Northern Irish rock giants Ash are set to embark on an ambitious plan to release 26 singles in one year.
Formed in Downpatrick when the rock trio were still in their teens, Ash are one of British music’s longest lasting propositions. Their melodic take on American alt rock influences saw the band achieve almost instant success, with debut single ‘Jack Names The Planets’ being released to ecstatic acclaim over fifteen years ago.
The band won admirers over the pond as well, with Pearl Jam inviting Ash to support them on a tour of the United States. Sadly the group were forced to turn it down, due to the small matter of having to sit their A Levels.
Ash announced in 2007 that they would cease to release conventional albums. Now stripped back down to a three piece after the departure of Charlotte Hatherley the band have instead been working on a new project titled ‘A-Z Series’.
The group plan to release 26 singles in one year, amounting to one per fortnight. “We wanted to be the first people to do it like this,” frontman Tim Wheeler said of the scheme. “This is a time when you can try new ideas and it can work.”
Stretching over twelve months, Ash will launch the ‘A-Z Series’ with their single ‘True Love 1980’ in September. Famously, the band named debut album ‘1977’ after the year they were born in, meaning the new single is a reference to being three years old.
Tim Wheeler told NME that he hoped fans would get involved with ‘A-Z Series’. “There’s a great Andy Warhol quote about how waiting for something makes it more exciting,” he said. “I think it’ll be great for our fans waiting every two weeks knowing they’re going to get a song and wondering what it’ll be like. It’ll be fun.”
The band are a famously riveting singles act. Their collection ‘Intergalactic Sonic Sevens’ is as good an overview to the career of Ash as you can find, and is track-per-track much stronger than most of their studio albums.
Whilst Ash are the first to attempt to release 26 singles in a year, curmudgeonly indie faves The Wedding Present once released a single per month. Collected on ‘Hit Parade 1 & 2’ the band equalled Elvis Presely’s record for the most Top 30 hits in one year.
Though be warned Ash fans – The Wedding Present’s run contains some decidedly dodgy tracks…
Ash release their new single ‘True Love 1980’ in September. To promote the series the band are offering fans a new free download. Click HERE to grab your copy of ‘Return Of White Rabbit’ by Ash!
