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Album Retrospectives
LOCKED IN
1976
The aptly titled Locked In album was released in the UK on March 12th 1976. Critics had a field day, branding the album a disaster. Sounds' Pete Malowski, a longtime Ash devotee, claimed: "Ash seem to be trying to take a giant step forward at the same time as if Dowd is confused as to which direction the band is heading. Somehow this album seems a drastic move and, after many listenings, it still seems to be an inconsistent effort."
Wishbone Ash had always taken a certain amount of stick from particular elements of the music press, but for once even the band's loyal fan base could not defend the album, with it's distinctly lightweight style and lack of memorable songs. This, however, did not stop the album reaching No.36 on the UK chart.
In defence of Locked In, the album did contain some fine material - album opener "Rest in Peace", for example, would become a highpoint of the band’s live set over the ensuing year. However, as Martin Turner admits, "I just wish that album had been recorded some place else"
Wishbone duly honoured a five week US tour in support of the album (with Graham Maitland (ex-Glencoe) being added to the touring line-up, but even the band were aware that "Locked In" was a failure in both commercial and artistic terms.
Says Steve Upton: "We'd left our record company, had no management and we were working on a record with Tom Dowd. That was not a particularly healthy time to make a record. That whole time was probably the roughest of the lot. We just had no solid foundation any more. Musically we were taking a detour. I don't think Locked In turned out to be Wishbone Ash playing Wishbone Ash music. The title is more apt than I thought at the time. We were locked into a heavy situation. We were very cramped. We were just like blotting paper, we were that vulnerable."
"We lost track of everything," continues Andy Powell. "We couldn't focus on where we should be going and we put too much faith and responsibility on other people. We were looking for guidance - we didn't realise we should be taking the lead. It disillusioned us, it got pretty miserable."
GARY CARTER
Fan reviews:
This album is clearly a dud. Hate to say that, with such a wonderful band, and especially when you consider it came on the heels of a great piece of work like There's The Rub....but really, this is at the bottom of the Mark II barrel. Mediocre songwriting, mediocre vocals from Laurie Wisefield, absolutely NONE of that old Wishbone mythic/epic atmosphere. Pedestrian. "Rest in Peace" deserved a better fate, and "Say Goodbye", is a nice, if unspectacular, Martin ballad.
Bindu
I also hated this album when it came out. The production is limp and lifeless and some of the vocals are terrible. Martin had nodes on his vocal chords at the time and Laurie was ....well just Laurie. "She Was My Best Friend" still makes me cringe even now. I never listened to it for about 20 years.
Now I listen to it quite a lot - in fact more than most of the other back catalogue stuff. "Rest In Peace" is one of the best songs any version of Wishbone Ash ever did and it's worth buying the album just for that track alone. There is some great guitar playing on the album - the solos on "Rest In Peace" & "Moonshine" are outstanding.
Neil Ferguson
I tried to go in for it with an open mind rather than "people say it's weak - especially Martin". And I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoy it, and really the only thing I'd change is that they seem to have removed the bass from Martin's voice! It's sounds too light. Other than that I don't know what he was so upset about...it's really rather nice.
But honestly - if you're sat there as one of these people who remembers being disappointed with it in 1976...just play it again, see what you think. It's fair enough, not like the good old early 70's days - but for what it is, it's really good.
Sarah Warren
I play it every now and again (as do many others) and the main fault / complaint is with the 'thin' production of the album. The main body of songs stand up to scrutiny and I and others would LOVE to see Mart get his re-mastering head around this album to bring out the full glory of the songs. The band at the time felt 'locked in' by various things and this does seem to come across on the recording, but a re-mastering or better still a re-recording would lift most of the songs out of the stupor that the production at the time has them wallowing in. I would love to hear some of these songs live (other than "Rest In Peace") as ALL incarnations of Wishbone Ash come alive in a live setting which has never been faithfully recreated in the studio.
Fat Drummer
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