The Legacy of Peter Green: A Tale of Legendary Guitars
In the realm of iconic electric guitars, the late Peter Green was known for being the caretaker of several high-profile instruments, including the famous Greeny Les Paul, currently owned by Metallica’s Kirk Hammett after passing through the hands of Gary Moore.
Among Green’s collection was another notable Gibson Les Paul that crossed paths with none other than Noel Gallagher. This particular guitar once bore the signature of Green himself, adding to its already immense value. However, upon visual inspection today, you would find that the signature is no longer present.
The current custodian of this guitar is The Coral guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones, who recently shared the history of the Les Paul in an interview with Guitar World. He recounted how the signature was removed by Noel Gallagher as an act of retaliation against the person who sold it to him.
“It was given to me by Noel Gallagher in 2006 when I was 23,” Ryder-Jones revealed. “The Coral were recording at Noel’s studio, Wheeler End Studios, and I was using this Les Paul without knowing it belonged to Peter Green.”
The story of how Gallagher acquired the guitar is just as captivating. According to Ryder-Jones, Gallagher spotted the instrument in a guitar shop but faced hesitation from the store owner who was unaware of his fame and reluctant to part ways with a genuine Green-signed guitar.
“He didn’t recognize Noel or Oasis,” Ryder-Jones explained. “But Noel noticed the Les Paul on display and requested to try it out. The store owner reluctantly handed it over, mentioning that it was signed by Peter Green.”
Clearly displeased with the encounter, Gallagher took matters into his own hands. “Noel spat on his T-shirt and rubbed off the signature,” Ryder-Jones continued. “He then proceeded to say, ‘That’s fine; it doesn’t matter now. I’ll take it anyway.'”
The act of removing Peter Green’s signature from an authentic Peter Green guitar may seem unbelievable to the average music enthusiast. It raises questions about Gallagher’s motives and the significance placed on such a piece of musical history.
Despite the unusual turn of events, the story of the Gibson Les Paul’s journey from Peter Green to Noel Gallagher and eventually to Bill Ryder-Jones adds another layer of intrigue to the legacy of these legendary guitars.