The cherry-red Gibson that Liam Gallagher is said to have smashed on the night of Oasis’s infamous 2009 split is estimated to fetch up to £500,000 at auction.
The guitar forms part of a collection of music memorabilia, featuring items previously owned by John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and David Bowie, unveiled as the rock band prepare to conclude the UK leg of their record-breaking reunion tour.
While brothers Liam and Noel have been in great spirits since the tour kicked off on 4 July – as The Independent recently reported – 16 years ago it was a very different story.
In the build-up to the infamous backstage bust-up at Rock en Seine festival in Paris, Noel and Liam were no longer on speaking terms and had been travelling to and from gigs in separate vehicles.
The Paris fight, which kicked off moments before they were due to go on stage, proved to be the final straw for Noel, who announced that Oasis had broken up on their 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.”
Two years later, Noel told the press that Liam had initially thrown a plum across the dressing room before returning with a guitar that he was “wielding like an axe”.
“It was [a] real unnecessary violent act – he was swinging his guitar around,” Noel recalled. “He nearly took my face off with it, you know.”
A note accompanying the 1960s Gibson ES-355 guitar, which is being auctioned by Propstore, reads: “[This was] the guitar that Liam Gallagher smashed up in Paris 2009 the night Oasis split up.
“It was also my No 1 favourite guitar that I used for both writing and recording, using it on many Oasis recordings as well as using it live! Peace, love and bananas!! Noel Gallagher.”
Noel’s Takamine FP460SC acoustic guitar, which was used to record “Wonderwall”, is also being sold along with around 150 other Oasis items.
The wider auction features tinted glasses worn by John Lennon during his “lost weekend” period, estimated to fetch £300,000, Michael Jackson’s white fedora from “Smooth Criminal”, estimated to fetch £80,000, and a handwritten and signed letter from David Bowie to John Peel, predicted to bring in between £6,000 to £12,000.
Mark Hochman, Propstore’s Music Specialist, commented on the upcoming event: “Propstore’s auction is a celebration of music history, with guitars that shaped the sound of a generation, handwritten lyrics that capture the first spark of legendary songs, and personal items that offer a glimpse into the lives of the world’s greatest music artists.
“From John Lennon’s unmistakable glasses to Noel Gallagher’s iconic guitars, these are not just collectables; they’re cultural touchstones that have inspired millions.”
Oasis have two final shows to play at Wembley Stadium in London, before the tour takes them to concerts in South Korea, Japan, Australia, Argentina, Chile and Brazil.
The Propstore auction takes place in London between 23 to 24 October.
