Oasis – Slide Away (Live from Cardiff, 4 July '25)

Noel’s first Gibson Les Paul was a 1960 spec sunburst model which he borrowed from Johnny Marr (Originally a 1952 Gibson Les Paul standard Goldtop converted to 60 spec) – ex-guitarist of The Smiths. Noel wrote and recorded “Slide Away” and “Live Forever” on this guitar. Unfortunately he broke the guitar’s neck at the heel in 1994 in Newcastle when a fan climbed on the stage and Noel smacked the fan with the guitar.

According to Johnny Marr, he definitely recorded Live Forever with one.

As Marr said, this guitar is visible in the music video for Live Forever.

Noel Gallagher used two different Gibson Flying V guitars while in Oasis. The first was a 1989 Gibson Flying V, loaned to Noel by Johnny Marr. Noel used Marr's Flying V to specifically record Cigarettes and Alcohol and Slide Away. It was also used throughout the recording of Definitely Maybe. Photographer Michael Spencer Jones took pictures of Noel using this guitar in the studio in Jan 1994 while recording Definitely Maybe. Sound engineer David Scott, who was present at the Monnow Valley sessions is quoted in a 1994 interview with Melody Maker magazine saying he saw Noel using his Epi Les Paul and also a Gibson Flying V that he used to record Slide Away. Slide Away was the only track to make the cut from the Monnow Valley sessions. Also, Noel was inspired to write Cigarettes & Alcohol by the T Rex song "Get it on". T Rex used a Gibson Flying V to perform Get it on, so makes sense Noel was drawn to using a Flying V to record Cigarettes & Alcohol. Also, T Rex's Get it on was not entirely original either, he equally was inspired by a Chuck Berry song called "Little Queenie". Standing on the shoulders of giants is apt in this case. Noel Gallagher acquired his own 1997 Gibson Flying V and used it in the "D'You Know What I Mean?" official music video. The Flying V he's using has a black finish and a white pickguard, and a capo on the second fret.