Critical role Liam and Noel Gallagher’s 81-year-old mum played in getting Oasis back together
The Oasis reunion has gone down as one of the biggest moments in British music history, with Liam and Noel Gallagher seemingly putting aside their differences and reforming the great rock 'n' roll band 15 years after it all fell apart.
And central to them finally burying the hatchet was their 81-year-old mum, Peggy Gallagher.
It was back in 2009 that then Manchester four-piece called time after a huge backstage fight between the two Gallagher brothers erupted in Noel quitting Oasis.
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The pair had clashed throughout their career, with their sibling rivalry playing a huge part in pushing the band to new heights, as well as ultimately bringing it down.
Noel and Liam called it quits at the Rock En Seine Festival in Paris after Liam reportedly wielded Noel's guitar 'like an axe', with Noel saying he 'nearly took my face off with it'.
At the same, and on numerous occasions since, Noel said he didn't want to quit Oasis. It was more to do with working with his brother, saying it had become an untenable relationship.
Since then, the two have stayed apart both publicly and privately, taking the occasional dig at each other in interviews and on social media, with Liam nothing more than calling Noel a 'potato'.
Away from the tit for tats is their mum Peggy, who says she had spent her years since 'worrying about them' and praying for them to reconcile.
Now 81, Liam took his mum Peggy to a spa for her 80th birthday where the pair chilled out and had a bit of a pamper session.
Reports at the time said she begged Liam to bury the hatchet with Noel.
A source told The Sun: "In recent years there has been distance within the family, especially with Liam and Noel at war. Peggy has told Liam to mend the rift and she is hoping there will be genuine reconciliation.
"Peggy was in a reflective mood and it would be the best birthday present if they’d finally make some steps towards patching up their feud."
On the two brothers, Peggy said in the 2016 documentary Supersonic: "I think there was that bit of jealously with Liam and Noel. Noel was beautiful as a baby and then Liam comes along – it takes the limelight off you.
"You could tell disagreement was there with them. I was glad they were in a band together.
"I would not have wanted Liam in a band without Noel. But it all happened too quick."
In Liam's 2019 documentary As It Was, Peggy opened up on how much she wished the boys would put it all behind them.
Speaking to Liam, she said: "The way I look at it, darling, life is very short and if anything happened to either one of you, you'd never..."
Following on from today's electric reunion announcement, which will see the band embark on a UK and Ireland tour next year, one source close to the Gallaghers told the Mirror: “Liam and Noel’s mum Peggy would love to see them back playing together and has always urged them to stop arguing and put the past behind them.
"She will be thrilled too with what has happened."
Oasis tickets go on sale this weekend (Saturday, 31 August).
Topics: Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher, Oasis, Music, UK News
Tom Earnshaw