Ash are announcing news of a Record Store Day vinyl exclusive release, “BBC Sessions 1994-1999”. With the last year enforcing the first serious downtime on the band, it also enabled them to find the time to trawl the archive to put together a RSD release with some real value, something that shines a light on their early development. This collection really highlights how they grew up in public, from Northern Irish underground garage band, through the years of the mad fame of the number 1 debut album, to the expansion of the line up and sound with the introduction of guitar legend Charlotte Hatherley. Some of these tracks are made available for the first time since they were broadcast 25 or so years ago, and include the voice of the late great John Peel introducing them for the PEEL Acres session in April 1999.
The band said: “Ash have been big fans of RSD for years. The event captures the excitement and buzz we all felt as kids trawling independent record stores for our favourite releases that were our teenage lifeblood. It’s also a huge deal for us to make our RSD debut with a BBC sessions record. Sharing of Nirvana’s legendary session appearances via cassette recordings of Peel’s show were a massive influence on us in the early days. Hearing their already stripped down aesthetic pared down to the absolute core was so special as was their inspired choices of covers. It’s such an honour to be able to reveal this side of Ash on vinyl for the first time, still following in our heroes footsteps all these years later!”
The numbered release is limited to 1000 copies on bright pink vinyl. It follows their compilation “Teenage Wildlife – 25 Years of Ash” which reached #1 on both the UK’s and Ireland’s Official Independent Albums Chart in February 2020.
Fans are advised to visit https://recordstoreday.co.uk/stores/ in advance to find their local participating shop.
Ash – BBC Sessions 1994-1999 artwork | Download image here
Side One
From The John Peel Session, Maida Vale 3rd April 1994
1. Petrol
2. Silver Surfer
3. Jazz 59
From The Evening Session, Maida Vale 14th October 1994
4. Girl From Mars
5. Coasting
6. American Devil
From The John Peel Session, Maida Vale 14th April 1996
7. Darkside Lightside
Side Two
From The Evening Session, Maida Vale 15th April 1996
1. Does Your Mother Know
Evening Session, Maida Vale 23rd September 1998
2. Wildsurf
3. Jesus Says
4. Who You Drivin’ Now?
From the John Peel Session, Live at Peel Acres 15th April 1999
5. Folk Song
6. Something Like You
Ash | Photo credit: Sophie Howarth
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