The problem was, a lot of those ideas weren't executed to its fullest potential. PYMWYMI is a great experimental track, but it's a little too long for its own good. SMC was too long and overcooked, and the demo version of WDIAGW should've been on the album instead of what we got. I like the album version, but it just feels too bloated. The organ sound should've been right up front in the mix, instead of falling into the soundscape. 

The album also needed the obvious other changes, like Liam singing FO, the inclusion of LAMB, Revolution Song being finished, etc., etc. I know this is an appreciation thread for the album, but I'm puzzled by how those changes didn't happen when Noel had plenty of time to spend on the album. I think it really prevented some great sounds and great sounding material from happening. 

What is it with the hate for SMC? I've always loved it,maybe it is a bit too long on the album but the acoustic version is fantastic

I really like that only thing i'd do is little by little for idler's dream,although that would affect the listing

It doesn't really, when you listen knowing the last half has a more relaxed feel. It makes a kind of luxurious sound, if you know what I mean.

Agree. I mean, I like all of those, but that's a bit too slow and too relaxing. Should mix it up a bit more.

One of those "worthy" accolades you really wouldn't want! 

SOTSOG is probably my favourite album production wise, but as you say the songs simply were not there. This was also the album that marked the start of more Noel sung songs making the track list, which to me was an odd choice given that Liam was neither a songwriter at the time bar Little James nor a musician. I personally wouldn't have sequenced two Noel sung songs back to back on an Oasis record because, whilst fine on a Noel solo record, to me it negates the point of having Liam in the band.

The problems can be traced IMO to Bonehead and Guigsy departing, which whilst necessary personally and even perhaps from a musical perspective, timing wise possibly affected Noel more than he has admitted. The return to London to do a hastily organised press conference at The Water Rats followed by abandoning the sessions at Château de la Colle Noire put them off course at a time when they were still trying to recover from the critical blows of BHN. The band response was to as quickly as possible hire new members, finish off with what songs they had from the French sessions and continue with the initial planned release dates and tour, which of course meant no further writing and new recordings couldn't be done due in part to self imposed time constraints.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but what they should have done is postponed the dates already booked in anticipation of a finished record, concentrating instead on finding the right new band members which may or may not have been Gem and Andy. I have always thought that the hiring of those two, in particular the speed of which they approached Gem, was more out of a show of still being a functioning unit rather than looking around for the best replacements that they could have got. If they had got in someone of the calibre of David Potts of Monaco or Johnny Marr (although he did rule himself out at the time so probably not realistic there) on guitar, both of whom also bring keyboard and production skills to the mix in addition to being songwriters, and a bassist who may or may not have been Andy Bell THEN entered Wheelers End to finish work on the salvageable French sessions as well as adding new material they still could have achieved an album release in late 2000/early 2001 that in theory could have been either made up of the best SOTSOG/HC era songs available or even have new songs from alternative contributors depending on the line up- The new members may not have needed to contribute actual songs if they could have inspired Noel to finish the demos he had kicking around and/or write new material, which if it had gone this way raises the interesting theory of what a post SOTSOG output Oasis might have been.

But cheers for that, guigsysEstring, yet more music trivia I wasn't aware of. 

Dare I say what we all know to be true...

the band became noticeably less awesome with the departure of Guigs and Bonehead.

I'm not saying that they brought anything exceptional musically, but the whole vibe of what Oasis had created to that point kind of died. The band should have dropped out of the studio and waited an extra year before finishing SOTSOG. Then they could have taken the best tracks from both HC and SOTSOG and made a better album.

In many ways SOTSOG's being forgotten vindicates Guigs and Boneheads departure. Overall it was a very weird period for the band and it came off as them grasping at straws when they really shouldn't have been.

Yes he did davidjay but he declined as he felt he was better as a guitarist/keyboardist, the problem being Gem Archer had already been offered that slot at that point. I think as an overall contributor someone like him may have brought more to the party, but as with all hindsight decisions,we will never know   That might have also meant a less pressing desire/need for a songwriting bassist as well, which in turn may have led to Andy Bell staying in self imposed retirement in Stockholm if the band had hired someone else purely as an already established bass player- but again, who really knows?

I do remember that NME piece, was a rare genuine comedic moment from them on that as I recall!

Talking of replacements when Guigsy had his breakdown in 1995 Bruce Foxton of The Jam actually made it known he was up for replacing him. One of the problems Noel had with this was his own burgeoning friendship with Paul Weller, and the awkward situation of saying "Hello Paul, have you been introduced to our new bass player yet?"  

I quite liked that proud Mary album, would agree the production is nothing sensational but then again maybe the music didn't need it

3 absolute painful songs on SOTSOG.(Liar, James and Mouth)

Affects the album quite badly.