Ash formed in 1992 in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, by childhood friends Tim Wheeler (vocals, guitar), Mark Hamilton (bass), and Rick McMurray (drums). Although their music is associated with Britpop, a movement emerging at the time, the group also drew influences from hard rock, punk rock, and grunge. Nirvana, Mudhoney, and the Pixies are some of the bands that served as inspiration for the group.
In 1994, the band released their debut album, Trailer, on Infectious Records. That same year, Ash was invited to open for Elastica on their UK tour.
The album 1977 — this title refers to the year Wheeler and Hamilton were born, and also the year the film Star Wars was released— was released in 1996. The following year, the band became a quartet with the addition of guitarist Charlotte Hatherley. The group subsequently released the albums Nu-Clear Sounds in 1998 and Free All Angels in 2001.
In 2004, the band's fourth studio album, Meltdown, arrived. In January 2006, Charlotte Hatherley left Ash, which returned to its trio form. The following year, the band released Twilight of the Innocents, an album announced as the band's last, after which they began releasing only singles. These singles were compiled into two volumes, Ash - A-Z Vol. 1 and Ash - A-Z Vol. 2, released in 2010.
The band returned with a new studio album, Kablammo!, in 2015. Subsequently, the band released Islands (2018), Race the Night (2023), and Ad Astra (2025).
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