Album Retrospectives

NOUVEAU CALLS
1987

Nouveau Calls was originally released in December 1987 as part of IRS Records' "No Speak" instrumental series of albums. This was a revolutionary concept formulated by Miles Copeland, former manager of Wishbone Ash and The Police, which went against the musical mainstream of the time. "Forget about having to come up with a single," said Copeland, "don't worry about your image, and don't be concerned with lyrics. Just play your instruments, unencumbered by restraints." Nouveau Calls saw the four original members of Wishbone Ash - Martin Turner, Steve Upton, Ted Turner and Andy Powell, working together for the first time since 1974. Copeland's adage was simply "no vocals", hence the album title pun.

The various original members of Wishbone Ash were contacted by Copeland early in 1987. Wishbone Ash at that time consisted of original members Andy Powell (guitar) and Steve Upton (drums), plus Andy Pyle (bass) and Jamie Crompton (guitar). Founder member and bassist Martin Turner (who had left the band in 1980) was heavily involved in production work at the time, whilst guitarist Ted Turner (who departed in 1974) was living and working in America

Miles met with Andy Powell and Steve Upton to discuss the possibility of the four original band members reuniting for this one-off project.

"Miles called us up regarding his upcoming "No Speak" project," recalls Powell. "He remembered that a lot of our music was instrumental based, so we were an ideal candidate. He wanted to see if the whole original band was interested in getting back together. We figured that there was enough water under the bridge and that it would be fun. Part of the appeal was that it was a "left field" sort of project. There was no pressure, no stress."

Copeland put his concept to Martin Turner on a visit to his studio, located in the basement of IRS's Kensington Park Road headquarters, London. Martin was receptive to the idea, provided it was the entire original group.

"With really good bands, they're good bands because you've got four individuals who are all strong in one area or another," says Martin. "I think that was the case with Wishbone Ash and for me - at that time - I felt there was only any point doing it if it was the original band."

The other term laid down by Martin was that, with him now fully immersed in a career in record production, he wanted to be involved in the production of the album. Copeland was agreeable to this, suggesting Martin's brother Kim Turner as co-producer.

The final piece in the jigsaw was Ted Turner, who was living in Los Angeles and about to move to Chicago. He was the one original member who took the most persuading, though due to visa problems would end up missing the majority of the recording sessions.

"To be honest," says Ted, "I wasn't sure if I wanted to come back after fourteen years, representing my past. I had a solo career planned and I wanted to represent Ted Turner "now", a very different person to when he left."

Andy Powell flew to Los Angeles and talked Ted into participating. On May 11th 1987, writing and rehearsal sessions for the album got underway at Martin Turner's studio, with Andy, Steve and Martin working together for the first time since 1980. There was certainly no shortage of material being put forward. Studio jamming proved fruitful and ideas from the musicians's respective banks of unreleased material were reworked. As Andy Powell says: "If somebody comes along and asks you to do an instrumental, it's a great opportunity to use all your excess ideas that are not always suitable for a "song". Martin Turner adds: "I was very surprised to see songs that I had written interpreted with no vocals - this only worked because the music contained such strong melodies, I believe."

A good example of the above practice is Andy Powell's "A Rose is a Rose", which was based around an idea that had originally been worked on in rehearsals during the late seventies. Meanwhile, "In the Skin" and "Something's Happening in Room 602" stemmed from songs Martin Turner had recorded with his early eighties band The Wolfgang (the original vocal versions of these tracks can be found on Martin's retrospective "Walking the Reeperbahn" album, available on Blueprint).

One setback had been encountered. Kim Turner, who had originally been lined up to co-produce the album with Martin and had played an integral part in early sessions for the album, had been asked to tour manage former Police guitarist Andy Summers and was forced to withdraw from the project. At Miles Copeland suggestion, William Orbit was drafted in. Although somewhat unsure as to Orbit's compatability (he is a respected figure on the dance music scene), Martin agreed to work with him, though the partnership was not entirely a happy one.

"I agreed to produce the album together with William," recalls Martin, "but it was a bit upsetting for me later in the day when he requested sole producers credit. Virtually the first thing he suggested was that we replace Steve with a drum machine. He came from a dance background and I think it was a case of "better the devil you know". To give him his due credit, he did do a great job of programming Steve's parts very accurately, but it seemed to me like an experiment that took us away from being a live band somewhat. I eventually insisted on using the recordings done in my basement with Steve playing real drums on "Flags of Convenience", "Arabesque", and "Something's Happening in Room 602". The quality is less high tech, but the feel and live playing gives the album a balance without which it could have gotten a bit sterile. William's high tech background and Wishbone's guitar work gives an interesting and unusual blend".

After the initial sessions at IRS, recording continued at Beethoven and Guerilla Studios, London. During the latter stages of recording, the elusive Ted Turner entered the picture.

"It was like meet the guys after fourteen years and go into the studio the next day," recalls Ted. "They had actually compiled all of the music, and all there was for me to do was grace it in any way I could."

Steve Upton describes the reformation of the original Wishbone Ash as a "very poignant time - we all looked pretty much the same as we did fifteen years earlier - just a few more wrinkles and a little less hair. We had travelled different paths and our experiences had forged much stronger characters than when we were boys. Not just musically, but we were now men and had our own formulated ideas. It was fascinating seeing how we had all developed both as people and musicians. The latter was like putting on a well worn glove - it fitted perfectly."

Upon its release, Nouveau Calls surprised both fans and critics with its broad musical scope. As one would have expected, influences that had not been heard in Wishbone Ash's music for some time - such as Andy Powell's folk-tinged guitar melodies, Ted Turner's lap steel and Martin Turner's strident melodic bass lines - were clearly evident in the album's music, which was further enhanced by the unusual song titles, many of which came from Miles Copeland. This, however, was not a reformation based on nostalgia. Whilst containing the traditional Wishbone Ash hallmarks and ideals, the album also had a definite contemporary feel. Martin Turner, in particular, had been keen to utilise the technological advances of the eighties such as synthesisers and sequencers, which nestled comfortably alongside the band's trademark twin lead guitars on tracks such as "Tangible Evidence" and "Real Guitars Have Wings", the latter of which would open the band's live set for many years. Although Wishbone Ash will always be noted in rock history books as one of the ultimate "guitar" bands, Martin Turner is keen to justify his use of synthesisers on this album.

"My attitude is that it is the creative energy which is important - not the instrument it is conveyed on," says Martin. "There are "guitar" parts on this album that were actually played on keyboards by myself. I was attempting to provide the contribution that should have come from Ted, had he been there throughout. Obviously Ted being there earlier would have made things different, but the way things panned out forced Andy and myself to work harder and that's what gives the album a clear and strong identity."

Album mentor Miles Copeland was delighted with the end result, claiming "when I comissioned this album I knew it would be great. I am proud to have this album on my label and be associated with the first group I ever managed."

Several of the album's tracks were later used by various TV stations as background music. Album opener "Tangible Evidence" was used by the BBC during the World Cup in 1990, whilst the Today show in America used some of the album for a documentary on China.

As Ted Turner says: "That's how powerfully music can be used, and that's one of the reasons that attracted us to doing an instrumental album."

Although the reformation of the original Wishbone Ash line-up had originally been intended solely for the purpose of recording Nouveau Calls, such was the enthusiasm within the band, that the four originals agreed to undertake a concert tour to promote the release.

As a result of the success of Nouveau Calls and its accompanying tour, the original Wishbone Ash agreed to work on a further album for IRS - 1989's Here to Hear. The trio of Turner, Turner and Powell also remained together for a further album, Strange Affair (1991). As Martin Turner states: "I do feel that, during that time, Wishbone Ash recorded some of the finest music of its career." In addition, as a spin-off to the No Speak series of albums, Andy Powell and Ted Turner, toured the UK and Europe, with the Night of the Guitars package, alongside Randy California, Steve Howe, Alvin Lee, Leslie West and other six string notables.

Aside from the Nouveau Calls album in its entirity, the 1999 Blueprint CD reissue of the album also includes one bonus track. "T-Bone Shuffle" was recorded during the Nouveau Calls sessions and had previously only been available as a single b-side and an inclusion on the 4CD boxed set Distillation, released by Repertoire Records of Germany.

GARY CARTER
MARK CHATTERTON

Fan reviews:

I like Nouveau Calls, though it's clearly not your typical Wishbone Ash album. Not because instrumentals are foreign to WA - clearly they are not - but most of the tracks on this album are not typical Wishbone instrumentals. "Real Guitars Have Wings" and "The Spirit Flies Free" being the closest to what you would expect. But most of the songs are based around repeating phrases, with keyboards and some minor keys. And, surprisingly, it works for the most part. "Clousseau" and "Flags Of Convenience" I think are my favourites, whilst "Arabesque" and "Johnny Left Home Without It" don't do a lot for me. But the best thing about this album is that it probably saved the band from disappearing into obscurity. And it was followed by the even better Here To Hear.

Alan Bloor

Some of these numbers either started of life as actual songs but either never fully developed that way or were deliberately devocalised in order to fit the bill. At least one if them appears on MT's solo album as a song. Also a number of patterns and progressions clearly started as keyboard excursions and as such are bound to add a different flavour. In fact Martin's keyboards are quite prevalent on this album. I'm firmly in the camp that thinks this is an often ignored little gem of an album.

Howard Johnston

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Related Info

Nouveau Calls album review, by Kirk Blows, Metal Hammer

Nouveau Calls album review, by Robert Sandall, Q

Blowin' Free - the book

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