 Educated at the Grove School In Market Drayton, Shropshire, Ashley Soan started having lessons at an early age with Brian Stone and then with Andy Richards.He studied music at Salford University and then went on to study at Drumtech (now BIMM London & formally Tech Music School) in Fulham, London.Soan's first break was a short stint with Tom Robinson and then in 1994 joined the band Del Amitri.