Richard Ashcroft a limited number of appearances in 2003, Ashcroft was absent from the music business for about two years. He later explained this in 2006, stating that "[e]veryone got it into their heads over the last few years that I was in my ivory tower like Lennon, baking bread all day. The fact of the matter was that I was bringing up kids". Ashcroft began playing gigs again in mid-2005, and, on 2 July at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, Coldplay invited him to perform with them during their set. They performed The Verve's hit "Bitter Sweet Symphony", after
Johnny Ashcroft of an airline sick-bag. It became the Salvation Army’s 1975 Red Shield Appeal Song. The ‘Sallys’ then became widely known as the ‘Salvos’. It's probable no other Australian country artist appeared on Top 40 Charts as frequently as Ashcroft. Ashcroft also wrote Australia's first female trucking song, "My Home-Coming Trucker’s Coming Home", recorded by Gay Kayler. It became a country hit, which was also programmed into general airplay. His 1978 "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" LP, included a faithful cover-reproduction of Fredrick McCubbin’s 1889 painting, "Down On His Luck". In another departure from modern country music, Ashcroft appeared on