This is the first ever in-depth biography of Ashcroft, the bare-footed frontman for The Verve and also a highly successful solo artist.

As a young singer from Wigan, Ashcroft formed The Verve and released numerous critically-acclaimed albums – before their third record, Urban Hymns, turned them into one of the UK’s biggest acts. A legendary appetite for psychedelic drugs, coupled with massive songs such as ‘Bittersweet Symphony’, made Ashcroft one of Britpop’s biggest names. However, The Verve was a deeply volatile band and eventually, in 1999, they split acrimoniously; three solo Ashcroft albums duly followed. Then, in 2006, The Verve announced they were reforming for an arena tour and a brand new album, reigniting their incendiary story.