Oasis' Liam Gallagher and Andy Bell watch a busker rehearse for BBH's "Dig out your soul in the streets" doc.

New Yorkers can boast that they've heard three unreleased tracks from Oasis' forthcoming album Dig Out Your Soul before its October 7 release. But the advanced listen didn't come from the usual Internet leak. It came live from over 20 street musicians performing the tracks at subway stops throughout the city, as well as in Times Square and Central Park.

The event was conceived by BBH, New York creative directors Pelle and Calle Sjoenell, who sought to invert the channels through which music usually travels.

"We were talking about street musicians and how the music ends up there," explains Pelle. "We figured, what if we turn it around and have the music start where it usually ends up?"

The Sjoenells brought the idea to Warner Music, who, in the current climate of sagging record sales, jumped at the chance to promote the album in an innovative way.

The event took place on September 12 in conjunction with tourism body NYC&Co. HSI directing duo The Malloys, comprised of brothers Brendan and Emmett, filmed it for an upcoming documentary.

"We kept the shoot spontaneous," says Brendan. "We even gave cameras to people in the agency and just let them shoot stuff. We didn't really give anybody much direction other than letting them do what they were going to do."

The performers were found through the Metropolitan Transit Authority's street musician program MUNY (Music Underground New York) and were invited to a one-day rehearsal at a loft in Brooklyn, where Oasis members were on hand to watch the performers interpret their music and to offer musical advice.

"We had a real eclectic group and we were nervous about how [Oasis] was going to react to these musicians playing their music," says Brendan about the musical meeting. "As much as [the band] is outspoken, they're musicians, and all they care about is the music. They had a real connection with the musicians, and were genuinely touched. Liam kept saying, 'These are real musicians and they make me feel like a fucking pop star and that's not what I want to be.'"

BBH http://www.bartleboglehegarty.com
HSI http://www.hsiproductions.com
NYC&Co/Oasis street music project http://nycvisit.com/oasis