Black Beard's Rock: Wishbone Ash

Showing posts with label Wishbone Ash. Show all posts

Saturday, June 25, 2022

Wishbone Ash / No Smoke Without Fire (1978)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

After the disastrous album Front Page News that they released in 1977, they must have come to their senses that they recorded this album with a harder style. But the era has started to change and Punk is on the scene now. In this case, they did not stand out much. The songs are much better than the previous album. But not enough.

Members

Andy Powell (guitar, vocals), Steve Upton (drums, 1969-90), Martin Turner (vocals, bass, 1969-80, 1987-91, 1995-96), Ted Turner (guitar, vocals, 1969-74, 1987-94), Laurie Wisefield (guitar, vocals, 1974-85), John Wetton (bass, vocals, 1980-81), Trevor Bolder (bass, vocals, 1981-83), Claire Hamill (vocals, 1981-82), Mervyn "Spam" Spence [aka O'Ryan] (bass, vocals, 1983-86), Jamie Crompton (guitar, vocals, 1985), Phil Palmer (guitar, vocals, 1985-87), Andy Pyle (bass, vocals, 1986-87, 1991-94), Robbie France (drums, 1990-91), Ray Weston (drums, 1991-94, 1997-2007), Mike Sturgis (drums, 1994-97), Roger Filgate (guitar, vocals, 1994-97), Tony Kishman (vocals, bass, 1994-95, 1996-97), Bob Skeat (bass, vocals, 1997-present), Mark Birch (guitar, vocals, 1997-2001), Ben Granfelt (guitar, vocals, 2001-04), Muddy Manninen (guitar, vocals, 2004-17), Joe Crabtree (drums, 2007-present), Mark Abrahams (guitar, 2017-present)

Track Listing

01 - You See Red

02 - Baby the Angels Are Here

03 - Ships in the Sky

04 - Stand and Deliver

05 - Anger in Harmony

06 - Like a Child

07 - The Way of the World Part I & II

YANDEX

Friday, June 24, 2022

Wishbone Ash / Front Page News (1977)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

After the great albums at the beginning, it is the worst album of the process that started with Locked In. Too soft. It doesn't sound like the Wishbone Ash album at all. In some places you can hear the guitars, which is the highlight of the band, but that's it.

Members

Track Listing

01 - Front Page News

02 - Midnight Dancer

03 - Goodbye Baby Hello Friend

04 - Surface to Air

05 - 714

06 - Come in From the Rain

07 - Right or Wrong

08 - Heart Beat

09 - The Day I Found Your Love

10 - Diamond Jack

YANDEX

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Wishbone Ash / Runaway (1976)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

A concert recording of a collection of tracks recorded in concerts in 1976. Published in 1994. It's not very good, but it's not bad either.

Members

Track Listing

01 - Helpless 5:40

02 - Runaway 3:16

03 - Warrior 7:13

04 - Lorelei 6:10

05 - Persephone 3:45

06 - (In All My Dreams) You Rescue Me 6:55

07 - Outward Bound 3:44

08 - Mother Of Pearl 5:26

09 - Rest In Peace 6:26

10 - Time Was 7:05

11 - Bad Weather Blues 7:14

YANDEX

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Wishbone Ash / New England (1976)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

Although the previous album looked bad, this is an even worse version of it. While there are good songs in it, but Wishbone Ash's debut albums are incomparable.

Members

Track Listing

01 - Mother of Pearl 4:31

02 - (In All of My Dreams) You Rescue Me 6:13

03 - Runaway 3:43

04 - Lorelei 5:27

05 - Outward Bound 4:50

06 - Prelude 1:13

07 - When You Know Love 5:49

08 - Lonely Island 4:30

09 - Candlelight 1:49

YANDEX

Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Wishbone Ash / Locked In (1976)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

Although the album has potential, it can't even come close to previous albums. Heavier and slower than them. Not at all like Wishbone Ash. Of course, it is very close to their style, but far below expectations.

Members

Track Listing

01 - Rest in Peace 6:44

02 - No Water in the Well 3:47

03 - Moonshine 3:35

04 - She Was My Best Friend 3:52

05 - It Started in Heaven 3:22

06 - Half Past Lovin' 5:32

07 - Trust in You 5:06

08 - Say Goodbye 5:00

YANDEX

Monday, June 20, 2022

Wishbone Ash / There's The Rub (1974)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

Another great album from Wishbone Ash. A hard rock album with blues and progressive influences. Persphone and F.U.B.B. favorite tracks on the album. After the Wishbone Four album, it suddenly changes your mood.

Members

Track Listing

01 - Silver Shoes

02 - Don't Come Back

03 - Persephone

04 - Hometown

05 - Lady Jay

06 - F.U.B.B.

YANDEX

Sunday, June 19, 2022

Wishbone Ash / Live Dates (1973)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

Consisting of tracks recorded at Fairfield Halls, New Castle City Hall, Reading University, Portsmouth Guildhall and Memphis concerts, the album is Wishbone Ash's first official live album. The band's concert performances are really top notch. All the tracks are played differently from the album versions and they look like new songs.

Members

Track Listing

01 - The King Will Come 7:50

02 - Warrior 5:50

03 - Throw Down the Sword 6:00

04 - Rock 'n' Roll Widow 6:08

05 - Ballad of the Beacon 5:20

06 - Baby What You Want Me to Do 6:33

07 - The Pilgrim 9:15

08 - Blowin' Free 3:28

09 - Jail Bait 4:39

10 - Lady Whiskey 6:15

11 - Phoenix 17:13

YANDEX

Saturday, June 18, 2022

Wishbone Ash / BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert (1972)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

The band's concert on BBC Radio 1. It contains songs from the first 3 albums. It is an indication of how good they are in live performance. One of the must-have concert albums in the archive. It was recorded in 1972 but only released in 1991. There is an incredible version of the Phoenix song in this album.

Members

Track Listing

01 - Blowin' Free 5:51

02 - Time Was 9:51

03 - Jail Bait 5:00

04 - The Pilgrim 10:31

05 - Warrior 5:40

06 - Throw Down the Sword 6:31

07 - The King Will Come 7:42

08 - Phoenix 19:37

YANDEX

Friday, June 17, 2022

Wishbone Ash / Wishbone Four (1973)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

Released after the band's legendary album Argus, this album is commercially successful, but is inferior in quality to the first 3 albums. In this album, the group got out of the concept idea and focused on single songs. It's not a bad album, but it's not a very good album for Wishbone Ash either.

Members

Track Listing

01 - So Many Things to Say

02 - Ballad of the Beacon

03 - No Easy Road

04 - Everybody Needs a Friend

05 - Doctor

06 - Sorrel

07 - Sing Out the Song

08 - Rock 'n' Roll Widow

YANDEX

Thursday, June 16, 2022

Wishbone Ash / Argus (1972)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

Without a doubt, Argus is Wishbone Ash's best album. You cannot distinguish between songs on the album. Because they all have their own unique atmosphere. Together they make up an incredibly beautiful album. Although there is much that can be said about it, I will not say it. When you listen to the album, you will see how meaningless the words you can say are.

Members

Track Listing

01 - Time Was

02 - Sometime World

03 - Blowin' Free

04 - The King Will Come

05 - Leaf and Stream

06 - Warrior

07 - Throw Down the Sword

YANDEX

Wednesday, June 15, 2022

Wishbone Ash / Pilgrimage (1971)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

It is the second album of Wishbone Ash, who has already made their own way with the first album. It's a different album compared to the first one, and I think it's a little more underrated. But it's never a bad album. Vas Dis, Valediction, The Pligrim and Where Were You Tomorrow are songs that stand out with the use of guitar.

Members

Track Listing

01 - Vas Dis 4:41

02 - The Pilgrim 8:30

03 - Jail Bait 4:41

04 - Alone 2:20

05 - Lullaby 2:59

06 - Valediction 6:17

07 - Where Were You Tomorrow 10:23

YANDEX

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Wishbone Ash / Wishbone Ash (1970)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

Wishbone is Ash's debut album. All the songs are good. Personally, I like the most. But and are among the best songs. Handy is an excellent song that starts with a bass guitar. It's one of those amazing albums you'll never get tired of listening to.

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Alright, fellow crate-diggers and riff-worshippers, today we’re dialing the way-back machine to 1970. While most of the world was busy reeling from the Beatles’ breakup, a four-piece from Devon was quietly forging a blueprint that would change guitar music forever. I’m talking about Wishbone Ash and their self-titled debut. This isn’t just an album; it’s the birth of the "Twin Guitar Attack." Before Thin Lizzy or Iron Maiden made harmonized leads their entire personality, Andy Powell and Ted Turner were out here weaving Gibson Flying Vs and Stratocasters together like a high-voltage tapestry.

The production on this record is remarkably clean for 1970, thanks to Derek Lawrence, who also worked with Deep Purple. It’s got that raw, "live in the room" energy but with a sophistication that most debut records lack. The band didn't just want to play the blues; they wanted to take the blues, dress it in medieval robes, and send it on a progressive journey through the English countryside. It’s a mix of boogie-rock, folk sensibilities, and lengthy jam sessions that somehow never feel like they’re overstaying their welcome.

What’s fascinating about this record is how democratic it feels. There’s no ego-driven "lead guitarist" and "rhythm guitarist" hierarchy here. It’s a dual-lead conversation. And let’s not ignore the rhythm section—Martin Turner’s melodic bass lines and Steve Upton’s jazz-tinged drumming provide a foundation that’s as sturdy as a castle wall.

Personally, I have a massive soft spot for "Errors of My Way." There’s something about that folk-rock melancholy and those vocal harmonies that gets me every time. It feels like a rainy Sunday morning in a dusty London flat. However, if we’re being objective critics (and I try to be, between sips of coffee), the real heavy hitters—the tracks that show the sheer technical "quality" and ambition of the band—are undoubtedly "Handy" and "Phoenix." These aren't just songs; they are movements.

At its core, this album is a bridge. It bridges the gap between the psychedelic 60s and the hard-driving, progressive 70s. It’s bluesy without being derivative and complex without being pretentious. If you want to understand where the "harmony solo" came from, you have to start here. Let’s break down these six tracks of pure gold.

Blind Eye The album kicks off with a punchy, boogie-inflected rocker that lets you know exactly what’s in store. The twin guitars are locked in immediately, delivering a riff that’s infectious as hell. It’s perhaps the most straightforward track on the record, but the interplay between Powell and Turner during the solo section is a masterclass in "less is more." It’s the perfect appetizer for the complexity to come.

Lady Whiskey Things get a bit heavier here with a gritty, blues-rock stomp. This track has a swagger that reminds me of early Free or Fleetwood Mac (the Peter Green era, of course). Martin Turner’s bass is absolutely driving this bus, and the vocal delivery has just enough grit to make you believe every word. The dual guitar solos at the end are blistering, showing that these guys could play with fire just as well as they could play with finesse.

Errors of My Way And here is my personal favorite. It starts with a beautiful, clean folk-style picking pattern that always gives me chills. The triple-part vocal harmonies are lush and slightly mournful. It feels deeply English—steeped in a sort of pastoral regret. Even though it lacks the 10-minute soloing of the later tracks, its emotional weight and the way the guitars gently weep around the melody make it a total standout for me.

Queen of Torture Back to the hard stuff. This is a fast-paced, aggressive rocker with a riff that sounds like it’s chasing you down a dark alley. It’s the shortest track on the album, but it packs a serious punch. It serves as a great palate cleanser before we head into the "prog-epic" side of the record. Steve Upton’s drumming here is particularly sharp, keeping the frantic energy focused and lethal.

Handy Now we’re getting into the meat of the matter. Clocking in at over eleven minutes, "Handy" starts with a cool, jazz-inspired bass solo that evolves into a gorgeous, atmospheric jam. This is where the band’s "quality" really shines. It’s a sprawling instrumental journey that proves Wishbone Ash could out-jam almost anyone on the circuit. The transitions are seamless, moving from mellow jazz-blues to high-energy rock without breaking a sweat.

Phoenix The grand finale and arguably the greatest song they ever wrote. "Phoenix" is a literal masterpiece of slow-burn tension. It starts with a haunting, ethereal melody and slowly builds, layer by layer, into a frantic, soaring climax that feels like a bird taking flight. The trade-off solos between Andy and Ted are legendary here. If "Handy" showed their skill, "Phoenix" shows their soul. It is the definitive statement of the twin-lead guitar genre.

Wishbone Ash

Andy Powell: Lead Guitar, Vocals

Ted Turner: Lead Guitar, Vocals

Martin Turner: Bass, Lead Vocals

Steve Upton: Drums

Track Listing

01 - Blind Eye 3:40

02 - Lady Whiskey 6:08

03 - Errors of My Way 6:08

04 - Queen of Torture 3:20

05 - Handy 11:30

06 - Phoenix 10:23

YANDEX

Monday, June 13, 2022

Wishbone Ash / First Light (2007)

United Kingdom

Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock, Blues Rock, AOR

It consists of demo recordings made by Wishbone Ash in 1970 before their debut album. There is not much difference in the parts. But the interesting thing is: They're really good for a band that hasn't even released their first album yet. If you are an archive lover, you should definitely get this album in your archive. The album contains all the tracks from the first album except Phoenix. Also, Alone from the Pilgrimage album is included in this album.

Members

Track Listing

01 - Lady Whiskey 3:12

02 - Roads of Day to Day 5:51

03 - Blind Eye 3:35

04 - Joshua 2:13

05 - Queen of Torture 3:10

06 - Alone 3:10

07 - Handy 12:41

08 - Errors of My Way 6:24

YANDEX