Key facts
- Unheard Oasis recordings valued at £1.2m to £1.6m have been withdrawn from auction.
- The collection includes 63 live shows, hours of rehearsals, and candid conversations.
- Legal action was taken by Oasis to stop the sale.
- The recordings were compiled by former sound engineer Huw Richards.
- The auction house Littleton Auctions confirmed the withdrawal.
- The sale of other music memorabilia is unaffected.
A collection of unheard Oasis recordings, estimated to be worth between £1.2 million and £1.6 million, has been withdrawn from auction following legal action initiated by the band. The archive, known as 'The Desk Tapes', was compiled by Huw Richards, who worked as Oasis's sound engineer from 1994 to 2001.
Littleton Auctions in Worcestershire, England, had listed the collection, which includes 209 DAT tapes, 73 analogue cassettes, and three MiniDiscs containing 63 live shows, hours of rehearsals, and candid conversations between Noel and Liam Gallagher. The auction house's managing director, Ben Homer, confirmed the withdrawal, stating disappointment that the significant archive could not be offered as planned.
Owain Richards, the son of the former sound engineer and the seller of the collection, confirmed that Oasis had sued to prevent the auction. He agreed to postpone the sale to allow the legal dispute to be resolved. The collection is considered "a piece of history," but Owain Richards acknowledged that Oasis retains the intellectual property rights, meaning the recordings cannot be released by a new owner without the band's cooperation.
Littleton Auctions will proceed with the rest of its sale on Saturday, which includes other music memorabilia such as an original Oasis tour parka, signed Nirvana photographs, Rolling Stones autographs, and a guitar signed by Brian May. The auction house stated that the rest of the sale is unaffected and respects the legal process.