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Richard Ashcroft Compares Verve Reunion To Led Zeppelin

In candid interview...

The Verve's recent reformation “is the closest thing white lads have got to a band since Led Zeppelin”, according to frontman Richard Ashcroft.

Speaking to the BBC, Ashcroft also also described it as being “as fat as (funk musician) George Clinton”.

The band's reunion last year came as a surprise to many of their fans following their acrimonious split in the late 90s.

But Ashcroft said that the original line up each shared the same ambition to play their old songs and perform in front of big crowds again.

"That was one of the motivations for me, to get to those points again like when you have those brief moments onstage when you think, 'Wow this is great',” he said.

Glastonbury 'Bungee Jump'


To date, the band's biggest performance since their reunion came at the Glastonbury Festival in June where they headlined the Pyramid Stage alongside Kings of Leon and Jay-Z.

Ashcroft said their performance on the Sunday night was "the biggest bungee jump I've done for a long time."

"It was one of the concerts that gave me a longer buzz than others definitely. It's almost like doing extreme sports or something,” he said.

"I've never donea bungee jump because I don't need to and that's what that performance was about, it was about jumping out of the aeroplane."

The Verve will release their new album, 'Forth', later this month.

You can see pictures from the band's Glastonbury performance below, in addition to more detailed highlights from the whole festival.

Glastonbury in photos: Day One - CLICK HERE.
Glastonbury in photos: Day Two - CLICK HERE.
Glastonbury in photos: Day Three - CLICK HERE.
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(6)
  • Led Zeppelin are the kings of the Beatles/Stones/Hendrix/The Who category. The Verve however, are in the Toploader/Chumbawumba/Shed 7 bracket. In short Mr Ashcroft, fuck off.

    ~ by Levon Helm 8/6/2008

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  • What an utter twat. At least Noel Gallagher is funny - the only amusing thing Ashcroft has ever done is try and break into a youth club.

    ~ by Northern_Mole 8/7/2008

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  • The Verve. Well known for having a hit with a Stones riff and...er...that’s it. What a dick.

    ~ by Geoff Webb 8/7/2008

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  • underated band... great albums... too long forgotten... urban hymns their low point

    ~ by me 8/7/2008

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  • hahaha thats ridiculous. what a twat

    ~ by g 8/8/2008

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