Oasis have announced that Richard Ashcroft, the former lead singer of The Verve, will be joining them as a special guest on all of their UK and Ireland shows in 2025.
Ashcroft said in a statement: “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 song-writing talent of Noel, and Liam’s pure spirit as a lead singer helped to inspire me to create some of my best work.
“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.”
Ashcroft, a close friend of both Noel and Liam Gallagher, shares a history with the band as Oasis supported The Verve back in 1993.
He was tipped to be one of the support acts for the tour, with indie rockers Cast also reportedly being lined up.The Verve, formed in Wigan in 1989 by Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury, became known for hits like Bittersweet Symphony and The Drugs Don’t Work.
They headlined Glastonbury in 2008, closing the Pyramid stage on the Sunday.
Details regarding the rest of the support line-up for Oasis's UK and Ireland shows - their only European shows in 2025 - will be revealed in due course.
