Oasis take legal action to stop sale of unheard recordings valued at more than £1m

A massive archive of unreleased Oasis recordings has been withdrawn from an upcoming auction following legal intervention by the rock group.

The collection, which features 63 live concerts, extensive rehearsal sessions, and private discussions between brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, was scheduled to go under the hammer on Saturday. Worcestershire-based Littleton Auctions had estimated the value of the items between £1.2 million and £1.6 million before the sale was halted.

Ben Homer, the auction house's managing director, confirmed to the BBC that the material, referred to as The Desk Tapes, was removed from the October 3 event due to ongoing legal proceedings. Homer expressed deep disappointment over the inability to present the archive to prospective buyers as originally intended.

The recordings were originally compiled by Huw Richards, an audio engineer who toured with Oasis from the release of their 1994 debut album Definitely, Maybe until 2001. His son, Owain Richards, placed the trove up for sale. The archive comprises 209 digital audio tapes, 73 traditional cassettes, and three MiniDiscs capturing the group during their 1990s peak.

Speaking to the BBC, the younger Richards confirmed that the band had initiated legal action against both him and his father to block the transaction. He stated that the family consented to pause the auction so the dispute over ownership and distribution could be handled systematically, whether through court litigation or an alternative settlement.

In a previous interview with the Times, Richards noted that while the recordings remain in strong playable shape, Oasis retains the intellectual property rights to the music. Consequently, any eventual buyer would be legally barred from publishing or commercially issuing the audio without the band's consent.

Littleton Auctions plans to move forward with the remainder of Saturday's sale. Other rock memorabilia will still be offered, including a Kangol tour parka previously owned by Richards, autographed images of Nirvana, signatures from two Rolling Stones band members, and a guitar autographed by Queen guitarist Brian May. Homer noted that the broader event remains undisturbed and added that the auction house would respect the legal proceedings without further public commentary.

The legal challenge arrives during an active period for the reunited Manchester group. Noel and Liam Gallagher recently appeared together at the London and Venice film festival premieres for the documentary Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger, and the group has unveiled plans for a worldwide tour in 2027 following their 2025 reunion.