MARVIN x Richard Ashcroft: After a year on the road with Oasis, The Verve frontman’s fire is still burning bright.
Photo by Wolfie Kutner
From his music with The Verve that soundtracked a generation’s ennui to his signature parka-and-shades look that Dimes Square kids still rock today, Richard Ashcroft’s is one of the Britpop era’s most enduring originals. This year he’s been back in the spotlight, supporting Oasis on their mammoth global tour dates as well as releasing a new album this October. Between puffs of a joint on a recent fall day, Ashcroft talked about supporting Gallaghers, the magic of The Verve’s ‘90s superstardom, and the 4am recording sessions for his new album Lovin’ You.
Marvin Scott Jarrett: Your new record sounds amazing, man.
Richard Ashcroft: Oh, thank you so much.
Marvin Scott Jarrett: Where did you make it?
Richard Ashcroft: I started it before the whole Covid madness. It began with a producer called Emre Ramazanoglu in London, just me and him in a room. At first, I thought I’d make a record with no real instruments, just samples, synths, and old bits of gear. [Lead single] “Lover” came from a Joan Armatrading sample. Then things shifted when I had to pause and make [2021 album] Acoustic Hymns. By the time I got back to Lovin’ You, I’d gone full circle. I was still into sampling, but wanted to combine that spirit with live instruments.
There was a point where I thought, Maybe I’ll make something like Primal Scream’s Screamadelica, a mix of songs you can’t easily define by genre. But the legal side of sampling had become ridiculous — record companies now want a publishing deal and a fee. You’re looking at thirty grand a track. I thought, This is stifling creativity.
Read the full feature in MARVIN Issue 18. Click HERE to purchase.
