At The Verve's first-ever gig, I said that we were gonna blow this local band off the stage. It was only in the local Wigan paper, and they rang me to ask why I was being so aggressive. I just went, 'Hey man, it's like boxing. I'm just trying to sell a ticket.'

Richard Ashcroft

You look at the Blur comeback, it was so smooth - so smooth - compared to The Verve.

Richard Ashcroft

Some people have a God because they need faith, and that's fair enough.

Richard Ashcroft

I probably suffered from a narcissistic disorder in some way.

Richard Ashcroft

If I was a painter, I would have hundreds of finished and unfinished canvases in my studio waiting for people to see, and it is the same with my music. I've got so many pieces of music and songs waiting to be heard.

Richard Ashcroft

My job is to make grown men cry, to blow people's minds and elevate them, make them transcend and unlock emotions that have been repressed by life, their job, situation - that's what I do.

Richard Ashcroft

The Grime guys have kind of rewritten the blueprint for people as far as creativity, songwriting, ownership, doing your own videos... So they're sending out a real positive message I think to people, that you can do it yourself in a punk way, and you can still potentially be successful and get to people.

Richard Ashcroft

George Best was my idol. I got a chance to meet him once.

Richard Ashcroft

Life's about ego. So for someone to talk about my ego, as they are writing their piece about my ego, I'm wondering what they're doing with their ego?

Richard Ashcroft

I'm not one of those freaks who can't see anything past 1977.

Richard Ashcroft

We all have our daily prescription of yoga, football, religion, or whatever gets us through that day. My thing is music. It's the only thing that gives me a sense of calm and balance. It's the thing I know I'm good at.

Richard Ashcroft

Pop music might seem banal and simple to some people, but it's what it expresses that counts.

Richard Ashcroft

Just because something's kinda indie and whatever and only a few people know it, it doesn't give it more authenticity over Rihanna's 'Work' work work.

Richard Ashcroft

When you go onstage, the process of getting you from the dressing room to the stage is all about ego.

Richard Ashcroft

Other kids would be playing with their Action Man, and I was questioning life and society.

Richard Ashcroft

You know, rock n' roll's an old carcass: it's one big cliche. It's so difficult to do anything that has any sense of freshness or vitality or meaning. But that's what I'm trying to do, to give it new meaning.

Richard Ashcroft

The Richard Ashcroft of 1992 would have struggled to imagine the path my life has taken - he would be amazed at the changes in my song writing.

Richard Ashcroft

I don't like being told what to do.

Richard Ashcroft

Even if you're not releasing songs, the act of creativity is important. That's the part I love, when you're in the moment. The rest of it I'm not particularly interested in at all.

Richard Ashcroft

I have never had a bad review off a good-looking person.

Richard Ashcroft

I don't believe in a new-age movement; I'm not a hippy.

Richard Ashcroft