1977

1977 is the first official album by Ash, released in May 1996 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the following month in the US. The punk rock influenced album proved popular in the UK and Ireland, and to a lesser degree elsewhere, where Britpop was a smaller cult phenomenon. The title refers to a year of three events that shaped the band: the births of two of the band-members; the year the first punk albums were released; and the release of Star Wars. The album opens with the sound of a TIE Fighter, and ends with the track "Darkside Lightside", the title of which is a Star Wars reference, and which climaxes with a choral version of the Star Wars theme. The band also covered "Cantina Band", as the b-side to the "Girl From Mars"...