Sniffing in a tissue, selling the Big Issue

Welcome to Inside Big Issue. New to LinkedIn, this newsletter will show you behind the scenes of the magazine and goings-on across Big Issue Group.

I’m senior reporter Greg Barradale . This week, inspired by two brothers, I’m going to make a living off the back catalogue.

As Oasis announced themselves to the world with debut single Supersonic, the brothers Gallagher began a long association with this magazine through a single lyric: “She’s sniffing in a tissue selling the Big Issue”.

Ever since, the feud and hints of a reunion have played out in the pages of our magazine. Now it’s happening. If you bagged tickets for the run of mythical reunion shows, congratulations. Let this edition of the newsletter serve as an appetiser. If you didn’t, then perhaps the war of words will prove some consolation.

Back in 1999, Noel graced the cover. New Labour was losing its shine, and third album Be Here Now could never live up to the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of the first two records. He told now-Labour MP Rupa Huq he’d been off drugs for nine weeks.

Blair’s government was letting down single parents, while ministers didn’t understand the music business. “Nobody’s ever sold albums, except Oasis maybe. Expectations are so high. People want some form of success to justify their record company boss’s coke habit,” he said.

“To a lot of people it looked like we happened overnight, but we put a lot of hard work into it to get to that second album.

In a 2017 interview, Liam - by then in his mid-40s - spoke about the ending of the band. “I have nothing to apologise for when it comes to Oasis ending. That was not my doing. That was all Noel. I just got dealt those cards so I moved on. Yeah, I miss the band. I miss having the lads about,” he said.

“But the only regret I have is that our kid became a dickhead. I regret his head got turned and he brought The Sun into our dressing rooms. Other than that, I don’t regret one bit. People know we meant it and we didn’t kiss arse to get where we got. It’s all been amazing.”

Two years later, Noel revealed it was Liam’s behaviour towards his wife which was putting the skids on a reconciliation.

“It’s strange behaviour for someone who is gagging for me to pick up the phone and say let’s do it. He’d put his whole life on hold to get Oasis back together. But every tweet he sends out its another nail in the coffin of that idea,” Noel told Sam Delaney.

“If you think for one minute I am going to share a stage with you after what you’ve said you are fucking more of a moron than you look.”

When northern vendors sold Big Issue’s national edition for the first time in 30 years, it was Noel Gallagher’s face which graced the streets of Manchester.

“You never knew what mood Liam was going to turn up in and I found the whole thing really fucking stressful. My overriding feeling was this is just so fucking unnecessary,” he told Jane Graham for his turn in the Letter to My Younger Self hot seat in 2023.?

“This is the dream that we’ve all lived for, and you’re still moaning about some shit that went on 18 hours ago. It’s just nonsense. You know what I mean?”

Hopefully the new round of gigs go better than the band’s ill-fated 2009 shows. In the middle of one infamous show in Manchester’s Heaton Park, Noel offered fans their money back. He was clearly inspired by the spirit of giving back; on a pre-show walkabout he stopped in St Ann’s square and signed a copy of the Big Issue magazine for a vendor.

Inside this week's Big Issue

National treasure Sir Ian McKellen speaks to Big Issue about recovering from a fall from stage, rights and riots, his new film The Critic – and teases the return of Gandalf…

Sherwood creator and writer James Graham talks about the show’s parallels with our current ‘wobbly’ times

The voting is open as we want your nominations for our collection of Changemakers 2025

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My Pitch

“If I do something, and it doesn’t work out, I’ve always had the Big Issue to fall back on, to keep me going. It’s not always easy.”

Matthew sells the mag outside Kennington Lane Tesco in Vauxhall. But he’s been speaking to Big Issue Recruit about how he can move into long-term employment. Recently, he’s been doing zero hours work on building sites.

?“At my age, I can’t really be doing labouring - I’d rather be doing something skilled. I have qualifications, I can do painting, decorating, bricklaying, plastering and drylining,” he says.

“But I’ve never been able to get an apprenticeship, so I’ve done a lot of labouring."

We’re able to help Matthew because of people like you, digging into their pockets. Buy a copy from your local vendor - it supports them, and lets us continue our work. Find your local vendor by clicking the button below

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