Early Oasis Recordings and Outtakes to be Auctioned Despite Band’s Objections

A collection of more than 100 hours of early Oasis recordings and outtakes is being auctioned, despite objections from the band. The archive is currently priced between £1.2 million and £1.6 million, with the sale set to occur on October 3.

What’s for sale:

• Recordings of soundchecks, rehearsals, and candid conversations.

• A recording of Oasis’ 1996 show on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland, said to be the only one in existence.

• In total, the archive includes 209 DAT tapes, 73 analog cassettes, and three MiniDiscs.

Where it comes from:

• Huw Richards, who was the band’s sound engineer from 1994 until 2001.

Band concerns:

• As per Digital Music News, Ben Homer, Managing Director of Littleton Auctions in Worcestershire, said the Oasis camp is aware of the auction “and has expressed concerns.”

• Homer added that the sale is being handled through the appropriate legal process and that the recordings come with verified authenticity.

• Importantly, the recordings cannot be released commercially by whoever buys them, as Oasis retains the intellectual property rights.

Why it matters:

• As Ben Gisbey, Partner at Simkins LLP, points out to Digital Music News, it creates a difficult decision for the band.

• The British outfit “may wish to exploit the recordings themselves in the future,” in which case they need to decide whether to “buy the archives themselves now” or “risk any buyer demanding a substantial fee for access to the recordings down the line.”