Tag: wishbone ash

It’s quite hard to believe now, but back in the day, Wishbone Ash were on par with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Uriah Heep, as they used to sell out tours with regularity. The twin guitars of Ted Turner and Andy Powell were a major pull for me. They have this very southern US vibe to their music, mixed with a healthy dose of rock, and even a bit of folk thrown in for good measure. Pilgrimage and Argus are my two favourite albums by the band, and this doesn’t quite reach the heights of those two, but it still has its high points.

Ballad Of The Beacon is a very folk style piece, but has beautiful vocal melodies and the guitar interplay is fantastic. Doctor is almost a fast boogie, but the guitars are what make this track. My favourite track is the last track, Rock N Roll Widow, which has a very Allman’s vibe to it – they were big fans of the band.

Not a bad album but not their best.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

Wishbone Ash are one of the UK’s best bands, and the originators of the harmony twin guitar attack. This live show was recorded in ’73 on the British tour to promote the Wishbone Four album. The guitars of Andy Powell and Ted Turner would be the band’s signature sound and copied by many. They have a very unique sound with the vocal harmonies that compliment the guitars to great effect.

The album starts with The King Will Come, and if I where to name a tune that best encompasses the band’s sound – this would be it. A brilliant song that sounds great in the live environment. Warrior is next from the brilliant Argus album. The song has an almost hypnotic Celtic feel that is strangely haunting. Throw Down The Sword closes out Side 1 and we continue with the Celtic medieval vibe. The lyrics conjure up images of King Arthur, which isn’t to far from Torquay where the band originate from.

The Ballad Of The Beacon on Side 2 is a great tune and one of the tracks I have loved since I first heard it. The melodies and harmonies really shine. Side 3 contains three of the band’s best know tunes: The Pilgrim, Jail Bait and Blowin’ Free (which surprisingly was released as a single in the UK and did really well). Side 4 closes out the record with 2 live favourites in Lady Whiskey and Phoenix. Phoenix is timeless, and the arrangements of the guitars and vocals is sublime.

The band were great up until the New England album, then after that they seemed to lose the spark. Anyway, this a really good live album that showcases them in their prime.

8/10 from The Grooveman.