Ramona Alaggia, a social work professor at the University of Toronto, argued others can be inspired by Oasis stars Noel and Liam Gallagher’s reconciliation
The triumph of the Oasis reunion tour shows that even the “most fractured” and “long-standing” family conflicts “can be healed”, an expert claims.
Ramona Alaggia, a professor in social work at the University of Toronto, said Noel and Liam Gallagher are a beacon of “universal hope”. She said they have been “showing each other genuine brotherly affection on stage” which “once seemed impossible”.
The family psychology specialist thinks others can be inspired by the way they’ve achieved a sincere “measure of reconciliation” as they continue their global comeback. She said: “After years apart, their return to the stage shows that reconciliation is possible and that even the most fractured relationships can find a way forward.
“Watching the Gallaghers side by side on stage, frequently laughing and embracing, it seems clear that resilience, combined with a genuine desire to reconcile, has helped bring them back together. Their reunion is more than a comeback tour; it’s a story of overcoming adversity that speaks to a universal hope. The Gallaghers are showing that even long-standing family conflicts can be healed.”
Back in 2009, the Britpop legends imploded when elder brother Noel announced he could no longer deal with Liam’s drug-fuelled revelry and onstage absenteeism. The breaking point came with an infamous altercation at Rock en Seine festival in Paris, where the two came to physical blows. Noel declared he “simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer”.
The chance of any reconciliation looked highly unlikely for the next 16 years, until they finally reformed the band last year.
Prof Alaggia, a longtime fan of the group, believes their former animosity can be explained by the turbulent childhood that both brothers experienced. It was marked by their father’s alcoholism, violence, and abuse.
She wrote on The Conversation: “Their conflict isn’t surprising when you consider their childhood. Research shows that family violence and abuse can have lasting effects on sibling relationships. Growing up with these adversities can make close family bonds harder to sustain and may help explain the long rift between them.”
But the pair’s highly-successful comeback, with plenty of displays of onstage affection and admiration, shows for her the importance of “not looking back in anger”.
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