Richard's Castle

Or, timeless classics.

Last night, Nicci and I attended what must surely be the local concert of the year: Richard Ashcroft at Ludlow Castle. For all that Paul Weller last week was a joy, Ashcroft I suppose (and I say this reluctantly) has an epic quality in his best songs that can outshine even a master like Weller. Not that I really want to compare the two, both of whom have contributed in the best possible way to the cultural heritage of this country. Yet last night I was reminded once again of the extraordinary quality of those timeless Verve and early solo classics.

Ashcroft arrived in Ludlow at the end of a mammoth British tour, which, alongside last year's Oasis tour, has pushed him back into the nation's spotlight. And he was on great form, though his unique voice, understandably, was a bit gritty, and he really had to reach down deep to get the high notes. But for commitment, charisma and sheer talent he reigned supreme.

I'm still processing last night's gig. I mean, we actually had the Richard Ashcroft in Ludlow…

He opened with a trio of Verve classics - Sonnet, Space & Time, and Weeping Willow - before heading off into solo territory. There were no mis-fires. It was all fantastic. He performed all the Verve gems you could want, and great, great songs from his perfect, wonderful debut solo album too. A truly marvellous night.

Now, this morning, I find myself thinking again about those classic Verve songs from Urban Hymns. The four thousand strong audience sang in unison, as he knew they would. He worked with the audience, allowing them to sing snippets of classic choruses. A master stage showman. They knew all the words, of course.

So I find myself struck again by some magical quality - timeless, as I said above - that elevates Lucky Man, The Drugs Don't Work, and, yes, Bittersweet Symphony into works that, like Weller's best, the Sex Pistols’ best, and certainly The Beatles, form a kind of modern folk music. Most pop music is forgettable. But Beatles classics, Jam and Pistols classics, Verve and Oasis classics are all our new folk music, songs whose relevance will never fade. They say something, after all, about being human; often about being human in Britain.

What is that magical quality? Well, you readers of Play On will have guessed already I expect. Though the words are important - “Happiness. More or less.” - it is the melodies that carry the words. Ashcroft in his prime had a gift for melody that broke out on Urban Hymns and lasted until Human Conditions. And these days he can still write a great melody, though, inevitably, they don't arrive as often as they used to.

How lucky I am to have lived in the era of McCartney, Lydon, Weller and Ashcroft. How lucky to have those treasured folk songs forever in my mind.