Richard Ashcroft wouldn't trade his songs 'for what Coldplay have achieved'

The ex-The Verve singer also believes his name will surpass his band's

Richard Ashcroft fronting The Verve (Getty Images)

For a time, Richard Ashcroft was one of the biggest names in British music. In the years following 1997, his band, The Verve, were headlining major festivals, the success of Urban Hymns and the single “Bitter Sweet Symphony” helping them achieve worldwide fame.

Following a grammy nomination in February 1999, the band split up, with Ashcroft already working on solo material. In 2000, his first record was released, Alone with Everybody, shooting to number one in the UK.

Two years later, Human Conditions peaked at number three, while 2006’s Keys to the World debuted at number two. The Verve also got back together for another record, Fourth, hitting number one.

Since then, Ashcroft’s career has remained rather muted, with his United Nations of Sound project not quite taking off.

At the same time as The Verve breaking up, a young band from Devon were just taking off: Coldplay. Chris Martin’s motley crew went from commercial (not necessarily critical) success to success, their latest album hitting number one in the UK and number two in the US.

So, does Ashcroft think his band should have followed the same trajectory as Coldplay?

“I wouldn’t trade what Coldplay have achieved for any of my songs,” he told The Guardian in a revealing interview. “I know Chris would probably give up a certain amount of his kingdom for ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’.”

Although the pair shared a stage at Live 8, Ashcroft isn’t a fan of “stars all going round together like one big elongated head”, preferring to connect with ordinary people.

In the same interview, he admitted that he would once again like to reach the same heights he hit in The Verve, even surpassing his former band: “You know, I set the bar pretty high, but I want to reach the summit again and enjoy it more this time.

“But I believe that in the end my name will be bigger than the Verve because of all those great tunes and the power of what I stand for.”

Ashcroft is currently promoting his new album, These People, out 20 May.