Wishbone Ash are the original innovators of twin guitar rock, releasing their self titled first album in 1970. Their third album “Argus”, released in 1972, was voted album of the year by NME, coming ahead of “Machinehead” by Deep Purple and is widely acknowledged as a classic. Despite many line-up changes founder member & guitarist Andy Powell remains and they still release new material and embark on European & American tours.  

Hardrockhouse - Thanks for talking to us, how the hell are you?

Andy Powell – Good, almost at the end of a long tour, twenty eighth date out of fifty five but only one more tomorrow in this country. We do around two hundred a year around Europe & America as we like to keep busy. It’s gone well, we have the convention then off to the States to finish off. 

HRH – This is the second tour with recent addition, guitar player Muddy Manninen, do you have a thing for Finnish guitarists?

AP – When Ben (Granfelt, another Finn & last occupier of the guitarist slot for almost 5 years) left he recommended Muddy as he had played with him a while back, but we auditioned a bunch of guys over here and in the States but eventually ended up seeing Muddy and he seemed to fit (laughs!). He plays slide which gives him something we have never had before.  I think there is a lot happening in Scandinavia music wise, they seem to have had a quiet time but are now emerging as a real force with a lot of good rock musicians and some ambient guys coming through.

HRH – Perhaps basking too long in the shadow of Abba?

AP –Yeah that could be a factor, too many looking to do something similar maybe? 

HRH – So losing a guitarist, is it like some say, losing a limb?

AP- There is an organic side to it, every player is different as they are all different people but it can be a bit like losing a limb although for me I have done it so many times I don’t get freaked by it anymore. It’s going to happen, things happen, life is all about change. We had a four year run with Ben, we were really thinking alike as guitar players, as good if not better than any of the twin guitar combinations we have had in the past. Everyone says that the first period of the band was really the one but to be honest with you Ted (Turner, founder member and original guitarist) was only in the band for four years. Laurie (Wisefield, Ted’s replacement) had a huge input, I worked with Laurie for twelve years in much more depth than I ever did with Ted. Although it was fortunate with Ted that we did the classic material, like Argus, in that time frame. I’m very used to reforming and leading bands now, I’ve got very good at it but it is weird for me as I’m a competent guitar player. I’m both blessed and cursed with that fact that I’m always perceived to work with another guitar player, I’m part of a twin lead guitar section. If I’m doing record I can do all parts really, I can do the acoustic, the rhythm the lead and twin lead it but its part of the organic nature of Wishbone Ash is that there are two personalities working together in the guitar section upfront. A lot of people are excited by that, they love that idea that there are two lead soloists trading off each other with their own styles.  

HRH – You do realise that only Spinal Tap have had more drummers?

AP – (Laughing) That is probably true. 

HRH – Tell us a little about your new album Clan Destiny?

AP – It has our signature twin lead sound and is song based. Its part of the life of Wishbone Ash, the band is always a work in progress but for us the album is a lot older than for the audience as we have lived with these songs for six to nine months but the audience are just getting into them so we kinda think “Yeah it was good that but we could do better” which is actually a healthy state of mind. It’s why we all play and why we want to do another album, if you talk to any artist you are always trying to improve yourself. So there are certain things I’m very pleased with on the album and there are certain things that could be better, which is the same for any album. I am pleased with the songs on there, I think it was a really good song-writing exercise and for me I’m taking all the vocals now, it was a lot of fun. I think there are some solid songs on there.  

HRH – When you come to choose a set list, with your back catalogue, where do you start?

AP – It is difficult actually, I tend to obviously feature the “Argus” material as a little vignette in the middle of the set. We have started putting in some really old stuff, some old recordings have come to light fairly recently that have prompted me to include “Valediction” that was almost written in the 60’s, that somehow sounds kinda fresh and punky now, it goes so far round the wheel, you wouldn’t have put them in five years ago but yet they seem to sound right, it’s very odd. There are always calls for “Phoenix”, our epic if you like, and I never get tired of playing it as we move the set around quite a bit and there is always room for change and every night has a different sound. I maybe went through that phase twenty, maybe twenty five years ago but I don’t now. There are so many elements to the set, there’s the show, the performance thing, there are a lot of areas in the music in certain songs for improvisation and there a so many styles and textures that it is quite a handful getting them all to fit & sit right. It’s all these little things that keep you on your toes as a band. 

HRH – Rock has enjoyed a renaissance recently, have you benefited from this renewed interest?

AP – Definitely, yes. We have had young bands coming to see us, the twin guitar thing being of interest along with how we incorporate our melodies and tunes. There is a very 70’s vibe in rock right now, a back to basics approach, our sound and that kinda Free sound is popular, that tone and melody, so we are picking up a lot of interest. We have unique style which we are known for and if people want to learn about that, that’s all good.   

HRH – Martin (Turner, original bassist) has remastered “Argus”, it sounds so fresh and now, how did that come about?

AP – I gave him the gig actually. I initiated the deal as there is a lot of mileage in it, everyone is re-doing their classics, putting it into surround sound or re-mastering or re-mixing, so I did a deal with the record company who were very pro-active about it. Then I said what better guy to do it, as I’m on the road constantly and produce albums and everything and he really wanted to do it so I said “Hey, how about doing it?” And he has done a good job. 

HRH – So is Martin looking after the Ash legacy while you write the groups future?

AP – It’s strange because we have had a bone of contention over the name issue. Originally he was supposed to go out as Martin Turner’s Wishbone, now he’s going out as Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash which is not kosher in my book, as I have been keeping the torch going, and he left Wishbone Ash. So that’s a legal issue, an ethics issue. I think that because he’s got a recording studio he would like to think that but certainly as far as the new material goes there have already been three or four new albums in the last ten years and the work in progress that is Wishbone Ash continues on. I can’t speak for how Martin sees it, a lot of people feel that they have wanted him to get out and play and so he should, he should have done it years ago. I’m pleased he’s doing it now, for whatever his reasons, I think it’s great he is doing it. He loves the recording studio and I love the stage (laughs). How about that? 

HRH – So are you happy that the defining imprint of the group will always be “Argus”?

AP – I’m very proud. We came up in an era where people were striving to push the envelope further and to create classic material. Now music has become quite largely disposable so we were very fortunate but you cannot get away from the fact that the songs were well structured even though its simply played stuff. What makes it stand up is the structure of the songs and the time we took over the parts and the arrangements and the melodies. All these things give it structure and depth, you know, so yes it’s a classic and I’m very proud. It was the most creative period of my life, we were under extreme pressure, absolutely broke, starving, all the things that you need to produce good work.

I have very fond memories of the whole period, it was great. I have no problem playing tracks from it, I’m very privileged to be still making music and most people from our era would say the same. I’m sure Deep Purple don’t have a problem playing Smoke on the Water. It’s your life, you gotta love your life, you got to love your legacy, you got to love what you are. I think when you are in your twenties and thirties you sometimes try and escape from who you are and what you are creating, you become self conscious about it. You get to my age and its like, “Yes, this is who I am”. I’m the guy who plays the Flying V, you know what I mean? I play “Throw Down the Sword” every night but I love it. There is plenty of scope in the set, I get my rocks off musically in many other ways, no problem. 

HRH – What motivates you to continue when so many of your peers have fallen by the wayside?

AP – I have never stopped doing it. There have been periods, like in the early 90’s, when I did less of it but I always was touring, I have never quit. I feel very comfortable in my skin, I love what I do, a lot of musicians hate travelling, well I love travelling. I’m actually addicted to it, I can’t not do it. I have friends in France, friends in Germany, I have friends all over the world. I never feel a stranger anywhere, I’m addicted to the life of a musician, I love it.

(At home) I can get very tetchy, it’s a tricky one, of late I’m losing the concept of home. You live your life in a hotel room, you make your room homey. The older you get you start to live more and more in the here and now. It’s not “should have, could have, would have”, I’m really living it now, I’m loving it. So I do that, I’m very much into that frame of mind. I think you will find that a lot of “musos” that are in their fifties are just living the life. It’s a gift, it’s absolutely amazing and there is no life like it. Being a musician you can slide through society and be into worlds where maybe politicians would want to be, where a lot of people would want to be, to have the freedom. I’m a duel citizen I can go anywhere, I love the freedom of being a “muso”, being able to comment and write songs about things you see. 

HRH – Cheers for your time Andy, doing some research we found out you haven’t been playing “Living Proof” on this tour, it’s one of our guys brothers favourite, any chance?

AP - I’m sure we can slip it in, you’re welcome. 

And bless his heart, they played it as well. Thanks to Andy for taking the time to speak to HardRockHouse. You can find a review of the band's Morecambe gig in gig review section. Meantime for more info on Wishbone Ash then you can visit the band's official website at www.wishboneash.com

Related Links

Martin Turner - Interview

Wishbone Ash - Argus CD Review

Wishbone Ash - Live Review