Noel Gallagher wrote two of Oasis’s best-loved songs on a guitar sold to him by Johnny Marr – but how much is Marr offering to buy it back for?
The two legendary guitarists joined up recently to discuss the collection that Marr is auctioning via Christie’s.
This auction – titled Marr’s Guitars: The Johnny Marr Collection – takes place on 17 September.
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And yes, the Sunburst ’65 Fender Stratocaster that Marr sold Gallagher comes up in conversation.
One of the most fascinating exchanges between Marr and Gallagher happens when they start talking Strats. Marr has a thing for white Strats. Gallagher reveals that the only guitar he has every had stolen was an Olympic White Strat.
“I think there’s something about white Strats,” Marr says, citing two iconic Strat players – “Hendrix and Bolan.”
Gallagher replies: “I had one which got nicked. It’s the only guitar that I’ve ever had stolen, and the neck was like a ’50s Les Paul, it was amazing, it was just the fucking bollocks…”
The stolen Strat had what Gallagher describes as a “dead fat neck”. He adds: “It sounded amazing, and there was just something about that guitar that looked cool.”
Marr suggests the neck thickness contributes to a Strat’s tone. Many players will argue a fat Strat neck is more comfortable to play but Marr says it “makes ’em sound loud as well”. Furthermore, one of the Strat’s special powers is that it cover a lot of ground sonically.
“Well,” Marr adds, “the thing with Strats is that you can make a Strat sound like pretty much anything, but you can’t make anything else sound like a Strat.”
Gallagher then mentions the Strat he bought from Marr.
“The one you sold me, the Strat which I played on Wonderwall and all that, it’s a pre-CBS, I think, because it’s got the three-way selector switch on it.”
Marr asks what else was written by Gallagher with that Strat.
Gallagher answers: “Don’t Look Back In Anger, She’s Electric. Wonderwall.”
Another song he recalls writing on the Strat is AKA… What A Life!, which he recorded with his post-Oasis outfit Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
Gallagher says that this guitar is “all over” the second Oasis album, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?
Marr asks: “You used it on Wonderwall?”
When Gallagher says yes, Marr smiles and suggests: “I might try and buy it back off you. Same money. You don’t mind, do you? Give you exactly the same, 800 quid!”
