Following the announcement that Oasis will reunite in 2025, there is still no official confirmation regarding which, if any, former members besides Liam and Noel Gallagher will join the reunion line-up. Rumors have circulated that the line-up might feature members from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, including former Oasis guitarist Gem Archer, touring keyboard player Mike Rowe, bassist Russell Pritchard, and drummer Chris Sharrock, along with former Oasis rhythm guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs.
However, former Oasis drummer Alan White recently sparked speculation with a cryptic social media post. White shared a photo of his distinctive ‘swirl’ Union Flag bass drum head, famously featured on the cover art for Oasis’s 1996 single “Don’t Look Back in Anger.”
The photo, posted on Instagram without a caption, shows the drum head fitted to the same Rogers bass drum used in the “Don’t Look Back in Anger” photoshoot. This has led fans to speculate that White may be returning as the drummer for Oasis’s sold-out 2025 shows in the UK and Ireland.
In a 1996 interview with Modern Drummer, Alan White explained how he acquired the drum set: “I bought my Rogers kit off a bloke who came into the drum shop [Footes] where I was working. All the other drummers there were just into new stuff. It was an old, 1965 Rogers Holiday kit, absolutely in mint condition, with the original heads on it. I still use those drums, and I’ve just acquired a (vintage) 12″ tom for it in the States.”
White, who joined Oasis in 1995 as a replacement for founding drummer Tony McCarroll, quickly found himself in the studio with the band. Within 24 hours of joining, he recorded their performance of “Some Might Say” for Top of the Pops. This was the only track on Oasis’s second album, “(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?” that featured McCarroll on drums.
White went on to record the rest of the album and the following three Oasis records: “Be Here Now,” “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants,” and “Heathen Chemistry.” His drumming added a more technically refined style compared to his predecessor. He remained with the band during its most successful period and is considered by many fans as the definitive Oasis drummer, having served the longest tenure.
Tony McCarroll, who sued Oasis for £18 million, also commented on the reunion in a recent interview.
“I’m happy for Noel and Liam. Really happy for them,” McCarroll said. “And I’m dead happy for the fans more than anything and for those generations who haven’t seen Oasis.”
However, when asked about the possibility of rejoining the band, McCarroll suggested it is unlikely. “They haven’t reached out yet and, to be honest, I’m not holding my breath…Would I consider being involved? I don’t know. At the end of the day, I’m not the only ex-member left behind, so I’ll just crack on.”
