My Music Podcast – Graham Coath with Rick McMurray (Ash / Burned As Witches)

In this episode of My Music, Graham Coath sits down with Rick McMurray to explore the raw, personal journey behind his solo project Burned As Witches.

Best known as the driving force behind Ash, Rick steps out from behind the drum kit and into a completely different creative space—writing, performing, and producing every note of a record that leans heavily into darker tones, big riffs, and uncompromising honesty.

What begins as a conversation about the album quickly opens into something deeper. Graham and Rick reflect on:

• The meaning behind Burned As Witches—less about history, more about judgment, metaphor, and modern-day “crucifixion”
• The influence of classic rock and metal—from Led Zeppelin to Black Sabbath—and why that sound still matters
• Recording instinctively and resisting overproduction in an age of AI and digital perfection
• The emotional thread running through the album, shaped in part by loss, memory, and creative independence

There’s also a candid look at what it feels like to front a band for the first time—juggling vocals, guitar, and presence—and the strange, almost out-of-body experience of stepping into that role after decades as a drummer

Beyond the music, the conversation moves into something Graham often returns to—communication.

Together, they explore truth, perspective, and why real human conversations still matter in a world increasingly shaped by algorithms, noise, and one-way thinking

This is a conversation about music, yes—but also about identity, creativity, and staying connected to something real.

Burned As Witches is available digitally, with a limited vinyl run handled personally by Rick himself—keeping the DIY spirit firmly intact.