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.
Some Conversation
Wishbone Ash Lyrics
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And walking to the sun.
I'm changing this and that and things
I'm done with everyone.
I slip into the sea
And turn my back on sand
And diamonds that may be, or not.
I'll play the final hand.
And throw it all away,
But I would always wait for you.
I'll pass my time in sleep
With dreams that make me weep
And all I want's an explanation.
The little time I need
The time you won't concede
And we require some conversation.
I'm checking off this list
Of things that stay undone
And running hard when called upon
I'm done with everyone.
I step into the air
My face against the ground
Foot prints that may lead or not
Never let me down.
To check it all
And throw it all away
But I would always wait for you.
The final demand
The colour your smile
All hidden from view
That burn me
Freeze me
Deceive me
And you.
The lyrics to Wishbone Ash's song "Some Conversation" seem to be about someone who's had enough of everything and is ready to start anew. The first stanza talks about shedding past identities and moving on to something new. The second line says, "I'm changing this and that and things/I'm done with everyone" which suggests that the person is done with their current life and wants to move on to something better. They "slip into the sea/And turn [their] back on sand/And diamonds that may be, or not" which indicates a desire to leave everything behind and start fresh. They play the "final hand" which could suggest a metaphorical death, or simply a final decision to change their life for the better.
In the second stanza, the singer seems to be dreaming of an "explanation" for their current state. They need "some conversation" to move on, perhaps something that can put everything into perspective. The last stanza talks about the "final demand" and the "colour your smile" being hidden from view. The line "That burn me/Freeze me/Deceive me/And you" could indicate past hurt caused by others, which the singer is trying to move on from.
Overall, the song seems to be about the desire to start anew and leave past troubles behind. The need for an explanation and conversation suggests that the singer still needs some closure or understanding, perhaps to fully move on from past hurt or trauma.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm taking off this hat
I am shedding a previous version of myself, leaving behind what is familiar and comfortable.
And walking to the sun.
I am stepping outside of my comfort zone and into a new direction of growth.
I'm changing this and that and things
I am making various changes in my life, revamping my identity and direction.
I'm done with everyone.
I am distancing myself from those who have been a negative impact on my life and moving forward from them.
I slip into the sea
I am submerging myself in the endless possibilities of life.
And turn my back on sand
I am cutting out the mundane, trivial things in life that do not add value or joy.
And diamonds that may be, or not.
I am leaving behind materialistic desires and acknowledging that true value lies in the intangible.
I'll play the final hand.
I will make the most of my opportunities and give my full effort to achieve my goals.
To check it all
To reflect and evaluate my choices and actions.
And throw it all away,
To discard what is no longer serving me and move forward fearlessly.
But I would always wait for you.
Despite making personal strides, I am still open to connection and reconciliation with those important to me.
I'll pass my time in sleep
I will allow myself to rest and recharge amidst my busy life.
With dreams that make me weep
My subconscious is processing emotions and helping me to let go of unresolved feelings.
And all I want's an explanation.
I am seeking resolution and understanding in relationships and personal growth.
The little time I need
I require only enough time to make my own decisions and respect my autonomy.
The time you won't concede
Others may not respect my need for independence and go against my wishes.
And we require some conversation.
Communication is critical in understanding and respecting each other's boundaries and priorities.
I'm checking off this list
I am making progress towards my goals and feeling in control of my life.
Of things that stay undone
I am acknowledging there will always be loose ends in life and prioritizing what is necessary for me to accomplish.
And running hard when called upon
I am ready to rise to the occasion when faced with a challenge or obstacle.
The final demand
The ultimate expectation.
The colour your smile
The emotional response triggered by the sight of someone I care about deeply.
All hidden from view
Their true emotions are concealed from me.
That burn me
Their hidden emotions cause me pain.
Freeze me
Their concealed emotions leave me feeling isolated and rejected.
Deceive me
Their true feelings betray our relationship and exposes lies or deception.
And you.
This is referencing a specific person and the damage their dishonesty or lack of emotion is causing.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind