1977 Review

1977 is a Rock album by Ash, released in May of 1996 (see 1996 in music). The punk rock influenced album proved popular in the United Kingdom and, to a lesser degree elsewhere, where Britpop was a small cult phenomenon.

The name is a reference to year of three events which shaped the band - the births of two members of the band, the year Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was released, and the year the first punk albums were released, though it has been suspected that the Star Wars reference is the most important; the album opens with the sound of a TIE Fighter, and ends with the track "Darkside Lightside", whose title is a Star Wars reference, and which also ends with a choral version of the Star Wars main theme. The band have also covered "Cantina Band", on the "Girl From Mars" b-side.

The song "Kung Fu" mentions Jackie Chan in the lyrics. In reciprocation, Chan has used the song for the end credits of his movie Rumble in the Bronx.

The first 50,000 pressings of the CD begins with the original version of "Jack Names the Planets" and its B-side "Don't Know" (February 1994). There is also a hidden track named "Sick Party" which appears after "Darkside Lightside" on all versions.