Richard Ashcroft has said that he has only seen Liam Gallagher on stage throughout the Oasis reunion tour, pointing out the discipline shown by the legendary frontman.
Ashcroft has been opening for the Mancunian icons for all their shows in the UK and Ireland. The Verve frontman and Cast have warmed the fans up in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin, before Cage The Elephant will open for the Britpop giants for the North American leg of the tour.
The ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ singer has now praised Liam Gallagher and commended the discipline that he has shown while on the road.
Speaking with Chris Evans on Virgin Radio, Ashcroft said: “I’ve only seen Liam on stage, and I’ve got so much respect for that because every night is an opportunity to sort of celebrate in a way, but the guy has been so disciplined on this.
“I think the fans respect that, they can hear that, they can feel that. Whatever he’s doing, whatever his method is, is working, and I’ve got 100 per cent respect for him”
Liam has seemingly been on his best behaviour throughout the tour, with Far Out reporting that he did not attend the wrap party for the band and crew in Dublin on August 17. He also said on stage that it was the “soberest I’ve been in Ireland since I was about four or five.”
In the same discussion with Chris Evans, Ashcroft noted how he has seen Noel Gallagher multiple times before and after gigs, to the contrary of Liam: “He seems to be in great spirits and in a good place, and enjoying it. I think it was quite overwhelming the first one, I think it passed a bit like a movie. It wasn’t really a gig, it was beyond a gig that first Cardiff for them, it was surreal and probably overwhelming.”
Ashcroft’s comments have come just a couple of days after Noel spoke publicly for the first time about the tour. Speaking to talkSport’s Andy Goldstein, Noel mentioned how he was “proud” of his younger brother and that “Liam is smashing it”.
He also spoke about how he underestimated the emotions he would feel on the first night: “After about five minutes, I was like, alright can I just go back to the dressing room and start this again?
“I’ve done stadiums before and all that but I don’t mind telling you, my legs had turned to jelly after about halfway through the second song, and I could have done with going back and taking a minute. But it’s been an amazing thing.”
Oasis will now head to North America, with their next gig in Toronto, Canada on Sunday night. The Britpop icons will then return to Wembley Stadium for two more nights at the end of September.
