Talk:Richard Ashcroft

Birthplace

Some clever sod has put "Do not change to Greater Manchester, Wigan was part of Lancashire in 1971 when he was born". However, Wigan was just as much in Lancashire in 1971 as it is now, ie: not at all. Wigan has had self control since 1905 and has had nothing to do with Lancashire since then. Although, I see the point they are trying to make and, if they want to be so precise as to not include Greater Manchester, in 1971, Billinge (where Ashcroft was actually born) was an Urban District in Lancashire and under the control of Lancashire County Council. Wigan is a town bearing that name and Billinge is not part of it. In fact, I can't understand why the Verve is regarded as a 'Wigan band'. None of the band members are from Wigan.

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)

Found fame via Wigan????

They played more gigs in Manchester and St.Helens in their first year.

1990

August 15, 1990 Honeysuckle Pub, Wigan

1991

February 3, 1991 Boardwalk, Manchester

February 22, 1991 Boardwalk, Manchester

March 9, 1991 Institute Students' Union, Bolton

March 14, 1991 Boardwalk, Manchester

March 16, 1991 Citadel, St. Helen's

March 23, 1991 Mill At The Pier, Wigan

April 3, 1991 Citadel, St. Helen's

April 19, 1991 Boardwalk, Manchester

May 10, 1991 St. Catherine's College, Liverpool

May 17, 1991 Upholland Working Men's Club, Upholland

June 27, 1991 Boardwalk, Manchester

July 3, 1991 King's Head Fulham, London

November 2, 1991 Citadel, St. Helen's

November 5, 1991 Crown & Cushion, Bolton

November 25, 1991 Camden Falcon, London

Richard (dick) Ash (wolsten) Croft is where he got his name from. I'm sorry but it's a fact, it's a shame it has to come out this way but..

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

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 ?

Correct, Orrell is definately considered as Wigan. If any of you ever bought the 'This is Music' Best of album, on the back of the booklet inside is a picture of Richard stood on the top of a hill, facing into the distance. The passage on his back is '...Stood at the top of the hill over my town i was found. Finding myself used to be hard but no i see the light, this is music That hill infact is not billinge, it is Haigh hall, where the 98 gig was. Which is less than half a mile away from the town centre, if that. He is overlooking Wigan the borough refering to it as 'My Town' I aint changing anything but this should consider someone to do so... --Tukogbani (talk) 15:18, 11 February 2010 (UTC)

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.

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)

The whole section on the United Nations of Sound read like a giant POV love fest for these festering turds of songs.Dobyblue (talk) 18:21, 31 July 2012 (UTC)

I'd love to add a story to the article about how this arrogant, talentless bloke's "people" manhandled a viacom employee who declined to press charges against them, but his thuggish fans would probably cheer. duncanrmi (talk) 13:53, 25 April 2021 (UTC)

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Real name?

Richard Ashcroft aka Dick Ash Wolstencroft 80.3.117.89 (talk) 23:33, 4 June 2025 (UTC)