Wishbone Ash

In the first half of the 1970s, Wishbone Ash ranked among the leading hard-rock outfits in England. Their music combined driving hard-rock energy with pronounced progressive-rock elements, evident in lengthy pieces, fresh melodic ideas, and expansive guitar work, above all from Andy Powell, the only member who stayed throughout the band’s career. Although lineups shifted repeatedly over the decades, the group preserved a recognizable identity and sustained activity long enough to build a devoted audience. Their strongest and most celebrated recordings arrived with the initial quartet of studio albums—Wishbone Ash in 1970, Pilgrimage in 1971, Argus in 1972, and Wishbone Four in 1973—yet they later achieved renewed popularity via the all-instrumental Nouveau Calls in 1987, explored electronic territory on Trance Visionaries in 1999, and produced a compelling later statement with Blue Horizon in 2014.

The story began in summer 1966 when drummer Steve Upton assembled Empty Vessels alongside bassist/vocalist Martin Turner and guitarist Glen Turner. The group soon adopted the name Tanglewood and relocated to London; at a Country Club performance in Hampstead they caught the ear of aspiring manager Miles Copeland, who admired the jazz and progressive-rock leanings on display and proposed taking them on. Glen Turner exited shortly afterward, and an audition notice brought in David Alan “Ted” Turner and Andy Powell, whose interlocking riffs and phrases—drawn from soul and blues—joined Martin Turner’s melodic bass lines and Upton’s jazz-tinged drumming to define the new unit’s voice. After Copeland’s earlier suggestions were rejected, the name Wishbone Ash was selected from two word lists. The musicians spent weeks refining an entirely fresh set at Copeland’s residence and made their debut supporting the Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation. Before long they were opening for Deep Purple, where a soundcheck exchange between Powell and Ritchie Blackmore helped secure a contract with the American Decca label.

Wishbone Ash’s self-titled debut appeared in 1970; Pilgrimage and Argus followed in successive years, each marking a clear step forward. Wishbone Four, released in 1973, displayed greater maturity and became the band’s first fully realized album, its songwriting openly embracing the members’ folk inclinations rather than relying on progressive posture while still retaining the harder edge. The same record also saw Ted Turner depart, with Laurie Wisefield stepping in.

Locked In and New England came next; Martin Turner left after 1979’s Just Testing and was succeeded by former King Crimson bassist/singer John Wetton. Wishbone Ash continued through the 1980s and, in 1986, reunited with Copeland—by then a prominent industry figure through his management of the Police and his founding of I.R.S. Records. History circled back when Powell, Upton, Ted Turner, and Martin Turner reconvened to record three albums for I.R.S. They remained active into the 1990s under Powell and Ted Turner, though Upton eventually stepped away.

Martin Turner was replaced in 1993 following the release of The Ash Live in Chicago; Andy Pyle returned briefly before leaving again in 1994. Powell, now the sole original member, brought in guitarist/songwriter Roger Filgate, bassist/vocalist Tony Kishman, and drummer Mike Sturgis for a 1995 European tour. When Kishman paused touring commitments, Martin Turner filled in for the remainder of the dates; Kishman later returned to sing on the 1996 studio album Illuminations. Afterward everyone except Powell departed once more. He adopted a rotating roster and, at the tail end of the initial rave era, issued two electronic dance albums on Invisible Hands Music that fused synthesized beats with Wishbone Ash guitar lines. Trance Visionary appeared first, generating a four-mix 12-inch that became a dance-floor hit and reached number 38 on the U.K. dance chart; Psychic Terrorism followed, earning critical praise though less commercial success. Psychic Terrorism also introduced bassist Bob Skeat.

For the band’s 30th anniversary in 2000, the acoustic collection Bare Bones was released just prior to touring. Despite ongoing personnel flux, Powell and his colleagues produced the back-to-basics Bona Fide in 2002 and subsequently toured America with Savoy Brown. Finnish guitarist Muddy Manninen joined in 2004, replacing Ben Granfelt, who had been aboard since 2001. Clan Destiny appeared in 2006, after which longtime drummer Ray Weston departed; Joe Crabtree made his recorded debut on 2007’s Power of Eternity. Apart from live work, the group remained quiet until Elegant Stealth, their 23rd album, surfaced in 2011 with the same lineup intact. Since 2004, Turner has toured separately with Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash. Powell pursued and obtained exclusive rights to the Wishbone Ash name in 2013. Blue Horizon, released to acclaim in 2014, became the third consecutive studio album by the same personnel—the longest-running lineup in the band’s history. Manninen exited after the subsequent tour and was succeeded by guitarist Mark Abrahams. In 2018 Cherry Red remastered and reissued the 1982 album Twin Barrels Burning as the band’s twelfth studio release. Marking the 50th anniversary of their debut LP, Wishbone Ash returned in 2020 with the new studio album Coat of Arms.