Given the profound amount of buzz surrounding its impending arrival since the moment word began to spread about a collaboration between one of the vocalists from Oasis and the guitarist from the Stone Roses, it’s perhaps one of the least-surprising chart placings in recent music history, but it’s newsworthy nonetheless: the self-titled debut collaborative album by Liam Gallagher and John Squire has reached the pinnacle of the UK Albums chart in its initial week of release.
In fact, no only did it top the chart, but it wasn’t even close: the LP outsold its nearest competition 3:1 to secure the top spot.
Per the Official Charts website, the album earned 39,400 chart units in total, 94% of which are across physical and download sales. In addition, the album also topped the Official Vinyl Albums Chart and is the most-purchased album of the week in the U.K.’s independent record shops.
In an exclusive quote to Official Charts, Gallagher and Squire said, “Thanks to everybody that went out and bought this, it means a lot!"
The dynamic Mancunian duo chatted with Q's own Dominic Utton for a Q Magazine cover story out today, during which they discussed their collaboration.
“Listen, John's great, I'm great, the Roses were great and Oasis was great, and two of their band members coming together to make a record was always going to excite people," said Gallagher, accurately. “I didn't think about Oasis, I didn't think about the Roses. I didn't think about whether it's got to be as good as those bands. There's music coming from both sides, you know what I mean? And this album, it's definitely up there with anything the Roses have done and Oasis have done. I'm sure there'll be a few people that are trying to sabotage it, but that's all right, I don't mind that. I think it's something to fight for.”
“I don't track that kind of thing,” countered Squire. “I get an inkling of it from the number of people that are starting to follow me on Instagram, and my kids seem to know that there's a buzz around us. I just assumed that everything Liam does get a lot of attention, so I didn't expect this to go under the radar. Are you asking do I feel any pressure because of Oasis and the Roses? No, I don't think about that at all. I feel pressure to do a good job, but I always feel that.”
You can read Q's exclusive interview with Gallagher and Squire in full by clicking right here, and if you're not one of the 39,400 people who purchased the album in its first week of release, well, what are you waiting for? If it's only that you need to hear a bit more of it to make your decision, then we can help out with that as well: just check out the duo's latest video, "Raise Your Hands," right below these very words...
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