One of Noel Gallagher’s guitars – specifically one that copped significant damage the night Oasis split – is up for sale.
The red Gibson ES-355 is currently being auctioned by French gallery Artpèges, and according to The Guardian, the instrument has a starting price of €150,000 (£125,000) attached.
Per The Guardian’s report, Gallagher had repaired the guitar after it sustained damage backstage at the band’s scheduled appearance at Rock en Seine in 2009. While he kept it for some time after, the songwriter and musician allegedly got rid of the guitar because it reminded him too much of Oasis.
Oasis pulled out of their Rock en Seine appearance minutes before their scheduled set time, leaving Bloc Party (who were on before them) to deliver the news to fans that the iconic group wouldn’t be performing. Behind the scenes, the ongoing tension and animosity between Noel and brother Liam Gallagher hit fever point, leading to the band’s break up.
“It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight,” Noel was reported as saying.
“People will write and say what they like but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer. Apologies to all the people who bought tickets to the shows in Paris, Konstanz and Milan.”
According to auctioneers, Gallagher’s former guitar could fetch as much as €500,000 (£415,000) at the auction taking place on May 17. The Artpèges gallery has a unique collection of rock and pop culture items that are being auctioned, including Jimi Hendrix-signed vinyl and bondage clothing worn by Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore during a photoshoot in the 1980s.
On their website, the Gibson guitar is described as symbolising ‘the soul and history of the group’, stating, “…smashed in the last storm of August 28, 2009 at the Rock en Seine festival, it embodies the intense and tumultuous career of one of the most iconic 90s group.”
In a recent interview with the Daily Mirror, Gallagher has said that he believes a group like Oasis couldn’t exist today, because kids from working class backgrounds (as they were) can’t afford to pursue music as they did.
“Working class kids can’t afford to do it now, because guitars are expensive,” he said.
“[T]here’s no rehearsal rooms. They’ve all been turned into wine bars and flats.” He added that there were “loads of middle class bands” instead but that they “wear guitars as opposed to playing them.” He argued: “Four or five guys from a council estate can’t afford guitars.”
