RICK McMURRAY: THE HEARTBEAT OF ASH STILL HITS AS HARD AS EVER.
Interview by Paul Marshall
There are bands that survive because they know how to reinvent themselves. Then there are bands like Ash, groups whose chemistry was so undeniable from the very beginning that time has simply sharpened what was already there. More than thirty years after three school friends from Downpatrick, Northern Ireland first plugged in their guitars, Ash remain one of alternative rock's most enduring success stories.
Ahead of Ash's long-awaited return to New Zealand for their ‘1977’ 30th Anniversary Tour, I sat down with drummer Rick McMurray, the engine room behind classics like Girl From Mars, Goldfinger, Burn Baby Burn and Shining Light. What followed wasn't just another promotional interview. It was an honest conversation about longevity, passion, musicianship and why, after three decades, Ash still genuinely love doing what they do.
Rick immediately takes me back to 1992.
"We all met at school," he recalls. "I was a year above Tim and Mark, but once we got together everything just seemed to gel quite nicely for us."
It's an almost understated description for the birth of one of Ireland's most influential alternative rock bands.
When I ask what their teenage selves actually got right about being in a band, Rick pauses before saying.
"That's an interesting question. I don't think we've ever had that one before."
His answer reveals everything about Ash's DNA.
"One thing we got right was the energy. Once the three of us found each other, we had all this energy that came across back then. We probably had difficulty controlling it in the early days, but it definitely made us stand out."
That youthful urgency became the fuel behind 1977, the remarkable debut album released while the band members were still teenagers themselves. Even today it remains one of the defining guitar records of the decade.
The Secret Ingredient.
Thirty years is an eternity in rock music.
Most bands barely survive a few album cycles before egos, exhaustion or changing tastes pull them apart.
So what keeps Ash sounding unmistakably like Ash?
Rick doesn't hesitate.
"I think Tim's just had this knack with melody. Those memorable melodies."
He's referring to vocalist and guitarist Tim Wheeler, whose songwriting has always balanced huge hooks with emotional honesty.
But melodies alone don't keep a band together.
"I think personality-wise we had something right. There's a lot of bands out there that wouldn't even get past one decade, never mind three."
Then comes perhaps the most revealing moment of our conversation.
"We're always excited about what we do. It never gets boring. Even though we're playing some of the same songs we've been playing for thirty years, we always get a kick out of it."
He laughs.
"Maybe we're just like Pavlov's dogs. The minute you're in that environment it's just... bang."
That enthusiasm is infectious.
Music hasn't become a job.
It's become part of who they are.
"Music becomes part of your DNA," Rick says. "It's something that's very hard to let go of.”
Girl From Mars Never Gets Old.
There are bands who quietly retire their biggest hits.
Ash have never been one of them.
Rick says Girl From Mars has been played at virtually every show since it was written.
"We've never been one of those bands to shy away from playing the songs we're best known for. We get a buzz out of doing it as well. We love it as much as the audience."
It's a refreshing attitude.
Some artists almost resent the songs that made them famous.
Ash celebrate them.
And judging by audiences worldwide, its a testament to the band.
The Single That Got Away.
Every band has one.
The song they wish they'd released differently.
For Ash, Rick believes it's Lost In You.
Near the end of the 1977 campaign, the record label floated the idea of releasing one final single.
At the time the band declined.
Looking back now?
"Oh man... maybe we let that one get away."
Rick describes it as perhaps the most heartbreaking song on the record.
When I ask whether it still makes the live set, he smiles.
"It comes out on the anniversary tours for sure. It'll also occasionally rear its head if someone requests it."
For longtime fans, that's reason enough to hope.
The Drummer Who Quietly Became A Songwriter.
Many fans may not realise Rick received a co-writing credit on Angel Interceptor alongside Tim Wheeler.
"It was something I dabbled with in the early days," he explains. "Tim was under time pressure finishing lyrics and I helped him out."
He doesn't make a big deal of it.
In fact, humility seems to be one of Rick's defining characteristics.
But he casually mentions another project that deserves far more attention than it receives.
Burned As Witches.
Rick recorded every instrument himself before assembling a live band.
The debut record absolutely rocks.
If you haven't heard the lead single Hold Your Nerve, do yourself a favour.
It's raw, melodic and surprisingly heavy.
Perhaps most impressive of all, Rick played every instrument himself, a reminder that behind the drummer sits a genuinely gifted all-round musician.
Less Thinking. More Feeling.
I ask Rick whether his drum parts are carefully mapped out or simply happen naturally in the studio.
His answer reflects Ash's organic approach.
"We normally have demo sessions with rough ideas, but a lot of stuff gets finessed in the studio at the last minute."
He deliberately avoids overthinking.
"Once we're in the studio it becomes much more obvious what should be played."
Sometimes instinct beats perfection.
Favourite Song to Play Behind the Kit?
Without hesitation Rick chooses Orpheus.
"It's got some chunky riffs which are fun to play along to... and there's a bit of a drum solo going on in the middle."
I can see a slight grin appear on his face.
Looking Back Without Regret.
Would he replay early recordings differently today?
"Definitely."
But there's no embarrassment attached to that answer.
"If I feel like I've come up with something better live then I'll do it."
The recordings remain snapshots in time.
"I'm comfortable with it because it's a document of where I was at the time."
It's a wonderfully healthy perspective.
Perfection isn't the point.
Growth is.
Self-Taught And Proud.
One revelation genuinely surprised me.
Rick never really had drum lessons.
"I started out completely self-taught."
Apart from a couple of lessons later on, everything came through listening.
Even today, when he's not touring, he spends countless hours behind the kit simply maintaining his fitness.
The discipline hasn't disappeared.
It's only deepened.
Dave Grohl... And The Beatles.
When I ask who shaped his playing most, the answer comes quickly.
"Dave Grohl."
Long before Nirvana conquered the world, Rick was already paying attention.
"I'm not saying I can play like him," he laughs.
"But he was someone I looked towards."
Then he broadens the picture.
Ringo Starr of The Beatles.
Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones.
Because Rick began as a guitarist before moving behind the drums, he approached rhythm differently.
"I learned by listening to records and trying to replicate them."
Not copying note for note.
Finding his own interpretation.
That's perhaps why his playing has always felt so musical.
Technical Ability Isn't Everything.
As a drummer myself, our conversation naturally wanders into the finer points of drumming.
I tell Rick about me touring and working alongside Simon Phillips during his time with Toto, one of the most technically extraordinary drummers I've ever witnessed.
Rick immediately recalls hearing Simon discuss something deceptively simple.
Play toms with the bass drum beneath them.
Now play the toms alone.
The sound changes dramatically.
It's one of those tiny details only world-class musicians notice.
But Rick's takeaway isn't about technical brilliance.
"It's more interesting being unique than it is being efficient."
What a fantastic line.
"It's what gives your band identity."
That philosophy explains Ash perfectly.
They're not trying to impress musicians.
They're trying to make unforgettable records.
New Zealand Awaits.
Rick has always enjoyed visiting New Zealand.
This time, however, there'll be less sightseeing.
"We were due to have a day off," he laughs, "but another Japanese date swallowed it."
Still, he's looking forward to returning.
"I like getting out for a walk and seeing a bit of the city."
Simple pleasures.
The Perfect Anniversary Celebration.
Finally, I ask what New Zealand audiences can expect from the upcoming tour.
Fans are in for something special.
Rather than simply playing 1977 highlights, Ash are delivering the complete album before expanding the evening into something much bigger.
"We're going to give you a little bit of a mishmash."
Because while 1977 deserves celebrating, Ash have also released Ad Astra, which they haven't yet toured in New Zealand.
Expect nostalgia.
Expect new material.
Expect the hits.
Expect a lengthy encore.
"We'll try and cover as much as possible."
Final Thoughts.
Some interviews are memorable because of outrageous stories.
Others because of shocking revelations.
This one stayed with me because of its sincerity.
Rick McMurray doesn't speak like a rock star chasing relevance.
He speaks like someone who still genuinely loves making music with his best mates.
Thirty-four years after Ash first exploded onto the alternative rock scene, there is still no hint of complacency.
The excitement remains.
The curiosity remains.
Most importantly, the joy remains.
That is why Ash have endured when so many of their contemporaries faded away.
When the lights go down in New Zealand and the opening chords of Girl From Mars ring out once again, don't expect three musicians going through the motions.
Expect three lifelong friends doing exactly what they were always destined to do.
And after spending some time talking with Rick McMurray, I have absolutely no doubt they'll enjoy every single second of it.
Ash perform at The Tuning Fork in Auckland on Monday 14 September 2026.
Don't miss out, get your tickets now: https://www.moshtix.co.nz/v2/event/ash-‘1977’-30th-anniversary-tour /195202