The Gallagher brothers might have reconciled to embark on a record-breaking world tour, but one artefact that recalls the more fractious times in their relationship is about to come back into the public eye.
A guitar that Noel says was “smashed up” by Liam on the night Oasis broke up after a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris in 2009 is going to auction. The 1960s red Gibson ES-355 guitar is estimated to fetch up to £500,000.
The break-up had been coming for months. The brothers had been publicly abusing each other on social media, were no longer on speaking terms and were travelling in separate vehicles to and from gigs at the time of the split.
The Paris fight, which happened just as they were about to go on stage, was the final straw.
Noel Gallagher announced the split on the band’s website. “It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight,” he said. “People will write and say what they like but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.”
The group’s reunion this summer is estimated to be bringing in £400m for the brothers, who are still touring, with two more Wembley stadium gigs this month.
Noel Gallagher’s Takamine FP460SC acoustic guitar, which was used to record Wonderwall, is also being sold alongside about 150 Oasis items as part of the Propstore auction.
The wider auction includes John Lennon’s “lost weekend”-period tinted glasses, estimated to fetch £300,000, and Michael Jackson’s Smooth Criminal white fedora, expected to bring in a potential £80,000.
Mark Hochman, a music specialist at Propstore, said: “From John Lennon’s unmistakable glasses to Noel Gallagher’s iconic guitars, these are not just collectibles; they’re cultural touchstones that have inspired millions.”
