The story behind the sunk Rolls-Royce on Oasis’ album cover

Oasis had some eye-catching album covers, including one which featured a Rolls-Royce sinking into a pool.

With Oasis set to reunite for a comeback concert next year, fans are looking back over their previous albums – and their album art.

The cover of Be Here Now, their third album which was released in 1997, is particularly intriguing.

Michael Spencer Jones was the photographer who shot the iconic cover, and the story of how the car ended up in the pool is pretty remarkable.

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Why Oasis had a submerged Rolls-Royce on their album

The photoshoot took place at Stocks House in Hertfordshire, which had quite the reputation for Playboy parties back in the 1970s.

To get ahold of the 1972 Silver Shadow, Jones borrowed the car from Flying Spares, an independent Rolls-Royce and Bentley supplier.

A year later, the car would be sold for $1,586 (£1,200) at a music memorabilia auction.

For twenty years, the car went unaccounted for.

Jones put out a press release on the album’s 25th birthday in August 2022, hoping to find the elusive car.

The car’s actual registration plate was MDH119K, even though Oasis had changed it to SYO724F for the shoot.

As GQ Magazine reported, this was a nod to the police van on the cover of the Beatles’ album Abbey Road.

If there’s one thing the Beatles themselves were known for, it was making a statement with cars – just take a look at John Lennon’s stunning ride.

After twenty years of obscurity, the fate of the Rolls-Royce was revealed.

Life after being on an album cover

Car journalist Dan Williamson pointed Flying Spares and Jones in the direction of the UK banger racing scene.

He noted that the Silver Shadow used by Oasis had been linked to a racer called Danny, so Flying Spares did some investigating.

As quoted by GQ, Flying Spare’s director Neil Arman said the car was essentially a prop, and didn’t really work.

“Sometimes once-great cars, even Rolls-Royces, are beyond repair. By breaking one, you can keep another six on the road,” Arman said.

“To be clear, the Oasis Rolls was a wreck, totally undriveable, it didn’t even have an engine. We fixed it up to look the part, but it was basically a prop.”

Once Danny confirmed that the car was the one used in the Oasis shoot, it became apparent how much things had changed.

Danny said he’d bought the ‘Oasis Roller’.

“It was certainly the right model and Danny knew a lot of details about the work we’d done to get it ready for the photoshoot, things hardly anyone would know,” Arman added.

The Oasis Silver Shadow, it had a different grille, axels from a Series 1 Jaguar and a V6 engine from a Ford Granada.

It’s interesting that a car featured so prominently on the band’s album, given that neither Noel or Liam can drive.

Not that it’s stopped them from picking up some cool cars over the years – like Liam’s Bristol Car or Noel’s 1967 Jaguar.

Who knows, the Rolls may be revived for a return at Oasis’ comeback concert next year.

To see more of Michael Spencer Jones’ work, check out his Instagram.