Smash Hits Magazine – 24 April–7 May 1996 – Oasis, Take That & Noel Gallagher

Original UK Smash Hits Magazine, dated 24 April–7 May 1996, featuring Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher on the front cover, alongside a major photographic retrospective of the band's rise to fame and an exclusive feature about Take That's final performances together.

This is a particularly interesting issue from the height of the 1990s Britpop era, combining coverage of Oasis, Take That, Ash, Boyzone, George Michael, 3T, Blur, Sleeper, Terrorvision and Manic Street Preachers.

The magazine contains contemporary music journalism, celebrity interviews, band photographs, music reviews, reader features and original 1990s pop culture material.

The photographs show the original magazine being offered, including its cover, contents pages and part of the Oasis souvenir feature.

Front Cover – Oasis

The front cover is dominated by striking close-up portraits of Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher, photographed against a bright yellow background.

The brothers are presented in the bold visual style associated with Smash Hits during the mid-1990s.

The cover features the headline:

"They Shoot! They Score! Oasis"

Alongside:

"12 Mad Months in Pictures – Match Report: Noel Gallagher"

The cover also advertises other featured artists, including:

• Manic Street Preachers

• George Michael

• Boyzone

• Sleeper

• Take That

This issue was published during a remarkable period in Oasis's career, following the success of their first two studio albums, Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory?.

The cover is particularly appealing to collectors of Oasis, Liam Gallagher, Noel Gallagher and original Britpop-era music publications.

Oasis – Exclusive Eight-Page Souvenir Feature

Beginning on page 33, the magazine advertises a special eight-page Oasis retrospective.

The feature is presented as a souvenir look back at the band's previous twelve months, covering their rise to enormous popularity.

The photographed opening page carries the headline:

"Exclusive – The Oasis Story by Noel"

It features a large black-and-white photograph of Liam and Noel Gallagher standing closely together.

Noel is pictured in the foreground wearing a jacket over a striped shirt, while Liam stands beside him wearing a cap and dark outerwear.

The design uses bold yellow and black lettering, with a purple-toned photographic background.

The page also advertises:

"A Year in Pictures 1995–1996"

The contents page explains that the feature includes photographs documenting the band's previous year, together with Noel Gallagher's account of the group's experiences as they prepared for their major Maine Road concerts.

The photographed opening page also advertises an exclusive double-page poster.

This is a particularly interesting contemporary feature documenting Oasis during their period of extraordinary mainstream success.

Oasis Double-Page Poster

The photographed Oasis souvenir page explicitly advertises an exclusive double-page poster.

The visible opening page features a black-and-white photograph of Liam and Noel Gallagher, with the two brothers posed together in casual 1990s clothing.

The image has a documentary-style appearance, contrasting with the brightly coloured magazine graphics.

Important: Although the souvenir feature and its poster advertisement are visible, the complete unfolded double-page poster has not been individually photographed. Its presence and completeness should therefore not be assumed beyond the pages shown.

Take That – Behind the Scenes of Their Final Goodbye

Page 48 – Exclusive Take That Feature

Another major attraction of this issue is its coverage of Take That following the group's announcement that they were splitting up.

The front cover prominently advertises:

"Take That – Behind the Scenes for the Last Goodbye!"

A group photograph appears along the bottom of the cover, showing the band members smiling and waving.

The contents page confirms an exclusive feature beginning on page 48, documenting their final appearance together and the events surrounding their farewell.

The feature provides an interesting contemporary perspective on one of the biggest stories in British pop music during 1996.

It is especially relevant to collectors of Take That memorabilia and fans of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Howard Donald and Jason Orange.

Ash – Page 10

Northern Irish alternative rock band Ash feature in a special article beginning on page 10.

The magazine's contents page describes a photographic feature in which the band are given a camera to document their own experiences.

The cover advertises:

"Snapped! Ash's Photo Diary!"

This feature provides an entertaining glimpse into the band's life during their early success.

Ash were attracting considerable attention in 1996, making this an interesting inclusion for collectors of 1990s alternative rock and Britpop-era publications.

Davinia Taylor – Page 12

The magazine features Davinia Taylor, known for her appearance in the British television soap Hollyoaks.

The article also refers to her relationship with footballer Ryan Giggs.

The contents page describes a celebrity feature exploring their relationship and contemporary media attention.

An interesting piece of 1990s British television and football celebrity culture.

Margarita Pracatan – Page 16

Singer and entertainer Margarita Pracatan receives a dedicated feature.

The contents page promotes her distinctive performances and personality, reflecting the magazine's mixture of mainstream pop coverage and light-hearted entertainment journalism.

Louise Wener – Page 18

Louise Wener, lead singer of British alternative rock band Sleeper, appears in a feature beginning on page 18.

The contents describe the article as an opportunity for the singer to speak openly about her experiences.

Sleeper were one of the notable bands associated with the British indie and Britpop scene during the 1990s.

This feature is particularly relevant to collectors of Sleeper and Louise Wener memorabilia.

Boyzone – Page 22

Irish boyband Boyzone feature in an article beginning on page 22.

The contents describe another instalment of the band's adventures, covering activities in Australia and including references to tattoos, singing and the group's experiences on tour.

Boyzone were enjoying substantial popularity during 1996, making this feature appealing to fans of the group and collectors of 1990s boyband magazines.

George Michael, 3T, Blur and Other Artists

The photographed contents pages confirm additional material relating to several major artists.

George Michael appears in the magazine's music coverage and songword listings.

3T feature among the artists promoted in the magazine's photographic and music sections.

Blur are included in the contents and poster listings, reflecting the band's prominence during the Britpop era.

Manic Street Preachers are featured in the magazine's music coverage, including the songword section.

Terrorvision also appear in the issue's songword listings.

These features make the magazine an interesting snapshot of the British music scene in spring 1996.

Original Songword Section

The photographed contents pages advertise a 10-page Smash Hits Songword Pull-Out, featuring contemporary chart songs.

The listed artists include:

• George Michael

• 3T

• Michael Jackson

• Sleeper

• Ash

• Terrorvision

• Manic Street Preachers

The visible promotional illustration shows a Manic Street Preachers-themed songword cover, featuring photographs of band members against a dark background.

The magazine's songword features were a popular part of Smash Hits, providing printed lyrics and music-related imagery for readers.

The complete songword pull-out has not been individually photographed, so its completeness cannot be guaranteed.

Advertised Posters

The contents page advertises posters featuring:

Oasis

A black-and-white group photograph of Oasis is reproduced in the contents section.

The band members are pictured together wearing casual jackets and distinctive mid-1990s clothing.

The image has a documentary-style appearance and is especially appealing to Oasis collectors.

3T

The American R&B group 3T are pictured together in a colour photograph, wearing smart casual clothing.

Blur

A small promotional photograph of Blur appears in the contents section.

Ash

The Northern Irish rock band Ash are also listed among the poster subjects.

George Michael

British singer George Michael is included in the advertised poster selection.

Important: These posters are advertised in the magazine's contents. The supplied photographs do not confirm that every advertised poster remains present, attached or complete.

Additional Contents

What's The Story? – Page 4

Five pages of contemporary pop and entertainment news.

The contents advertise stories involving Brian Harvey, Terry Coldwell, Liam Gallagher and The Stone Roses.

Free Stuff – Page 20

Competitions offering promotional prizes, including concert tickets and celebrity-related giveaways.

Fanbase – Page 52

Three pages of reader correspondence and fan information, including fan club details and addresses.

Letters – Page 56

Reader letters, opinions and humorous correspondence.

Mystic Mag – Page 58

The magazine's regular horoscope and astrology section.

The Biscuit Tin – Page 66

A humorous feature involving Mark Little and the magazine's regular question-and-answer format.

Reviews – Page 61

Contemporary entertainment reviews covering singles, albums and films.

The photographed contents mention music by 3T, Michael Jackson, Sleeper, George Michael and Pet Shop Boys, alongside album reviews including Tricky, Baby Wire and Northern Uproar.

Film reviews include Sudden Death, The Birdcage and Nine Months.

Can You Handle It? – Page 71

A celebrity interview feature involving television presenter Gaby Roslin, who experiences the magazine's humorous interview format.

Historical and Collector Interest

This issue captures an important moment in British music history.

Oasis were enjoying extraordinary popularity, with Liam and Noel Gallagher becoming two of the most recognisable figures in British popular culture.

The magazine's eight-page retrospective documents their rise through 1995 and into 1996, making it particularly interesting for fans researching the band's early success.

The Take That farewell coverage also records a significant moment in British pop music, as the group prepared to go their separate ways.

Alongside these major stories, the magazine includes contemporary features on Ash, Sleeper, Boyzone, Blur and Manic Street Preachers.

Its combination of music journalism, original photography, celebrity interviews and colourful 1990s graphic design makes it a nostalgic collectible.

Particularly suitable for collectors of:

• Oasis, Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher

• Original Britpop-era memorabilia

• Take That and 1990s boybands

• Ash and Northern Irish alternative rock

• Sleeper and Louise Wener

• Boyzone

• Blur

• Manic Street Preachers

• George Michael

• Original Smash Hits magazines

Condition – Please Read Carefully

Condition: Pre-owned vintage magazine showing visible signs of age, previous handling and storage.

The photographs show the actual magazine being offered.

Front Cover

The cover retains its distinctive yellow, red, black and purple colour scheme.

The large photographs of Liam and Noel Gallagher remain clearly visible, with the main headlines readable.

Visible imperfections include:

• Noticeable rubbing and wear along the left-hand spine.

• Small areas of scuffing and abrasion around the cover edges.

• Creasing and stress marks near the spine.

• Wear to the upper-left corner and upper edge.

• Minor bends and handling creases around the corners.

• Light surface scratches and rubbing.

• Some age-related marks and general handling wear.

• Slight unevenness along the edges from previous storage.

The cover remains visually striking despite these imperfections.

Spine and Binding

The spine shows visible signs of repeated handling and opening.

There are stress marks, rubbing and small areas of wear along the fold.

The photographed interior pages appear attached, although the complete binding has not been checked page by page.

Interior Pages

The photographed contents pages and Oasis feature retain readable text and clear printed photographs.

Some light curling and bending can be seen around the page edges.

There is minor age-related wear consistent with a magazine originally published in 1996.

The photographed Oasis souvenir page appears well presented, with its black-and-white photograph and printed headlines clearly visible.

No extensive interior damage is evident in the supplied photographs, although unphotographed pages have not been individually inspected.

Overall Assessment

Fair to good vintage condition, with noticeable spine wear, cover rubbing, light creasing, edge wear and general age-related handling imperfections.

This is not a mint or unread example.

Please examine all photographs carefully before purchasing, as they form an important part of the condition description.

Original Free Gifts and Promotional Items

Any original loose free gifts, separate promotional items, detachable supplements or other extras that may originally have accompanied this magazine are no longer included unless clearly visible in the supplied photographs.

The Oasis souvenir feature is visibly present at least in part.

The complete contents and condition of any detachable poster or songword sections have not been individually verified.

The sale is for the original magazine and the printed material remaining within it, as photographed.

All original competitions and promotional offers have expired.

Publication Details

Magazine: Smash Hits
Issue Date: 24 April–7 May 1996
Original UK Cover Price: 90p
Publication Frequency: Fortnightly
Main Cover Stars: Oasis – Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher
Other Featured Artists: Take That, Ash, Boyzone, George Michael, Blur, Sleeper, 3T, Terrorvision and Manic Street Preachers
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Language: English
Format: Original printed music magazine
Condition: Pre-owned
SKU: 1570

Packaging and Delivery

UK Orders: The magazine will be carefully packaged and sent in a protective hardback envelope to help minimise bending and damage during transit.

International Orders: The magazine will be carefully packaged in a sturdy cardboard mailing-size box for additional protection during international delivery.

Please inspect all supplied photographs carefully, as they form part of the description and show the actual magazine you will receive.