Oasis band members Noel and Liam Gallagher have filed legal action to halt the upcoming October 3 auction of more than 100 hours of rare 1990s rehearsal tapes, live shows, and soundchecks. Littleton Auctions in the UK suspended the sale of the recordings, known as The Desk Tapes, following an injunction brought by the band, according to managing director Ben Homer.
Auction Suspension of The Desk Tapes
The disputed audio archive features 63 live performances alongside extensive soundchecks and rehearsals recorded during the height of the band’s mid-1990s career. Huw Richards, who served as front-of-house sound engineer for Oasis from the 1994 release of their debut album Definitely, Maybe until 2001, collected the material directly from the mixing desk. Littleton Auctions previously promoted the lot as the only master archive of its kind in existence. Owain Richards, son of the sound engineer and consignor of the tapes, confirmed the legal dispute. “It is true that Oasis have sued me and my father to try to prevent the auction of the tapes made by my father many years ago,” Owain Richards said, adding that both parties agreed to postpone the sale while litigation or other legal resolution proceeds.
Memorabilia Sale Proceeds Despite Injunction
While the master audio archive remains sidelined, Littleton Auctions confirmed that the remainder of the scheduled October 3 sale will move forward with other band collectibles. Surviving inventory includes internal tour itineraries, original setlists, a band-played Epiphone guitar, and an original Kangol Oasis tour parka. When the auction house initially announced the catalog, representatives noted that the Oasis camp was aware of the event and held understandable concerns regarding material of such scale and significance. Ben Homer stated that the auction house handled the items with full transparency and verified provenance before the legal proceedings forced the withdrawal of the tapes.
Band Opposition and Provenance
The disputed tapes capture a crucial era of British music history, including material from major historical concerts such as the band’s performances at Knebworth in August 1996. Littleton Auctions characterized the collection as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for fans and institutional collectors alike, even while acknowledging that Oasis did not support the commercial sale of the engineer’s recordings. Representatives for Oasis have been contacted by the Press Association for further comment on the active legal proceedings.
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