Ash (thing)

Ash are an indie-rock group originally from Downpatrick in Northern Ireland, now based in London.

The band:

Tim Wheeler -- Songwriter | lead singer | guitar

Mark Hamilton -- Bass

Rick McMurray -- Drummer

Charlotte Hatherly -- Guitar (since 1997)

The sound:

Ash have a variety of sounds. They do melodic guitar tracks (Uncle Pat / Goldfinger), storming indie-punk-rock (Innocent Smile / Submission) and non-cheesy heartfelt ballads (Oh Yeah / Lost In You). If I had one criticism it would be that singer Tim's voice is a little too weak and wobbly to both complement crushing guitars and harmonise on the ballads. But you have to take a band's sound as a whole.

I had the fortune to see them at The Forum in London's Kentish Town. They totally fucking rocked, in spite of making me wait until the encore to play 'Kung Fu'. Bastards!

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A bio:

Tim and co were very early starters. They formed in 1989 (while still at school!) and played for fun as a metal band. Back then they were called Vietnam, changing to 'Ash' when the 90s came.

They released the mini-album 'Trailer' in 1994 and heavy interest in the band began.

In summer 1995, the lads finished school and turned professional. Trailer spawned the 'Petrol' and 'Uncle Pat' singles.

In Britain, Britpop fever was itching to take hold and the future looked bright for anyone lucky enough to be British and have a guitar. Evidently, being Irish and having a guitar was good enough.

The singles released from their first full album '1977' (Goldfinger, Girl From Mars, Kung Fu) catapulted Ash into the mainstream. DJ and influencer Chris Evans liked them, (which back then was a good thing) and played them lots.

1977 was so-called because not only were they born then, but it was the year in which their fave movie 'Star Wars' was released. Samples of Tie Fighters are on the album.

They played for a while as three young male rockers, but in 1997 they recruited Londoner (and very female) guitarist Charlotte Hatherly. The first sign of Charlotte on record was the title track they composed for the movie 'A Life Less Ordinary'.

In 1998 Ash released their 2nd full length album 'Nu-clear Sounds'. This was a very different sound for them. Casual music fans who had possibly been encouraged to get into the band by Britpop fever found it hard and unlistenable. While still having a solid amount of musical hooks, these were buried under brutally harsh guitars and a tough attitude.

Ash seemed to be losing their appeal to the masses.

3 long years later Ash were back on the scene with the catchy, almost poppy 'Shining Light'. The growing popularity of Nu-metal in Britain had meant that previously 'unlistenable' songs could get played on daytime radio, and be promo'd on Top Of The Pops and other chart shows.

Ash's 3rd full-lengther was 'Free All Angels'. Perhaps the most commercially viable record of their career.

1st Shining Light was the successful comeback record, followed by the gloriously pop-punk 'Burn Baby Burn'. (Cheerleaders and guitars on Top Of The Pops! Life was good).

3rd single 'Sometimes' was the crucial extra hit that warranted many people buying the new album 'Free All Angels'.

The... 'interesting'... 'Candy' is the most recent single release by Ash

You need to hear: Uncle Pat for the solos | Oh Yeah for the feelings | Submission for the funk-rock | Goldfinger for the mel-o-dee | Jesus Says for the two-chord rock | Kung Fu for the lyrics!

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Discography

Jack Names The Planets EP

Feb 1994

1. Jack Names The Planets
2. Don't Know

Petrol EP

Aug 1994

1. Petrol
2. The Little Pond
3. Message From Oscar & Patrick
4. Things

Uncle Pat EP

Oct 1994

1. Uncle Pat
2. Different Today
3. Hulk Hogan Bubblebath

Trailer

Oct 1994

1. Season
2. Jack Names The Planets
3. Intense Thing
4. Uncle Pat
5. Get Out
6. Petrol
7. Obscure Thing

Kung Fu EP

Mar 1995

1. Kung Fu
2. Day Of The Triffids
3. Luther Ingo's Star Cruiser

Girl From Mars EP

Jul 1995

1. Girl From Mars
2. Astral Conversations With Toulouse Lautrec
3. Cantina Band

Angel Interceptor EP

Oct 1995

1. Angel Interceptor
2. 5 a.m. Eternal
3. Give Me Some Truth

Get Ready EP

Dec 1995

1. Get Ready
2. Zero Zero

Goldfinger EP

April 1996

1. Goldfinger
2. I Need Somebody
3. Sneaker
4. Get Ready

1977

May 1996

1. Lose Control
2. Goldfinger
3. Girl From Mars
4. I'd Give You Anything
5. Gone The Dream
6. Kung Fu
7. Oh Yeah
8. Let It Flow
9. Innocent Smile
10. Angel Interceptor
11. Lost In You
12. Darkside Lightside

Oh Yeah EP

June 1996

1. Oh Yeah
2. T.Rex
3. Everywhere Is All Around
4. Does Your Mother Know

A Life Less Ordinary EP

Oct 1997

1. A Life Less Ordinary
2. What Deaner Was Talking About
3. Where Is Our Love Going
4. Halloween

Jesus Says EP

Sep 1998

1. Jesus Says
2. Taken Out
3. Heroin, Vodka, White Noise
4. Radiation
5. Dancing On The Moon

Nu-Clear Sounds

Oct 1998

1. Projects
2. Low Ebb
3. Jesus Says
4. Wild Surf
5. Death Trip 21
6. Folk Song
7. Numbskull
8. Burn Out
9. Aphrodite
10. Fortune Teller
11. I'm Gonna Fall

Wild Surf EP

Nov 1998

1. Wild Surf
2. Stormy Waters
3. When I'm Tired
4. Lose Control
5. Gonna Do It Soon

Numbskull EP

Apr 1999

1. Numbskull
2. Blew
3. Who You Drivin' Now?
4. Jesus Says (Live)
5. Girl From Mars (Live)
6. Fortune Teller (Live)

Shining Light EP

Jan 2001

1. Shining Light
2. Warmer Than Fire
3. Gabriel
4. Feel No Pain
5. Jesus Says Hedrock Valley Beats Remix

Burn Baby Burn EP

Apr 2001

1. Burn Baby Burn
2. Only In Dreams
3. 13th Floor
4. Thinking About You
5. Submission Arthur Baker Remix

Sometimes EP

Jul 2001

1. Sometimes
2. Skullfull Of Sulphur
3. So The Story Goes
4. Teenage Kicks
5. Melon Farmer

Candy EP

Oct 01

1. Candy
2. Waterfall
3. Nocturne
4. Stay In Love
5. Sweetness Of Death

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Phew.. my poor fingers. www.rock-planet.co.uk helped with the chronology...