Oasis Injunction Halts Auction of Unheard 'Desk Tapes' Valued at Up to £1.6m

Oasis has successfully obtained an injunction that has led to the removal of 63 previously unreleased recordings from Littleton Auctions' sale scheduled for October 3. These tapes, referred to as The Desk Tapes, are estimated to be worth between £1.2m and £1.6m and feature over 100 hours of footage of Noel and Liam Gallagher from the 1990s, including live performances and soundchecks. The recordings were gathered by sound engineer Huw Richards, who collaborated with the band from their debut album Definitely, Maybe in 1994 until 2001. His son, Owain Richards, revealed that Oasis had initiated legal action against them to halt the auction, prompting a delay in the sale for legal resolution. Ben Homer, managing director of Littleton Auctions, expressed disappointment over the suspension of the archive sale, while the rest of the auction in Evesham will continue as planned, featuring various memorabilia. Initially, Littleton Auctions had touted the sale as a rare opportunity for collectors, but it was confirmed that the band did not endorse it. The BBC has reached out to Oasis' representatives for a response.