Oasis star Noel Gallagher said The Smiths musician Johnny Marr has “always been a bit gung-ho” with his guitars, while looking at his collection currently on display in London.
Marr, 62, is selling many of the guitars used during his award-winning career, which began in the 1980s with rock group The Smiths and saw him join The The, form his own band and develop into a successful soloist.
It is part of Marr’s Guitars: The Johnny Marr Collection, which is headed to auction at Christie’s in London on September 17, with 111 lots for sale and estimates up to £150,000.
The veteran rocker was joined by fellow musician Gallagher as he reminisced about special moments tied to his instruments headed under the hammer as they examined the collection in a video released by Christie’s on Saturday.
The Manchester-born stars examined a black Rickenbacker 330 Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar from 1982 which was used by Marr to write hit singles This Charming Man and What Difference Does It Make.
“You’ve always been a bit gung-ho with your guitars,” Gallagher said, reminiscing about borrowing the instrument to appear on the cover of Oasis’ 1994 debut single Supersonic.
Gallagher added: “I remember the day when Oasis was recording Definitely Maybe for the first time and you sent down some guitars, because we had one guitar each!
“Someone took it out and just put it on the floor so it would look like we were a working band. It’s on the cover of Supersonic.
“I remember looking at it on the floor going, ‘that can not be The Smiths’ guitar, there’s no way he’s sent that down here to a load of geezers from Longsight!’
“I was like ‘you better take that back, mate!’ – what if someone stands on it!”
The instrument hopes to sell for up to £80,000 and will head under the hammer alongside a red Gibson ES-355TDSV electric guitar which has an estimated value of £100,000 to £150,000.
While looking at the item, which was bought for Marr by Sire Records founder Seymour Stein so The Smiths would sign to his label, the guitarist said: “So many people associate me over the years with the (Rickenbacker).”
He added that he thinks most people associate Gallagher with a red Gibson, and the rocker said: “I got mine because of seeing you on Top of the Pops!
“Those, to me, are the best guitars ever made.”
Other items for sale include a 1971 D-28 acoustic guitar, which might fetch up to £50,000, as well as Marr’s composite solid-body electric guitar Fender Stratocaster, which has an estimated value between £40,000 and £60,000.
Approximately 80 guitars are heading under the hammer and Marr will donate 100% of the hammer price of 31 lots to benefit The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and The National Autistic Society.
The sale also includes amplifiers, many gold and silver records achieved throughout Marr’s decades-long career, The Smiths posters and memorabilia, and also a collection of harmonicas belonging to the rocker.
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