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Everyone knows the story of the Sunburst Les Paul that Johnny Marr lent Noel in January 1994 – and never got back! But fewer are aware of Johnny’s Flying V: Noel is said to have used it for recording Slide Away and Cigarettes & Alcohol during the Definitely Maybe sessions at Monnow Valley.

With the guitar currently up for auction at Sotheby’s, I’ve decided it’s time to finish the dedicated page that has been sitting in drafts for a few months.

NEW PAGE:
Gibson Flying V (1980)

In 2019, when Johnny Marr handed the Flying V to a dealer for sale, the guitar’s connection to Oasis wasn’t mentioned. Johnny likely forgot that he had lent the guitar to Noel 25 years earlier! I immediately recognized the Flying V as the one Noel played in the Monnow Valley photos taken by Michael Spencer Jones, so I contacted the unaware dealer to inform him about its history. Guess what, he thought I was messing with him and wasting his time…

Keep reading…

When I recognized the guitar, I posted on the Live4Ever forum detailing its Oasis background and then reached out to the dealer with a link to the forum post.
His reaction was not what I had anticipated.

He told me to delete the forum post, insisting it was a “different guitar” and that “Johnny has owned this since before Oasis were big.” Quite a dismissive response, right?
But the reality was that it was clearly the same guitar.

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I didn’t back down and sent him another picture with a detailed explanation. An hour later, I received the final word: “It’s the same guitar. Johnny texted Noel and he confirmed it.”
I knew it all along!

The ad was removed but resurfaced later, now featuring the Oasis connection and, I suspect, with a much higher price tag.

So, Johnny, you’re welcome – though it appears your guitar dealer never bothered to say thanks!