Ash From The Ashes

One of the great things about being in a band is that you can take your work anywhere. So when the Downpatrick band Ash felt they needed a change of scenery, they hired themselves a studio space in New York and started rocking afresh. Once again, they became familiar with big melodies and roaring guitars. They were finding inspiration in the tumult of Manhattan and in Tim’s case, discovering some romance there also.

I met up with the singer in December, filming some parts of a TV documentary on the roof of his studio building, just off 6th Avenue. It was ferociously cold, but he obliged us with thoughtful answers, humour and warmth. Ash has been one of the excellent features of Ulster music for the past 12 years and they’re surely going to continue that way.

As from today, you can download a free track from Ash, ‘I Started A Fire’. It’s a teaser for the new album and finds the band returning to the core three piece after the departure of guitarist Charlotte Hatherley. They’re playing with the gusto of teenagers and the savvy of veterans. It’s rather great.

I heard some of the rough mixes from the album and they include swooning ballads, lusty declarations and a perfectly massive closing track. We conclude that 2007 is clearly another vintage year for Ulster music, and it’s such a treat to hear the Ash contribution.

Click on www.ash-official.com to get your own free download.