Richard Ashcroft
| Richard Ashcroft | |
|---|---|
Richard Ashcroft in 2005
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard Paul Ashcroft |
| Born |
11 September 1971 Wigan, Greater Manchester, England |
| Genres | Alternative rock, shoegazing, dream pop, Britpop, space rock, neo-psychedelia |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, piano, keyboards, wurlitzer, organ, melodica, mellotron, synthesiser, drums |
| Years active | 1990 – present |
| Labels | Righteous Phonographic Association, Cooking Vinyl, Parlophone, Hut Records, Virgin Records |
| Associated acts |
Confessional Lights, The Verve, RPA & The United Nations of Sound, U.N.K.L.E. DJ Shadow, Oasis, The Chemical Brothers, Pino Palladino, Coldplay |
| Website | richardashcroft.com |
Richard Paul Ashcroft (born 11 September 1971) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their original split in 1999. He became a successful solo artist in his own right, releasing three UK top three solo albums. The Verve reformed in 2007 but again broke up by summer 2009. Ashcroft then founded a new band, RPA & The United Nations of Sound, and released a new album on 19 July 2010. On 22 February 2016 Ashcroft announced his fourth solo album, These People, set for release 20 May 2016.Chris Martin of Coldplay has described Ashcroft as "the best singer in the world".
Ashcroft was the only son of office worker Frank and hairdresser Louise (née Baxter); he also has two younger sisters. His middle name, Paul, is also the name of a paternal uncle. When Ashcroft was 11, his father died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage. Ashcroft soon "fell under the influence of his stepfather", who belonged to the Rosicrucians.
Ashcroft attended Upholland High School, along with future bandmates Simon Jones, Peter Salisbury and Simon Tong, and then attended Winstanley College, where he met Nick McCabe. His teachers referred to him as "the cancer of the class", though one member of staff recalled him being "incredibly intelligent". Ashcroft was an avid football player, playing junior football for Wigan Athletic. For some time Ashcroft wanted to be a professional football player, idolising George Best, but as he grew older he lost interest in this, turning to music instead.
Ashcroft formed The Verve (originally just Verve) in 1990 with McCabe, Jones and Salisbury. The band signed to Hut Records and became well known for their appetite for both psychedelic music and drugs. They also became a part of the Britpop movement. The band split in 1995, and around this time Ashcroft wrote a collection of songs he intended to release as his first solo album. However, by 1997 he had changed his mind and asked McCabe to return (alongside new member Tong), reforming The Verve and releasing the very successful album Urban Hymns. Ashcroft was at the forefront of the band's popularity, receiving an Ivor Novello Award for his songwriting and being referred to by the press as "the unmistakable face of the Number One rock band in England". However, the pressures of touring and the tensions within the band led to McCabe's departure in mid-1998 and the announcement of the band's break-up in April 1999.
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