Ash

Ash is a Northern Irish rock band formed in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland, in 1992 by vocalist and guitarist Tim Wheeler, bassist Mark Hamilton, and drummer Rick McMurray. Known for their blend of pop-punk, alternative rock, power pop, punk rock, indie rock, and Britpop, Ash has been a prominent fixture in the Montreal punk scene since the 1980s, evolving into an alternative band following the departure of singer John Kastner.

Formation and Early Years (1992–1997)

Ash officially formed in 1992, reportedly having taken the name from the first word they liked in the dictionary. Prior to this, Wheeler and Hamilton were in an Iron Maiden cover band called Vietnam, which had formed in 1989. The new band created three demo tapes that year – Solar Happy in June, Shed in September, and the Home Demo in November. These tapes featured their earliest material and the first recordings of some songs that were later on the 1994 release, Trailer, including “Intense Thing,” “Get Out,” “Obscure Thing,” and the future single, “Jack Names the Planets.”

In 1993, the band recorded the Garage Girl demo tape, which featured “Jack Names the Planets” and “Intense Thing,” taken from Shed, and new tracks, including “Petrol.” Following Garage Girl, Ash released a compilation demo tape, Pipe Smokin’ Brick, later that year, which featured an assortment of songs from the other tapes. Downpatrick musician Ray Valentine recorded Ash’s demos at his studio, Cosmic Rays. At that time, the band was known as “Genuine Real Teenagers,” because they were so young when recording their early material. The demo tapes did not gain much attention at that time, and the band was still playing small shows at local clubs, but in early 1994, Stephen Taverner came across the Garage Girl demo tape. Taverner put up the money to press 1,000 7″ copies of “Jack Names the Planets” on his own LaLaLand record label. Taverner subsequently became the band’s full-time manager.

Discography

Studio Albums

1977 (1996)
Nu-Clear Sounds (1998)
Free All Angels (2001)
Meltdown (2004)
Twilight of the Innocents (2007)
Kablammo! (2015)
Islands (2018)
Race the Night (2023)

Live Albums

Live on Mars: London Astoria 1997 (2016)
Brave New Waves Session (2017, CBC Montreal, Artoffact Records)

EPs

A-Z Series (2009, releasing one 7-inch single every two weeks)

Compilations

Greater than Later (2000, Boss Tuneage Records)
The Best of Ash (2011)

Band Members

Tim Wheeler – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming (1992–present)
Mark Hamilton – bass, synthesizer (1992–present)
Rick McMurray – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1992–present)
Charlotte Hatherley – guitar, piano, backing vocals (1997–2006; guest 2011, 2022)

Musical Style and Themes

Ash’s music spans multiple genres, including pop-punk, alternative rock, power pop, punk rock, indie rock, and Britpop. Their sound incorporates elements of hardcore punk and more melodic punk rock, similar to The Nils or Hüsker Dü. In their later albums, they experimented with a more alternative rock sound, incorporating acoustic guitars and horns, making their music more college-radio friendly while maintaining a hard-rocking edge.

Legacy and Influence

Ash is recognized for their superior songwriting and for foreshadowing the emo sound. They have influenced bands such as NOFX, Heroin, and Disfear, marking their significance in the punk and hardcore scenes. Their 1996 album 1977 was named by NME as one of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Trivia

The band chose the name “Ash” from the first word they liked in the dictionary.
John Kastner left the band to form the Doughboys and later All Systems Go!
Ash released a string of 26 singles in the A-Z Series in 2009, one every two weeks.
The single “Shining Light” won the Best Contemporary Song award at the 2002 Ivor Novello awards.
Ash’s song “Lose Control” was featured in the video game Gran Turismo.
Charlotte Hatherley joined Ash in 1997 and left in 2006 to pursue solo projects.
Ash’s album 1977 was featured in NME’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Ash collaborated with LucasArts for the Star Wars game Republic Commando, contributing tracks like “Meltdown” and “Orpheus” to the soundtrack.
The band has released multiple successful singles and albums, achieving silver, gold, and platinum sales in the United Kingdom.

Formation and Early Years (1992–1997)