The Verve

The Verve (originally Verve) are an English rock band from Wigan. The original line-up was formed by vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. The young men made a very singular sort of music combining traces of romanticism and mystique with a strong psychedelic spirit. Soon after the first performances and demo-records they signed a contract with Hut Records in 1991 and recorded their first studio releases in 1992, All In The Mind, She's a Superstar, and Gravity Grave. All three became quite a success among music experts thank to the multifaceted guitar performance by McCabe and singular vocals by Ashcroft. These singles occupied the first positions of the UK Indie charts. Besides, the band was warmly welcomed in the United States on the psychedelic music stages. The Verve's debut album was released in 1993 under the title A Storm in Heaven, but despite high appraisal from the critics it did not have a significant commercial outcome. The music of the album produced a deep neo-psychedelic impression on account of Ashcroft's vocals, sometimes strong and rough and sometimes gentle and ghost-like, and guitar genius of McCabe. Both singles from this record, Blue and Slide Away, topped the UK Indie charts.

The Verve's recognition was proved by the invitation to the largest U.S. alternative rock festival, Lollapalooza, in the summer of 1994. However, the band's affection to drugs and outrageous behavior at the hotel made a disaster out of a promising tour. Soon after that, the band was challenged for copyright infringement and forced to change the name from Verve to The Verve. The first release after the change in the name was the 1994 album No Come Down with b-sides and live performances. The recording sessions of the follow-up album, 1995's A Northern Soul, were accompanied by massive drug intakes and insane tricks of The Verve members' together with aggravated relationship between Ashcroft and McCabe. The new album's sound was much different from what the band had done before due to the rise of the Britpop and alternative rock trends. This record entered the market July 1995 and its singles performed nicely in the UK charts. Shortly after the release, McCabe left The Verve. In 1997, he returned to the group leaving the differences with Ashcroft behind. At the same time, the band was reinforced by keyboard and guitar player Simon Tong.

By early summer 1997, The Verve finished the recording of the third album. Urban Hymns brought band the so long expected commercial success. It was a great smash both in the UK and in the USA. Singles Bitter Sweet Symphony and The Drugs Don't Work are still worldwide hits. Yet in 1998, the band again appeared on the brink of collapse. The Verve had to cancel a promoting tour due to Simon Jones's ill condition, and this was only one of the reasons for the breakup. As The Verve continued performing McCabe stated that he could no longer live on the road and quit the group. A sudden substitution for B.J. Cole was a complete failure for he could not follow McCabe's unique guitar standards. Finally, in April 1999, it was announced that The Verve had split up. It took the band's fans several years to receive good news about The Verve's reunion in summer, 2007. They came back in the original lineup and started active touring. With single Love Is Noise released in June, 2008, The Verve prepared the audience for the new album Forth officially available in August.