Richard Ashcroft thinks he can be the "biggest solo artist" in the country.
Richard Ashcroft
The former Verve singer is very proud of his upcoming fifth solo album 'These People' and thinks it is a starting point to propel him past the achievements of the likes of Adele, Ed Sheeran and his friend Noel Gallagher.
He said: "This album's gonna be the first step for a series of records, and I'm gonna establish myself.
"I believe the opportunity is there to be the biggest solo artist in my country. I don't care who you are - I don't give a s**t."
And the 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' rocker believes his songwriting back catalogue is more than a match for anyone else's.
He told Q magazine: "Anyone in the world who writes their own songs over the last 10 or 15 years, let's just play one song after each other, you do yours and I'll do mine - like a Top Trumps of songwriting.
"I'm telling you - I've got King Kong, I've got Dracula. Chewbacca is 'Bitter Sweet...' Fu Manchu - he's 'The Drugs Don't Work'. You know what I'm saying? It's a great pack. Come on!"
The 44-year-old rocker - who reformed The Verve in 2007, eight years after they split, only for them to go their separate ways less than two years later amid reports of in-fighting - insists no one else has the "elixir" he does when it comes to making music.
He said: "The excitement of being back in this tsunami of s**t is amazing. Because my juice, my elixir, is something they ain't got. None of 'em.
"I'm having to do press-ups to keep up with this feeling."
'These People' is Richard's first album since 2010's 'United Nations Of Sound' and features orchestration from Wil Malone, who worked on The Verve's 'Northern Soul' 'Urban Hymns', as well as Richard's 2000 debut solo album 'Alone With Everybody'.
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