Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash

Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash

Martin Turners Wishbone Ash in Bury St Edmunds, 2010
Background information
Origin Torquay, Devon, England
Genres Rock, progressive rock, hard rock
Years active 2005–present
Labels Mystic UK
Associated acts Wishbone Ash
Ted Turner
Website www.martinturnermusic.com
Members Martin Turner
Ray Hatfield
Danny Willson
Tim Brown
Past members Rob Hewins
Keith Buck
Dave Wagstaffe

Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash was a British rock band led by Martin Turner, original bassist, lead vocalist and one of the songwriters of Wishbone Ash Mark 1 and Mark 2 Line up. Including various reunions, his tenures with the "original" Wishbone Ash band lasted 1969-1980, 1987–1991 and 1995-1996.

History

This incarnation came together during 2004 and initially saw Turner joined by guitarists Keith Buck and Ray Hatfield, as well as drummer Rob Hewins. The band have toured extensively throughout the UK and also in Europe and their live performances focus on material from Wishbone Ash's heritage years, mixing live standards with lesser heard songs from the Wishbone Ash back catalogue, as documented on the New Live Dates Vols. 1 and 2 albums, released in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Original Wishbone Ash member Ted Turner has guested with the band onstage, as documented on the live albums. In March 2008 Keith Buck left the band and was replaced by Danny Willson (ex-Showaddywaddy). In December of the same year it was announced that drummer Rob Hewins had been replaced by Dave Wagstaffe (ex-John Wetton, Ken Hensley). Hewins went on to join Showaddywaddy late in 2011, making his live debut in January 2012.

In 2008/09 the band embarked on the Argus Tour, featuring performances of the classic album in its entirety. In addition, in October 2008, the band appeared on a month-long theatre tour with Focus and The Groundhogs, called Classic Legends Of Rock.

In 2008 Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash also released a studio re-recording of Argus entitled Argus Through The Looking Glass. Recorded principally by the band's first line-up with (Turner/Buck/Hatfield/Hewins), it featured additional contributions from new guitarist Danny Willson as well as guest appearances by John Wetton (onetime Wishbone Ash member - he had played on Number the Brave (1981)) and Geoff Downes of Asia.

In July 2010 the band appeared at the inaugural High Voltage festival at Victoria Park, London. They were again joined onstage by Ted Turner.

The band's first DVD recording, filmed at the Y Theatre in Leicester in March 2010, was released in January 2011. It features a setlist containing tracks from many of the classic Wishbone Ash albums, including a four-song segment of songs from Wishbone Four and the complete Argus. A 2-CD set of the concert was released in 2012.

In July 2012 Martin Turner published his autobiography 'No Easy Road - My Life and Times With Wishbone Ash and Beyond' through his www.wishboneash.co.uk website. The book chronicles the classic Wishbone Ash years, as well as Turner's personal journey, and contained contributions from former Wishbone Ash members Ted Turner (who also wrote the foreword to the book), Laurie Wisefield and Ray Weston, as well as other key figures in the story.

On 31 August 2012, the band held a Garden Party at Liscombe Park, Bedfordshire where they played a number of less frequently performed songs for an invited audience that included fans, music press, family and friends. The band were joined on stage by Ted Turner, Laurie Wisefield and Steve Upton, marking a re-union of 4 out of 5 members of the two classic line ups of Wishbone Ash. A double CD of this concert was released in 2014 under the name "Martin Turner and Friends."

In November 2013, Tim Brown replaced Dave Wagstaffe on drums.

Following court action pursued by Andy Powell to prevent Martin Turner using the name "Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash", in 2014 Martin Turner's touring activities were re-branded as "Martin Turner plays the music of Wishbone Ash".

Discography

Live albums

Studio albums

DVDs

External links