The Story Behind Oasis’ Album Cover Shoot That “Descended Into Chaos”

The August 1997 cover shoot for Oasis’ third album, ‘Be Here Now,’ offered a perfect snapshot into where, exactly, the successful rock band was in their Icarian career. From the excessive day drinking to the swarming press to the motifs of rock and roll abundance, it’s no wonder that the photographer behind the shoot described the grueling day as having “descended into chaos” by nightfall.

After all, what better way to represent a divisive album than with an equally divisive cover?

Oasis’ Chaotic Album Cover Shoot

The cover artwork for Oasis’ highly anticipated third album featured the members of the band standing in the backyard of Stocks House, the former home of U.K. Playboy Club head Victor Lownes. Various items lay around the backyard, including a moped, a gramophone, and a large clock. A Rolls Royce floats in the pool behind Liam Gallagher, a subtle nod to The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon, who famously drove a car into a pool.

“Whether or not Keith Moon drove a Rolls Royce, a Lincoln Continental, a Chrysler Wimbledon, or indeed any other car for that matter into a swimming pool and whether or not the pool had water in it at the time does not really matter,” photographer Michael Spencer Jones told the Daily Mail. “The point is that whatever the scenario, it was a lavish statement of rock ‘n’ roll excess and was therefore a great basis for an album cover.”

Eventually, word started to spread around Hertfordshire that Oasis, by then at the height of their fame following the releases of ‘Definitely Maybe’ and ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?,’ was doing an all-day photoshoot at the famous Stocks House. Before the crew knew what was happening, press, emergency responders, locals, and out-of-towners started swarming the area to catch a glimpse of the rockstars.

The Cover Shoot Mirrored The Chaos In The Band

The long hours of the all-day shoot, lingering effects of the band and crew’s day drinking, unwelcome guests, and tensions between the musicians all contributed to the shoot day’s overall chaos. As Michael Spencer Jones described it to Q Magazine, “By 8 pm, everyone was at the bar, there were school kids all over the set, and the lighting crew couldn’t start the generator. It was Alice in Wonderland meets Apocalypse Now.”

By the time Oasis released their third album, they were one of the most famous rock bands in the world. The band’s massive fame colored every aspect of the production process, from the studio to the relationships with the press. Upon its August 21, 1997, release, ‘Be Here Now’ became the fastest-selling album in U.K. history. The album went platinum in Oasis’ home country and across the pond in the U.S But despite its tremendous initial success, not everyone remembers the album as fondly.

Producer Owen Morris said the recording process for ‘Be Here Now’ was largely unpleasant. “The only reason anyone was there was the money,” he told Q Magazine. “Noel had decided Liam was a s*** singer. Liam had decided he hated Noel’s songs. So on we went. Massive amounts of drugs. Big fights. Bad vibes. S*** recordings.”

‘Be Here Now’ fell out of public favor as the years went on, with some considering the album to mark the end of the Britpop movement. In a way, the band couldn’t have had a better cover for this monumental record if they tried. The artwork, much like the band itself, was a testament to what too much fame, time, booze, and money can do to even the most powerful creative forces in the world.

Photo by Jamie Wiseman/Daily Mail/Shutterstock