Richard Ashcroft, lead singer of The Verve, is working on new material

in a south London studio without the rest of the band. A publicist for The Verve said

Ashcroft booked studio time because he doesn't have recording facilities at home, but

that shouldn't be taken as an augury of the band's future. He said The Verve, whose

1998 tour of Europe and the United States was plagued by troubles (founding guitarist

Nick McCabe skipped the entire U.S. leg, citing stress), would reveal their plans

later this year.