The China Mail - Oasis hometown abuzz after reunion tour announced

"It's about time," said Ralph Clare, sat in his wheelchair in front of a giant mural of Liam and Noel Gallagher, whose 15-year feud had left many fans wondering if they would ever play together again.

"I got a bit fed up with all the arguments... it's fantastic news -- the best news ever," added the 82-year-old.

"Their music, because it's local, it means more. Just the sound of them... gets your feet going!"

The retiree lives in the south of the city, near where the long-squabbling Oasis siblings grew up in Burnage.

It is peppered with band history, old and new, including the recently-painted mural outside Sifters Records where the brothers used buy records as teenagers.

They namecheck the store in hit song "Shakermaker", with the lyrics "Mister Sifter sold me songs / When I was just 16."

Local teaching assistants Mark and Michelle Locke were posing for selfies in front of the mural, which went up earlier this summer to mark the imminent 30-year anniversary of Oasis's breakthrough debut album "Definitely Maybe".

Michelle, 45, said "no one ever thought" that the brothers would reconcile after more than a decade trading barbs at each other on social media.

"(People) always said 'oh, they're never going to get back together, they hate each other,'" she noted.

- 'Positive vibes' -

Husband Mark has seen both Liam and Noel play separately but was excited at the prospect of possibly being able to see them perform together.

"It's fantastic," he said. "It's just really good news for the city, isn't it? It's nice to have a bit of good news and some positive vibes, especially around Manchester."

Among the 14 gig dates announced for the UK and Ireland next July and August are four shows at Heaton Park in Manchester.

Michelle said the couple would be "up early" on Saturday, when tickets for the tour are released.

However, after so long feuding in the public eye -- taking swipes at each other online and in interviews -- some were sceptical about how long the siblings' new truce would last.

"The brothers are going to have their ups and downs, but I hope (they) don't just do the first concert and then fall out again and then I don't get to see them," added Michelle. "That would be a nightmare."

Ralph Clare predicted the reunion was also a big deal for their mother, Peggy Gallagher.

"I think she is over the moon... she wanted this a long time ago," he said.

"To see the two offsprings get together again, it must be fantastic.

"They're just lovable rogues, and the music's fantastic."

Clare said he thought the pair had simply realised it was time to share again their undoubted talents.

"It should have been years ago, but they weren't ready. But now I think they're ready for it," he surmised.

"Once they get on that stage and they get the people to cheer with them shouting, they'll get the adrenaline going, and they'll go on from there.

"Let's hope we have another number one."

G.Tsang--ThChM