The Verve were an English rock band formed in Wigan, Greater Manchester in August 1990 by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bass guitarist Simon Jones and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboard player Simon Tong later became a member in their first reunion only.
Saint-Étienne is a city and the prefecture of the Loire département, in eastern-central France, in the Massif Central, 60 km (37 mi) southwest of Lyon, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Harry "Sweets" Edison was an American jazz trumpeter and a member of the Count Basie Orchestra. His most important contribution was as a Hollywood studio musician, whose muted trumpet can be heard backing singers, most notably Frank Sinatra.
Verve Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Billie Holiday, and Oscar Peterson, among others. It absorbed the catalogues of Granz's earlier label, Clef Records, founded in 1946; Norgran Records, founded in 1953; and material which was previously licensed to Mercury Records.
James Oscar Smith was an American jazz musician whose albums often appeared on Billboard magazine charts. He helped popularize the Hammond B-3 organ, creating a link between jazz and 1960s soul music.
Richard Paul Ashcroft is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He was the lead singer and occasional rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band The Verve from their formation in 1990 until their original split in 1999. Songs he wrote for the band include "Bitter Sweet Symphony", "Lucky Man", and the UK number one "The Drugs Don't Work". He became a successful solo artist, releasing three UK top three solo albums. The Verve reformed in 2007 but again broke up by summer 2009. Ashcroft then founded a new band, RPA & The United Nations of Sound, and released a new album on 19 July 2010. Ashcroft released his fourth solo album, These People, on 20 May 2016. Ashcroft went on to release the album Natural Rebel in 2018, and the compilation of acoustic versions of his best hits: Acoustic Hymns Vol. 1 in 2021.
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire, commonly known as A.S.S.E. or simply Saint-Étienne, is a professional football club based in Saint-Étienne in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. The club was founded in 1933 and competes in Ligue 2, the second division of French football.
"Bitter Sweet Symphony" is a song by the English rock band the Verve, from their third studio album, Urban Hymns (1997). It was produced by Youth and released on 16 June 1997 by Hut Recordings and Virgin Records as the album's lead single.
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard is a multi-purpose stadium in Saint-Étienne, France. It is used primarily for football matches, and tournaments such as the UEFA Euro 1984 and 2016, the 1998 FIFA World Cup and the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. It is also used for rugby union, and was a venue at the 2007 Rugby World Cup. It is nicknamed "le Chaudron", or "l'enfer vert", an allusion to the colours worn by the local football team, AS Saint-Étienne, given during the team's heyday when it drew particularly large crowds. More recently, its current capacity was 35,616 before the current renovations, which began in 2011 and temporarily reduced this figure to 26,747. Since the renovations finished, the stadium holds 42,000 seated spectators.
Osvaldo José Piazza is an Argentine professional football manager and former player. In his playing days, he was a defender.
Dimitri Payet is a French professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Marseille. A set-piece specialist, known for his accurate, bending free kicks, he primarily plays as an attacking midfielder, and is described as a player who is "blessed with terrific technique and dribbling skills".
Christophe Galtier is a French professional football manager and former player who most recently worked as the head coach of Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.
Up Holland High School is a coeducational secondary school located in Up Holland, Lancashire, England. It is a non-denominational comprehensive school. Prior to 1977 Up Holland High School was known as Up Holland Secondary Modern School and prior to the building of the Secondary Modern the site was the location of the old Up Holland Grammar School. After the old school burned down they adapted the school logo of a blue phoenix.
Étienne René Capoue is a French professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for La Liga club Villarreal.
Emmanuel José Rivière is a Martiniquais professional footballer. Rivière primarily plays in the lead striker role, but can also operate on wings. He was a French youth international having played at all levels before switching to represent the Martinique national team.
Travis Etienne Jr. is an American football running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Clemson and was selected by the Jaguars in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
William Alain André Gabriel Saliba is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Arsenal and the France national team.
François Letexier is a French football referee who officiates in the Ligue 1. He has been a FIFA referee since 2017 and is ranked as a UEFA elite category referee.
The 2020 Coupe de France final was a football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Étienne to decide the winner of the 2019–20 Coupe de France, the 103rd season of the Coupe de France. The final was originally scheduled for 25 April, but was postponed to 24 July due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic in France.
