ASH: The Greatest UK Chord Sequence Of The 1990's
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- Produced by Owen Morris, recorded at Rockfield Studios, 'Goldfinger' by Ash is quite possibly the greatest British chord sequence of the 1990s.
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Many thanks, JH.
Tim is often overlooked as a songwriter. He wrote this album as a kid.
Vocals are awful. I'm an Ash fan. First gig.
@@19grand As you can see we are both Stone Roses fans - we don’t watch a band because of the singer’s vocal range. It’s more than that.
@@TheDandob1982 it's a part of the band. You can critique a band and still like 'em. I would add that you can do a 'work around' sometimes. Harmonies or whatever.
@@19grand Tim’s always had a shaky voice. It’s nothing new, that’s life.
It’s so good seeing Tim Wheeler and Ash getting the props they have always been due
Goldfinger is one of my favorite songs ever. I got so excited when I saw Ash in the thumbnail. I just knew it had to be this song. It was so fun hearing it broken down. Those chords are so beautiful.
This was always my favourite song during the brit pop days. It's wonderful all these years later to know there was something magical within this song, something I always knew but couldn't express. thank you.
Loved Ash and the 1977 Album, Goldfinger is a beautiful song, my kids love it too ~20years later!
Thanks for this, remember playing 1977 and this track in particular during my first week at University. Still play it to this day , decades later, the groove in the chorus is irresistible, like many of the songs on 1977 it evokes and reawakens something inside, takes me right back to being 18, like a magic trick.
Girl from mars brings back some great late teen memories for me. 👍
We were so blessed in the 90s. 1977 is a great album
Sony Walkman in hand, 1977 on cassette. 20 b&h, a bottle of cheap cider, a sunset on the beach. Memories of my youth.
I know a lot of ash fans don't like Charlotte but she had some amazing solo songs, behave and Kim Wilde etc...just hearing ash is a nostalgia trip, loved this video
What? Me and my friends were big Ash fans and to a man, had a huge crush on her. And an totally unconnected appreciation of her musicianship 😐
She brought a lot to them but she was just kinda unnecessary. Especially to the teenage girls who were madly in love with Tim (yes I was one of them. Tim liking one of my instagram posts is still one of my most exciting social media moments ever 🤣🤣)
Thank you for talking about Ash, one of my favourite bands and, in my opinion, very underrated (I know this statement is overused nowadays). Great songs, moreover considering they were so young. Another band that I consider underrated are the lemonheads, I know they were quite famous, but not taken seriously. They got incredible songs. Greetings from Spain.
You're right that the term is underrated. More so in the oasis fandom in my opinion.
Purely because Noel wrote some excellent Bsides that people feel are "underrated" but in actuality it's just because they weren't album tracks or singles.
Recommend any lemon heads songs?
I got into them after playing Gran Turismo 3 religiously as a kid, great band
@@JG-gd3px rudderless if you’re looking for a great chord sequence
@@nicholasmooney9611 great pick friend! 'Bit part'could be another one, or 'Break me'.
Goldfinger is class. I love the song and it still sounds amazing today. I have seen Ash live in 4 countries now. Great Northern Irish rock band.
Best gig I ever went to was watching these boys headline one of the NME shows at the Astoria in 2000, Muse were the support band
Saw Muse/Ash on the Heineken Green Energy tour in Ireland a few months later. June 2001, Galway. Both bands were fantastic.
I learned about Ash from a a review in CMJ Magazine, and was instantly a curious Kansas high school sophomore. My birthday was coming up soon after, and I added it to my wanted gifts. I was over the Moon when I actually got it! 1977 is still one of my prized possessions.
A lot of Jeff Buckley's chord sequences are really interesting; lots of unusual jazzy chords not really used in rock/pop music. Lover you should have come over is a great example.
No distance left to run by Blur has a great chord sequence; some great chord inversions and unusual chords thrown in. Great playing by Coxon as usual.
I'm about a year younger than Tim; I remember hearing him interviewed on the Evening Session while I was doing my homework, and him saying he was taking a break from revision to talk to them. I was a teenager in a band, doing schoolwork while in my head I was on everybody's radio; here was a teenager in a band, taking a break from his schoolwork to be on my radio! It was just so damn exciting! We were going to take over the world!
Shockingly, I'm not a successful musician whose wistful blend of jangly 60s folk-pop and 90s alt-rock Americana took over the world, but the same butterfly-tingle of promise and opportunity still fills me whenever I hear these chords.
Lovely that
yawn
@@dd61125 🤡
Just off the top of my head, The Bluetones' "Talking to Clarry" could be the pinnacle. Absolutely love the Byrd's/Smiths-esque arpeggios.
Good call. That whole album is gold. Bluetones are class.
Bluetonic was kinda cool too.
Bluetones, 1st band I ever went to see!
I was (I think) 25 and had been playing for 10 years when that came out and it was really tough to figure out. Forgotten how awesome it was and that change to Em is incredible, thanks James for reminding me how good this was.
I absolutely love Goldfinger by Ash! My top 10 Britpop songs!! Thanks for the video, nice to see there’s a fellow Goldfinger fan out there! Only thought it was me! 🎸
Can you please do a deep dive into some Supergrass tunes? There's a lot of interesting stuff there - chords, melodies, production techniques....
Were and still are a fantastic band. Saw them a couple of years ago in Leeds and they blew the roof off!
Late in the day had some good chord changes
I was thinking the same.
Used to listen to this over and over again on cassette in a walkman when i was in school and learning guitar!!! first time i heard it in a lomg long time thankyou!
Unbelievable band still listen to them all the time
1977, is a great album because it crossed genres in a way and they were so young, great album!!
Good pick & a great subject. Some more interesting chord sequences:
Manic Street Preachers - I'm Not Working
Swervedriver - Stellar Caprice
Supergrass - Wait For The Sun
Blur - Oily Water / This Is A Low
Oasis - The Importance Of Being Idle
Radiohead - Just
Suede - The Big Time / Obsessions/ Jumble Sale Mums / Picnic By The Motorway
Also by Suede - High Rising
Suede: Asphalt World, Breakdown, Lazy, My Insatiable One, Young Men, Savoir Faire, Can't Get Enough
Maniacs: Enola/Alone, Yourself, Slash N Burn, Die in the Summertime, Archives of Pain
Blur: Charmless Man, Country House (actually weird)
Oasis: Go let it out, It's getting better man, All Around the World
@@bruceartur Really, Savoire Faire? "She live in a house, she as stupid as a mouse", that Savoire Faire? Dear oh dear!
@@awkwardhoors listen to the chords and tritons underneath 😉
@@bruceartur it'll be a mission cos I absolutely detest Head Music as an album. Another great Suede one is Digging A Hole, such a strange, dark wee tune.
Yes. One my fav songs since it came out. A song that is far greater than the sum of its components. I appreciate the drumming most of all. The drummer held back and let the song breathe.
I remember hearing loose control for the first time and it blowing my tiny mind..!! Also falling asleep while listening to the album and waking up to the sick track 😂😂
Tim Wheelers knack for melody was amazing. I remember watching the same episode of ‘Later’ trying to work out what the hell Tim was playing. That Silver Gretch guitar completely suited the song too.
Hurricane #1 step into my world Andy Bell Outro is Mind Blowing!!!
The second I saw the thumbnail and the title I knew exactly what it was lol That chord sequence is so satisfying.
saw ash last month they were supporting liam gallagher they really got the crowd hyped up
1977 came out during my second year at university and pretty much soundtracked the rest of my time there. I was learning the drums at the time and Goldfinger was one of my favourites to play along to.
I really like the chord structure and riffs on Animal Nitrate.
I got this song on a compilation album call "Alternative Summer" back in 1997, and I've always thought it was a special song because of the odd chord/key changes. Thanks for taking the time to do a proper analysis of this great song.
Lovely vid. Thank you 👍 "Goldfinger" is a classic.. There were so many great songs during the 90s that I could mention that used unusual atonal chord changes. Radiohead, Manics and Supergrass had a good few. My own favourite is Duel by Swervedriver.. It's got everything, change of pace, change of key.. It's pure elation 😍😍
I only know about them because Lose Control was on the Gran Turismo soundtrack, and I loved that song!
My fav from 1977, brings me back to high school times. This technical analysis is very interesting, never thought had such a complex progression.
Shining light best love song of the 90s
Really interesting video and an epic song. What I also love about the recording of this track is the sound of a Filtertron bridge pickup into a Marshall. Malcom Young of AC/DC used this sound for decades and everyone just assumed the guitar sound was a regular old Gibson humbucker. Also Pete Townshend also started recoding with a Filtertron from Who’s Next onwards. Got a much more bitey sound that really cuts through the mix.
Interesting snipet of gear info. The pickup sounds scooped/ phasey, this could the pickup or stomp box? cheers
First single I ever bought, on cassette too…. Magic
"Question mark "... is a great way of describing that chord.
Never heard of the song before but I am definitely a fan now. Really good break down i would to see more of these using music theory really helps to give me a good understanding of what goes into making the music. 💯✌️
Thanks for reminding me of these guys (& later gals..) I had all their early CD's! - Gonna go listen on Spotify now
Goldfinger is an absolute banger. like, seriously on my short list of all-time favorites. I really thought that the band who made this tune would have had a lot more songs that I'd like, but I never took to anything else they ever did.
When I was a teenage song writer I used to be really psychedelic with chords and key changes because I knew loads of chord shapes and next to no theory.
I think this is why 'first albums' by young bands often sound cool. They haven't learned to pin everything to a diatonic key.
I agree, not knowing theory means you're not chained to rules as much and can discover, create something truly unique.
Thanks for turning me onto this song. It’s a GEM!
I'm a huge fan of Ash and I think Tim Wheeler is an amazing musician and songwriter. And I can proudly say that I've met him and Rick and Mark a few times too. Nice blokes and a brilliant live band too.
Could not agree more. Imagine writing anything remotely as good as the likes of Goldfinger, Girl from Mars, Shining Light or Candy. Seen them several times live but the best one was 2004 at Leeds Uni. Went there with a stinking cold and only on the Red Bull; came out cold-free and totally buzzing! Old James Nesbitt was also there off his tits, by the way.
Ash is criminally underrated. They're one of the best acts to come out of the 90's in my books and the best to come out of the 90's was undoubtedly Brit.
I’m only 19 right now and they are my biggest songwriting inspirations. So good
Hi James. I just pulled out my Fender and played this for the first time in 20 years and I can tell you, after the Cm, F part (before the uh oh oh) its an E7 not an E minor chap. Try it. Makes more sense with the vocal melody as well, as a dominant seventh not a minor. Cheers and happy strumming!
Was genuinely listening to goldfinger yesterday and though what a great tune! Shining light is also a belter!
It's a fantastic song. I bought the single on cassette from Woolworths back in the day.
Bought this single in Australia at the time of release. Still gets rotation in my playlist 👍
my mate tobes is mad on this song now thanks to you! it's entered into his acoustic repertoire.
Totally agree, that chord change just before the chorus is fantastic.
1977 is a really good album. I bought it when I was about 15, and I still listen it regurlaly
The best chord change for me is in Straw’s ‘Sailing off the edge of the world’. Sublime.
Straw were a great band and sadly so overlooked.
Love Goldfinger!
One of my favourite songs of that era.
I've met Tim. He's a really nice guy. He played with Ash at The Kasbah in Coventry and the bassist from Blok Party was standing in for their usual bassist. Tim came out the back of the venue where I was and I told him how much of a fan I was, and that it was my 23rd birthday. He chatted with me for a while and took one of the bassist's Ernie Ball string wrappers and wrote a birthday greeting on it and signed it. So awesome! I became a fan of Ash a long time ago when I heard their music in the Burnout and Gran Turismo video games :)
Thanks for talking about Ash James 1977 is an album I hold very dear to my heart and I played it to death in 1997 as a kiddywink :)
This is one of my favourite songs. Can’t believe you’ve made a video on it. Great watch as always!
Always loved Goldfinger, loved Charlotte on guitar and Ten Mile Smile is awesome 😀😎👏👏👏
It’s a banger of a song. Top 10 of the period
I saw the title and thumbnail of this vid and _pretty much_ knew exactly which song it would be :)
Don't forget to buy Free all angels too!
Love Ash and it was great how young and funny they were. There was an hilarious interview on MTV2 where they were talking about Graham Coxon being weird that used to crack me up!
I actually messaged Tim a few years ago on Insta and asked how the hell he came up with that Chord structure. He replied and said..Thanks - really appreciate it.
😂😂😂
Ash so damn underrated these days. Free All Angels and 1977 are legit great albums and Intergalactic Sonic 7's is one of the best of collections you can get. I don't think they ever quite reached the heights of their first four albums but A-Z collection had some great stuff on it worth checking out. Some excellent songs and Tim Wheeler is a underrated songwriter. Shining Light is one of the best songs of 00's.
I always seem to catch them these days as 2nd to 3rd band at festivals and it's a shame they've never got picked up by the next generation of music fans like Supergrass did.
Wonderful band. A favourite from my youth. 1977 is one of the great indie albums of all time.
Thanks for doing this video - like you, I was a teenager when this came out, and it was one of my favourite songs, precisely for the melody, which stood out from other songs.
I must have been 8 and 1977 was the first album I properly fell in love with.
Wow, Ash!! A bloody great band I got into years ago after hearing "Kung Fu" and "Girl from Mars". Saw them live at y-not and they were brilliant, no one knew the songs but they enjoyed it. This one sticks in my head and reminds me weirdly of Cardiacs, which if you haven't heard you need to.
I definitely hear Cardiacs in there! It's the magical drifting key changes that does it.
Yes indeed "Goldfinger" is one of the absolute best Britpop tunes.
Really informative. I remember when I knew no theory and would come up with some really interesting stuff and chords I couldn’t name that just sounded “right” because of the music I listened to all the time. I think there’s a lot to be said for it until it holds you back.
Thanks for the fascinating video, James. 1977 was a mainstay of my university CD rack and it coincided with the time that I started to learn guitar. So very evocative! When I saw the thumbnail for the video, I really hoped it would be Goldfinger as it was one my favourite Ash songs and I recall it being an absolute a*se to learn for a guitar newbie due to all those barre chords!
loving this channel good work my man 💪
He knew enough theory that Em and A7 dont normally fit with Bb key chord but as you said, the real skill is weaving a vocal line over it. Fantastic songs
Thank you that was awesome! Classic. Great album.
Great song. I could never work it out on guitar as a kid so I knew there was something clever going on. Also, great drums on this one too. One of my drum practice pieces these days.
Ash were great, they really had something and it is great to hear you dissect the chords and theory to Goldfinger. Love it
Absolutely. Fantastic tune!
A life less ordinary, is probably their best work in my opinion
Ash are still going today. I saw them open up for Liam Gallagher in Belfast last month.
Loved this album from day 1 and remember them playing Oh Yeah and Goldfinger on the tour that supported it.
A few years back when they released Kablammo, they did a few instore gigs. One was at Rough Trade and I asked the band on twitter if I could bring another record with me to get signed as well as the latest. They said yes. When I presented my original day 1 release of 1977 in record/vinyl form Rick and Mark looked at me and asked if it was an original. When I said yeah, they had a quick word with Tim and they then said that they had never seen one before as whilst they were doing the promo for 1977 they were handing out CD's to people. Records/Vinyl were in the decline then and weren't flavour of the month. So when they all signed it, they kinda laughed and said its the first time they had signed the record/vinyl version of it.
Its staying in my collection. Might not be in pristine condition but its one of my fav albums of all time.
Absolutely loved this song back then! Was in my teens, in my first band, and I ripped off this song as well for one of our own tunes, especially the sus4 intro. Good memories.
Tim wheeler has seen your vid mate, he mentioned it at Herrington park sunderland tonight after playing it
James, great work as ever. Man, I love Ash and I love guitar theory vids (as a player). Tim Wheeler has written some great stuff over the years. I've always thought Ash were slightly overlooked compared with other BP bands. Seen them many times, latest was few weeks ago supporting Liam Gallagher in Belfast. They still deliver the goods. Their period with Charlotte Hatherley was excellent.
Such a great song
Knew it was gonna be goldfinger, matter of fact i just bought that on 7" before you made this video. Completely agree with you.
GREAT choice. Great hook but also an unexpected change midway through each part...the key changes you mentioned. Heavy band like the Foo Fighters. Listened to this over and over on an airplane when it was brand new.
Had the pleasure of supporting them in Belfast a few years back
Brilliant video man! Loved this album as a teenager. Couldnt afford all the glossy chordbooks back in the day. Nightmare tune to figure out haha
This guy makes awesome content. He puts so much work in. I for one really appreciate his vids, they’re excellent. If you don’t like, you don’t have to watch 😉.
I’ll keep watching 🙌
It's good to see you doing some non-Oasis stuff. There are a load of good tunes from this era to explore :-)
This album was so great, especially when you think they basically still kids when they made it. It's a shame Ash have kind of been forgotten these days.
F***ing great tune! Supergrass has some fantastic chrod sequences as well, the verse on "Moving" comes to mind. My favourite would probably be "Small Black Flowers..." by Manic Street Preachers.
“Late in the Day” had a lovely chord sequence.
@@Dreyno Yes ineed!
Soon as I saw it was Ash you were talking about I figured (hoped) it was Goldfinger, hugely underrated song overall, even with their discography, and great production too.
Sounds like Tim was thieving Slight Return but had to change it up a bit.
That is a tune... Underated to
The Bb/Em/A7 transition is actually one Billy Joel uses on Movin' Out off The Stranger, so Tim Wheeler put himself in great company utilising that one.
I saw Ash live in Bielefeld as a teen, Tim Wheeler is a massively underrated songwriter.
Charlotte Hatherley's solo work is also well worth a listen. The chord changes in Kim Wilde are a manic switchback ride.
Bastardo is a great song. The vocal melodies on that, good lord.
Loved Charlotte's guitar work. A Life Less Ordinary is a cracking track.
I love Ash. Massively underrated.