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.
Right or Wrong
Wishbone Ash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With all the lies that you make
The things or darkness and you
Some people say, have just a taste
Right or wrong, you might get burned
What you gain is what you learn
Got one too many women
They're all gettin' so expensive
When they walk by themselves
Right or wrong, don't regret
What you went for is what you get
No point in bitter tears
When someone else has cut you down
'Cause there's a time for leavin'
And there's a time for stickin' around, hey
Right or wrong, you've got to live
So what you collect is what you give
The lyrics of "Right Or Wrong" by Wishbone Ash explore the complexities and uncertainties of life. The chorus, "Right or wrong, you might get burned. What you gain is what you learn," suggests that it's impossible to always make the right decision, and that sometimes you'll make mistakes and get hurt. However, these experiences are valuable because they help you learn and grow.
The verses of the song focus on two different themes. The first verse talks about being drawn to someone who is deceitful and perhaps even dangerous. The second verse discusses the challenges of juggling multiple romantic partners and the high cost of maintaining those relationships. In both cases, the singers acknowledge the potential pitfalls of their decisions, but ultimately accept that they must take risks and make choices, even if they sometimes lead to pain.
The final verse of the song is perhaps the most optimistic, encouraging listeners to avoid getting stuck in bitterness when things don't go their way. Instead, the singer suggests that you must focus on living your life and being generous to others. The wisdom of this perspective is reinforced by the song's catchy and upbeat structure, which suggests that even if the road is sometimes rocky, there's always cause for celebration.
Line by Line Meaning
Like to have you 'round
I enjoy your presence and companionship
With all the lies that you make
Despite the dishonesty you exhibit
The things of darkness and you
Your association with negativity
Some people say, have just a taste
A few individuals believe that you are only a small part of the problem
Right or wrong, you might get burned
Regardless of the correctness of your actions, consequences can be punishing
What you gain is what you learn
Every experience teaches you something and adds to your knowledge
Got one too many women
I am involved with multiple women
Don't know quite which way to go
Uncertainty arises as I struggle to decide
They're all gettin' so expensive
The relationships are becoming costly
When they walk by themselves
When they are on their own
Right or wrong, don't regret
Do not be remorseful of your decisions
What you went for is what you get
The outcome received is the result of what you were pursuing
No point in bitter tears
Crying will not solve the issue
When someone else has cut you down
When someone else has insulted or discouraged you
'Cause there's a time for leavin'
Sometimes a departure is necessary
And there's a time for stickin' around, hey
In other instances, remaining is advantageous
Right or wrong, you've got to live
Regardless of the correctness of what you do, you still have to make choices
So what you collect is what you give
The energy and output you provide is dependent on what you have accumulated and experienced
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SMITH, TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Key Learning
Most overlooked twin lead guitar bands ever. Wisefield is the most unsung guitar players EVER. He and Powell are beasts!
Henry Minjoot
714 is "hauntingly pleasant" with its orchestral vibes.
Overall - a superb album. Bought the vinyl back then ... CD too.
black marbles
Hugely under rated song. Love it .
Mark Robinson
killer guitar on this song!
Mark Robinson
kick ass guitar tone!
Löwin Mit Herz
Nur geilo,wie immer !
Senan Sharvin
Unreal!
Senan Sharvin
I agree totally