Oasis Reportedly Oppose Auction of Rare Recordings Valued at More Than £1 Million
By Website Content Manager
“Fans and collectors have been given an extraordinary opportunity that may not come around again.”
An extensive archive of previously unheard Oasis recordings, estimated to be worth more than £1 million, is due to go up for auction next month. However, Noel and Liam Gallagher are reportedly unhappy about the sale and would prefer the material to remain in their possession.
The archive contains recordings spanning the band’s career, including 63 live performances, more than 100 hours of rehearsal material, soundchecks and candid conversations between members of the group. The collection belonged to Huw Richards, Oasis’ former front-of-house sound engineer, who worked with the Manchester rock band between 1995 and 2001.
Richards documented and preserved the material across 209 DAT tapes, 73 analogue cassettes and three MiniDiscs. His son, Owain Richards, is now putting the collection up for sale.
Littleton Auctions estimates that the archive could attract a final price of between £1.2 million and £1.6 million when it is offered at auction on October 3. In addition to the recordings, the collection features original tour itineraries, setlists, an Epiphone guitar played by the band and an Oasis Tour Kangol parka.
Ben Homer, managing director of Littleton Auctions, confirmed that people connected with Oasis are aware of the planned sale and have raised objections.
“The Oasis camp is aware of the auction and has expressed concerns, which is understandable considering the enormous scale and importance of the archive,” Homer said.
He added that the auction house was approaching the sale openly and would follow the appropriate legal procedures.
“Our priority is to present the material responsibly, establish its provenance and give collectors and institutions the opportunity to acquire a significant piece of British music history,” Homer explained.
Homer also highlighted the extraordinary level of interest surrounding the collection, noting Oasis’ enduring status as one of Britain’s most influential and closely watched bands.
He described the archive as an exceptional opportunity for collectors and fans, particularly given the rarity of the recordings and memorabilia included in the sale.
Owain Richards recalled how carefully his father preserved the material over the years.
“Dad labelled everything, recorded everything and backed it all up to cassette, over and over,” he said. “I grew up with these recordings playing around me. Oasis felt like part of our family, just as much as they were part of the wider culture.”
Richards said he was also a musician during that period, meaning the recordings had personal significance to him long before he understood their historical value.
The archive has remained under his care for roughly two decades, but he now believes it is time for it to find a new home with people who recognize its importance.
Richards also reportedly told The Times that the Gallagher brothers do not want the recordings to be sold and would rather have the tapes returned to them.
Despite the archive’s enormous potential value, its eventual buyer would not automatically gain the right to commercially exploit the recordings. Any commercial use would require the band’s cooperation and permission.