Unsung Heroes of Britpop: The Real People

Britpop is littered with iconic bands, musicians, characters, songs, and moments. From the Gallagher brothers and Oasis, to Blur, to the infamous feud between the aforementioned bands.

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It is a genre steeped in rich - and sometimes controversial - history. Embedded within the history books lies a stealthy and influential player that helped to revolutionise the game.

Their name?... The Real People. The true unsung heroes of Britpop.

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Listen while you read:

Back To The Very Beginning…

The year is 1987 and Scouse brothers, Chris and Tony Griffiths, had made their move to form this iteration of the band. They were following in the footsteps of legendary Liverpool bands such as The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The La’s and Echo & the Bunnymen. One year later, they self-released their first mini-album. A fantastic debut which showcased their raw talent to the world. (on a CDr! – now available on all streaming platforms).

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The subtle use of a synthesiser in ‘Miserable Man’ showed that they were willing to experiment, and the powerful vocals demonstrated, particularly at the end of the song, established that they certainly had the tools to succeed.

‘When Will I See You’ features a beautiful guitar riff that immediately stood out to me.

But my personal favourite has to be ‘She Was Everything’, an upbeat and dynamic piece that has an almost country rock fused with indie feel to it that played right into my musical taste and made it a very fun listen.

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Their reward was a record deal with Columbia Records in 1989, solidifying their upward trajectory. More time spent as a band and with the backing of a record label, they were able to refine their sound and in 1991,they released their self-titled album which sold over 100,000 copies. A musical cocktail of smooth vocals and harmonies, jangly and overdriven guitar sequences, and robust drumming resulted in heads starting to turn.

Among those turned heads were none other than Liam and Noel Gallagher…

The Hidden Sound Behind Oasis

In 1992, The Real People were on tour with the Inspiral Carpets. Behind the scenes, there was a certain Mancunian who was working as a roadie for the Inspiral Carpets. His name was Noel Gallagher and it was on this tour where the Griffiths brothers and Noel first met.

It turned out that Noel was a big fan of The Real People. He had bought their album and even went to see them perform on a few occasions. The Griffiths brothers and Noel stayed in touch and thus began the start of their musical alliance.

A little way down the road, The Real People made the short trip to Manchester to watch a young Oasis perform. The talent was certainly there and the Griffiths brothers saw this potential. However, this was the earliest rendition of Oasis so their performances were somewhat sloppy and rough around the edges. Ultimately, this was a young group of musicians who had received little to no help and were still trying to find their footing in the music world… until they met The Real People.

So, the Griffiths brothers invited the youthful and confident group to their studio in Liverpool in an effort to smooth out their rough edges whilst sharpening up their demo and album.

Jamming sessions, hard work and good times followed which resulted in the arrival of ‘Definitely Maybe’, Oasis’ hit debut album.

The Real People were instrumental to its success.

They gave Oasis the necessary training and guidance which involved providing wisdom regarding song structure and how to play certain songs and sections when recording. Their help even went as far as pitching in with some of the songwriting.

‘Columbia’ was co-written by Chris and Liam but interestingly, Noel was originally credited for the songwriting - and often still is.

Chris also co-wrote ‘Rockin Chair’ which later featured in Oasis’ second album, ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’.

The Griffiths brothers have also been described as being fundamental to the creation of ‘Supersonic’ which included Tony Griffiths on backing vocals, a tidbit revealed by former Oasis drummer, Tony McCarroll.

Unfortunately, the music industry can be cut-throat, and broken promises regarding the credit The Real People were going to receive signified that the union between the two bands had begun to slide away. It was not until Tony McCarroll released Oasis: The Truth that the Griffiths brothers and The Real People were officially recognised for their contributions.

By this point, however, Oasis were already well on their way to stardom and the damage had already been done. Despite this, the two sets of brothers remain on good terms and there appears to be nothing but respect and admiration for each other.

But there is no doubt in my mind that the Oasis sound is influenced and inspired by The Real People.

Which raises the question; where would Oasis be if not for The Real People?  

Back To The Future…

Decades later and The Real People are still picking up their instruments and putting on a show.

This includes right here at the Newgate Social on 7th November 2025.

Get Tickets >

With limited tickets that are already selling, don’t miss your chance to witness one of Britpop's greatest unsung heroes.

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With a fascinating backstory and a stand-alone discography, this is the perfect gig for all music lovers out there.

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