Ash Biography
Irish punk-pop trio Ash first formed in 1989 when childhood mates Tim Wheeler and Mark Hamilton got guitars for Christmas and established the metal act Vietnam. Nothing more than something for kicks, Vietnam switched to Ash in 1992 as Wheeler (guitar/vocals), Hamilton (bass), and Rick "Rock" McMurray (drums) aimed to be something more serious. They shared a love for the raw British punk of the Buzzcocks and crafted their musical talents to take the Brit-pop scene by storm at the start of the decade. NME was swooning over these "teen punkers from Belfast," and by 1994 Ash had signed to Infectious Records to issue the Trailer EP later that fall.
Their glossy youth was undoubtedly alluring, yet their Irish roots exuded a bit of an American flair similar to the likes of Pavement and the Lemonheads. They weren't even out of high school before three singles hit the Top Five in the U.K. indie charts. A year later marked Ash's full-length debut with 1977 and a deal with Reprise Records in the U.S. Named in honor of the year Star Wars was released, 1977 displayed Wheeler and Hamilton's full-fledged love for all things extraterrestrial and science fiction-related. Sharp guitar hooks and exact production work by Owen Morris (Oasis, New Order, Paul Weller) gained the bandmembers the fame they'd been wishing for since childhood. They were headlining major festivals -- T in the Park, Glastonbury, Roskilde, and Reading -- and playing countless club dates across the globe. In fall 1997, female guitarist Charlotte Hatherley was added to the all-male lineup, a definite change for the band's sound and image and a step that led Ash's fan base to expand into more of what the band had been looking for since the beginning.
With a new bandmate and the end of their teenage years, Ash welcomed anything that came their way. The late '90s marked a maturation for Ash as a unit as well as individually. Their sound featured heavier guitars while Wheeler's lyrical content experienced a much grittier shift. Their sophomore effort, Nu-Clear Sounds (1998), had Garbage's Butch Vig (Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana) at the mixing board, and it wasn't necessarily their finest moment. NME turned on the band, criticizing Ash's new sound as "terrifying, ghoulrawk thrashnik deathcore noiseterrior sultans of satanic verse" in August 1998. Harsh words and reviews didn't distract Ash, however. Free All Angels followed in April 2001, although it didn't even see a U.S. release until the following summer. Meltdown, the band's first stateside release for Record Collection, arrived in spring 2005. A year later, and after nine years with Ash, Charlotte Hatherley announced her departure from the band. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Bonzo dog band Biography: Besides, perhaps, the Mothers of Invention (with whom they were sometimes compared), the Bonzo Dog Band were the most successful group to combine rock music and comedy. Starting off as the Bonzo Dog...
Bedouin soundclash Biography: This reggae-influenced Canadian band started in its native Kingston, Ontario -- not the traditional Jamaican reggae capital. In early 2000, bassist Eon Sinclair, drummer Pat Pengelly,...
Radiorama Biography: Upon the release of their first single, "Chance to Desire," Radiorama immediately made an impression in European clubs with their quick-paced, simplistic beats paving the way for house music. They...
Bolt thrower Biography: One of Britain's most consistent and enduring death metal bands, Birmingham's Bolt Thrower has weathered the best and worst of times in the extreme genre's history without ever giving in to...
Rufus Biography: One of the most commercially successful funk groups of the '70s, the multi-racial Rufus are today best remembered for launching the career of soul diva Chaka Khan, whose fiery lead vocals were easily...
Los lobos Biography: Los Lobos were one of America's most distinctive and original bands of the '80s. They may have had a hit with "La Bamba" in 1987, yet that cover barely scratches the surface of their talents. Los...
House of pain Biography: "Jump Around," an impossibly infectious and catchy single, instantly elevated House of Pain from an unknown white hip-hop group to near-stars when it became a massive crossover hit in 1992. It made...
Long beach dub allstars Biography: Following the 1996 heroin overdose of Sublime frontman Brad Nowell, surviving bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh formed the Long Beach Dub Allstars with singer Opie Ortiz, guitarists RAS-1 and...