Last weekend, Oasis kicked off their international reunion tour in Cardiff, Wales. The first two shows were huge successes. Fans were thrilled by how great they sounded and that Liam and Noel Gallagher managed to make it through both nights without bringing back their signature drama. Reportedly, the brothers have truly reconciled, but I have two sons. I know firsthand that truces among brothers aren’t always binding, even in the highest of stakes. I once told my kids that they would lose TV for the weekend if they didn’t stop fighting and both of them literally told me that they didn’t care as long as it meant the other one lost TV too.
Anyway, while everything went smoothly on the band’s end, there was a little kerfuffle in the press involving extended family drama. Noel’s ex-wife, Meg Mathews, and their daughter, Anaïs, were both there for Oasis’ opening night. Meg was spotted leaving early, during the encore. Naturally, this caused some people to clutch their pearls and speculate that she left during “Wonderwall” because it was (allegedly) written about her. So, Meg decided to set the record straight.
Meg Mathews would like to explain her early exit from Oasis’ first reunion show.
Mathews, who was married to Oasis’ Noel Gallagher from 1997 to 2001, attended the band’s first reunion performance at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on July 4. She was seen leaving the show during its encore, which included “Wonderwall,” notably believed to have been written about her — and now she’s opening up about why.
“5 stars
loved every minute thank you Oasis,” wrote Mathews alongside videos of the show on Instagram. “Great to see all the old faces … it was worth the count down.”
She then explained her early exit, writing, “and to all the F—ing papers I left before the encore as I have left many a stadium at the end and it’s carnage.”
“But yes I could hear Wonderwall as I walked to my car ! Happy now …” continued Mathews.
The ex-couple’s 25-year-old daughter Anaïs was also in attendance at the show and quoted Oasis’ “Hello” lyrics in an Instagram post, writing, “it’s good to be back.”
Noel also shares sons Donovan, 17, and Sonny, 14, with Sara MacDonald, to whom he was married from 2011 to 2023.
“Wonderwall” is the signature song of Noel and brother Liam’s band Oasis. While the track’s lyrics were long believed to have been written about Mathews, Noel told BBC Radio 2 otherwise in a 2002 interview, per American Songwriter.
“The meaning of that song was taken away from me by the media who jumped on it,” he said at the time, per the outlet. “And how do you tell your missus it’s not about her once she’s read it is? It’s a song about an imaginary friend who’s gonna come and save you from yourself.”
Noel and Liam took the stage together for the first time since 2009 in Cardiff on July 4 and performed hits including “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Champagne Supernova.”
They notably began the show by walking out holding each other’s hands — after a longtime feud. “It’s good to be back,” said Liam on stage. The brothers will play shows in Europe, North America, Asia, Oceania and South America through late November.
It’s so silly to assign meaning to Meg leaving early. It’s almost as though the British press was desperately looking for something to make a controversy out of. (/sarcasm.) What’s next? Analyzing why their daughter went to the bathroom during a certain song? I am a compulsive completist, so I have never left a concert or sporting event early, but I completely understand people who do. It’s just that my FOMO anxiety outweighs my traffic anxiety. Even if Meg left because she didn’t want to hear “Wonderwall,” who cares? That is her business not ours.
Oh, and FWIW, I’ve read Noel’s explanation about “Wonderwall” before. I’ve always taken it one step further and considered the imaginary friend to be one’s self and that the song is telling listeners that they’re the only person who can save them from themselves. I like my meaning more, but am I wrong here?
𝕄𝔼𝔾 𝕄𝔸𝕋ℍ𝔼𝕎𝕊