Having finally gotten off the ground this year, music mag NME Japan brought fathers of fuzz-pop The Jesus and Mary Chain to Tokyo in February, and now follow up with another interesting name: former The Verve vocalist Richard Ashcroft.
Along with the Stone Roses and Oasis, Ashcroft's outfit was a central part of the British rock scene in the '90s, scoring big with 1997 album Urban Hymns – which included worldwide megahit 'Bitter Sweet Symphony'. After their 1999 breakup, Ashcroft embarked on a successful solo career.
These People, released in May this year to a positive critical response, is the still-energetic singer's fourth full-length disc. A testament to Ashcroft's penchant for crafting catchy, melodic rock fit for stadia without going too far over the top, it will surely form the basis for these upcoming Tokyo shows – his first solo gigs on these shores in 16 years.
