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.
lIvIng prOOF
Wishbone Ash Lyrics
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Where does it go to
Outta my door?
How much have you got?
Is it enough for me
Or will I want more?
Oh,oh, you tell me you just want some fun.
Time in a vacuum,
Waiting for someone to say what they think.
But all that pretending doesn't convince me
'cause they just want to buy me a drink.
Oh, oh, you tell me you want to be free.
Oh, oh, baby, I'm trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea.
It's night in the city,
I'm filled with self-pity -
I'm taking the air.
If somebody hits me
Here in this city,
I swear I just don't care.
Oh, oh, just looking for proof.
Oh, oh, I'm trapped like a cat on a hot tin roof.
Oh, oh, just looking for proof.
Oh, oh, I'm trapped like a cat on a hot tin roof.
I got to have proof,
I got to have proof,
I got to have proof,
I got to have proof. (repeat)
The lyrics to Wishbone Ash's song "Living Proof" are a powerful commentary on the complexities of love and relationships. The singer seems to be frustrated with the fickle nature of love, wondering why it always seems to leave just as quickly as it arrived. He questions whether his partner's love for him is enough, or if he will always be left wanting more. The chorus reveals the singer's feelings of being trapped, caught between the desire for fun and the dangerous uncertainty of the man with the gun.
The song also touches on the themes of power and deception. The singer describes himself as waiting for someone to speak their mind, but realizing that their words are only a ploy for a superficial favor. He feels powerless and trapped in the city, where he is overtaken by his self-pity and a sense of apathy towards everything around him. The repeated phrase "just looking for proof" emphasizes the singer's search for something real and tangible in a world that seems to be full of illusions.
Overall, "Living Proof" is a poignant reflection on the human experience of love and relationships, and the often contradictory emotions that come with them.
Line by Line Meaning
Why does love have to?
Wondering why love has to be complicated
Where does it go to
Questioning where love goes when it disappears
Outta my door?
Asking why love always seems to leave
How much have you got?
Questioning the depth of someone's love
Is it enough for me
Wondering if the love being offered is sufficient for personal needs
Or will I want more?
Concerned that the love being offered may not satisfy forever
Oh,oh, you tell me you just want some fun.
Expressing dissatisfaction with someone who only wants a casual relationship
Oh, oh, I'm trapped between the fire and the man with the gun.
Feeling trapped and unable to escape a dangerous situation
Time in a vacuum,
Feeling stuck in a situation where nothing is happening
Waiting for someone to say what they think.
Hoping for someone to speak their mind and provide clarity
But all that pretending doesn't convince me
Not believing people who are just pretending
'cause they just want to buy me a drink.
Understanding that some people have ulterior motives, such as wanting something in return for their actions
Oh, oh, you tell me you want to be free.
Feeling frustrated by someone who wants to be free and not tied down
Oh, oh, baby, I'm trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Feeling caught between two equally difficult choices
It's night in the city,
Describing a particular time of day
I'm filled with self-pity -
Feeling sorry for oneself
I'm taking the air.
Going outside to get fresh air
If somebody hits me
Being prepared for violence or conflict
Here in this city,
Describing a particular location as potentially dangerous
I swear I just don't care.
Expressing a lack of concern for one's own well-being
Oh, oh, just looking for proof.
Searching for evidence of something
Oh, oh, I'm trapped like a cat on a hot tin roof.
Feeling trapped in a difficult situation, like a cat on a hot tin roof
I got to have proof,
Needing evidence to believe something
I got to have proof,
Reiterating the need for proof
I got to have proof,
Emphasizing the importance of having proof
I got to have proof. (repeat)
Continuing to express the need for confirmation or evidence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Andy Powell, Bob Skeat, Joe Crabtree, Mark Abrahams
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind