Oasis' reunion may have rocked the music world this week, but they could have easily been known as something very different if it wasn't for Carlisle comedy band Oasis' split in the 1980s.

The band was made up of brothers Phil and John Nelson, as well as Mike Charlton and Peter Richardson. 

Despite only lasting a year, the band found success touring up and down the country, after purchasing a coach.

After a frozen night touring up in Scotland, the quartet called it quits, but still perform regularly today, as the bands Ritz (Phil and John) and Palm Springs (Mike and Peter). 

Speaking to the News & Star about the original Oasis, Phil said: "I wish we'd patented the name now.

"We set up in the 80s. My brother John and I formed it with Mike and Peter. I've no idea where the Oasis came from. We used to rehearse at the Old Enterprise - a nightclub up in Stanwix. Mike was a DJ there. We only lasted about a year. We used to travel round the country in our 56-seater coach with our bunks.

"The final straw was when we were doing an air base up in Scotland. We broke down on the banks of Loch Lomond one winter. We were all freezing, trying to get this coach started and were desperate to get home again. We called time on it.

"Me and John formed a duo, and Pete and Mike formed a duo. We're all still playing now."

The band played good music but also included an interesting comedic element, which often left the crowd 'in hysterics'. 

Phil added: "It was the time when Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet were popular. Mike did a bit of comedy as well, he'd dress up as different characters who were popular at the time. He'd do impressions and comedy. We were almost like four sidemen, with him doing the comedy and we'd do the music.

"There were times when we were playing and people were just in hysterics, and we would be laughing as much as they were."

Despite losing their name to the now-legendary Gallagher brothers, Phil is just as excited as the rest of the country for Oasis' imminent return. 

He said: "It's brilliant for music in general. The ticket sales are going to be incredible. GQ called us the original Oasis back in the day. We should have patented the name. Whether that would have made any difference, I don't know.

"We play some of Oasis' songs in our current set, and they always go down really well."

The excerpt from Andy's bookThe excerpt from Andy's book (Image: Supplied)

Oasis worked under Andy Park, of Andy Park Promotions, who has spent his life representing musical talent in Cumbria, Northumberland and southern Scotland. 

In one of his two books, Cumbria's Music Man and Centre Stage, Andy had this to say about Oasis: "I also managed a fantastic musical comedy show group called Oasis long before the Manchester 'wild men' of pop music nicked the name!"

Who knows what Oasis would be known as now, if that coach hadn't broken down in Scotland 40 years ago...