The Verve

THE VERVE – Stellar Second Album ‘A NORTHERN SOUL’ Released 25 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

20 June 2020

Band: The Verve (Wigan, UK)
Active: 1990–1995 / 1996–1999 / 2007–2009
Album: A Northern Soul – second LP
The title is a reference to the popular soul
movement in Britain during the 1970s.
Released: 20 June 1995 – 25 years ago today
Score: No 13 in the UK

NME wrote: “A knife-twisting snapshot of a band on the brink… The Verve
exude such a sense of astounding self-belief that they can almost convince you
that even their more nonsensical moments should be cast in gold, carved in
stone and treated with the utmost artistic respect.”

Keywords: Drugs in motion, towering anthems, doped reveries,
Richard ‘Mad’ Ashcroft, handclaps by Liam Gallagher on ‘History
Key tracks: A New Decade / History / On Your Own / Life’s An Ocean

– HISTORY –

– ON YOUR OWN –

Full album…

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THE VERVE: Facebook – All Albums


Back sleeve

Ten Epic Live Performances I Never Ever Get Tired Of…

Posted on by JL

Hands up if you like these ten stunning tracks as much as I do. Ten standout performances that send shivers down my spine, ten goosebumps crackers I can listen to any moment of the day, ten stunners I heard for about 1 million times, and will countless times again in the future.

Here’s why…

1. Dead & Gone’ by TOY (UK)
Smashing psychedelia with a mind-blowing finale…

2. ‘I Am Mark E Smith by FAT WHITE FAMILY (UK)
One of the best live bands of the past 10 years…

3. ‘Chlorine’ by THE DISTRICTS (Philadelphia, PA)
Overwhelming passion, towering intensity…

4. ‘Despair’ by YEAH YEAH YEAHS (US)
Gorgeous pop queen Karen O at her very best…

5. ‘Baby I Call Hell’ by DEAP VALLY (California, US)
Kick-ass blues rock frenzy by two utterly cool ladies…

6. ‘Common People‘ by PULP (UK)
Jarvis Cocker‘s orgiastic performance leads to spectacular euphoria…

7. ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony by THE VERVE (UK)
Fist-pumping anthem…

8. ‘Laid’ by James (UK)
No festivals this year, but this is my ecstatic alternative…

9. ‘Fried My Little Brains’ by THE KILLS (UK/US)
I’m in love with Alison Mosshart, she does my brains in…

10. ‘Rocks’ by PRIMAL SCREAM (Scotland)
The steamy ripper The Rolling Stones never wrote…

Ten Inspiring Songs To Keep That Vicious Coronovirus Out Of Your Safe Home…

Posted on by JL

25 march 2020

Music is the dope, turn up the volume…

1. ‘Play Safe’ by IGGY POP
Let’s play safe / I never knew how / How to play safe / You told me how

2. ‘Safety Dance by MEN WITHOUT HATS
We can dance, we can dance everything out control / We can dance doing it wall to wall

3. ‘If You Tolerate This Then You’re Children Will Be Next’ by the MANICS
If you tolerate this then your children will be next, will be next, will be next, will be next

4. ‘Back Home’ by GOLDEN EARRING
People wonder why I’m going back home / Just the place where I belong / Back home

5. ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ by THE VERVE
I never pray / But tonight I’m on my knees / I need some sounds that recognize the pain in me

6. ‘Home’ by EDWARD SHARPE AND THE MAGNETIC ZEROS
Home, let me come home / Home is wherever I’m with you

7. ‘Come Home’ by JAMES
This is a testing time when the choice is mine / Am I a fool for love or foolish with desire

8. ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ by LIVERPOOL FANS
When you walk through a storm / Hold your head up high / And don’t be afraid of the dark


9. ‘All For One’ by THE STONE ROSES
All for one, one for all / If we take a stand, we shall not fall

10. ‘Let There Be Love‘ by OASIS
Who stole the soul from the sun in a world come undone at the seams? / Let there be love

THE ROLLING STONES Scored No 1 UK Hit With ‘THE LAST TIME’ 55 (!) Years Ago

Posted on by JL

16 March 2020

Today 55 years ago, on 16 March 1965, imperishable rock icons THE ROLLING STONES scored their third number one hit in their home country UK with classic cracker ‘THE LAST TIME’ with that awesome Keef riff. It was the first No 1 credited to songwriters Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, nicknamed The Glimmer Twins. The song was recorded in California.

The resemblance with The Staple Singers‘ tune This May Be The Last Time was
pretty obvious, but no claim was filed. On the other hand, the money greedy former
Rolling Stones business lawyer Allen Klein, whose company ABKCO Records owns the rights to all 60s Stones music, sued English rock band The Verve for using samples of the Andrew Oldham Orchestra (the band’s young, but tremendously clever manager) recording of The Last Time for their mega-hit Bitter Sweet Symphony.

Ladies and gents, The Rolling Stones…

The Staple Singers…

The Andrew Oldham Orchestra…

The Verve…

THE ROLLING STONES: Facebook

Glowing Anthem ‘LOVE IS NOISE’ By THE VERVE – Released In 2008…

Posted on by JL

23 January 2020

Band: The Verve
Song: Love Is Noise
B-side: Let The Damage Begin (Live)
Released: 11 August 2008
Album: Forth – the band’s fourth LP (after their third reunion)
Score: The single peaked at #4 in Great-Britain and was chosen
as the anthem of the summer of 2008 by UK Festivals Award

Love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I’m singing again…

THE VERVE: Facebook

‘THE DRUGS DON’T WORK’ By THE VERVE – No 1 Hit In The UK 24 Years Ago Today

Posted on by JL

Knockouts from the past…

13 September 2019

Band: The Verve
Song: The Drugs Don’t Work
Album: Urban Hymns  – released 29 Sept 1997
Note: With this emotional ballad frontman Richard Ashcroft
tackled the hardship of watching his father dying of cancer
when he was only 11 years old. The drugs given to his father
were no longer working
Success: The Single hit the spot of the UK Charts
on 13 September 1997, 22 years ago today

Here’s the bittersweet gem…

RICHARD ASHCROFT: Facebook

THE VERVE Released Mind-Blowing Debut LP ‘A STORM IN HEAVEN’ 25 Years Ago…

Posted on by JL

Going back in sonic history looking for memorable albums…

21 June 2018

Band: THE VERVE

Album: A STORM IN HEAVEN

Released: 21 June 1993 – 25 years ago today

ALL MUSIC wrote: “The group’s 1993 full-length debut, ‘A Storm in Heaven’, was based on buoyant, extended psychedelic passages. Looking back today, it was an interesting and original musical direction, since at the time, angst-ridden Seattle bands (and their many copycats) were all the rage. A fine debut, the important connection between the Verve’s expansive early work (1992’s self-titled EP) and their later worldwide pop hits.”
Score: 4/5 – Full review here.

TURN UP THE VOLUME says: Far-out longplayer in sound and vision. Add Richard Ashcroft‘s imposing voice and his state of madness and what you got was breathtaking psychedelic paranoia.

TOP TRACKS: Slide Away / Star Sail / Blue

* SLIDE AWAY – way-out, sky-high…

* BLUE – spiritual rocker…

* STAR SAIL – insane live rendition…

The exorcism in full…

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THE VERVE Facebook – Biography – All Albums