Richard Ashcroft says he’s only seen Liam Gallagher on stage during Oasis reunion tour: “The guy has been so disciplined”

Richard Ashcroft says he’s only seen Liam Gallagher on stage during Oasis reunion tour: “The guy has been so disciplined”

Richard Ashcroft has said that during his time opening for Oasis on their reunion tour, he has only seen Liam Gallagher on stage.

Ashcroft has been opening for the Britpop giants since they kicked off their mammoth ‘Live ‘25’ tour with two nights at Principality Stadium in Cardiff last month.

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He joins Cast on the bill, and throughout the five shows at Heaton Park in Manchester, five of their seven sold-out stops at Wembley Stadium in London, two stops at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh and two stops in Croke Park in Dublin, both have been going down a storm with fans.

Now, the former Verve frontman has shared some praise for frontman Liam Gallagher, and commended him for the discipline he has had 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,” he added. “Whatever he’s doing, whatever his method is, is working, and I’ve got 100 per cent respect for him.”

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The comments come as Liam recently used his time on stage in Dublin to discuss his ongoing sobriety, and say to the crowd that it was the “soberest I’ve been in Ireland since I was about four or five.”

He also reportedly did not attend a wrap party that the band and crew had on August 17 in a Dublin pub (as per Far Out), keeping a distance from any activity that could negatively impact his vocal performance at future shows.

In his discussion with Chris Evans, Ashcroft said that he has seen Noel Gallagher a few times off stage since the tour commenced. “He seems to be in great spirits and in a good place, and enjoying it,” he shared. “ 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.”

Recalling what it meant for him to join the iconic band on their 2025 comeback tour, the ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ singer said: “I’m just like a fan, I don’t consider myself anything, I’m just a fan of the band, and happy for them. I’ve known these people for a long time, and it’s been a hell of a journey to get here.”

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The Gallagher brothers and Richard Ashcroft have been in the same circles for decades now, and their friendship extends back to Oasis’ early days.

One of Liam and Noel’s first national tours was as the support act for The Verve back in 1993, ahead of their 1994 debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’, and the singer has also been credited as the inspiration for their 1995 song ‘Cast No Shadow’.

In 1995, The Verve opened for Oasis at The Bataclan in Paris before featuring as special guests at Scotland’s Irvine Beach. Ashcroft later provided backing vocals on Oasis’ single ‘All Around The World’ from 1997’s ‘Be Here Now’.

Ahead of the support slots kicking off, Ashcroft revealed that he told Noel Gallagher that he was “the only person” who could open for Oasis at their UK reunion shows.

Since then, he has announced his seventh solo studio album ‘Lovin’ You’ – his first new record since 2021’s ‘Acoustic Hymns, Vol. 1’. The album will be released on October 3 and you can pre-order it here, you can also find tickets to his upcoming solo shows here.

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