"Rock 'n' Roll Star" is a song by English rock band Oasis. It is the opening track from their debut album, ''

Definitely Maybe ''Definitely Maybe'' is the debut studio album by English rock band Oasis, released by Creation Records on 29 August 1994. Oasis booked Monnow Valley Studio near Rockfield in late 1993 to record the album and worked with producer Dave Batchel ...

'' (1994). Like the majority of the band's songs from this era, it was written by lead guitarist

Noel Gallagher Noel Thomas David Gallagher (born 29 May 1967) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the chief songwriter, lead guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis until their split in 2009. After leaving Oasis, he formed ...

, who said that "Rock 'n' Roll Star" was one of only three songs in which he wanted to say something: "I've pretty much summed up everything I wanted to say in "Rock 'n' Roll Star", " Live Forever" and "

Cigarettes & Alcohol "Cigarettes & Alcohol" is a song by English rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher. It was released on 10 October 1994 as the fourth and final single from their debut album ''Definitely Maybe'' (1994), and their second to enter the UK top t ...

", after that I'm repeating myself, but in a different way". It was released as a radio single in America. The song's video, directed by

Nigel Dick Nigel Dick (born 21 March 1953) is a British music video and film director, writer and musician from Catterick, England, now based in Los Angeles, California. He directed the Britney Spears videos " ...Baby One More Time" and " Oops!... I Did I ...

, consists of clips of the band performing the song from their

Live by the Sea Live by the Sea is a live video recording by the English rock band Oasis, released on DVD, VCD, and VHS. It features Oasis' gig at the Southend Cliffs Pavilion on 17 April 1995, as well as the videos for "Rock 'n' Roll Star" and "Cigarettes & ...

gig at

Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...

, interspersed with clips of them, filming each other, on

Southend Pier Southend Pier is a major landmark in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, United Kingdom. Extending into the Thames Estuary, it is the longest pleasure pier in the world. The bill to build the new pier, to replace a previous timber jetty, received Royal ...

, in and around the amusement park, 'Adventure Island' then named 'Peter Pan's Playground' and in the bowling alley, which subsequently burnt down. The song was featured on the band's 2000 live album and DVD, ''

Familiar to Millions ''Familiar to Millions'' is a live album by English rock band Oasis. It was released on 13 November 2000 by Big Brother Recordings. The album was recorded at Wembley Stadium on 22 July 2000. It debuted at No. 5 in the UK charts with 57,000 co ...

''; another live version was recorded at a 2 July 2005 concert at the City of Manchester Stadium and released on the band's single " Let There Be Love" in late 2005.

Liam Gallagher William John Paul Gallagher (born 21 September 1972) is an English singer and songwriter. He achieved fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band Oasis from 1991 to 2009, and later fronted the rock band Beady Eye from 2009 to 2014, before starti ...

performed the song as part of the

One Love Manchester One Love Manchester was a benefit concert and British television special on 4 June 2017, organised by American singer Ariana Grande, Simon Moran, Melvin Benn and Scooter Braun in response to the Manchester Arena bombing after Grande's concer ...

charity concert on 4 June 2017 in aid of those affected by the

Manchester Arena bombing On 22 May 2017, an Islamist extremist suicide bomber detonated a shrapnel-laden homemade bomb as people were leaving the Manchester Arena following a concert by American pop singer Ariana Grande. Twenty-three people were killed, including ...

. British indie electropop band

Kero Kero Bonito Kero Kero Bonito (KKB) are a British indie pop band formed in South London in 2011. The band consists of vocalist Sarah Midori Perry and producers and multi-instrumentalists Gus Lobban and Jamie Bulled. Their musical style consists of indie po ...

released a cover of the song in September 2017, reinterpreting the song as a dance-pop track.

Critical reception

Steve Baltin from ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' picked the song as Pick of the Week, writing, "If any one song from their debut CD, ''

'', shows why Oasis have received the warm response they have from American audiences, this is the track. Against a wild but infectious backbeat, singer

captures the fantasy of adolescents everywhere. Yet, this is more than a dream, it's a statement we will make the fantasy come true. With their dazzling updating of the great pop hooks of the '60s, Oasis are well on their way to reaching the stardom they sing about. Look for this one to be a tremendously effective follow-up to “ Live Forever” on Modern Rock outlets everywhere, with selected AOR stations realizing the joy of this track as well. This is what pop music should be."

Personnel

– lead vocals, tambourine *

– lead guitars, backing vocals * Paul McGuigan – bass *

Paul Arthurs Paul Benjamin Arthurs (born 23 June 1965), known professionally as Bonehead, is an English musician. He is best known as the rhythm guitarist, occasional keyboardist and co-founder of the rock band Oasis. Early life Paul Benjamin Arthurs was ...

– rhythm guitar *

Tony McCarroll Anthony McCarroll (born 4 June 1971) is an English drummer and one of the founding members of the English rock band Oasis, as their drummer from 1991 until his dismissal in April 1995. He played the drums on their debut album, ''Definitely May ...

– drums

Charts

Certifications

References

Oasis (band) songs 1994 songs 1995 singles Music videos directed by Nigel Dick Songs written by Noel Gallagher Song recordings produced by Noel Gallagher Song recordings produced by Liam Gallagher Music television series theme songs {{1990s-rock-song-stub