The Verve

The Verve formed in Wigan in 1990, Richard Ashcroft's messianic stage presence and Nick McCabe's extraordinary guitar work giving the band a quality that was immediately apparent. The early records were psychedelic and expansive — 'A Storm in Heaven' (1993) was a remarkable debut, all swirling guitars and cosmic ambition. They were one of the most exciting live bands in Britain.

Internal tensions led to a split in 1995, but the band reformed and recorded 'Urban Hymns' (1997) — one of the great British albums of the decade. 'Bitter Sweet Symphony', 'The Drugs Don't Work', 'Lucky Man' — the singles were enormous. The album reached number one and sold over ten million copies worldwide. Ashcroft was suddenly one of the most recognisable figures in British music.

The 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' saga became one of the most notorious stories in music history. The song sampled an orchestral version of the Rolling Stones' 'The Last Time', and the Stones' management demanded all royalties. Ashcroft received nothing from one of the most-played songs of the decade. The injustice was partially corrected in 2019 when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards returned the songwriting credits.

The Verve split again in 1999 and reformed briefly in 2007-2008. Ashcroft has had a successful solo career, but nothing has quite matched the peak of 'Urban Hymns'. The album remains one of the defining British records of the 1990s — a record of genuine grandeur that deserved a better story.