Oasis' first support act on their 2025 tour has been confirmed as old pal Richard Ashcroft who has expressed that Noel and Liam Gallagher "inspired" some of his greatest hits.
The ex-Verve frontman, 53, is set to be the main support act for all UK and Ireland shows by Oasis next year, the Mirror reports.
Sharing his excitement, Richard remarked: "As a fan from day one I was buzzing for many reasons when the news of Oasis's return was announced. I can say with no exaggeration that the songwriting talent of Noel and Liam's pure spirit as a lead singer helped to inspire me to create some of my best work."
He added: "It was the perfection of 'Live Forever' that forced me to try and write my own. They dared to be great, made the dreams we had real and I will always remember those days with joy. Now it's time to create more memories and I'm ready to bring it. See you next summer. Music is power."
Richard's connection with Oasis dates back to the early nineties when they first started out. One of Oasis's initial national tours was supporting The Verve in 1993, playing to just hundreds of people months before releasing their debut single 'Supersonic'.
The two bands reunited in 1995, with The Verve opening for Oasis at The Bataclan in Paris and later appearing as special guests at the massive tent event at Scotland's Irving Beach.
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Their camaraderie was evident in their recordings as well, with Noel dedicating 'Cast No Shadow' from '(What's the Story) Morning Glory?' to Richard. Later, Richard provided backing vocals on 'All Around The World' from 1997's 'Be Here Now'.
Since then, Richard, Liam and Noel have remained close friends. In 2021, Liam featured on a reworked version of 'C'mon People (We're Making It Now)' from Richard's reworks album 'Acoustic Hymns Vol 1'.
Fans attending the gigs can anticipate hearing classic Verve anthems like 'Bitter Sweet Symphony', 'The Drugs Don't Work', 'Lucky Man' and 'Sonnet', along with solo highlights such as 'A Song For The Lovers'. Richard Ashcroft has been rumoured to be supporting Oasis for weeks, alongside Liverpool band Cast, but only Ashcroft is officially confirmed at this point.
The full line-up for Oasis on stage is yet to be confirmed, with Gem Archer, Andy Bell and original member Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs expected to join Noel and Liam on stage. The tour begins in Cardiff on July 4 and concludes at Wembley in September.
Dates in North America and Australia next year have also been announced.
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