Ash and Argus

 

WISHBONE ASH are one of the nation’s better bands, in the search for constant improvement, they have come up with a third album, that many are hailing as their beat yet. Called simply “Argus,” it is a pleasant collection of songs, not earth shattering, but giving plenty of scope for the exciting guitar work of Andy Powell and Ted Turner. 

 

The group have recently completed a sell-out British tour and are about to embark on the American battleground rock circuit. Said Andy “Snap” Powell this week: “Basically we are very pleased about the album because it represents a slightly different direction for the group. They are all good songs and we play most of them in our stage act. On the first two albums there were lots of different ideas but this Is the first one that hangs together well, although it’s not exactly a concept album.”

 

“Our albums sell quite well, I think the last one did about 42,000, so we are hoping to have a success with this one. We have thought about doing a single, but it would have to be a specific song and not an album track. “We’re very happy with the way the band is going at the moment, everything teems to be working out really well. We’re going to the States in four weeks which will be our third tour. I don’t really know how we will do this time, and they don’t really know who we are there yet. But we have been successful in places like Florida and Seattle.

 

“When the band started we were very experimental in our approach, but now I think we are going to be more straightforward. It’ll still be Wishbone music, but not quite as freaky.” Tracks on the album, released on MCA tomorrow (Friday), include “Time Was,” “Sometime World,” “Blowin’ Free,” “The King Will Come,” “Leaf And Stream,” “Warrior” and “Throw Down The Sword.” “We’ve tried to get a looser sound,” says Andy. “We’re known for our tight, arranged numbers, but this time we decided to loosen up in the studio. There is less guitar dominance, and more subtle playing with a better balance between the instrumentals and vocals. We’ve taken note of past criticism of the band in this respect.

 

Our bass player Martin Turner has written a lot of the lyrics, but I think the melodic influence comes from our other guitarist Ted Turner (no relation). “All of our albums have been recorded in a a short time and this one took only five days. We don’t like to spend hours in the studio like many seem to need. “All the tracks are in 4/4 time and we have done away with the time changes we used on the first two albums. We wanted to get a funkier sound. And we have done this on commercial numbers like ‘Blowin’ Free,’ which I. a potential single. We hope the album appeals to a wide audience!

 

“Argus is our favourite album so tar and it sums up Wishbone Ash very well. ‘Leaf And Stream is in more folky mood with lyrics by our drummer Steve Upton. “Our musical style has changed and during the past couple of years, since we formed In 1979, all the styles and Influences have come together. We’d continue to develop and play more rhythmic things as time goes on. America bad a strong influence on us! In fact we’re ready now to crack the States wide open.” What was the reaction like to their last British tour? “Oh Incredible. People Jumping on stage and generally going potty. Since we started we appealed to the college audience, but now we seem to be attracting more and more younger fans as well”