Richard Ashcroft - The British Masters - Chapter 7
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- In this episode our host John Doran sits down with former Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft ahead of the release of his fourth solo album 'These People’. Ashcroft discusses fatherhood, what he misses about the North, and Bitter Sweet Symphony.
In John’s own words:
Today I am speaking to one of the biggest, and arguably most misunderstood pop stars of last quarter of a century: Richard Ashcroft.
His band The Verve were one of the most unlikely success stories of the 1990s, predicted by no-one bar him. Nearly twenty years after the phenomenal success of Urban Hymns, Ashcroft has become ambiguous about fame, but as this rare interview proves, he has more to say than ever.
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I've been battling depression for a few years, and this man helped me so much, last Friday my mother passed away, now I'm here still wondering where my life is going, I'm still in that awful phase where future is uncertain, I'm 20 and I don't know what will happen.
in Urban Hymns I found a nurture, another person with the same thoughts as me, I found a friend. thank you Richard
There's help if you need and want it. If you get too low reach out, there's no shame.
I hear ya, I'm battling the ugly beast known as depression and I've found solace in Urban Hymns. Thanks for sharing.
Brenda Luna Hope you are doing OK. You have to be patient and hang in there.... sending love & best wishes. xxx
Eleanor Walmsley thank you Eleanor, I'm doing well, it's still a battle but music is still there, I send you a big hug and kiss. Thank you for your concern
thank you my darling, if you aren't on antidepressants perhaps you might want to think about essential oils. I use frankincense & Clary sage together in the bath it is very effective with my depressions. The oils get into your blood stream within 10 mins. xxx
I was obsessed with the line "try to make ends meet, you're slave to money then you die/ try to find somebody then you die" since the first times I listened to this song, since I was in my teenage years and could hardly speak English...And no line ever captured my existential obsession more than this one
Ashcroft is a legend. Despite how big The Verve became he'll always be painfully underrated. One of the best, most intense, unfiltered and true rockstars that this country has and will ever produce.
As a huge Ashcroft fan, seconded.
Perfect songs for today, too.
What about “They Don’t Own Me” as pushback against the murdered globalists, pushing digital ID, cashless central bank digital currency and endless “vaccinations”?
Also, “These People” is among my favourite songs. Deeply ironic, should be re-released on vinyl right now.
A lary geezer, is Ashcroft. I’d follow him anywhere.
Brownie is a quieter bloke but also a deep thinker. He really knows what is going on. His “Little Seed, Big Tree” is an awful melody but a meaty lyric & voicing is intense and genuine. But IB has always known they were coming. Just a question of when and how, exactly.
@@GT380man🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@GT380man Christ almighty 😆
I just heard the song Bitter Sweet Symphony Omg and the album Hymns by the Verve I can’t get enough of Richard Ashcroft he’s so real and relatable…wishing him nothing but the best my favorite rock star ❤
Ashcroft is one of the best rock talents in history. Many of his songs are prodigious..."Lucky Man" can lift you up from the deepest dumps.
Said it better than I could
Oh yeah he’s like Elvis or Hendrix 😂
Richard has a heavy soul man. Verve has some of the most Joyous and depressing songs I ever heard. Real British "country" music. Noel wrote the bright side, and Richard wrote the dark.
That's a really good way of putting it man
Not as depressed as thom yorke though
But Lucky Man is the brightest!
@@thenoble39 yorkes got no soul
As a lifelong Oasis fan, The Verve’s music can be so powerful and introspective, I almost avoid it at times. Sometimes, I wanna just kick back and have a beer and not think about my entire life and soul, thank you very much, Star Sail. Incredible band.
John Doran - The greatest Rock n Roll interviewer ever, period.
He is great. Most are trite, especially here in America.
Sorry but he’s a narcissistic egotistical brat who thinks he is clearly a rock star one total twat
LOL
Yeah, he’s good, isn’t he ?.. He’s got a brain 🧠 & asks interesting questions...
Shame about his voice
This is bloody marvellous. Thanks! Went past Richard's house on the back of my mates scooter ages ago as he was opening his gates. We gave him a thumbs-up & an "Alright, dude?!" as we cruised past & he gave us an "Alright, lads?!" with accompanying reciprocal thumbs-up. Good times.
+jon Burns I eagerly await any "Cool story, bro." style comments.
Shite story.
Wait, is riding on the back of your mates scooter is a think in England? You'd get funny looks for that over here.
🙌👍❤
@@SuperSongSpecial do you reckon 8 years on i can do my cool story comment or hould i wait for the anniversary
Richard Ashcroft is the real deal with being a creative writer + musician that truly has what it takes in his voice + vocals to sing + deliver beautifully sounding + capturing music!
Love listening to INTELLIGENT performers/artists/entertainers,they are just INTELLIGENT HUMAN BEINGS!
First time I've actually ever heard him talk. Unexpected voice.
Joe Chill same!
I don’t understand why he’s so underrated. I can’t understand why his genius is not recognised the world over.
Superb songwriter and great singer (in the sense that he knows his voice and amortizes it in the best way possible)
He is likely underrated and misunderstood because he is truly a genius, and genius can be very difficult or even impossible for the average person to fully comprehend.
Can we get through a single TH-cam comments section without the”underrated” comment?
This guy is not underrated, he’s widely critically acclaimed and commercially successful. Underrated he is not.
He's not underated in my head
He's 100% spot on about working on other issues before taking antidepressant such as addiction to substances. But if you're in an emergency situation do what you have to do and save your life. Antidepressants saved mine when I was suicidal at 18 and I was on them for 20 years. But age and sobriety has given me the strength I need to handle this condition on a daily basis. Mind you the depression started when I was 13 and totally sober (it is a genetic inheritance that has been aggravated by hypothyroidism).
Thank you RICHARD ASHCROFT ! Your songs are priceless !
I miss dear Richard. so thrilled he's come back so grown and eyes open wide as well as his mind. Still writing great music with a stone honest messege. wonderful, Thank you!!!!!
This is actually worth watching... a great artist and someone who knows how to do an interview
best interview I've ever seen with Ashcroft. nice one John.
This man is truly a musical genius. Urban hymns and Northern soul defined a generation for me.
Great interview. As a fan of Richard, I appreciate the way you have approached the interview John, and made him feel at ease and open as this. Most interviewers care more to get the soundbite than the content, and try to challenge him with silly cliches, which you funnily twisted in the last question.
The interviewers on this channel are top grade and it shows, really get the best out of them. This interview is solid gold.
When the interviewer asks him about coming from Wigan & the odds being stacked against him... I think of what Ian Brown said, years ago “It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at” Such a good phrase/saying & so true...
what a legend Richard ashcroft is,and you can feel his passion on each and every answer given in this interview.top bloke
Ashcroft is a great man as well as a musician. I could listen to him all day. John Doran is excellent.
A sponge to full that's such an excellent way of looking at mental health, everybody has a breaking point it's seeing the signs before it's to late. This interview was so eloquent and humbling to listen to and Richard is such an intelligent and down to earth guy.
Solid interview. Raw, stylistic, grounded, and authentic. As it should.
Richard Ashcroft is a unique character.good to see guys like him who come from rough working class streets to have artist quality and not letting people bring him down, plus all those areas of Rugby league heart that John Doran mentioned and that's coming from A Queenslander another proud Rugby league Heartland but this was a fantastic interview like John Lydon,Viv Albertine and Noel Gallagher.
Brilliant Interview Guys. Great to see our Richard back. Onwards and Upwards Richard.
Richard Ashcroft, carry on being you, we love you God bless + Richard Ashcroft is crazy talented, he is just himself and he's amazing. Love the verve Love him. All his albums have gotten me through some difficult times and his songs are irreplaceable and timeless. He is one of a kind. There is nobody before him and there will be nobody after him. God Bless Richard Ashcroft. +
These interviews are ridiculously good. John Dorian is a great interviewer.
Richard talks alot of sense. I totally agree with the Interviewer about too much inner circle Clashes within the North West Area's . Yet the Northwest has a healthy list of top renowned bands & solo artists.
Other than that, Nice One for a top interview.
His voice is deeper than I thought.
This is man and his band! Are a dying breed true musical iconic lights of culture beacons of light from the communities there sound vision and values Ashcroft will always be musical royalty in the uk it’s more than music myself is very thankful for moments the memories this music has encapsulated!
Richard just writes transcendant lyrics he says what a lot of people would like to say in a sublime way and he writes lyrics that people need to hear.
Every song on Urban Hymns is both simple and relatable but complex at the same time.
It's "The White Album" of the 90s.
His solo stuff just as great.
Thanks Richard.
Grew up with his music, he soundtracked my life... Love you Richard...
why do you continue to lie mate
Richard's songs always has the ability to make me feel, even when I don't want to. There are few artists out there who so reliably deliver masterpieces like that each and every time.
I WAS THINKING MAYBE WE COULD GO OUTSIDE
I LOVE Verve, man.
We need more like him in these times. Where have the real artists gone.
A collab of Richard and Noel could be legendary.
+lol boring
pretty confident this will happen
+lol I agree totally. It would be totally fitting as well, seeing how the Verve and Oasis always had such huge respect for one another. I also respect the fact that he would want to work with both Noel and Liam, but not one or the other. Shows how much personal respect for the brothers he has so as not to step on either one of their toes by working with just one of them.
+Scott Udell yeah must have been mint back in the day when they were all together. I'm from Glasgow & there's a summer sessions gig in August & the line up is Noel Gallagher, Ashcroft & Johnny Marr!!! Ashcroft got announced as noels support the day after I watched this interview, quite weird
whatsthestory Oh that would be killer to see! Too bad I'm stuck here in the States. :/
I can listen to him talk and sing all day long.
The man is a national treasure.
Thank the Universe for Richard Ashcroft, absolute genius musician who does not get the recognition he deserves but the great ones never do. ✌
What a great interview. Richard ashcroft is a legend.
I'm watching this for inspiration, Ashcroft is the deepest thinker and wise beyond his years.
One of the greatest song writers ever... period. Everytime I hear sonnet it makes me feel a certain way that I can't even describe, that in itself is a very special and rare gift to have. Richard is a treasure.
One of the best Voices period.
What he's saying round 12:00 is 100% true. I struggled with mental health for years, suicide attempts etc. I got diagnosed bipolar, tried the therapy and the drugs but it got worse. I then made the decision to stop the meds, stop the booze, stop the cocaine... and exercise(the mania helped me through this tbf) I have never been happier in all my life. This was the best thing i ever did. I'm getting on with my life like a normal person. I have a great new job and in two years time I will own my own home. Obviously I still have ups and downs but its less extreme and a whole lot more manageable. I do however smoke weed to calm the mania but i choose my natural medicine very carefully, I don't smoke just any weed.
Mental/physical stimulation
Improve your diet
Cut out booze, drugs and meds
Exercise
This fixed my life.
Guys the real deal. Wigans finest. Legend, yeah he is.
Hes not from wigan , hes from upholland skem
What a fantastic interview! Questions were great, Richard was great. This is stuff that is important for TH-cam. Long live RA
I absolutely love this guy he’s an absolute legend. He’s right up there with my first choice of who to have a pint with down the pub.
Thanks for coming back Richard.
This is the most sense I've heard from any musician from the past 10 years
Richard Ashcroft is the same age as my dad when he passed away. I appreciate the song that you slave to money 💰 then you die. Richard Ashcroft is by far, my favorite artist and singer. He is an original and classic. I'm thankful for his songs and work.
A Storm In Heaven is such a good album!
Best verve album in my eyes
I get a lot more where Richard Ashcroft is at about people + ideas + music. I love his idea too about not rushing to use ant-depressants +/ or other drugs Etc. I like how he mentioned not having others tell you what should be your way of being a creative artist. I admire his abundant cleverness,wit + drive. It is so attractive + inspirational also.
Listening to him saying that strong "NO" when he thought they were talking about the band hurts me.
Richard Ashcroft is man that has got me through so many highs and lows for20 years I wish I could roll a splif and have a beer with this man . Would forfill a life long dream
Makes me proud to be a working class lad from Wigan. Keep it real and humble mate
Such a good interview. This changed my view of RA. He is really intelligent. Loved this interview
Good interview, Id like to see Ian Brown on here , both legends in their own right
It's good for the world that Richard is back.
its cool to see the evolution of ashcroft in the 90s. he covered a lot of musical territory from jam to atmospheric, hip hop to pop. and did it all poetically and with conviction.
Richard Ashcroft is a talent that hasn't gotten the exposure an immense person like himself deserve...he's a rebel, and rebels have truth in them...so much truth that it creates a distinction bet them and the rest...if rich found a group that resonates with him, he'd be another John Lennon (renowned)
Richard Ashcroft Absolutely Amazing! Strong! Smart! Talented! - He just keeps getting Better and Better.....
One of my favourite music journalists out there, another top notch interview
Fucking hell! The Ashcroft is an artistic legend. Love the north west of England music scene. Thank you for this from belfast. This is a sound interview. Cheers
Brilliant singer/songwriter. Got great songs with the Verve and his solo stuff. When i heard History that was it hooked. So many good songs. 👍🙏
wow... Richard is such a genius... so crisp and so valid ideas
Yes I’m from St. Helens as well music is brewing here slowly
Alone With Everybody is a masterpeice of an album.. Richard is an amazing artist
Always loved Ashcroft's attitude and style. A true Legend from my era. Looking forward to listening his new material whilst self medicating... Fuck your prozac!! Al be puffing away on a doobie. happy daze!!
Well said, Richard. Didn't know much about him before this interview. Diggin his candor.
john doran. brilliant interviewer as always.
Ashcroft is one of the top songwriters of all time!!
As an American I'm only catching about half of the conversation I had to go back and listen again because I don't hear the British accent often enough
One of my favorite british musicians! Respect John for a view wit Richie
"music is power"
Noisey give john doran a raise best interviewer around give i want more interviews!
Great interview
This is such a great interview. Great program. Thanks for these.
What a nice down to earth guy who has his own mind. Brilliant X
this guy is defo one of the best songwriters/vocalists. Ive drowned in many bottles and flown many kites listening to urban hymns.
God bless, fuck the system
great interview he's got his head on his shoulders shame it was too short and i wasnt the interviewer
John Doran do some documentaries with these British artists, loving the interviews very interesting X
this man has a really bright brain. that in the world we are living today no longer seems to be a quality
Totally agree
Cheers from Mexico mate , you saved my life when I was in high school
Verdad que es maravilloso?!💗🙌🏼
Lo es!
Never liked his music but this interview was great, funny as hell, newfound respect for Mr. Ashcroft
this must be the most underrated singer iv ever heard
The best interview Iv seen from rich
I saw them on the second stage at the lalapalooza in Detroit. What an amazing show. Maybe 600 to 800 people there.
His voice is so mesmerizing
Great interview ❤
Im an American. Oasis brought me to The Verve. I really liked Northern Souls and Urban Hymns. I've always wanted his solo career to blow me away, but it never really did. Remember when 'Song For The Lovers' came out and it stoked me. Album dropped off after that for me. Just my opinion. Good stuff though.
Me the same (Oasis to the Verve). I liked shoegaze enough to know the major artists then but not enough to get into things like "A Storm of Heaven" or "Giants Steps" by the Boo Radleys until much later. Hence I started with "Urban Hymns" and was never blown away by anything else the band or Ashcroft as a solo artist did before or after. The one thing I remember about all those Britpop bands back then was how they had the same logo from album to album, single to single, and I took that as a sign of good taste, actually, until the band Travis came around. Then it was, like, okay, enough of this shit. How many different songs can we get with the chorus being about the sun and the sky and the morning?
I thought the whole album was superb.
Joseph Arrambidez fully agreed mate, was never took by his solo stuff
It’s nice to actually meet an American with great taste in music!
Respect brother
He seems bitter really that he's not as good without the other members of the Verve?
Cool, now do an interview with Nick McCabe.....seriously.
Nick McCabe a true British Master!!!
Yesss
unreal guitar player
Nick McCabe is THE MOST slept on guitar player. His guitar work and effects experimentation is on another level.
Thanks Richard for your music , and video..... Like ...
fill up the mans beer goddamit
Great interview, shame he didn't give Nick mccabe the credit he definitely deserves.
+paul Wainman For real! Total dick comment on Dick's part. The quality of his solo output clearly shows how much Nick & Si were the soul of Verve.
Funny, why werent Nick and Si asked to interview instead of Ashcroft
What a complete wanker, no mention of Simon tong and he conveniently forgets about "catching the butterfly" and the hidden track "Deep freeze"
There was more than Rich to his success. Cabie, both Si's and whole lot of people supported him.
Plus, Peter Salisbury adds an incredible flavour through his drumming.
Would be cool if he collaborated with Johnny Marr.
That would be defiantly be interesting m8
Several steps back ? lol Ashcroft is a genius and Marr's guitar playing is genius so them working together would be epic.
***** Nae chance m8. Ashcroft is a master songwriter! Johnny Marr a master guitarist! That would make for a sweet collaboration!!
Just a Wigan lad at heart ❤. Both raised in Wigan in the same era with the same morals and standards, we share similar views
This man is a philosopher.
Fucking refreshing to hear , ive followed him for 20 years , and its a shame theres not enough artists around today like Richard