An archive containing over 100 hours of rare Oasis concert recordings, rehearsals, and candid conversations is set for a public auction on 3 October, with a guide price of up to £1.6m despite expressed concerns from the band.
The extensive collection was amassed by Huw Richards, who served as front-of-house sound engineer for Oasis from the release of their 1994 debut album, Definitely Maybe, until 2001. Comprising 209 DAT tapes, 73 analogue cassettes, and three MiniDiscs, the archive spans the band’s mid-1990s peak and features live shows, soundchecks, and backstage dialogue between Noel and Liam Gallagher.
The Littleton Auctions Sale and Valuation Details
Littleton Auctions, based in Evesham, Worcestershire, has scheduled the auction for 3 October. The auction house has placed a guide price on the archive of between £1.2m and £1.6m, calling the sale a "once-in-a-generation opportunity for fans and collectors alike" and confirming the band does not support it. Ben Homer, the managing director of Littleton Auctions, stated that the recordings are being offered with verified provenance.
In addition to the audio tapes, the catalog features internal tour itineraries, original setlists, a used Epiphone guitar, an original Kangol Oasis Tour parka, and a pair of Adidas Kegler Super Ostrich trainers given to Noel Gallagher. The sale is being handled by Owain Richards, the sound engineer’s son, who is also a sound engineer.
“Dad labelled everything, recorded everything and backed it all up to cassette, over and over.”
Owain Richards
Owain Richards noted that he grew up listening to these recordings and that after the tapes had been in his care over the past two decades, it now feels like the right time to pass them on to people who’ll understand exactly what they are.
Band Objections and Intellectual Property Realities
Although the auction is moving forward, it lacks the endorsement of the Gallagher brothers. Ben Homer confirmed that the band’s representatives have intervened regarding the material.
“The Oasis camp is aware of the auction and has expressed concerns, which is entirely understandable given the scale and significance of the material.”
Ben Homer, Littleton Auctions managing director
Homer added that the auction house is handling everything with full transparency and proper legal processes, focusing simply on presenting these items responsibly. Prior to the consignment, Owain Richards had engaged in discussions with Oasis management after the band sought the return of the recordings. Richards stated that those discussions ultimately fizzled away and that the band wanted the tapes returned rather than sold elsewhere.
Prospective buyers face a significant legal restriction: while the physical media will change hands, Oasis retain the intellectual property rights. Consequently, the audio remains in sufficiently good condition to be mastered for a live album, but the recordings cannot simply be released by whoever buys them without the band’s cooperation. Littleton Auctions has described the collection as a significant record of the band’s live career that could be of interest to collectors, scholars, and museums.
Loch Lomond Master Tapes and the Timing of the Auction
Among the most notable items in the collection is what is believed to be the only recording of the band’s 1996 concert on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland. Huw Richards also captured audio directly from the desk during 63 live shows, including the band’s performances at Knebworth in August 1996, alongside numerous rehearsals and soundchecks.
The sale comes as interest in Oasis continues to grow since the band’s reunion last year, when Noel and Liam Gallagher returned to the stage together for the first time in 15 years. The reunion saw Oasis play sold-out dates in Britain, North America, Australia, and Asia after launching in Cardiff in July last year. The brothers were also pictured together at the Venice film festival over the weekend, where Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger—a film documenting their return written by Peaky Blinders’ Steven Knight—was premiered. The Littleton auction will take place online and in person on 3 October.
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