 2006 “best of” compilation album Stop the Clocks.

:: Info ::

Released: 21st August 1997
Highest Chart Position: Number 1 in the UK
Recorded at: Abbey Road, Ridge Farm, Air, Master Rock
Songwriters: Noel Gallagher.
Produced by: Owen Morris and Noel Gallagher
Strings arranged by: Nick Ingman & Noel Gallagher.
Photography by: Michael Spencer Jones and Sean Rowley.
Designed and Directed by: Brian Cannon.
Credits:
Johhny Depp slide guitar on Fade In-Out.