Ash

Ash is an alternative rock band which has been wooing their fans ever since their formation in 1992. The band has its roots in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland and has six studio albums and one live album to their credit. Carnal Love, Binary, Return of White Rabbit, Space Shot, True Love 1980, and War with Me are a few of their smash hit singles that have been in high demand on the radio playlists too. The band incorporates alternative rock, punk rock, Britpop and indie rock in their music. Above all, it is Ash’s unique lyrical quality which has always been considered as their unique selling proposition and has hence caught massive attention from media and fans across the world. Mark Griffiths from Kerrang has lauded it in these words: “They’ve lost none of their melodic abrasive songwriting genius”. Not only that, he has also expressed his utmost love and appreciation for the songs Sky Burial, Binary and Physical World.

Genuine Real Teenagers was the name the band was known by initially. It was the time when they had been confronting their testing phase to make it big in the music fraternity. They started off by playing at local clubs and appearing on small shows until the tables turned in 1994. The release of their first album called Trailer opened doors for Ash’s instant yet phenomenal success. Their debut singles Uncle Pat and Petrol finally proved to be a helping hand in achieving what the band had been aiming for. However the singles Kung Fu, Girl from Mars, and Angel Interceptor further added to their rising stardom. In addition to that, their songs Jack Names the Planets and Kung Fu also featured in the movies Angus and Rumble in the Bronx respectively. In 1996 the band was showered with positive response for their singles Goldfinger and Oh Yeah from the album titled 1977. Lose Control from the same album was also utilized in a video game called Gran Turismo.

To provide their fans with an extra dose of entertainment Ash released a live album, Live at the Wireless in 1977 which hit the seventh spot on UK Album Charts. It included Darkside Lightside, Girl from Mars, Oh Yeah, Kung Fu and Goldfinger. The year 1998 saw the release of another album, Nu-clear Sounds that featured songs like Jesus Says and Wildsurf, which swept the fifteenth and thirty-first positions on the UK Singles Chart. During all this time Ash toured endlessly while also enjoying the financial success. Moreover, 2001 marks the pinnacle of fame for the band as their album Free All Angels came and conquered the music scenario. It was Certified Platinum in the UK and unleashed hits such as Burn Baby Burn, Candy, Sometimes, and There’s a Star while the single Shining Light claimed an Ivor Novello Award in 2002 for Best Contemporary Song. Consequently these hits landed Ash on number two on the list of 50 “Bands To See Before You Die” in Q Magazine.

Meltdown in 2006 also met with considerate success and bagged the fifth place in the UK. Orpheus, Vampire Love, Starcrossed, Clones and Renagade Cavalcade were among the hits delivered by this album. Orpheus also appeared in a British movie, Shaun of the Dead and in video games such as NHL 2005, Burnout 3: Take Down Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition. Twilight of the Innocents released in 2007 further boost up their already flourished career. Producing hits like I Started a Fire, Polaris, You Can’t Have it All and End of the World; all entered the UK charts paving way for another celebrated album by Ash.

Ash has toured extensively throughout their long and illustrious career and has made their presence felt at various festivals. They are one of the most renowned bands when it comes to delivering live performances. In the past, they have performed at London Roundhouse drawing a heavy turnout while headlining at festivals such as Hevy Music Festival, Isle of White Festival, Glastonbury Festival etc. Thus, their upbeat and electrifying music along with quirky lyrics have always been well received by their fans and the media critics. If you have not witnessed a high-energy performance lately it is about time all the hardcore rock fans bought Ash tickets to satisfy their hunger for an energy-packed performance.