Richard Ashcroft (born Richard Paul Ashcroft, on September 11, 1971, in Billinge, Wigan, England) is best known as the front man of The Verve, which he helped form in 1989. After that band's demise in 1999, Ashcroft began his solo career, releasing Alone With Everybody in 2000 and Human Conditions in 2002. He performed vocals for the track " Lonely Soul" on UNKLE's 1998 release Psyence Fiction.
He is good friends with Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher and Coldplay's Chris Martin (whom Ashcroft thanks for 'letting me be myself again'), and occasionally plays as support at Oasis and Coldplay concerts, including the European and second UK legs of Coldplay's 'Twisted Logic Tour'. He recently described himself as 'the best support act you'll ever see'. The Oasis track "Cast No Shadow" is dedicated to him. Chris Martin introduced him as "the best singer in the world" when he performed " Bitter Sweet Symphony" (which Martin called "the best song in the world") with Coldplay at the London Live 8 concert in 2005. On his second album Human Conditions Beach Boys founder Brian Wilson guest stars with the song "Nature is the law".
Ashcroft is married to Kate Radley, ex- Spiritualized keyboard player.
Ashcroft's third solo album, entitled Keys to the World and recorded with the co-operation of London Metropolitan Orchestra, was released on 23 January 2006 on the Parlophone label. The first single from the album was "Break The Night With Colour" which was released on 9 January 2006, entering the UK singles chart at Number 3#. Around the time of the album's release, Ashcroft announced his largest UK tour for years for May 2006, culminating in three nights at London's Brixton Academy. Warming up for this tour he will be opening for the second half of Coldplay's tour starting March 14, 2006 in Ottawa, Canada's national capital.
