From the moment guitarist/singer/boy-wonder Tim Wheeler and his Princess
Leia-fixated friend, Mark Hamilton, decided to form a band, Ash has been a
group obsessed with all things sci-fi and extra-terrestrial.
Beginning life in 1989 as a bumfluff Metal-With-A-Capital-Everything combo,
Wheeler and Hamilton eventually recruited drummer Rick 'Rock" McMurray into
the group. But it would take more than just percussion to transform Ash
into the irrepressible punk-pop combo heard on their magnificently sleek
Reprise Records album, 1977, named for the year Star Wars was released.
That process began when their first independently released 12" came to the
attention of a UK journalist, who in turn passed it on to Ash's future
manager. Ash went on to release a much-heralded 7"-only version of "Jack
Names The Planets," which earned them gallons of UK airplay and a worldwide
record deal in May 1994 with Infectious Records.
Ash's first single on Infectious, "Petrol," was released in August 1994,
immediately gaining glowing press and radio reaction. It shot up the indie
charts to Number 5 and was quickly followed by the single "Uncle Pat" and
the mini-album Trailer in October of that year (later incorporated into
their Reprise Records debut, also titled Trailer). With a main support slot
on the Elastica UK tour, Ash was quickly established as one of the
brightest new bands in England, earning a nomination as Best New Band in
the 1995 NME BRAT awards.
A new chapter in the Galactic saga of Ash began when Owen Morris (of Oasis
production renown) became involved with the next single, "Kung Fu," a track
inspired by Tim's love of the entire universe of martial-artish themes and
paraphernalia . The song was voted Single of the Week in UK trades as
diverse as NME and Smash Hits and shot to Number 1 in the independent
charts, staying in the Top 10 for six weeks and becoming Ash's first UK Top
75 hit. All this occurred while Ash was still in school, and Infectious had
to promise that the single wouldn't enter the Top 40 before the boys
finished their studies.
Ash did, however, find time to dash over the Irish Sea to Rockfield Studios
in Wales for a studio date with Owen Morris to cut the much-lauded Girl
From Mars EP p; complete with an Ashed-up version of John Williams'
"Cantina Band" from Star Wars. Their first big headlining tour, a stunning
On The Beach-style video, numerous magazine covers and heavy rotation on
Radio One, all added up to a Number 11 chart position and a great big hit
in the week they got their final exam results from school (which were
brilliant by the way!).
Having finally graduated, Ash spent their summer touring constantly
throughout Europe and signing licensing deals across the continent. Their
festival itinerary was filled with stunning performances at Glastonbury, T
in the Park, Roskilde, Reading, Transmusicale and the Fiele (which led to
both "Uncle Pat" and "Girl From Mars," simultaneously securing places in
the Irish Top 20).
Ash even found time to fly off to Japan to play their first Tokyo shows to
sold-out hordes of screaming girls, before sampling all the tinnes and
barbies on the beach during an extensive Australian promotion tour.
The USA also caught Ash fever, as various companies flew the band to L.A.
for much free food and drink. Reprise Records finally won the day, and the
band set off across America in the autumn of last year. Their U.S. tour
escapades included being smuggled in to play over-21 clubs, and a bad case
of tour bus fever as they hammered the highways and byways of the U.S. for
three months. Adding to the international mayhem was the release of "Angel
Interceptor" back in the UK. It proved to be their second top 20 smash and
earned them their fourth Top Of The Pops appearance of the year.. The force
has most definitely been with Ash.
But Ash also had talent and timing on their side, along with their
much-trumpeted youth status, making them the first combo in years to be
truly "in touch" with their audience. Then there's the redoubtable spirit
of the members, combining Tim (the sensitive one), Mark (the strange one)
and Rick (the drum one). And, of course, there's the seemingly endless
stream of pop gems that drip from their collective pen, from their
effervescent debut "Jack Names The Planets," to the sprightly sparky likes
of "Petrol," "Kung Fu" and "Uncle Pat" on up to their bona fide hit
records, "Girl From Mars" and "Angel Interceptor," and the latest greatest
single, "Goldfinger." All along the way, Ash has shown an intuitive grasp
of pop p; essential for any authentic classic singles band.
Now with 1977, they've delivered the goods. The hits are all there,
including the slyly sublime "Oh Yeah," as well as riff-strewn beauties like
"Lose Control," "Let It Flow" and "Innocent Smile." All this, and still
indecently young and preposterously unaffected by the pressures of fame!
Their days of worshipping Iron Maiden long forgotten, and "Genuine
Phenomenon" stamped on their oft-brandished passports, Ash may be the only
band bold enough to include a photo of Chewbacca on their album artwork.
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