Talk:Richard Ashcroft

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Contents 1 Birthplace 2 Influences 3 Birthplace 4 Songwriting style and controversy 5 stuff... 6 Richmond?

[edit] Birthplace

If I'm not mistaken (which I very well could be), Ashcroft's old hometown of Billinge is actually in the Lancashire part of England, and is a suburb of Wigan. If this is true, someone should change the first sentence to reflect that Ashcroft was born in "Billinge, Lancashire, England", not "Billinge, Wigan..." Perhaps a parenthetical statement about Billinge being a suburb of Wigan can also be added, since the city seems to be a major influence in his life. (He's a big fan of Wigan, who just recently joined the football Premiership). Davemcarlson 06:13, 14 May 2006 (UTC)

His 'Hometown' was Skelmersdale, Lancashire. Billinge, certainly, is NOT a 'suburb' of Wigan.

Ashcroft & The Verve have always said they are from Wigan NOT Lancashire. Interviews, the 1998 "HOMECOMING" gig at Haigh Hall in Wigan & CD covers in Wigan/Mesnes park all prove this. This article should not be subject to jealous Wigan neighbours trying to strip the town of any success. The band formed, practiced and found fame via Wigan and openly discuss this regularly and even did their homecoming gig in Wigan, Greater manchester in 1998. (NOT Billinge, Lancashire). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.33.132.231 (talk) 22:43, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Influences

Pardon me if I'm mistaken, but I believe one of his influences is Robbie Willaiams. Break the Night w/Color is an excelent example of this.

-I'd say it was the other way round, if anything ;) Pomtarr 13:00, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Birthplace

Billinge Hospital where Ashcroft was born was not in the village of Billinge. The hospital lay within the bounderies of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in an area called Billinge Higher End. The village of Billinge itself is in the Metropolitan Borough of St. Helens. The majority of people born in Wigan (both town itself and borough) were born in Billinge Hospital. You cannot be born "in Billinge" itself as the hospital is in the Billinge area of Wigan not the village. Additionally neither Billinge village (Merseyside), or the Billinge area of Wigan (where the hospital was) (Greater Manchester) are in Lancashire.

Billinge and Wigan are in Lancashire. Merseyside and Greater Manchester are also in Lancashire. .......

• 'Note that the LGA 1972 did not do anything to the historic Counties of Britain. It only abolished the administrative counties and county boroughs. The Government was (and still is) happy to confirm that the Counties themselves were unaffected...'

"The new county boundaries are solely for the purpose of defining areas of ... local government. They are administrative areas, and will not alter the traditional boundaries of Counties, nor is it intended that the loyalties of people living in them will change." Source:(DoE Statement, 1st April 1974). ....... (ABCounties)

• When Ashcroft was born, in Billinge hospital, in Lancashire, Billinge Hospital, in Lancashire wasn't in the Wigan Borough. Now that it is in the Wigan Borough, it is still not in Wigan. Wigan is in the Wigan Borough, as is Higher End where the Hospital used to be. Also, a couple of days after Ashcroft was born, in Billinge Hospital, Lancashire, his Mum took him home to Skelmersdale, in Lancashire. He gets really miffed when people say he is from Wigan.

• Good point is was in Lancashire at the time of his birth, however it still needs to be put down as Billinge, Wigan , Greater Manchester as that is where the site that the hospital used to be on is now. Also anyone born in Billinge Hospital after it became Wigan Borough is 'from Wigan', not 'Billinge', 'Billinge Higher End' or anywhere else. (the majority of the town was born in Billinge Hospital).

Q: IF A DOG IS BORN IN A STABLE, IS IT A HORSE ? (

• • • No but if the dog was born in Billinge Hospital it makes him a Wiganer.

Question: What is it with Wigan people that they actually believe that everywhere within ten miles of the place is also 'in' Wigan?

• Thanx for the Bernard Manning Quote. He talks sense doesn't he ?

Richard Ashcroft was born in Billinge and lived in Skelmersdale but he also lived in a flat above a pharmacy in Orrell which is considered by everyone in Orrell and Wigan (not just town centre Wiganners like me) to be a part of Wigan. When The verve started out they rehearsed, regularly played, lived in and went out to clubs like The Pier in Wigan. Ashcroft often refers to himself as being from Wigan just like many people who live a mile or 2 from the actual town centre. The Verves homecoming gig was at Haigh Hall in Wigan. The cover on the 1st single was in Wigan park. He has a Wigan accent. Some people have a problem with this but Ashcroft himsef doesn't. Bitter Sweet people from places like skem don't like this but so what ?

[edit] Songwriting style and controversy

Deleted section which said "The song contained a bell loop which bore similarity to a portion of an orchestral recording of the Rolling Stones' song "The Last Time". Contrary to popular perception, the "stolen" clip was not, in fact, "Bitter Sweet Symphony"'s highly-recognizable melody, and was only used for a minor portion of the song." because it is not true; the melody is from the Andrew Oldham Orchestra recording as anyone who as actually heard will tell you. I have replaced it with a slightly adapted version of the text from the Bitter Sweet Symphony article.

[edit] stuff...

deleted link to fabchannel because rights expired.

==

Got one major problems with this page. We need some more information about the Ashcroft penned songs which supposedly sound like others, ie "On Your Own" and "Make It Till Monday" Jack Parlabane 01:14, 24 February 2007 (UTC)

Songwriting style section should be either deleted or improved. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 200.89.191.118 (talk) 22:06, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Richmond?

It says on the Richmond, London article that Ashcroft lives here. —Preceding unsigned comment added by ArseneWanger (talk • contribs) 08:40, 15 January 2008 (UTC)