Northern Irish rock stalwarts Ash have released a brand-new double A-side single, Which One Do You Want? / Fun People (featuring Graham Coxon), offering fans another taste of their forthcoming album Ad Astra, dropping on 3rd October. The two tracks showcase the band’s versatility, with Which One Do You Want? leaning into shimmering jangle-pop melodies while Fun People barrels forward with angular riffs and Coxon’s unmistakable guitar and vocals. The Blur guitarist will also join Ash live on stage to perform both songs at the band’s upcoming shows at London’s Scala on September 9th and 10th.
Ash
Drummer Rick McMurray reflected on the long journey of Which One Do You Want?, explaining: “It dates back to the New York days, making it the oldest song on the album by far. Listening to it in isolation, it’s the perfect pop song. It swoops, it soars, it sings of desire. But it didn’t fit with the last record, and it didn’t fit with what we thought at the time was the next record. With hindsight, it could be seen as the hinge around which every album we release this decade rotates. It holds the past and future effortlessly in its orbit.”
On Fun People, McMurray added: “It’s been a while since Tim came to us with the most bonkers riff and declared it to be a pop song but I’m very happy he did. Somehow he’s managed to marry polyrhythmic chromatic riffs with massive hooks. What better way to underline that than to get guitar wizard Graham Coxon seething all over it? His sensibilities lend themselves so well to the angles of this song, as do his vocals. Sing along or scream along as the case may be.”
The release of the double A-side comes as Ash gear up for a busy few months, with UK instore appearances in support of Ad Astra beginning on 3rd October 3rd in Brighton and including stops at Rough Trade East (London), 2FunkyCafe (Leicester), Nottingham, Kingston, Liverpool, and Edinburgh. Several of these dates are already sold out.
Alongside the album release and instore run, the band have a packed touring schedule through late 2025 and into 2026. Highlights include shows across Japan in October, a headline appearance at the Shiiine On Weekender, and a full UK and Ireland tour in November and December, culminating with a return to Belfast at Ulster Hall. The new year will then see them hit the road again with dates across the UK in February.
Ash @ Wembley Arena
Three decades into a career defined by fizzing indie-punk anthems and inventive live performances, Ash remain a force of energy and evolution. With Ad Astra, they’re not just reflecting on their legacy—they’re setting the course for what’s to come.
Upcoming UK & Ireland Tour Dates:
SEPTEMBER 2025
9th – Scala, London
10th – Scala, London
OCTOBER 2025 – Instores:
3rd – Resident, Brighton
4th – Rough Trade East, London
5th – 2FunkyCafe (Truck Outstore), Leicester
7th – Rough Trade, Nottingham
8th – Circuit (Banquet Outstore), Kingston
9th – Baltic Jacaranda, Liverpool
10th – Liquid Rooms (Assai Outstore), Edinburgh
NOVEMBER 2025
14th – Shiiine On Weekender, Minehead
15th – Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
16th – Sin City, Swansea
18th – Boiler Shop, Newcastle
19th – New Century Hall, Manchester
20th – SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow
22nd – Bootleg Social, Blackpool
23rd – The Foundry, Sheffield
25th – O2 Academy, Oxford
DECEMBER 2025
5th – Mike The Pies, Listowel, Ireland
6th – Spirit Store, Dundalk, Ireland
7th – Róisín Dubh, Galway, Ireland
9th – Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ireland
10th – Dolans Warehouse, Limerick, Ireland
11th – The Academy, Dublin, Ireland
13th – Ulster Hall, Belfast
FEBRUARY 2026
6th – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells
7th – Junction, Cambridge
8th – The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
10th – Phoenix, Exeter
11th – The Trinity Centre, Bristol
13th – Grand Central Dome, Liverpool
14th – The Sugarmill, Stoke-On-Trent
15th – The Welly, Hull
17th – Epic Studios, Norwich
18th – Chinnerys, Southend
19th – O2 Academy, Birmingham
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