The Verve: What Happened To The Band Behind 'Bitter Sweet Symphony?'
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- Опубликовано: 6 фев 2023
- The Verve: Whatever happened to the band behind 'Bitter Sweet Symphony?'
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#theverve #richardashcroft
I cite my sources and they may differ than other people's accounts, so I don't guarantee the actual accuracy of my videos.
montages or remember from the late 90’s nike commercial the British band the Verve’s tumultuous history is full of ego, litigation, drug addiction, in-fighting and bad luck. To some outside the UK, the Verve were simply a one hit wonder, but was that case? Today, let’s take a look at the volatile history of the Verve
Rolling Stone
Early Life
Hailing from the english town of Wigan located in the greater Manchester Area, town was Economically depressed. The Verve frontman Richard Aschroft was no fan of his hometown telling the alternative press "If I hadn't made the decision to be in a band looking back on what was on offer in that town, it's a quite frightening prospect,"
The son of a part-time clerical worker and hairdresser mother, Ashcroft’s family didn’t have much money and struggled to make ends meet. Ashcroft couldn’t afford to buy albums so instead he taped songs from the radio and rifled through his parents record collections made up mostly of Pink Floyd and Beatles albums. Ashcroft would go through a few phases in his life first wanting to be a footballer dreaming of playing for manchester united. He would eventually change his dream to be a rockstar after witnessing a live gig by The Stone Roses. Side note guys i’ve done a whole video on the stone roses career the link is down below. Ashcroft would tell Select Magazine"Seeing them play Warrington in 1989 basically changed my life," "These guys looked and dressed like me and they were from the same background, yet they were on-stage, being adored. Seeing them made me realize that I could do that as well. I could do better."
But Ashcroft didn’t have a lot of supporters in his dream or had to deal with obstacles in his life. He would tell a career councillor that he wanted to be a rockstar only to be offered a position as a lifeguard. On top of that he was told by a doctor prior to becoming a teenager that he had the lung capacity of a collapsed flea with the doctor telling him he would likely have a cold for the rest of his life. . It did little to dampen his spirits as his mother would reveal her son was cocky from a young age with one schoolmate of his telling select magazine he was nicknamed Jesus because he loved being the center of attention. Ashcroft would admit to Spin Magazine he knew he was destined to be a rockstar adding “ i could sing the lord’s f**** prayer when i was five years old so I knew.”
It was at the age of 11 Ashcroft’s father would pass away from a brain hemorrhage that was the result of a dormant brain clot that eventually expanded. The tragic event would change his outlook on life with him telling melody maker in 1993.
“My father died when I was really young. He'd worked nine to five all his life, and he suffered and got nowhere. And I was 11 at the time and I immediately realized that this wasn't the life for me. Immediately I found out how quickly someone can die just be wiped out. So I thought, F*** this, I'm gonna do something positive, I can do something positive, I can do something great, I'm gonna make something of myself.' He would add how the event resulted in him losing some of his innocence in life telling select magazine "Other kids were playing with their Action Men and I was questioning life and society,"
Ashcroft’s mother would remarry and he would soon fell under the influence of his step father who was a big believer in a 17th and 18th century movement named rosicrucanism (rosie- crushianism)"Select magazine would write about his step father and i quote “Richard firmly believed his step dad could bend light rays around people to make them disappear, or raise the temperature in the room by thought alone.” Ashcroft who was still coming to terms with the death of his father and figuring out adding "It's difficult for people to understand that - they doubt it, calling you a lunatic, 
Видеоклипы
This video was initially 26 min long but I cut out some stuff about Ashcroft’s solo records. The video felt too long
I could have watched more. Fantastic job! The Verve was always a bit of a mystery. Crazy story.
I would have taken it all in! Great video!
@@mannyprieres7150 thanks
@@barryjackson1401 thanks
For the first time i see the face behind the voice of Rock'N Roll True Stories!Thanks for your amazing work!
Dreaming of playing for Manchester United.... and then showing the stadium of Manchester City, the club's biggest rival. That's brutal man
That was exactly my thoughts :D
It made me chuckle too. Not that many Man Utd fans would count City as their biggest rivals.
As a United fan,that boiled my piss,ffs do some research waptang !
Biggest rival? City? Fkoff Liverpool utds biggest rival, another massive club! city only big in the East arabs state of East Manchester and China ffs!
Hahah 😂
A Storm in Heaven has been in my top 3 albums for decades. It’s just incredible.
truly a masterpiece. it's been almost 30 years and it's still in rotation.
@@passedtense436 yeah it’s a weird one when you bring up Verve as one of your most treasured bands because a good portion of people have no idea about how good they once were. Storm is up there.
It sounds like a record from another world.
@@passedtense436 crazy how time flies
The album is pure sex
Urban Hymns is a classic. The entire album is excellent. The Verve are completely underrated.
The first two were better.
@@TheMusicalElitist with ease
I'd be honored if some Verve/Ashcroft fans would take a quick listen to my acoustic piano & vocal YT performances of BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY by the Verve and "1979" by the Smashing Pumpkins in tribute to 2 of the most iconic 90s bands. Live acoustic with no autotune or digital editing. Peace out and stay safe in the '020s.
I still remember when I first heard Bitter Sweet Symphony at the end of the movie Cruel Intentions: Still one of the best rock songs ever.
That was also the 1st time I heard them!
Heck YEAH!
Underrated band. The first two albums are great but Urban Hymns is a masterpiece.
Nah, Storm in heaven and Northern Soul are leagues beyond urban hymns. McCabe's guitar work is once in a generation
Under rated? Cause the very comment underneath the guy way over rates the guitarist calling him a once in a generation.
They were never underrated
@@thrashinwebster They were in the U.S.
@@thrashinwebster Yes, they were definitely underrated. Urban Hyms had several songs that should have been top 40 in the US.
The verve were unlucky enough to be making hits alongside oasis at their best, and still stood out which goes to show how good they were. Urban hymns is one of the best British albums of all time. Geniuses.
The Verve's discography is deep with gems. The 4th record they recorded during their brief reunion is a beautiful record. The show they put on headlining Glastonbury during that time is one for the ages and available to view in HQ on YT. Love them.
I cried watching that gig. It was amazing.
@@polyestermammoth740 Hell yes, I bet. Richard Ashcroft was the coolest motherfucker on the planet in that moment.
Glad to hear the Rolling Stones finally gave Bittersweet Symphony back to The Verve!
Why the money is gone can no longer respect jagger or Richards after doing this fantastic musicians but had there time and stole from a young struggling band an opportunity to make a bigger impact with the freedom the money from that song would have afforded them in the business
DAMM disgusting that a band like the R.Stones stooped so LOW.... hopefully M.Jaggr is impotent/bankrupt AND all members of the Verve are THRIVING!
@@dannyfarrington3788 They also claimed it was "heartbreaking" to give up rights to a song they "wrote" lol. They are just as scum as the manager that milked the money from it.
Glad to see you finally cover The Verve. Such a mind blowing band. The first 3 albums are nearly perfect.
The Verve are so vastly underrated imo. Richard Ashcroft is a brilliant songwriter an amazing musician. Urban Hymns is a masterpiece
Greatest album of all time.
WOW. I had no idea there was such a complicated history to Bitter Sweet Symphony.
Bitter Sweet Symphony" is based on a sample from a 1965 version of the Rolling Stones song "The Last Time" by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra. The Verve added strings, guitar, percussion and vocals. They obtained rights to use the "Last Time" sample from the copyright holder, Decca Records, but were denied permission from the Rolling Stones' former manager, Allen Klein. Following a lawsuit, the Verve relinquished all royalties and the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were added to the songwriting credits. In 2019, after Klein's death, Jagger, Richards and Klein's son ceded the rights to the Verve songwriter Richard Ashcroft.
I always liked this band, shame that they weren't more popular. "Lucky Man" and "The Drugs Don't Work" were also wonderful songs by them.
they are huge in the uk. everyone here has urban hymns also they headline at festivals.
Lucky Man is still one of my all time favorites.
the drugs dont work was a number 1 single! they were huge
They had better
If you've never heard HISTORY, you've never listened to the Verve 😉
Love their song “Sonnet” 💕
They were amazing. A Northern Soul is their best. McCabe is such an original guitarist, he deserved much more attention
🤘
It’s a bit depressing though
Its subjective. I love some of their music and Mc Cabe really added a lot to their amazing sound and song writing.
Self titled ep and a storm in heaven are better
Yesss!
I LOVE this band! Ashcroft is an amazing singer, and McCabe is one of my favorite guitar players.
A Storm in Heaven is an absolutel classic. Still one of my favourite albums all these years later.
Love video! The Verve was a big part of my young adult life in the 90s. Love this band so much. The song History form Northern Soul still speaks to me. Keep up the great work love your channel.
Thanks. The Verve have been on my to do list for a long time.
You couldn't escape how big Urban Hymns was in the UK in the 90's. Every Morning/Afternoon on Virgin radio, they'd constantly play the lead singles from it. I forget who the radio host was for virgin when Ashcrofts solo album came out " Alone With Everybody ", to promote it, he played the whole record. Was a huge part of my Teenage years listening to the Verve and Ashcrofts music.
I loved that it spent over half the video up to and including their first record. In my mind, this is the most interesting period. Too many videos focus on the sampling and royalties drama - but I'm glad this one dug deeper.
One of the best, most underrated, bands of the modern era. I was fortunate enough to see them during one of their rare US tours at the Mayan Theater in LA in '97. Amazing show.
Would of loved to have seen that !
One of my favorite bands of all time. It's a shame most people only know them for "Bitter Sweet Symphony" because they had so many other fantastic songs in their catalog. I wish they didn't go out the way they did.
Urban Hymns is a masterpiece of an album that still sounds great to this day. A Northern Soul is packed full of thoughtful and well-written songs, and I don't think any other band at the time sounded like The Verve on A Storm in Heaven, No Come Down, or their self-titled EP.
Saw the verve play in Ireland in 2018. Absolutely awesome live
This band deserves a lot more respect. All their albums are incredible. Urban Hymns is a perfect album, every song is amazing. I'm shocked they aren't looked the same was as a band like Oasis. Sad truth is that most of the great bands eventually breakup, but when they were together they created magic. Rather Be on Forth is an amazing song.
They transcend Oasis big time. Oasis are fucking awful. First two albums... Ok... After that - utter wank.
‘Slide away’ is still sooo good 🫡
One of the best bands ever, just my opinion.
God be with you Ashcroft. You are good.
“Doesn’t believe in sampling” that guy has won my heart.
One of my favorite bands all-time. Off the top of my head I don't know if there's a bad song in their catalog. It's so unfortunate that most people only know Bitter Sweet Symphony. On top of their full studio albums they have tons of singles that are amazing as well. So many to choose from but the song "Jalfrezi" is one of my favorites. Since all the members are still alive I always thought their break-ups were some of the most tragic in music because they lost so many years they could've been making so much more incredible music. The album Forth illustrates how good they are together, reforming after so many years and putting out another masterpiece like that. How many albums could there have been if they stuck together throughout. If they had, i do think they would've been one of the biggest bands in the world and left a far more significant mark on musical history. (If anyone is familiar with The Big Push, I feel the same about them now) Thanks for doing this video. Learned some things I didn't know about the band.
Urban Hyms is one of the greatest albums of the 90's. Ashcroft has done some fine solo work too. There are gems on every solo album he's recorded. He has a fantastic voice, and writes great songs.
In my opinion it’s the greatest along with Definitely Maybe
Urban Hymns is an incredible album. My all time favourite.
Agreed. However I think 'Check the Meaning' surpasses everything he has done.
A Northern Soul is a masterpiece, easily their best work in my opinion and that comes from someone who absolutely loves Urban Hymns, that's how highly I rate A Northern Soul. History is right up there with my all time favourite tracks, so powerful and moving.
Their ep is also good too!!!
My teenage son thankfully introduced me to this band back in their heyday..they had a sound like no other & it blew me away..& it still does👍😎
Ayyy I’m from Wigan…. Glad to see that they’re known over the other side of the pond.
I was a huge raver back in the 90s. So electronic and bass music I worshipped but when the Verve came along. Wow the only indie band I love and still do today. It's a shame with all what happened they could be still producing great stuff.
I purchased "Urban Hymns" back when came out in the 90's. I was much older then they were but was raising two teens at the time. Somehow I felt a soul collection with that CD. I now see why. Great video.
Excellent video man. You are doing AMAZING with this channel!! 🤘🏻
One of the all time greats without a doubt.
The drugs don't work is such an amazing song
I love love love The Verve. A Storm in Heaven was my first shoegaze album. A Northern Soul got me through a few rough spots, and is my personal favorite from them. Urban Hymns is the best gateway album to get into them. Forth is very easy to listen to, just a blissful, light album for any occasion. Nick McCabe is still one of my top 10 guitarists ever. Their B-sides are arguably the best songs in their catalogue.
Omg very underrated band. I bought there cd back in 03 i admit cuz i only knew bitter sweet symphony. But i.loved the whole album. They are a great band. Not a one hit wonder at all. Give a listen there great
Great band, had a stones vibe and paved the way for oasis and blur. Absolutely one of rocks finest bands.
Urban Hymns is a masterpiece. What a fucking album.
THE VERVE LIVE AT HAIGH HALL is one of the greatest live shows in the history of rock and roll. A 5 STAR EPIC SHOW. Anyone who’s a fan will know what I’m talking about.
Great story-telling, thank you.
super glad to have finally found your channel. You do a superb job and glad to be subbed. Cheers man! Hope 2023 is treating u right!
Thank you! Really appreciate the kind words. If you have topics you’d like to request we have a request form in the description box
I remember going to a rave at homebase in Oakland on Valentine’s Day, 1999 and a trance remix of bittersweet symphony came over the speakers and ripped the roof off the venue. Everybody was so hyped on it. One of the great memories of my youth.
Love this. Great work fella. Keep it rolling.
Great band. Love them to reform, so i could see them again.
Their version of Life's an Ocean on Later with Jools Holland is absolutely superb.
1st, 2 albums are flawless.
Excited to watch this. I have been waiting for this video. They are kind of known as a one hit band outside of the UK but the Verve was a terrific band that most music aficionado's should explore more of their catalogue. Especially if they are mostly just familiar with Bittersweet Symphony.
A friend and I (Americans) were heavily into British rock/pop in the 90's and I still have every LP, EP and singles from back then. Loved The Verve.
Yes, I love the Verve. Their first album is more dreamy/shoegaze and well worth a listen.
Album #2 is kind of a cross between brit rock/shoegaze/and epic drug induced jams like a Brit Rock version of The Doors.
Urban Hymns is a Brit Rock Classic with hit pop songs and some psychedelic touches.
Album #4 was an unexpected surprise and a mishmash of all of their albums. One of the better reunion albums and it wasn't just a cash in.
They also have a great E.P. or two. Very well worth exploring the whole catalogue if you like Rock and quality songwriting.
Bitter Sweet Symphony" is based on a sample from a 1965 version of the Rolling Stones song "The Last Time" by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra. The Verve added strings, guitar, percussion and vocals. They obtained rights to use the "Last Time" sample from the copyright holder, Decca Records, but were denied permission from the Rolling Stones' former manager, Allen Klein. Following a lawsuit, the Verve relinquished all royalties and the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were added to the songwriting credits. In 2019, after Klein's death, Jagger, Richards and Klein's son ceded the rights to the Verve songwriter Richard Ashcroft.
One off the best band off our generation ❤ the lyrics the music and the deliverance of it ❤ just wow ❤
Well put together video 😉👍, thanks for the credit on the Richard Ashcroft interview , Nice one.
Thanks
The Stones giving the royalties back is proper legend stuff.
Bitter Sweet Symphony" is based on a sample from a 1965 version of the Rolling Stones song "The Last Time" by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra. The Verve added strings, guitar, percussion and vocals. They obtained rights to use the "Last Time" sample from the copyright holder, Decca Records, but were denied permission from the Rolling Stones' former manager, Allen Klein. Following a lawsuit, the Verve relinquished all royalties and the Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were added to the songwriting credits. In 2019, after Klein's death, Jagger, Richards and Klein's son ceded the rights to the Verve songwriter Richard Ashcroft.
Their first 3 albums are outstanding (their 4th album is great too), with many brilliant stand alone singles, my favorite being their second album “A Northern Soul”. I saw them the first time in Dublin in August 1997 - the best gig I’ve ever seen. Great, great band.
They were always a combustible bunch of people.
Yet their work remains.
Love them.
Great band, very popular in England at the time. I remember playing Slide Away live at Glastonbury on an old VCR, over and over again. Also a session they did on the radio, including Lifes an Ocean, Northern Soul etc
Slide Away is Oasis not the Verve.
@Paul Okeeffe The Verve also did a song called Slide Away (it's not the same song), check it out. It's good
Love you in this vid! Makes the videos more personal
Nice video! I’ve always liked them, I don’t listen to them much anymore but they were pretty wild
Thank you for an intelligent presentation with really thoughtful images. Shocking story about Bitter Sweet!
The Verve forever!
An awesome Band with two unbelievable record’s ,great song writing and presence ,as a frontman myself I loved the way Ashcroft moved ,lost in the music . An inspiration x .. loved Blue on a storm in heaven so much it’s my boys name x
This was interesting 🙂. I’ve always liked The Verve and Richard Ashcroft.
I snuck in to T In The Park in ‘95 to see The Verve. They played a killer set of material from Norther Soul. Ashcroft was in full shamanic mode, McCabe had his head down the whole time, churning out the most cosmic guitar lines I’d ever heard, they were unlike anything else at that time. Apparently tensions were frayed and after that show they went backstage and broke up, which to me was insane, after hearing how good they were. Glad they got it together again and achieved some much deserved success, but I’ll never forget that gig.
One of the UKs finest bands ever. Still give A Northern Soul an Urban Hymns a blast at least once a month. Atmospheric chill chune.
One of the best bands of the era.
I like Richards solo work but with the verve they were just amazing
This was great, thanks!
Great episode. Cleansed my mind I feel free now
love all your videos man so much detail brilliant 👏
Thanks! Much appreciated.
thank you! your video finally made me understand the whole bitter sweet symphony thing.
Bittersweet is a great song and brings back a lot of good memories but my favorite song was always Lucky Man. I still play today.
I like the new setup! Great to see ya! Nice to put a face to the voice🤘🏻
Thanks
No. I remember this song from listening to it. It was definitely dope amd I liked the video. Our generation has the best of everything. Older music going out and newer coming in, the birth of tech, just so much we saw and did and had. Beautiful
Personally I loved their first album and EPs much more than their later less shoegaze editions. Still an amazing and important band.
Same
The Verve has always held a special spot in my heart, glad I got to see them in the late 90s in Seattle. One of my top ten shows, it was incredible. McCabe was a truly gifted creative guitarist
I am glad they reunited after all, because Forth is their second best album.
The B-sides on this album are really good. Wish more had been released, could have even made them into a 'fifth' album.
I like how you show shots of you talking now, it really adds to the experience.
One of the most underrated bands ever
I always wondered about these guys. I like when you are in the videos. It feels more personal
A Storm In Heaven is one of the best albums of the 90's
Richard Ashcroft is fantastic
Ive been listening to The Verve since the 90s. Have the early stuff and Urban Hyms. One of my favourite bands. Big repsect to Jagger and Richards! Didnt know about that recent development, thanks!
A Northern Soul is a great album!
In my opinion their best album.
@@larrydanadavid2435 I agree!
This was a very interesting video and story. Just went back and listened to Bitter Sweet Symphony. It is a great song.
Excellent video, top work.
Urban Hymns is a classic album, pure and simple. Put it on and it never fails to surprise just how damn good it is. I watched a vid of an early Verve concert a while back and I was struck by two things: first was how original and brilliant Nick McCabe's guitar playing was. The second was how underwhelming, certainly compared to Urban Hymns material, all Ashcroft's early songs were. To my ear early Verve were all about McCabe's guitar playing, that's why they were popular early on, the songs were really just a vehicle for it.
So I have a theory as to how Urban Hymns came to be so good. After McCabe quit Ashcroft was released from having to write songs primarily around McCabe's playing and ideas. Without McCabe's sound he also had to raise his songwriting game to make up for it, he almost certainly realised the songs simply had to be stronger. And they were. However once they hit the studio with them it became obvious to Ashcroft and probably everybody else involved that although the songs were really good the overall sound just wasn't the same, it was like the Stones without Kieth Richards or the Grateful Dead without Jerry Garcia.
Knowing this my guess is Ashcroft just told Nick straight up "Look man, we really, really need to you back on this record, this shit just doesn't sound right without you. Here, I'll leave you the tape, tell me what you think". And so Nick agreed to play again and this time instead of his guitars being pretty much the only exceptional thing about the band he was now orchestrating and turbo-charging a whole collection of truly kick arse songs. The result was absolute dynamite, lightening in a bottle.
Whatever, anyone who's into classic rock music and doesn't know this record I recommend putting it on your list. Although initially appealing enough and everybody knows Bitter Sweet Symphony the whole record has a great deal of depth to it that is not immediately obvious on a first listen.
Thanks for the great music verve. I get lost in it now and then.
Well done, thank you.
They are still very popular in France and Richard Ashcroft solo career is even more popular...not a one hit wonder here !
I still listen to the verve
I had all the Verve CD’s in the early 90’s. Brilliant band. When Bittersweet Symphony hit the charts I didn’t buy anymore of there stuff. Great song, I just liked there earlier stuff better. And not many people listened to them prior to Bittersweet.
Nick will always be one of my favorite guitar player ever. Saw them in Atlanta on Urban Hymns tour. Amazing show!
Awesome band. Urban Hymns is an all time great.
I remember when these guys piped up on my radar when I was in my early teens. I had their first albums. Good band. Makes me feel old! I remember when the Bitter Sweet Symphony song was on MTV.
I love The Verve but of all their albums and Ashcroft's solo work, I listen to "Alone With Everybody" the most.
Tip class video. Keep up the good work.
An amazing story, well done.
Such an underrated band
I look forward to your videos every day dude, so well done. I still want to see you on
🔥The Bonfire SXM🔥
talking rock🤘 with Big Jay & Dan
You said Ashcroft wanted to play football for Manchester United FC, the reds, but you showed the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City FC, the sky blues. If you did that in Manchester, City fans would probably kill you. I'm joking but the rivalry is massive. City and United have separate pubs in the greater Manchester area. Back to The Verve, I had Drugs Don't Work on my playlist but I had to remove it when my Dad was dying because it just ripped my heart out and I'd start crying and I couldn't stop. I just got thru the 7th anniversary of his death (February 19, 2016). I saw Richard Ashcroft in concert with Liam Gallagher. It was a great show.
Make a video on Pete Doherty. Those of us in the states will eat it up, amazing rock roll story
I like these videos. The RUclips trend were you have a giant mic everyone can see is... You know what it is. Thanks for the video
I love them and his voice and the look was real.