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Archive: 1990s

January/February 1990
Short UK tour.

Martin Turner - London Marquee 7 Feb 1990 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. Andy Powell - Borehamwood Hertsmere Ctr 3 Feb 1990 by www.wishboneash.co.uk.

pics: Gary Carter

March 1990
Wishbone Ash appears in the former East Germany at the East Meets West concert in Berlin. On return, the band film a television concert for Thames TV at London's Town and Country Club.

July 1990
Wishbone Ash begin work on their next studio album. The band record at Andy Powell's Buckinghamshire home - Ivy Lane Farm - using equipment from Martin Turner's home studio. However, during early sessions for the album, Steve Upton quits the band due to personal problems. He subsequently quits the music business and now manages Miles Copeland's chateux in the south of France - a very sad loss to the industry. Steve Upton is replaced by Robbie France (ex-Diamond Head, UFO, Ellis Beggs and Howard and also a leading drum clinician)

August-October 1990
The new line-up undertakes a major UK tour.

November 1990
Recording for the new album continues at Ivy Lane Farm. Robbie France is replaced by Ray Weston, a noted figure on the London studio scene who had previously worked with Martin Turner. Both Wetson and France feature on the album.

April 21st 1991
Strange Affair - Wishbone Ash's sixteenth studio album and their third for IRS - is released. Highlights among the album's ten tracks include "Wings of Desire", "Ssome Conversation" and "Standing in the Rain".

April-June 1991
Wishbone Ash tour Europe, the UK and Japan. The concert at London's Walthamstow Assembly Hall on May 16th sees Laurie Wisefield making a guest appearance with the band for two songs, "Living Proof" and "Jailbait".

Andy Powell, Laurie Wisefield - Walthamstow Assembly Hall 16 May 1991 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. Martin Turner - Blackburn King Georges Hall 11 May 1991 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. Ted Turner - London Marquee May 1991 by www.wishboneash.co.uk.

pics: Gary Carter

September 1991
Windsong International issue "BBC Radio One In Concert", an archive recording of Wishbone Ash live at the BBC's Paris Studios, London in 1972.

October 1st 1991

Martin Turner - Blackburn King Georges Hall 11 May 1991 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. pic: Gary Carter

Martin Turner receives a phone call from Andy Powell on his 44th birthday informing him his services are no longer required. Wishbone Ash continues with former sideman Andy Pyle filling the bass position. Martin returns to studio and production work. Projects for Martin following this split include the album In The Flesh by Roy Hollingworth, a former music journalist turned songwriter, as well as sessions with Simon Townshend (Pete's brother).

October-December 1991
European tour.

January 1992
Wishbone Ash play two nights at Easy Street Club in Gleview, on the outskirts of Chicago. The shows are recorded for a future live album release.

Andy Powell, Ted Turner, Ray Weston and Andy Pyle. pic: David Moffitt

April 6th 1992
The Ash Live in Chicago, produced by Ted Turner, Andy Powell and Fred Breitberg, is released through Permanent Records.

April-June 1992
Extensive UK touring. For several dates Brad Lang deputises for Andy Pyle, who has prior engagements with Gary Moore

July 1992
Short US tour

August 1992
Short UK tour

October/November 1992
UK and European tour

March 1993
US tour

April 1993
MCA USA release Time Was - The Wishbone Ash Collection - a 2CD compilation of the band's output recorded between 1970 and 1981. The set receives much criticism for its inconsistent liner notes and inner picture of the 'current band' - which does not appear on the album. On a positive note, the set features a previously unreleased 1971 studio version of "Where Were You Tomorrow" as well as Martin Turner's remixes of the Argus tracks.

Summer 1993
As Wishbone Ash takes a break from live work, Andy Powell's begins playing guitar with New York/Connectticut blues band The Sure Thing.

November/December 1993
Tours of USA, Canada and Germany mark the last live appearances of the line-up of Andy Powell, Ted Turner, Ray Weston and Andy Pyle.

January 1994

Ted Turner - Milton Keynes 2 May 1992 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. pic: Trevor Vanderplank

Ted Turner announces his second departure from Wishbone Ash, truly signalling the end of the reunion period. Sources close to the band reveal that Ted and Andy Powell have differed over business and musical direction. Frustrated by the band's lack of live work or any imminent recording deal, Ray Weston also begins lining up other projects, while Andy Pyle's services are not rehired.

April 1994
John Sherry, former manager and agent of Wishbone Ash, passes away in London following a short illness.

May 29th 1994
The first ever Wishbone Ash fan convention takes place at the Saracen's Head in Solihull, W.Midlands. Fans from across the UK gather for an afternoon of Wishbone-related activity - including the screening of rare video footage, a display of memorabilia and a live Wishbone Ash tribute band. Former member Mervyn Spence makes a special appearance performing three live tracks from his Something Strong album. The Convention has been an annual event in the Wishbone Ash calendar ever since.

Summer 1994
MCA license material for a compilation album Blowin Free - The Very Best of Wishbone Ash, released through Nectar.

Meanwhile, with the previous incarnation of the band disolved, Andy Powell begins forming a new Wishbone Ash band, featuring new recruits. This signals the end of Wishbone Ash as a true group democracy, with the new band being operated very much as Andy Powell's personal business venture and with musicians engaged on a session basis rather than as equity members. For information on these incarnations please consult www.wishboneash.com.

October - December 1995
Martin Turner performs on a tour of the UK/Europe with Andy Powell's new incarnation of Wishbone Ash, commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the formation of Wishbone Ash, standing in for Powell's bassist/vocalist Tony Kishman. The tour, which sees Andy and Martin sharing the stage with guitarist Roger Filgate and drummer Mike Sturgis, includes a date at the second annual Wishbone Ash Convention at Leicester University on December 3rd. The all day event this time features a personal appearance from the band, as well as a full length evening concert. During a break in the tour schedule the band - including Martin Turner - begin work on material for a new Wishbone Ash album at Element Studios, Hampton Court, although Martin's input from these sessions is not used on the final album.


Wishbone Ash - November 1995 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. Martin Turner - Leicester 3 Dec 1995 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. Andy Powell - Leicester 3 Dec 1995 by www.wishboneash.co.uk.

pics: David Moffitt (left), Gary Carter (centre/right)

December 1995
Live at the BBC is released through Band of Joy. A compilation of several BBC sessions covering the years 1971, 1972 and 1977, Although eagerly awaited by fans, the album disappointmented many, with a short running time and sub-bootleg sound quality on certain tracks.

September 1996
Martin Turner mixes previously unreleased archive live and studio material from the classic periods for inclusion on a forthcoming Wishbone Ash boxed set from Repertoire records of Germany.

October-December 1996
Martin Turner again joins Andy Powell's new Wishbone Ash line-up for a major UK/European tour. The 3rd annual Wishbone Ash Convention is held at Mansfield Leisure Centre on November 17th.

Wishbone Ash - Colne 1 Nov 1996 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. pic: Carol Farnworth

November 1996
Martin Turner releases his debut solo album Walking the Reeperbahn - a collection of fourteen previously unreleased tracks spanning the period 1981-96. The album sees Glenn Turner contributing guitar to several tracks - 27 years after the demise of the Empty Vessels/Tanglewood. Other featured musicians include Dutch guitarist Robin Berlin and Wishbone Ash members Ray Weston, Steve Upton and Andy Powell. The album is released through Martin's own label Dirty Dog Discs, but is eventually repackaged through Voiceprint.

Martin Turner - 1996 by www.wishboneash.co.uk.

January 1997
Live Timeline is released through Receiver Records. The album features extracts from a 1991 concert in Nagoya, performed by Martin, Ted, Andy and Ray Weston. in addition to BBC Session tracks from the early seventies recorded by the original line-up. Martin Turner, Ted Turner and Steve Upton did not authorise the use of their performances on this release.

August 1997
MCA issue The Best of Wishbone Ash - a single CD compilation of classic Wishbone Ash tracks from the classic period. Exclusive to this release are a live version "Lorelei" recorded in Liverpool 1976, and an acoustic "Blowin Free" recorded by Andy Powell, Roger Filgate, Tony Kishman, and Andy Powell's son AJ. The sleeve includes a picture of Andy Powell alongside Roger Filgate, who did not appear on the bulk of the album's tracks, at the expense of any photos of the classic line-ups.

September 1997
German company Repertoire release a 4CD boxed set of Wishbone Ash material entitled Distillation. The most comprehensive anthology of the band's career to dtae, the set featured remastered classic material in addition to previously unreleased live recordings and studio outtakes mixed by Martin Turner.

November 6th 1997
Martin Turner appears with Andy Powell, Roger Filgate and Mike Sturgis at the 4th Wishbone Ash Fan Convention in Mansfield. For this appearance they are joined onstage by former vocalist Claire Hamill. The performance marks the last occasion on which Martin Turner and Andy Powell share the stage. A video recording of the concert is released by the Wishbone Ash fan club.

Wishbone Ash - Mansfield 8 Nov 1997 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. pic: Carol Farnworth

December 1997
Martin Turner makes a promotional appearance in Poland to publicise both Distillation and Walking The Reeperbahn.

Martin Turner - 1996 by www.wishboneash.co.uk. pic: Carol Farnworth

January 1998
Following the break up of his new band line-up, Andy Powell sounds out the various members of the Mk.2 Wishbone Ash line-up about the possibility of a reunion to honour his outstanding commitments. In principal both Martin Turner and Laurie Wisefield are interested, but not under the regime that exists - that of Wishbone Ash operating very much as Andy Powell's business endeavour and musicians being paid on a session basis. Powell pursues the reunion idea no further and forms a new line-up.

1999
Martin Turner begins appearing with London-based blues-rock band the Blue Bishops, peforming a series of low-key gigs as well as recording and producing material for a new studio album.

Martin Turner remasters the Nouveau Calls album for re-release through Voiceprint.

 

 


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