10 Britpop Bangers You Totally Forgot Existed

2. Ash – Kung Fu (1995)

Downpatrick three-piece Ash are a staple of the Britpop era. Their fast paced and punky songs, peppered with pop culture references and instances of adolescent fumbles, are some of the more joyous tracks to arise from the 90’s indie scene.

Appearing half way through their seminal album 1977, a record which boasts the classics Girl From Mars, Goldfinger, Oh Yeah and Angel Interceptor, it’s no surprise that Kung Fu often gets overlooked. But this two-minute rocket trip through Tim Wheeler’s homage to all arts martial is utterly wonderful.

“I can’t live without my kung-fu movies,” sings Wheeler as he references Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Fu Manchu and The Karate Kid. Preceding the track is a burst of fight sound effects, with the distant rev of a motorbike hot on its tail, proving that this lightning-paced, pounding guitar basher could have easily been lifted from a fight sequence in a Hong Kong action film. A blink-and-you’ll-miss it, fuzzy punk whirlwind of a track.

STANDOUT LYRIC: Last night Jackie Chan came round / I played pool with him then we hung out / Mr Miyagi and the X-Men called in for a while as well.