Richard Ashcroft is contractually obligated to record another album for Parlophone. Ashcroft played a solo gig on 25 August 2008 as part of the Last Days of Summer Festival in Buckingham. The Verve broke up for a third time sometime between the last rehearsals in late 2008 and the summer of 2009. It was announced in August 2009 by a band's friend. A b-side compilation was considered a possibility, as Richard's team has asked the fans through his site about their feelings on such an album, but it's now very unlikely. In December 2009, Richard contributed the lead soundtrack song for the
Richard Ashcroft fourth solo album, "These People", which was released 20 May 2016. Chris Martin of Coldplay has described Ashcroft as "the best singer in the world". Ashcroft was the only son of office worker Frank and hairdresser Louise Ashcroft (née Baxter); he also has two younger sisters. His middle name, Paul, is also the name of a paternal uncle. When Ashcroft was 11, his father died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage. Ashcroft soon "fell under the influence of his stepfather", who belonged to the Rosicrucians. Ashcroft attended Upholland High School, along with future bandmates Simon Jones, Peter Salisbury and Simon Tong,