Hailing from Southampton, new Wah Wah 45s signing Ashley Thomas was raised on a diet of diverse music, absorbing the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Prince, Marvin Gaye, David Bowie and Parliament, to name just a few. He started playing drums at an early age, quickly followed by guitar, bass and later, piano. After moving to London to concentrate on becoming a professional musician, various major record/publishing companies seized on his talent for writing addictive songs. However, a broader, more underground approach appealed to his sensibilities. He set about combining the quality of 60s/70s soul/funk with the more contemporary sounds. His music can be characterised by a fusion of classic vocal hooks and syncopated rhythms held together by beautifully crafted song structures.

“When I starting writing songs my benchmark was Steely Dan. They’re classic songwriters. I feel like the art of songwriting has been lost somewhat, grooves rule these days, but I consider that only 20% of a song!” All this is adorned by distinguished vocals which, whether soothing or tearing the roof off, never fail to evoke emotion. His influences have yielded a unique vocal sound which is hard to pigeonhole. As a live artist, whether with a full band or a stripped down acoustic setup, his exceptional performances have led him to support artists such as Omar and Kezia Jones. Ashley simply has to be seen to be believed!!

Ashley’s debut single on Wah Wah 45s and album, A Tale Of Two Cities, are out now.