Andy Powell Interview

Feedback magazine, October 1992 by Jan Krynski and Martin Rodgers

Q: Both Ted and yourself are rightly regarded as two of the finest and stylistically most individual guitarists. Who were your early influences and who do you admire amongst current players?

AP: Both Ted and I were first influenced, as were a lot of kids from the fifties, by the guitar work of Hank Marvin and the Shadows. I think a lot of the melody came from this group. I myself started out as a rhythm guitar player in various soul bands around London and was at that point influenced by people like Steve Cropper. This was in the mid-sixties. Around 1968 both Ted and I became independently influenced by various blues players, both British and American. The playing of Peter Green, in particular, affected both of us profoundly. Currently, I admire players as diverse as Albert Lee, Richard Thompson, Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen.

Q: You’ve recently changed labels from IRS to Permanent. Is this change due to what many fans perceive as a lack of support and publicity from IRS?

AP: We did feel that we got swept along in the crush of artists that IRS represented at that time, and as always, we would hope for specialised attention on a label. I can’t say that we are fairing any better under Permanent Records, the arrangement for the current live album is more of a servicing and distribution deal for the band. We require a concerted approach to publicity and marketing which neither of these companies seem able to provide at present.

Q: We read recently that you’ve been writing new material for your next album. Are you still writing individually or have you returned to a more collaborative style since Andy Pyle joined the band?

AP: I can say that the individuals have been writing independently, but then they will open these ideas to the group forum thereby achieving, hopefully, an integrated group feel.

Q: It seems on the occasions that Martin Turner has been away from the band, that your own writing emerges more prominently. How do you approach it, music first then lyrics or the reverse?

AP: In the main part, music comes first in my songwriting, but there are certain songs that come from a lyrical standpoint first, like “Renegade” for example.

Q: On the “Strange Affair” tour you were playing a headless guitar. How do you rate them and what are their advantages and disadvantages when compared to a conventional guitar?

AP: The Steinberger headless guitar is just about one of the most compact and indestructible six strings around. It’s portability is its main feature, especially during air flights, etc. However, it probably represents the biggest major step forward as a design concept for an electric guitar since the fifties due to its pure design features and graphite construction. It’s a very accurate guitar if a little on the ‘cold’ side, ie. the high-tech approach lacks the ‘warmth’ and ‘soul’ of natural wood.

Q: What guitars, amplification and effects do you currently use on stage?

AP: My current equipment set up is either Marshall or Mesa Boogie amplification with Music Man or Gibson Flying V guitars. I like to run the guitar through a TC2290 effects processor which gives me chorus, digital delay, flanging, etc, together with an external distortion device known as a R.A.T. pedal. The TC unit has a stereo outlet to each stack enabling the effects to pan, etc, in stereo.

Q: The music press in Britain seem content to ignore the band. Do you resent this situation, or given the standard of most journalism these days, are you grateful for their lack of attention?

AP: Initially, we used to resent the fact that if you did not pander to the music critics ego then you would not get coverage, but these days, on a personal level. it doesn’t worry me at all, especially considering the level of journalism as you so rightly point out. However, in the UK, the printed word matters a lot, particularly as a source of information on touring schedules, etc. So this is an important area where we are often let down.

Q: One of the current debates amongst Ash fans is the selection of material for live shows. Do you have plans to feature any songs from the 1974-80 period?

AP: Since this was the Laurie Wisefield period, it’s difficult to get this current band to produce some of those songs, but it would certainly stand looking at as a project and I’m sure we could find one or two that work well.

Q: As the only remaining member of Ash to have stayed with the band since the start, how do you view line-up changes? Are they a source of new inspiration or do you feel they threaten the identity of Ash’s musical style?

AP: Hopefully, line-up changes can be integrated into the overall scheme of things and players we have recruited generally have a good awareness or feel for Wishbone Ash’s music style. Some of the changes have been very easy to assimilate and others take a little time to get used to that particular player’s own personality.

Q: We understand you are currently preparing material for your next studio album, will you be producing it yourselves, using an outside producer or perhaps involving Martin Turner?

AP: We would prefer an outside producer on the next album or at least a competent producer-engineer. That’s not to say that Ted and I won’t be playing a major part in determining the direction the production will go. I can say that we probably won’t be using Martin Turner, since his personal direction has moved very firmly into the dance-machine mode of production.

E-mail this page
Add to Favorites
Advanced Search