Oasis are reportedly unhappy with the planned auction of dozens of master recordings of concerts and rehearsals captured by their former sound engineer.
An archive listed by Littleton Auctions features 63 concert recordings, more than 100 hours of rehearsals and “unfiltered dialogue” between brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher.
The collection, gathered by the band’s former sound engineer Huw Richards – who was with the band from the release of their 1994 debut Definitely Maybe up until 2001 – is due to be auctioned on 3 October with a guide price of between £1.2m and £1.6m.
However, The Times reports that Oasis are caught up in a row over the sale, with Richards’ son, Owain Richards, claiming the band want the trove “back in their possession”.
Among the archive is what is believed to be the only recording of one of the band’s historic 1996 concerts on the banks of Loch Lomond, Scotland.
Littleton Auctions confirmed to The Independent that the band are opposed to the sale but that it was perfectly legal, with managing director Ben Homer commenting: "The Oasis camp is aware of the auction and has expressed concerns, which is entirely understandable given the scale and significance of the material.
“We’re handling everything with full transparency and proper legal process. Our focus is simply on presenting these items responsibly, with verified provenance, and allowing collectors and institutions to engage with an important part of British music history.”
The Independent has contacted Oasis’s representatives for comment.
Owain Richards, also a sound engineer, told The Times that he had been in talks with Oasis’s management a few years ago over some of the recordings but the conversation apparently “fizzled away”.
“They don’t want these tapes to be sold through anyone else,” he said. “They want them back in their possession.”
Any buyer would be unable to commercialise the archive without the consent of the band, who retain the intellectual property rights.
The buzz around Oasis has re-ignited again as the band prepare for the release of a new documentary, Don’t Look Back in Anger, directed by Steven Knight and filmed in the lead-up and during their huge 2025 reunion tour. Noel and Liam were pictured over the weekend arriving at Venice Film Festival for the world premiere.
Rumours are also swirling that the band are preparing to announce a new run of dates for 2027, with a recent teaser posted to their social media accounts seemingly containing a number of clues to various dates and locations.
