Life's An Ocean

Taken from the 1997 Later with Jools programme on BBC2.

[@ryanmchugh7840]

Probably Nick McCabe’s finest hour. The 29 people who dislike this can get straight in the bin.

[@sweetf2a]

It’s great. The only way anyone could criticise it would be to say it’s a little bit like “Life’s what you make it” by Talk Talk. Both are excellent imho.

[@TrailerHitchRVCenter]

God save the Queen.

[@lifeisstr4nge]

@@sweetf2a the fuck are you talking about, you deaf? sounds nothing like it

[@m.i.t.s6437]

The only live show I've ever seen where each member of the band steals the show individually, simultaneously.

[@sketcheadiscoming]

Fuck me. That’s one of the best live performances of any song I’ve seen!

[@JAPBKAYAKER]

so right.Absolutely incredible. For me Nick McCabe steals the show.

[@ShizzleNizzleBeck]

McCabe paints sonic landscapes and his style is worth 10 virtuoso guitarists. Give me McCabe over Bonamassa every day of the week

[@keanhewitt4892]

Second, third an fourth this statement! Top top class

[@kathleenrivera3715]

Talent ,ya he sure has it , one of the all time greats ,,😏

[@leonfrodsham4358]

too right man

[@gil.r1564]

@@kathleenrivera3715 sss! '5z. Z

[@gil.r1564]

@@kathleenrivera3715 sss! '5z. Z

[@bingefeller]

One of the greatest live guitar tones I've ever heard.

[@pickybleatinge3744]

Everything about this performance is incredible, but the guitar really is just on another level

[@joezen1693]

Well said...

[@jamesobrien1440]

Agreed. Reminds me of Robin Guthrie tones & effects

[@stevemilian668]

Imagined the future, woke up with a scream... I was buying some feelings, from a vending machine.

[@alexhyde8377]

Steve Milian truer words have never been spoken 20 years ahead of their time

[@ryanfatal]

social media and smartphones

[@grizcuz]

Yes, McCabe was undoubtedly a fantastic guitarist. Yes, Ashcroft had a great voice and wrote great lyrics. But listen to that rhythm section on this? OOF! Really tight, really powerful and very groovy. They wouldn't have been the same band without those 2 lads.

[@j.sherwoodowl4826]

100%

[@Destiny93134]

So true 👍

[@dirkrichter293]

On point thats right!!!!a great Band with the powerful Songs on every Album...love it

[@franciscopizarro9459]

100% agree, bass + drums made the band.

[@sean8102]

That fuckin bass! And of course McCabe is a magician on the guitar.

[@philipworkman33]

William Boardman Simon Jones on bass

[@timeismyeverything]

Favourite live performance of anything. Ever.

[@222Lightning]

WOW...............lyrics.......bass line........guitar........I remember this song in my life 1996. Time it slips away, pace yourself young ones. You don't need drugs to over come the deceit of this world. Discover god through music, early morning birds, spontanious kindness, night skys and written words

[@mustangmikep51]

beautiful words of wisdom...enjoy the trip....we are ONE family...

[@mustangmikep51]

nice to see someone who is AWAKE out there....god speed brother!

[@SamMelodyDealer]

Here comes the blue light

[@iamafish5]

one of the best musical performances ever committed to TV in my opinion.

[@titep1329]

checking in, still watching this years later! :) The guitar is out of this world.

[@lukefrench6856]

Their best track and this version is better than the studio take

[@adrianbeaumont6745]

Nick McCabe's guitar work is o another planet. The drums snd bass are so together funky groove dudes

[@midkollen]

This is absolutely stunning. Why didn't the Verve get the attention they deserve in the US? There is unbelieveable intelligence, complexity, and skill in this band. Maybe it takes a more sophisticated musical appreciation taste to understand how great this performance is. Twitter, Facebook, blog them, or whatever .... this is head and shoulders above the music we are spoon feed by the music industry. This is one american who repents for not giving the Verve they attention they deserve.

[@placidcasual9872]

This is the Verve I love - McCabe is on some different s.h.i.t!!!! next level guitar playing -funky, sky scrapping and melodic. Then you go Simon's super groove baseline and Ashcroft ridding it all with his mystic meandering baritone...... f*cking special I tells ya!!!

[@liammcalorum7973]

Placid Casual nailed it mate

[@liammcalorum7973]

I'm completely converted mate

[@danielfield9308]

Placid Casual Lol 4 sure man

[@ezrhino100]

Placid Casual yeah. Totally mystic and different level of musicianship. Oasis and radiohead be damned. The verve were on their own and got shoved into britpop land. They werent even a part of the scene other than the 'hit' song. But they lifted the game and made everyone better. Ashcroft is a uniquely gifted singer songwriter that comes once in a life. Mccabe is so underrated its laughable. Such is life.

[@JasonHFY]

I couldn't have said it better. I respect the talent (or lack) of the other bands, but Verve were on another level. And live, when they were at their best, they were untouchable!

[@greghall4520]

Here in 2022 still. What a groove. What a sound. Discovered another dimension of The Verve!

[@geraintgriffiths5711]

Still here ..I come back every few weeks ...a bloody masterpiece..

[@greghall4520]

It's a sonic magnet.

[@joezen1693]

​@@geraintgriffiths5711 Absolute masterpiece...

[@jamesobrien1440]

I remember watching this live on Jools back in ‘98 as a college student.

[@JAPBKAYAKER]

@@geraintgriffiths5711 so true...I keep coming back time and again to listen to this "Bloody Masterpiece". I wonder if Richard Ashcroft realises how how brilliant a moment this was! How brilliant Nick McCabe is!

[@JasonHFY]

I still find it unbelievable everytime I watch this. And I don't think it'll ever change.

[@donsmith2896]

Me too

[@scaftag]

At that moment in time on that show in 1997 the verve were probably the best band in the world..based on that performance alone..just pure perfection!

[@fruitycolax]

scaftag 1997 was probably Oasis just off the back of morning glory and releasing Be Here Now

[@lucasm3879]

fruitycolax When Be Here Now came out in August it got poor reviews pretty much across the board and was seen as a big anti climax after the build up. Then when Urban Hymns came out in September, it blew everyone away, and the Verve were seen as the number one band in Britain all the way through until they split in summer '98. When they played Haigh Hall in Wigan in May '98, that was like their version of Oasis at Knebworth or the Roses at Spike Island.

[@GhettomadnessUk2015]

I'm a big Verve fan but I'm pretty sure Radiohead were seen as the best band in the world at this time

[@majunior1944]

Smashing Pumpkins ruled the world from 1995-1997.

[@user-zp1ko4zg6q]

It’s mad how they played life’s an ocean really as it was never one of their mainstream songs. It does however highlight each musician at the peak of their powers

[@Ross8908]

One of the best live performances I've ever seen, perfect!

[@hobbyable1]

McCabe = Genius.

[@nicksmith7519]

mccabe genius....

[@urbanbadger7]

There is a balance between guitar and vocal here which is probably top of its game.mcabe and Ashcroft at their finest..spread the love

[@mustangmikep51]

yeh baby

[@RusholmeRuffian72]

Forget Urban Hymns, people. A Northern Soul is The Verve's masterpiece.

[@Locgevity]

Northern soul will always be legendary to anything. Urban hymns wasn't bad either.

[@matrags]

A Storm in Heaven was better than both imo.

[@dirkturrell6460]

Storm in heaven is amazing too! I don't really think they have any bad work lol

[@beadelf8158]

A storm in heaven and forth are the best

[@Meowsaidthekitty]

I agree 100%

[@winfernandez7622]

This live version is even better than the album version!

[@rodolfovalentino337]

This song reminds me of great moments on the beach, The Verve the best band of all time

[@andydufresne87]

Just listen how Richard sings. I mean, you can hear he was inspired, just flawless...

[@eliaol4231]

It's like you believe every single word that comes off his mouth

[@titep1329]

This is my favorite! McCabe is a legend! Wow!

[@BrianCronin56]

the best - one of the - top 5! mccabe !

[@Ververeid]

My favourite song of all time and always will be! Best version ever! I will be listening to this over and over til I'm old and grey :D. (God help the other people in the old peoples home when I'm blasting this out! ha ha ha!) xxx

[@heavensameskies]

Nick play the guitar like a boss and Richard sing like the best

[@paulbennett6006]

Spellbindingly good, incredible unique sound from a brilliant band..

This is music!

[@SteveZwemke]

Nick's guitar is like 10-80!

[@grahaml8838]

Nick Mcabe - Like having a genius octopus with 4 guitars in your band. Verve were the best band of the 90's. They should have been the best band ever. No other band could play live as a unit like they could

[@baxterdav78]

I saw them support Oasis at Earls Court in the year this performance was on tv,and they stole the night from them,was a week before UH was released aswell.Unreal

[@joezen1693]

Agreed, saw them back in the day. This is music! What else can one say?

[@Courageous39]

As a hard core The Verve fan - I'm so glad that time start to shape the greatness of this band. This band and Pink Floyd the best live bands i've ever heard/saw. Cheers ✊🏻

[@paolo-n2000]

so true....verve had the potential to reach pine floyd heights...too bad their band management was soooo poor...

[@Stevenafoe]

Watching this again.. in 2019.. slippery slide..

[@KevinLancewicz-ur1db]

Seeing the great Simon Tong is nice too. The whole band rocks this song with raw talent.

[@barrym9610]

Every fecken time I listen to this, it gets better. Seminal.

[@alexanaya6820]

This song is ETERNAL......🚀

[@franciscopizarro9459]

I always thought 2:23 was a simply perfect riff / transition in this song.....so good.

[@Grayzers78]

Absolute class!

[@ZanzibarBreeze]

“Nick McCabe coaxed gorgeous, shimmering wodges of sound from his instrument while exuding all the enthusiasm of a man waiting for a bus." That’s a quote from a reviewer who attended a Verve gig in the US in 1993. The quote was intended as a criticism that Nick was visually uninteresting to watch on stage. But I love the quote all the same because it describes Nick’s playing style to a T. On stage, he’s visually understated, but his sound is anything but.

[@camdenroad44]

the paradox of inner scape

[@shaneross6242]

Shoe gazing at its best

[@5882300rickroll]

He's too busy piloting the spaceship to heaven to dance on stage.

[@adrianbeaumont6745]

I haven't heard this live version,- wow!! Incredible the band are so tight and grooving so well. Love it!!

[@vnkman4391]

fahucks sake this is soon good. mcabe firing on all cylinders and ashcroft flying off the back of him. unbelievable - greater than the sum of their parts when they played together.

[@marioso2210]

PARCERO GRACIAS POR TU MUSICA TE LO DICE UN PARCERO COLOMBIANO 🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴🇨🇴 FOREVER THE VERVE

[@betsybk11]

Genius! Amazing....nothing else out there like this! I am so blown away everyday!

[@paolo-n2000]

Verve are a treasure trove of musical goodness!!!

[@jamesgreenwood7541]

These guys were so good live . Leeds Duchess Of York mid 90s ! Almost blew my corduroy bell bottoms off!

[@interchemistry]

i saw this when it aired and it never left me. stunning. perfection.

[@cwford3577]

Hard to top this

[@geraintgriffiths5711]

the average man walking down the street doesn't know how fucking cool this this is..he doesn't know it exists. .what a shame.

[@scottbrookes8297]

Keep it quiet brother

[@danielmiller6069]

i agree , it's their loss ha ha ha our gain

[@KhalilKhan-jj4yx]

Geraint Griffiths That's what makes him the average man That is the Way of Things

[@linalomakina]

Haha that’s what I needed to think about! Such a drama... I will not sleep tonight

[@barrym9610]

Word!

[@camdenroad44]

life was an Ocean, 90s melancholia never had it so good..

[@leonfrodsham4358]

Nick is just too good

[@HuxleyWasRight]

at one point during this performance McCabe actually makes his guitar purr :- )

[@henrymick9648]

Yes indeed, and it's always at this point into the performance, where I as a guitarist myself, burst out in laughter out of sheer astonishment about this pure brilliancy these guys and especially McCabe delivered here. To be able to play with sounds like that, flawless, in a constant stream of emotion, going for the kill everytime, without any fear, pushing himself further out with every note he plays. You'd think "well, he's a damn risky player, he's gotta make some mistakes from time to time", but nah, he just nails every sound he's going for. I mean, just to be able to think of that 'purr'.. The cherry on top of the icing, on top of an already super delicous masterpiece of a dessert. It's freaking ridicouless, it is to me the pinnacle of what you can archieve as a musician, not just as a guitarist. No one comes even close to that level of soundscaping.

[@Duratek]

F! That is soooo good." there's something inside of meeeeee, crying out for something else....and if someone here's my screams, well...put it in a letter to me......" F that is good!

[@thelegolegend1]

I feel you man

[@conormcclean4431]

Saw them live at Oxegen festival 2008. Changed my life. Special band

[@Ralphyneil]

I recorded this back in the 90's and have watched it in excess of 500 times. Easily. I've probably watched it on KZbin 30 times in the last month lol. An amazing performance. Listen to the applaud they get after, fantastic. The only guitarist I've heard make love to a guitar like that is Hendrix :-)

[@haberjennings475]

The band is so talented even their accounted plays the drums

[@luismorales6351]

that drums...😍

[@tonywade9071]

One of the best bands live that’s better than recorded imho No sell out!!

[@sonnetlyric3951]

I'm always buying feelings from a vending machine. the verve is one of my top British bands

[@giovannisarro4758]

Fantastic Fender sound. Great groove.

[@katrinarourke7015]

Wow I swear you keep getting better the older I get. Love you more and more as the years go by. What a fantastic beautiful, poetic song. Words can't describe what that song does to me like so many more of your songs. Eternally grateful for the memories. Will be a fan until the day I leave this earth. 😚

[@impalamusic1453]

No cabe duda que Nick es uno delos mejores guitarristas de los 90s, no por su tecnica sino por sacar ese sonido tremendo a las strato.

[@Ververeid]

This is the best song and performance and band to grace this planet EVER! Just saying! :D x

[@MrTforTroll]

I want to play my guitar and sound like that!!!

[@mdstreet94]

Every day... Every single day I watch this. WoW!

[@mitchamcommonfair9543]

Outstanding

[@paolo-n2000]

Amazing Band! Long Live The Verve! How about a new record in 2021??? The WORLD needs more Verve music!!!

[@paddyo1986]

Truly amazing performance. Life's an Ocean, Gravity Grave and Velvet Morning are getting me through all night dissertation writing. Fuckin' outstanding

[@tonysproule3408]

A wonderful trip into the heart!!!

[@nicolasguardia6684]

McCabe on God mode.

[@gowerbarnes]

McCabe coming through again

[@davidellis5141]

Cool live jive. Best track on Northern Soul.smooth.

[@joelbs8533]

Musicians @ 2022...JUST WATCH AND LEARN

[@Kuffdam73]

It just doesn't matter how many times I play this record or watch this version it just gets fucking better & better every time. This band are absolutely fucking light years ahead of every one. COME ON THE ROLLING PEOPLE!!!! Legends.

[@andretupi]

This song is amazing!! just as this perfomance!! i can't believe i had never seen that!!

[@quinnlane7257]

Buying some feelings from a vending machine. Richard was a prophet

[@thoseheavysouls]

Every aspect of this song is just pure brilliance! You could watch that 10 times in a row and get lost in a different part each time! 👏🏻

[@Psgurl90069]

Bass is bad ass on this one! I love this groove! Love the band so much!

[@pulvi3329]

so much better then the album version.

[@richardcarroll1759]

can't get enough of this track live.

[@garasham]

I agree with every worded sentiment here about this band. Killer all around, damn.

[@ferpolar7493]

Genios !!

[@scruffypuppy]

The Verve is my favorite band ever. No band seems to inject such passion and emotion into their music.

Una banda haciendo magia.

[@keanhewitt4892]

McCabe and Ashcroft are a piece of artwork by being in the same fucking band, blessed!🔥

[@coldoptfc27]

After splitting up in 95' this was the chance to show to the nation how good a band they were, the critics were unsure and after Bittersweet symphony they had to perform to get the credit they deserve, and they did just that in spectacular fashion. This performance is just unbelievable, The Verve at their best. Everyone clicks and Ashcroft, when McCabes solo kicks in gets lost in it all. An amazing performance.

[@marcrosen3958]

One of the tightest, best performances by a band at any venue

[@gavinlev22]

Doesnt get any better than that. Greatness x

[@marwan99111]

a complete band !!!

[@hankchinaski4818]

One of tbe best live performances I have ever seen. Heart & soul

[@andrewjosephcolemancoleman3169]

All them this is the best performance

[@noamdin]

OMG I can't believe I'm watching this. The real thing in real time... Such a great band, a great album.

[@marcrosen3958]

One of my top 10 for sure live performance of a song...F this is good!!

[@blauarts5433]

I shook Nick's hand and should have never washed it! A master of his trade!

[@cadulany6042]

Life's an ocean Too much commotion Too much emotion Dragging me down Living for today Don't have time to pray Ready for the game Take a line of fickle flame Imagine the future Woke up with a scream I was buying some feelings From a vending machine Say that I will see Something more than I have There's something inside of me Crying out for something else And if someone hears this scream Put it in a letter to me Slippery slidey road down Slippery slidey road down Slippery slidey road down Slippery slidey road down Life's an ocean Too much commotion Not enough emotion To satisfy me Slippery slidey road down It's slippery slidey road down Hold my hand and we'll walk down Dry those eyes and we'll walk down Slippery slidey road down Slippery slidey road down Life's an ocean Life's an ocean Too much commotion Too much emotion

[@two-tricky]

this is just soooooooooooooooooooooo fucking good. The Verve at thier very best

[@katharinevann7372]

Hell yeah!!

[@LouisJopling]

Without wanting to sound cheesy - you can actual feel the ocean lapping over you if you shut your eyes and listen to this through headphones.

[@markbannister5335]

Sonic masterpiece... Nick Mccabe takes this epic Verve tune into the stratosphere. Coupled with the rhythm section & Dickies vocals...