Individually: Gem - seems like a good guy, he's cool, I guess, but he's certainly NOT "the glue that keeps the band together" at all!! Andy - doesn't seem like a "rock star" to me, doesn't really fit into Oasis, in my mind. Zak - couldn't commit to Oasis before, so I don't particularly like him.

Let's be honest, it doesn't matter a toss who else is there, as long as Noel and Liam are, then it's Oasis. Anybody who says that Gem or Andy are a fundamental part of Oasis now is kidding themselves.

Let's not just disregard them. I mean, they do contribute songs. The good thing about having so many song writers is that, instead of one or two people submitting all of their stuff (which might include songs ranging from their best to their average), Oasis now has four guys submitting only their best at the time. I think that has changed Oasis a lot over the years.

I think that Gem and Andy have each had a significant impact on the band and are pretty vital at the moment. They've really upped Noel's musicianship a bit and Gem, in particular, always seems to be having a great time. Andy is certainly more of a tough one to crack. He tends to be quiet in general but I don't think that's a reflection of him not enjoying being in the band. Keep in mind, this is the guy that came from the shoegaze scene! I get the impression that he's quite proactive in the studio and seems to be very close with Gem. Interestingly enough, you rarely see he and Liam interact with each other. For better and worse they've upped the professionalism of the band and definitely made Noel and Liam seem a bit more cerebral than in earlier times. Whether that's down to Andy and Gem's influence or more to do with Liam and Noel sobering up, I'm not quite sure.

Very, very true, it may well have had a few more in the class of TIOBI, Lyla, POTQ, LTBL or Mucky Fingers.

offcourse oasis is Noel and Liam
but Gem and Andy are definitely more important than Bonehead and Guigsy ever were
i mean, they are both songwriters, amazing musicians and really seem to love the band
i'm not saying Bonehead and Guigsy didn't love oasis, but as soon as the fun ended (after the Be Here Now era) their interest in the band declined

I know that there are many here that disagree but I still wish that Noel wrote the vast majority of songs on the albums...

They are, in my opinion, the ones that stand the test of time.

From HC I would say that Songbird is the only song that still stands up to Noel's songs on the album (bar Force of Nature, which must have been channeled by the muse of McCaroll)
On DBTT the only tune that would measure up to Noel's fab five is TUTS (and sometimes Love Like A Bomb).

Anyway, to answer the thread question...
it is true that Oasis have always been about Noel and Liam and more specificially Noel's songs, Liam's voice and the tension created by thieir brotherly dynamic but I really think at the end of the day Oasis is all about Noel's songs. I mean, we know that he wrote them with Liam's voice in mind but the magic lies in his tunes.

It's all a matter of opinion but I quite like the majority of the music on HC and DBTT as well as their respective b-sides. IMHO the band is far tighter, the arrangements better, the production on the whole better and the song structures are better now than previously. That being said, it's a much different vibe and the songs are telling the story of very different lives than previously. It's tough to compare the two different eras of Oasis because in many respects it's like comparing apples to oranges. Noel's entire approach changed in '99 and it's in essence like hearing two different bands. You can very much hear Andy and Gem on the new work. If not for Liam and Noel's distinctive vocals you'd think that two different bands made each era's music.

Also, A Bell Will Ring pisses all over most of what the rest of the band has written in the past 2 years. Lyrically, I think it may be the best thing that Oasis has released barring some of the SOTSOG stuff.

It's not Oasis without Liam and Noel. However, Gem and Andy (and Zak to a lesser extent) play a key role in Oasis now. It would still be Oasis if Gem or Andy or Zak leave, but that doesn't mean they aren't important.

So I'd say no, all members play a key role in Oasis. And really, I doubt I would like DBTT as much if it didn't have Gem and Andy's contributions.

oasis at the heart are Liam and Noel. Gem and Andy are part of oasis they have written songs for the band they are a vital part of the band. Gem seems like a chill guy who seems to love what he is doing. Andy is rather quite but the times where he does show his feelings you can tell that he really enjoys the band. Alan was also a big part of Oasis he helped with production and gave Noel tips on the timing of a song. Him and Liam also seemed like best of mates. Bonehead was kinda of like Gem but not as good of a musician. Guigsy was probably the least important member besides Tony. Noel played his parts but he also seemed to steady the ship. He took Noel out for a drink after a fight with another bandmate and they recorded slide away. Zak's input will probably been seen more in this next album duo to have more experience with them now. You can tell that the band real do enjoy themselves if you watch "Lord Don't Slow Me Down" when they are playing games, shopping, ect. They are always have a laugh which is the way it should be

how do they add musicianship? oasis music is no more complex than it ever was.

oasis is noel and liam.

yea i was thinking more of ride, they totally blow hurricane #1 out of the water

How do they add musicianship? The band is much tighter. It's hard to explain, the music is just a bit more complex. The chord patterns are fess less typical, different rhythmic qualities, different arrangements and certainly different tonal qualities. It isn't the easiest thing to explain but just listen to the live shows now versus 97. It's most noticeable in the live set. Guigsy and Bonehead served little purpose other than to create a wall of sound. I was watching an old bootleg the other day and watched how they used to end "I Am The Walrus". Noel and Liam would walk off and leave Bonehead, Tony, and Guigsy to play the same part for 3 minutes. There would be no deviation from the parts they were playing. No rhythmic flourishes, no change in bass line, nothing. It was kind of like "Ok, so what else ya got?". If Zak, Andy and Gem were left on stage for 3 minutes with Noel and Liam having walked off, I'm pretty sure you'd see quite a show for those last 3 minutes. I think Gem and Andy really forced Liam and Noel to take their craft a bit more seriously and it shows quite a bit. I don't mean any disrespect to Bonehead or Guigsy because they were the right guys for the band at the time, but there's no comparison at this point as to who brought what to the table. It's kind of weird but at this point, Andy and Gem have been in the band almost as long as Bonehead and Guigs were. I wonder 20 years from now, how they'll be remembered...