In 2007, Ash announced they'd be releasing only singles from then on with that year's 'Twilight of the Innocents' their last full 'album'. No one really believed them, so to prove they meant business, they set about releasing the 'A-Z Series' of 26 singles, released at fortnightly intervals over a year from October 2009.

To coincide, Ash announced an A-Z Tour where they would play dates, in order, in places beginning with A, B and so on. The dates started in Aldershot on 19th October and ended at Zennor in Cornwall on 23rd November. Very clever stuff. Except for X. With no suitable X location available, Ash played Exmouth as 'X' on 21st November, which worked out well even though it is cheating.

Those 26 singles are available now in a handy, single download compilation - or 'album' - and include half a dozen radio hits. There's no word on the commercial value of playing Zennor village in Cornwall or releasing just singles, but it certainly makes for an interesting tale. And, in any case, there's always the world tour to pay the rent with.

Which is where Ash have been. A series of June European dates - including two in Northern Ireland on the 7th and 8th - are followed by a performance at the Nano-Mugen Festival 2011 in Yokohama, Japan, on 16th July before returning to play the Tramlines free festival in Sheffield (24th July).

Before an appearance at the Independence Festival in Cork on 30th July, Ash have announced they will be doing four England dates with York, Coventry, Bath and Southend being July's lucky letters. Tickets for the new dates are available now, starting at around £15.