Oasis archive of one hundred hours of recordings auctioned for nearly two million euros

A massive collection of never before released Oasis recordings is going under the hammer on 3 October at British auction house Littleton Auctions. The estimated value sits somewhere between £1.2 and £1.6 million, which works out to around €1.8 million. The archive, known as The Desk Tapes, contains 63 concert recordings, over a hundred hours of rehearsals and soundchecks, and uncensored conversations between Noel and Liam Gallagher.

The material was put together by Huw Richards, the band's former sound engineer. Richards worked with Oasis from the release of their debut album Definitely Maybe in 1994 right through to 2001, recording everything directly from the mixing desk. Among the highlights is what is reportedly the only known recording of the legendary concert Oasis played on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland in 1996, a show widely regarded as one of the most iconic in British music history.

The Gallagher brothers are far from happy about the auction. Owain Richards, son of the former sound engineer, told The Times that the band wants the archive back in their own hands. According to him, talks had already taken place a few years ago between Oasis management and the family over some of the recordings, but those conversations came to nothing. "They don't want these tapes to be sold through anyone else," Richards said. "They want them back in their possession."

Littleton Auctions acknowledges the band's objections but maintains that the sale is entirely legal. Managing director Ben Homer told The Independent that the auction house is handling everything transparently and in full accordance with the proper legal procedures. Oasis retains the intellectual property rights to the material, meaning any potential buyer would not be allowed to commercially exploit the archive without the band's permission.

Alongside the audio recordings, the collection also includes physical memorabilia such as original setlists, tour itineraries, a guitar played by the band, an original Kangol Oasis Tour parka, and a rare pair of Adidas Kegler Super Ostrich sneakers that were once given to Noel Gallagher. For Dutch fans hoping to one day hear the material through official channels, the outcome of this auction really does matter: as long as an unknown buyer holds the archive, any commercial release stays off the table unless Oasis gives the green light.

The auction comes at a time of renewed interest in the band. A new documentary, Oasis: Don't Look Back In Anger, produced by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival. The film, which follows the Gallagher brothers' reunion and their massive Live 25 tour, hits cinemas worldwide from 9 September, including on IMAX screens. On top of that, rumours are swirling about a major European tour in 2027, with a possible twelve night residency at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester and a return to Knebworth.