As Oasis prepares to bring their Live ’25 Tour to the Rose Bowl on September 6 and 7, Los Angeles is getting its own dose of Britpop nostalgia just two nights earlier thanks to the lens of legendary music photographer Kevin Cummins.
On September 4 at 7:30PM, Musichead Gallery will host a special event: an intimate launch and book signing for Cummins’s new photography collection, OASIS: THE MASTERPLAN (Weldon Owen), and the debut of the two-month exhibition ‘Oasis: Be Here Now.’
© Kevin Cummins / Iconic Images“Could Oasis have existed if they had been brought up somewhere else other than Manchester? Absolutely not.”
Known for capturing the raw, pre-fame energy of iconic British acts from Joy Division to The Smiths, Cummins was there in 1993 when a barely-signed Oasis first stepped into a photo studio, resulting in the unfiltered portraits that defined their image before the world knew their name.
© Kevin Cummins / Iconic Images“They arrived in the clothes they were wearing and nothing else,” Cummins recalls. “Liam wore a light-coloured raincoat, a school-style jumper, and Adidas tracksuit bottoms… but it was clear to me that if you wanted to sell the band, a close-up would work best.”
© Kevin Cummins / Iconic ImagesThe exhibition will showcase never-before-seen images of the band during their early years with Creation Records, including moody studio shots, chaotic hotel candids, and vibrant street portraits that hint at the storm to come.
© Kevin Cummins / Iconic Images“Could Oasis have existed if they had been brought up somewhere else other than Manchester? Absolutely not,” Noel Gallagher says in the book. “We’re Mancunians. We have a thing. The rest of the world LOVES that thing.”
© Kevin Cummins / Iconic ImagesFor fans who’ve followed Oasis since ‘Definitely Maybe,’ this event promises more than just nostalgia. It’s a rare opportunity to get close to the band’s story through the man who documented it from day one.
© Kevin Cummins / Iconic ImagesAs Musichead Gallery curator Sam Milgrom puts it, “His new book and the photo exhibition promise to bring a new awareness to his great talent and let all Oasis fans get a much closer look at the enigmatic music legends.”
© Kevin Cummins / Iconic ImagesAs one of the UK’s most influential music photographers, Kevin Cummins’ has permanent collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. His subjects include David Bowie, Patti Smith, Mick Jagger, and, of course, Oasis.
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