Oasis Starting Fresh On Next Album

Oasis will regroup this month for a new round of sessions for its next studio album. "We hope to have a new album out in February/March 2005, so hopefully you will hear some new tunes by the end of the year," guitarist Noel Gallagher said in a letter to U.K. publication New Musical Express.

As previously reported, the U.K. rock act had begun work on the album with Death In Vegas' Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes. "We drew up a list of songs (10 in total), booked Sawmills Studio in Cornwall and gave ourselves three weeks," Gallagher said. "Unfortunately, after the recording process we decided we didn't like anything we had played/recorded during those three weeks, and because of commitments with Death In Vegas, Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes couldn't find any more time to give to the project."

Attempts to bring the project back under the band's control did not meet with success. "It was then decided we would attempt to finish off the record ourselves, which so far has proven quite frustrating and fruitless," Gallagher said. "All the while, new songs have been written and old ones have fallen away. So we think the 'moment' for that particular record has passed."

The as-yet-untitled set will be the follow-up to 2002's "Heathen Chemistry." As previously reported, Oasis will revisit its 1994 debut "Definitely Maybe" with the Sept. 6 release of "Definitely Maybe -- The DVD."

Rounding out the package is four hours of archival and new footage, such as an hour-long documentary about the "Definitely Maybe" recording sessions, concert and TV performances of such singles as "Live Forever," "Cigarettes and Alcohol" and "Supersonic," music videos and interviews with band members and associates. A limited edition of the DVD will include an additional disc live performances and interviews.