"Weeping Willow" (Instrumental Jam)

A drone and groove re-invention of a Verve masterpiece.

Blue Pacific Ocean

Fan-made video with alternate (extended) ending.

Black Ships update

Follow the band on Twitter: http://twitter.com/theblackships

Be ready for next year

In the latest Richard Ashcroft update, Ashcroft says he will soon be getting off the computer to "do other things," which presumably means getting back into the studio for the follow-up to 2006's Keys To The World and last year's Forth with The Verve. He ends the update saying "will all the lovers keep loving and I will see you on stage next year with a new album. Peace RPA."

"Holy Are You" at London's Royal Festival Hall

In case you missed it (because I certainly did), what do "Holy Are You," one of David Axelrod's first major hits (done for the Electric Prunes) and vocalist Richard Ashcroft from The Verve have in common? Fans will know the song as The Verve used to (and still do) take to the stage with "Holy Are You" playing in the background. In the clip below, it only seems appropriate that Richard Ashcroft would nod to Axelrod by gracing his concert and singing the song. Recorded March 17, 2004 at London's Royal Festival Hall. Enjoy.

Liam Gallagher draws in the stars for Pretty Green party

Liam Gallagher's launch party for his Pretty Green clothing label took place in London on Saturday night (November 7), drawing in a host of the former Oasis singer's celebrity friends. Among those who turned up to the bash at Kensington's Gore Hotel were boxer Ricky Hatton, Kasabian, TV presenter Holly Willoughby, Richard Ashcroft, Sugababes' Heidi Range and Miles Kane (The Sun).


More images can be found here and here. Article here.

'The Verve dot info' website to be incorporated into 'The Verve Live'

Recently, The Verve dot info website went offline. After having been around for numerous years, it became a ghost site around the time The Verve reunited in 2007. The site is now gone with no plans of returning in its present state. Many will remember the site for its generous information on the band, pictures, bootleg covers, forum, and band gigography.

However, not 'all farewells should be sudden.' The site is not lost. The Verve Live has acquired the website and plans to relaunch it later this year so that all the work and information put into the site will not be lost and fans will be able to enjoy the website's content once again.

Black Ships + Richard Ashcroft + site update

Three quick updates.

First, this just in from The Black Ships: "More Black Ships news to come soon...We're in the land of pre-production."

Second, in response to many Birthday wishes, Richard Ashcroft wrote back on his Brain blog: "Thank you all so much for your Birthday wishes and continued contributions to the site through Brain. God bless and be ready. Richard." Something is in the works.

Third, I lost a few images (or maybe more) on the site a few days ago. I just need a free afternoon to make the necessary fixes. No, the site isn't falling apart to neglect!

Verve celebrated 15th Anniversary of 'A Storm in Heaven'

This just in. It turns out that The Verve, along with their wives and girlfriends, stopped by Sawmills Studios for the 15th anniversary of 'A Storm In Heaven.' Article below, but it isn't solely Verve related, think Law:

The Law are ready to cause chaos

BLAAM! The fire extinguisher comes crashing down and there's a metallic clang as the padlock comes flying off.

A flurry of arms grabs the door and it's quickly wrenched open. Behind it are cases of lager, spirits and wine - enough booze to make even Mötley Crüe feel a bit queasy.

"We're in," grins the ringleader as he lays the extinguisher on the floor and eyes the prize.

This is the tuck shop at the world-famous Sawmills Studio. Some of rock's most notorious wildmen - including The Verve, The Stone Roses and Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant - have taken advantage of its stock to help inspire the recording process.

But in 30 or so years, the storeroom at the remote Cornwall studio has been broken into on just TWO occasions.

The first was in February 1994 when the then unknown Oasis found themselves feeling a bit parched while recording their debut album Definitely Maybe there.

It took another decade and a half for it to happen again. But this time there was no point in calling The Law . . . they were the ones responsible.

"Our management got a huge bar bill," sighs frontman Stuart Purvey. "We drunk the place dry." But the Dundee outfit, who were at the studio recording their debut album A Measure Of Wealth - out this week - admit they quickly came to regret the error of their ways.

"We miscalculated," confides bassist Simon Donald. "The studio was locked up for the weekend and they asked us how how much booze we wanted from the tuck shop before they locked it up.

"But in no time at all, we'd drunk it all, and after we'd run out, we kept thinking about how much there was behind the tuck shop door.

"So we screwed it . . . and ended up drinking until 9am. We thought that, because it was a Sunday, we'd be able to sleep it off. But a couple of hours later, The Verve turned up.

"It was exactly 15 years since they'd recorded their debut album A Storm In Heaven at the studio so they'd dropped in with their wives and girlfriends to reminisce.

"They're one of our favourite bands so we couldn't just lie in our beds - even though we were feeling really hungover."

No strangers to the path of rock'n'roll excess themselves, the Wigan rockers recognised kindred spirits and cheerfully overlooked the tell-tale signs of a weekend-long bender.

Six-string virtuoso Nick McCabe chatted about guitars with his Law counterpart, Stevie Anderson. Meanwhile the Tayside band's drummer Martin Donald talked to Verve sticksman Pete Salisbury, telling him: "On some of our album tracks, we've been using the same snare drum The Stone Roses used to record Fool's Gold. It sounds amazing."

"It was great to meet The Verve," says Stuart. "The trouble was that we were feeling wrecked and really terrible so we probably didn't appreciate it as much as we might've."

Source: News of the World, Article by Tim Barr

The Lion Man update

Richard Ashcroft's website has been updated once again, this time to 2.0. The last interface was difficult to navigate, but this time around it is much improved.

http://www.richardashcroft.com

Live aus dem Schlachthof...!?!?

This popped up out of nowhere. Rare footage of The Verve performing "Slide Away" on a German TV talk show called 'Live aus dem Schlachthof.' It also shows the beginning of "Stormy Clouds" as the credits roll. Presumably later that evening, the band performed at the Schlachthof in Frankfurt, February 25, 1994. Thanks to the uploader.

More rumors

Hold back on cuing "History" for the moment; though news of a breakup has spread like wildfire, no one has officially confirmed it yet.

A simple Google search uncovered further reports (about 20) here, all quoting MySpace or the Mirror yet again. In addition, Pitchfork's report here, Guardian's here, and Audio Scribbler's report here.

If The Verve have indeed split again, this will be their third. The band split up initially in 1996 and then again in 1999, but reformed in 2007, releasing an album 'Forth' and headlining the Glastonbury Festival the following year.

V Festival curse anyone? Ironically, the band's last UK show the last time they split was the 1998 V Festival.

Putting some Verve into it

The Verve drummer Peter Salisbury helped children get into the beat at a play scheme in Buxton last week.

Peter – an original member of the band whose hits have included the anthemic single Bitter Sweet Symphony – led a rhythm and rhyme workshop for children at the Fairfield Center, alongside local musician Pete Proudlove.

Derbyshire county councilor Tracy Critchlow said: "It was great that an internationally-renowned musician was willing to give up his time to share his expertise with young children and their families.

"The rhythm and rhyme session was brilliant fun for the children and their parents and carers."

Source: Buxton Advertiser

Backstage celebs at Glasto

Nick McCabe appeared at this years Glastonbury Festival, as a punter. Listed on the right hand side text here.

Black Ships 2010?

The Black Ships have not officially announced any recording or live performance plans, though it is thought they may be shooting for a 2010 release for a debut album.