The spectacular debut release from Ash, 1977, was a monumental album in the brit-rock scene, reaching No.1 within the UK and has since become a platinum record. The Northern Irish (NI) band smashed out the huge singles "Girl From Mars," "Kung Fu," "Goldfinger," "Angel Interceptor," and "Oh Yeah" on the album. Originally released back in the days when albums equated to vinyl, the trio followed the release of their mini album Trailer and a slew of 'classic' singles including their debut "Jack Names the Planets" and two precursors to 1977 - "Kung Fu" and the top 5 single "Girl from Mars." So named because the band members were born in 1977 (Rick was born in '76) and the year 'Star Wars' was unleashed on the world, that year proved somewhat pivotal in the early years of the band due to the passion for all things galactic be it the obsession with the film or song titles like "Angel Interceptor," "Girl From Mars." Released in the May of 1996 amid a flurry of critical and commercial success, not least because the band had barely passed their A-levels, 1977 was also home to a brace of other top 10 singles in the shape of "Goldfinger" and "Angel Interceptor" and heralded the arrival of Tim Wheeler as one the country's foremost songwriters at the tender age of 18.
