Brussels-based British cultural journalist Simon Taylor talks to John Robb about his book Live Forever: The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Oasis. Together, they dive into the world of Oasis, Britpop and Manchester.

The latest book by Mancunian author John Robb was published earlier this year. It was immediately showered with rave reviews and is widely seen as the ultimate Oasis book. Robb offers, amongst other things, an exclusive interview with Noel Gallagher, a look at the years that he spent with the Gallagher brothers, the not-to-be-underestimated influence of their Irish roots, the importance of Manchester and its music scene that still influences Angelo-Saxon-inspired music.

John Robb is a true creative jack-of-all-trades: in addition to being a TV presenter, he is a bestselling author, musician, journalist, publisher, festival director, sought-after TV and radio commentator, and the singer of The Membranes. He grew up in Blackpool (and is now an ambassador for the city) before punk-rock changed his life. In the post-punk age, he founded The Membranes: an influential post-punk band that continues to innovate with choral vocals and rich textures on their most recent, critically acclaimed albums.

He was one of the UK’s prominent post-punk fanzine writers with Rox, and he moved on to the rock mag Sounds in the eighties. He was the first to interview Nirvana, coined the term ‘Britpop’ and played a key role in documenting the Manchester scene with his articles.

His website louderthanwar.com is one of the three most read music and cultural sites in the United Kingdom and is situated in the forefront of the modern, diverse culture. He almost released the first single by Fontaines D.C. and gave Charli XCX her very first review, along with many other firsts.

He is a regular on television & radio as a commentator on music, culture and politics, and one of the most sought-after talk moderators in the UK. He also runs a successful YouTube channel and,, every year he organises his own book and music festival in Manchester: Louder Than Words.

Robb has written several bestsellers about pop culture, including Punk Rock – An Oral History and The Stone Roses and the Resurrection of British Pop and (in 2022) Manifesto – together with green energy pioneer Dale Vince of Ecotricity. Currently, he’s working on the groundbreaking Green Britain Academy and on a climate-neutral clothing line called Dark Forest.

His memoirs, due for release in 2026, will cover all these aspects of his life and will also be made into a film.