Richard Ashcroft stuns fans by telling them he 'nearly joined Oasis'

Irish Daily Mirror

a day ago

Oasis have completed the majority of their historic UK and Ireland shows as part of the band's all-conquering reunion tour, sending crowds in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin supersonic.
Gallagher brothers Liam and Noel appear to still be in good spirits, despite conflicting reports, with each embrace at the end of every gig lasting a little longer and even sharing a kiss or two in Ireland.
Oasis' rejuvenated line-up features debutants Joey Waronker, on drums, and keyboardist Christian Madden alongside guitarists Gem Archer, Andy Bell and Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs.
Archer and Bell both joined Oasis in late 1999, replacing founding members Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan and the aforementioned Bonehead, thereby combining the two line-ups for the reunion. Oasis played Croke Park on August 16 and 17. (Image: Philip Fitzpatrick)
Support during the UK and Ireland leg of the show has featured 90s indie rockers Cast and Richard Ashcroft, of The Verve, both of whom have earned rave reviews themselves.
Bittersweet Symphony writer Ashcroft has long been associated with the Gallaghers, even posing as Noel's muse for Cast No Shadow, which features in their two-hour setlist.
The 53-year-old musician had supported Oasis several times during the band's first iteration and recently confessed that he came close to joining the band to replace Bonehead, almost creating a Britpop supergroup.
"I've...in a way been there from almost the beginning," He told Vernon Kay in a BBC2 interview.
"When Bonehead left the band, I happened to be in the studio. I came down with a guitar pretending like [I was in the band]. And I would have taken the job, to be honest."
Bonehead departed Oasis in August 1999, a band he is often credited with forming under 'The Rain' moniker, citing a desire to spend more time with family.
That same year, The Verve, off the back of their highly successful album, Urban Hymns, which features Bittersweet Symphony, Sonnet and The Drugs Don't Work, disbanded due to internal conflicts.
So, the door was potentially open for Ashcroft to step in and contribute to a new-look Oasis just before the turn of the millennium.
"I'd have been happy, I'd have been happy strumming along to those tunes," He admitted. "Big weight off my shoulders, just having a laugh. Our stories are bonded whether we like it or not."
But, it was not to be, with Oasis eventually selecting Gem Archer, a member of the band Heavy Stereo, to replace Bonehead and going on to release Standing on the Shoulder of Giants in February 2000.
The former Verve frontman Ashcroft would carve out a successful solo career, releasing the Alone with Everybody album on New Year's Day, 2000. The Verve would briefly get back together in 2007 before once again separating in 2009, the same year as Oasis' infamous split.
Now, 16 years later, both are wowing crowds as part of the Oasis Live 25 tour, which Ashcroft says is "vindication" for Oasis, adding that the band "will live forever".