The greatness that's ASH

Since Ash's 1977 Deluxe Collector's Edition arrived last Thursday, it's been playing non-stop, alternating between CD1, 2 and 3. Mayday's Poetry Of The Day After has been shelved away.. for now.

1977 sounds as fresh as it did when I first heard it over a decade ago. Listening to it brings back memories of my school days. I had forgotten songs I used to like: "I'd Give You Anything", "Let It Flow" and "Lost In You". Classic timeless hits such as "Girl from Mars", "Kung Fu", "Oh Yeah" and "Angel Interceptor" never sounded better.

Ash's cover versions of ABBA's "Does Your Mother Know" (fantastic!), Dusty Springfield's "I Only Want To Be With You" (so amazing!), Star Wars' "Cantina Band" (even John Williams would have been proud) and The Temptations' "Get Ready" (wicked!) goes to show that Ash aren't just another punk band, they're so versatile! They sound almost like a 60s/70s band doing those cover versions.

They sure don't make albums like they used to. The current era of bet wetters music can't hold a candle to the once great Britpop bands.

Mark Sutherland, who was entrusted with the task of writing the sleeve note for the 1977 deluxe edition wrote:

"While everyone else from our supposedly golden generation
crashed and burned, Ash have never let us down. As heart-tearingly
fantastic today as they've always been, throughout the line-up changes, shifts
in direction, rock'n'roll excess and rehabilitation, their recordings have
always retained the happy knack that all the great possess: of always being
different, while never once betraying their core essence."

"Once you've heard 1977, whatever year you're living in just
won't feel the same."

Listening to "Girl From Mars" 4-track demo in its purest form with a semi-comatose sounding Tim Wheeler reminds me of what a great band Ash have been and will always be. I'm looking forward to seeing them live again this 30 November at the Bangkok 100 Rock Festival =]