Wishbone Ash can trace its origins back to Torquay, Devon, England, a seaside resort in the southwest of the country. It was there that Martin Turner and Steve Upton first performed together; Turner on bass, Upton on drums, before moving to London in 1969 to seek fame and fortune. In the capital the decision was made to place an advertisement for a keyboard player and a lead guitarist. The resulting audition threw up two guitar leads, but nobody could decide who to choose and the trademark twin-lead sound of Wishbone Ash was born.
Ted (David) Turner and Andy Powell soon went through the poverty and growing pains of a new band, but were fortunate that Miles Copeland was championing their cause and a fairly rapid progression was achieved. The first Album, Wishbone Ash, was released in December 1970 and their second, Pilgrimage, surfaced just six months later to reach #6 in the NME charts. Great things were just 11 months away with the release of Argus (1972) -- possibly the band's best album; certainly their most commercially successful -- which reached #2 in the UK charts and went gold. Argus is considered to be one of the great rock classics of all time. The next album, Wishbone Four, only 12 months later, went silver.
After these early highs, Ted Turner decided that he had had enough, and left the band to be replaced by Laurie Wisefield. Although Laurie’s style was not to everyone’s taste, he was generally well liked by the fans and brought a slightly harder edge to the folk-tinged progressive rock that was the Wishbone Ash formula. Wisefield was a dynamic player and became an excellent partner to Andy -- they were to play together for a very successful 11 years and the MKII version of the band is very well thought of for most of its output. About this time the band became more influenced by America and would eventually move there.
The next album, There's The Rub (1974), was recorded in Florida and produced by Eagles producer Bill Szymczyk. Once again it was to do well, achieving silver disc status. There's the Rub included the instrumental piece F.U.B.B. Steve Upton was arrested in New Zealand for announcing at a concert it's full title. In New Zealand, swearing in public is a criminal offense, and when Upton announced the title at an outdoor concert, a woman sunbathing in her garden nearby complained to the mayor. Upton spent the night in jail, and the album reached #3 in New Zealand due to the publicity.
It was inevitable that a turkey was due and to fans Locked In (1976) fit this bill. This record was not released -- it escaped! Fortunately things were much better with the quality of the following albums and although the high chart positions were gone, the fans were enjoying some competent, well-crafted output.
After 11 years in the band, Martin Turner decided to leave. This move began a period of frequent changes of bass player with the likes of John Wetton and Trevor Bolder being two of the better known; however, Wishbone Ash always has attracted musicians of the highest order. A much more controversial move was the introduction of Clair Hamill to fill in some of the vocal talent Martin had taken away with him. Clair was not popular with the fans which was perhaps a little unfair. She had contributed backing vocals on Just Testing (Turner's last album (1980), which he had also produced) and had co-written the excellent Living Proof, which is still a crowd favourite today. Her stay was short-lived with Andy Powell taking on more vocal duties. Wisefield left in late 1985 and the band continued to tour with various replacements, but were very much in limbo until 1987 when a miracle occurred. Miles Copland persuaded the original lineup to reform for a project for a music charity that he was helping, and a Hammersmith Odeon concert which the BBC recorded resulted. The project produced an instrumental album Nouveau Calls (1987), which was very well received. Even better received was the fact that three years of the original lineup were to follow.
Just when things were going so well, Steve Upton decided to quit the business entirely in 1990, to be replaced by Ray Weston. Martin Turner carried on for another year before leaving to pursue a solo career, and Ted left two years later. The next five years saw lots of personnel changes, but eventually resulted in a good period of stability with Ray Weston returning and Bob Skeet joining on bass in 1998.
The new millennium has also seen stability in respect of Andy's guitar partner, with the last 6 years being filled by Ben Granfelt and subsequently Muddy Manninen, both of whom come from Finland. 2005 saw Wishbone Ash celebrate their 35th year. 2006 heralded the new album Clan Destiny (the first featuring Muddy as guitarist). 2007 saw the exit of long-term drummer Ray Weston, due to the increasingly hectic pace of band life. Joe Crabtree (formerly of The David Cross band) stepped up to fill his place. With regard to new releases, 2007 saw First Light, which features original recordings of the songs featured on their debut album, as well as some outtakes. Also released that year was the new album The Power of Eternity (partly featuring Joe Crabtree on drums), which coincided with the Autumn tour.
Wishbone Ash are still performing 150 gigs a year in the U.S. and Europe. They get very supportive crowds with good numbers turning out all over Europe -- the U.S. tends to attract smaller audiences, but very committed fans. If you want to hear classic Wishbone Ash, get ahold of Argus. Visit their web site www.wishboneash.com, where tour dates and albums, etc. can be obtained.
Perfect Timing
Wishbone Ash Lyrics
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Perfect timing
Perfect timing they call it
Perfect timing
Over and under you working your limbs
Alter ego, the mode your in
Mind over matter, spirit of ecstasy
Intuition is called into play
And you wonder what she'll say
It's the moment you've waited for
Only you can open up the door
Perfect timing all the way
Perfect timing as the music plays
Perfect timing all the way
Perfect timing as the music plays
Run the gauntlet the fires in your eyes
Choose the moment just looking for the sign
Body language, the push and the shove
One things for certain this ain't love
This ain't love, this ain't love
This ain't love, this ain't love
Oh no, no
Perfect timing all the way
Perfect timing as the music plays
Perfect timing all the way
Perfect timing as the music plays
Eye to eye, cheek to cheek
No need to talk, her eyes just speak
Music playing the theme to a dream
Tension mounting and building to a scream
Perfect timing all the way
Perfect timing as the music plays
Perfect timing all the way
Perfect timing as the music plays
The song "Perfect Timing" by Wishbone Ash is about the moment when everything seems to line up perfectly and you just know that the time is right to make a move. The lyrics suggest that this moment is a combination of intuition, timing, and the right atmosphere. The chorus repeatedly emphasizes the importance of perfect timing, which is further reinforced by the line "Only you can open up the door." This suggests that the opportunity will only present itself once, and it's up to the listener to seize it.
The verses describe the physical and emotional preparation for this moment. The lines "Over and under you working your limbs" and "Mind over matter, spirit of ecstasy" suggest a physical and mental readiness for whatever comes. Additionally, the lines "Run the gauntlet the fires in your eyes/Choose the moment just looking for the sign" suggest a willingness to take risks and put everything on the line. However, the song also acknowledges that sometimes even with perfect timing, relationships may not work out. This is emphasized by the repetition of the line "This ain't love" during the bridge.
Overall, "Perfect Timing" is an encouraging song about seizing the moment and trusting your instincts. It suggests that when everything lines up just right, you can accomplish great things.
Line by Line Meaning
Perfect timing they call it
People recognize and appreciate when events happen at the ideal moment
Over and under you working your limbs
You are physically moving and striving towards your goal
Alter ego, the mode your in
The side of yourself that you display in certain situations
Mind over matter, spirit of ecstasy
Overcoming physical obstacles and enjoying the emotional high
Changing fact to fantasy
Focusing on the potential outcome instead of the reality of the situation
Intuition is called into play
Trusting your instincts and feelings rather than prior knowledge or evidence
And you wonder what she'll say
Anticipation of the other person's response or reaction
It's the moment you've waited for
A long-awaited and desired situation has finally arrived
Only you can open up the door
You have control over the outcome and must take action to move forward
Run the gauntlet the fires in your eyes
Going through a challenging and intense experience with confidence and determination
Choose the moment just looking for the sign
Selecting the perfect opportunity to act, searching for the right clue or indication
Body language, the push and the shove
Actions that may indicate attraction or aggression
One things for certain this ain’t love
Despite the intense experience, it's clear that love is not present
Eye to eye, cheek to cheek
Being physically close and intimate with another person
No need to talk, her eyes just speak
Communication is conveyed through each other's physical actions or expressions
Music playing the theme to a dream
A song perfectly matches the mood and situation, amplifying the experience
Tension mounting and building to a scream
Feelings of excitement or anticipation growing more intense, until it reaches a climax
Perfect timing all the way
Timing has played a crucial role in reaching this point
Perfect timing as the music plays
Timing is aligned with the music, enhancing the experience
Perfect timing all the way
Every aspect has come together flawlessly
Perfect timing as the music plays
The music has elevated the experience to its maximum potential
Contributed by Juliana W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.