Richard Ashcroft

Ashcroft's first solo single, "A Song for the Lovers", peaked at No. 3 in the UK charts in April 2000.[14] It was followed by the single "Money to Burn" which reached the UK Top 20 at No. 17.[14] The album, Alone with Everybody, was released in June, reaching number 1 and receiving platinum status in the UK. Album reviews were generally positive.[15] In September, a third single was released – "C'mon People (We're Making It Now)" – entering the charts at No. 21.[14] Richard does not publish the lyrics to his songs in the inlay cards of his albums or singles as he feels they are personal to him.

Ashcroft began work on his second album Human Conditions in 2002. The lead single, "Check the Meaning", was released in early October, and peaked at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart.[14] The album was released later that month and reached No. 3 in the UK Album Chart.[14] Reception to the album was generally positive. Review aggregating website Metacritic reports a normalised score of 61% based on 15 reviews. In response to negative reaction to the album, Coldplay's Chris Martin – a fan of both Ashcroft and the Verve – defended the album's merits which "made an impression" on Ashcroft.[16] The appreciation shown would later result in a support slot for Ashcroft, serving as the opening act for Coldplay during a European tour.[16] The album's second single, "Science of Silence", was released the following January and charted at No. 14 in the UK.[14] On 26 March, Ashcroft made his first live appearance of 2003 at London's Royal Albert Hall as part of the third annual Teenage Cancer Trust charity fundraising event,[17] before "Buy It in Bottles", the third and final single to be taken from the album, was released on 7 April, charting at No. 26.[14]

Aside from a limited number of appearances in 2003, Ashcroft was absent from the music business for about two years. He later explained this in 2006, stating that "[e]veryone got it into their heads over the last few years that I was in my ivory tower like Lennon, baking bread all day. The fact of the matter was that I was bringing up kids".[18]

Ashcroft began playing gigs again in mid-2005, and, on 2 July at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, Coldplay invited him to perform with them during their set. They performed the Verve's hit "Bitter Sweet Symphony", after having previously rehearsed the song in Crystal Palace. Ashcroft's performance of the song was introduced by Chris Martin as "the best song ever written, and here's the best singer in the world",[9][16] helping to create renewed interest in Ashcroft. At Christmas 2005, a documentary entitled Live 8: A Bitter Sweet Symphony was aired on the BBC reliving moments of the day featuring a portion of Ashcroft's performance as the show's opening soundtrack.

After the disintegration of Hut Records in 2004, Ashcroft signed to Parlophone[9] where he released his third solo album, Keys to the World, on 23 January 2006. The first single from the album, "Break the Night with Colour", was released on 9 January 2006, and entered the UK Singles Chart at number 3.[14] Following his performance at Live 8, Ashcroft was booked as a support act for Coldplay's Twisted Logic Tour throughout North America and the UK, which started on 14 March in Ottawa, Canada. Ashcroft saw the support slot as "a good chance to play to a significant amount of people and say, 'I’m back. And this is what I do'".[16]

The album's second single, "Music Is Power", charted at number 20.[14] On 18 April 2006, he recorded the Live from London EP, the ninth in a series of EPs released exclusively as digital downloads from Apple's iTunes Store. The EP was released just 6 days later on 24 April. With the release of Keys to the World, the general consensus was that Ashcroft was "back at the top of his musical game",[16] as he announced his largest UK tour for years for May 2006, culminating in three nights at London's Brixton Academy. Following the tour, Ashcroft had hoped to perform two "Homecoming" shows at Wigan Athletic's 25,000 seater JJB Stadium in June 2006, but was unable to do so as the proposed venue lacked the "appropriate licence".[19] As a consequence, he chose to play at Lancashire County Cricket Club in Old Trafford, in what was to be his biggest solo show to date. He was supported at the gig by acts such as Razorlight and the Feeling, whilst DJ Shadow joined Richard on stage during his set to perform "Lonely Soul", their UNKLE collaboration from 1998's Psyence Fiction LP.[20] Another UK tour followed five months later, culminating in a show at Manchester's M.E.N. Arena on 30 November.[21] Ashcroft did not tour Keys to the World outside of Europe.[21]

Ashcroft hinted at the possible release of a new version of his previous single "C'mon People (We're Making It Now)" for the Bobby Moore Cancer Fund,[22] which would coincide with England's participation in the 2006 Football World Cup, but the single never materialised. Instead, his next release was "Words Just Get in the Way", which charted lower than his previous single, peaking at No. 40 in the UK Singles Chart.[14] On 4 December, the double a-side "Why Not Nothing" / "Sweet Brother Malcolm" was released on limited edition 7" vinyl.[23]

Ashcroft is contractually obligated to record another album for Parlophone.[24] Ashcroft played a solo gig on 25 August 2008 as part of the Last Days of Summer Festival in Buckingham.[25] The Verve broke up for a third time sometime between the last rehearsals in late 2008 and the summer of 2009. It was announced in August 2009 by a band's friend.

A b-side compilation was considered a possibility, as Richard's team has asked the fans through his site about their feelings on such an album, but it's now very unlikely. In December 2009, Richard contributed the lead soundtrack song for the documentary The Journey.[26] A video of the song was posted at Ashcroft's site.[27] Also, through his blog BRAIN, he stated that he would release a new album in 2010. Sources revealed he worked on a number of new songs in New York, Los Angeles and London with producer No I.D., who Richard sought after because he liked his work in the Jay-Z song "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" and read an interview where he states how many producers destroy records to boost sales.[28]

Ashcroft is currently working with a new band called RPA & the United Nations of Sound, who have released a promo single from the album called "Are You Ready?". The album "United Nations of Sound" (former working title "Redemption") and the first proper single "Born Again" were released on 19 July 2010. The full album leaked on 15 July and the NME started streaming the album the following day. The new sound seems to emulate many of Richard's influences described over the years in interviews and seems to close a circle for his solo career. Strings, beats, rock-guitar-riffs, voice-loops, ballads and heroic-choir-anthems are the core of the album's sound with Ashcroft's craft for pop tunes and unique melody-making. Also found in the songs are the ever-present spiritual lyrics for Richard, although here in fuller form.

On 15 October 2010, Ashcroft released through his website a second fanclub-only track, "Here We Go Again". On the same day the song "Are You Ready?" was released as the first official single from the new album in the United States.[29] During the same month Ashcroft had signed with the record company Razor & Tie in the United States. The radio edit of "Are You Ready?" is available for free on the US version of Richard's website.

The album United Nations of Sound was released across the Atlantic on 22 March 2011 under the name "Richard Ashcroft" and the lead single "Are You Ready?" was featured over the closing credits of the film The Adjustment Bureau in March 2011, along with the new song "Future's Bright", written and performed specifically for the film's opening by Richard and ten-time Oscar-nominated composer Thomas Newman.[30]

For the US release of "Are You Ready?", Richard Ashcroft and Big Life Management commissioned Giorgio Testi for the promo – to be created out of live footage from a show at Shepherd's Bush Empire. The video premiered on 7 February on the official website of Pulse Films, the production company.[31]

On 1 March the song "Future's Bright" was premiered on Stereogum.[32] On the official website of the movie The Adjustment Bureau there is also a video created for the song by director George Nolfi.[33]

After six years' absence, Ashcroft released his comeback fifth studio album, These People, in May 2016. The album received largely positive reviews from music critics. The album was followed by 2016 UK and Europe tour, an abbreviated North American tour, and—for the first time in Ashcroft's career—festival dates in Latin America.

In January 2018, it was confirmed that in June 2018, Ashcroft would be supporting Liam Gallagher at his two concerts in Malahide Castle and Gardens in Dublin and Belsonic at Ormeau Park in Belfast.[34] In March 2018, it was announced that Ashcroft would tour with Gallagher in North America in May 2018.[35] On 11 June 2018, it was announced that Ashcroft would support Gallagher at his show at Lancashire County Cricket Club on 18 August 2018.[36]

In August 2018, Ashcroft announced his sixth solo album, "Natural Rebel," which was released October 19, preceded by the single "Surprised By The Joy" in September and subsequent teasers "Born To Be Strangers" and "That's When I Feel It." The LP debuted at #4 on the UK album charts.