Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash

Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash is a British rock band formed in 2004 by Martin Turner, original bassist, lead vocalist and one of the songwriters of Wishbone Ash Mark 1 and Mark 2 Line up. Including various reunions, his tenures with the "original" Wishbone Ash band lasted 1969-1980, 1987–1991 and 1995-1996. The band initially saw Turner joined by guitarists Keith Buck and Ray Hatfield, as well as drummer Rob Hewins. The band toured extensively throughout the UK and also in Europe with live performances featuring material from Wishbone Ash's heritage years, mixing live standards with lesser heard songs from the Wishbone Ash back catalogue, as documented on the New Live Dates Vols. 1 and 2 albums, released in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Original Wishbone Ash member Ted Turner guested with the band onstage, as documented on the live albums. In March 2008 Keith Buck left the band and was replaced by Danny Willson (ex-Showaddywaddy). In December of the same year it was announced that drummer Rob Hewins had been replaced by Dave Wagstaffe (ex-John Wetton, Ken Hensley). Hewins went on to join Showaddywaddy late in 2011, making his live debut in January 2012.

Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash (aka Martin Turner plays the music of Wishbone Ash; Martin Turner, founding original member of Wishbone Ash)
Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash in Bury St Edmunds, 2010
Background information
Origin	Torquay, Devon, England
Genres	Rock, progressive rock, hard rock
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Mystic UK
Associated acts	Wishbone Ash Martin Turner Ted Turner
Website	www.martinturnermusic.com
Members	Martin Turner Danny Willson Tim Brown Misha Nikolic
Past members	Rob Hewins Keith Buck Dave Wagstaffe Ray Hatfield

In 2008/09 the band embarked on the Argus Tour, featuring performances of the classic album in its entirety. In addition, in October 2008, the band appeared on a month-long theatre tour with Focus and The Groundhogs, called Classic Legends Of Rock.

In 2008 Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash also released a studio re-recording of Argus (1972) entitled Argus Through the Looking Glass. Recorded principally by the band's first line-up with (Turner/Buck/Hatfield/Hewins), it featured additional contributions from new guitarist Danny Willson as well as guest appearances by John Wetton (onetime Wishbone Ash member - he had played on Number the Brave (1981)) and Geoff Downes of Asia.

In July 2010 the band appeared at the inaugural High Voltage festival at Victoria Park, London. They were again joined onstage by Ted Turner.

The band's first DVD recording, filmed at the Y Theatre in Leicester in March 2010, was released in January 2011. It features a setlist containing tracks from many of the classic Wishbone Ash albums, including a four-song segment of songs from Wishbone Four and the complete Argus. A 2-CD set of the concert was released in 2012.

In July 2012 Martin Turner published his autobiography No Easy Road - My Life and Times With Wishbone Ash and Beyond through his www.wishboneash.co.uk website. The book chronicles the classic Wishbone Ash years, as well as Turner's personal journey, and contained contributions from former Wishbone Ash members Ted Turner (who also wrote the foreword to the book), Laurie Wisefield and Ray Weston, as well as other key figures in the story.

On 31 August 2012, the band held a Garden Party at Liscombe Park, Bedfordshire where they played a number of less frequently performed songs for an invited audience that included fans, music press, family and friends. The band were joined on stage by guitarists Ted Turner and Laurie Wisefield drummer Steve Upton, marking a re-union of 4 out of 5 members of the two classic line ups of Wishbone Ash. A double CD of this concert was released in 2014 under the name 'Martin Turner and Friends'.

In November 2013, Tim Brown replaced Dave Wagstaffe on drums.

Following court action pursued by Andy Powell to prevent Martin Turner using the name 'Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash',[1] in 2014 Martin Turner's touring activities were re-branded as 'Martin Turner plays the music of Wishbone Ash'.

In 2015 the band released the all-original studio album Written in the Stars, credited to 'Martin Turner, founding original member of Wishbone Ash'. 2015 also saw Ray Hatfield departing to be replaced by Misha Nikolic.

Discography

Live albums

• New Live Dates Vol. 1 (2006)
• New Live Dates Vol. 2 (2007)
• Life Begins Tour - Live in Leicester 2010 (2012)
• The Garden Party - A Celebration of Wishbone Ash Music (2014)

Studio albums

Argus Through the Looking Glass (2008)
Track Listing:
(all compositions written by Martin Turner/Steve Upton/Ted Turner/Andy Powell)

1. Time Was
2. Sometime World
3. The King Will Come
4. Leaf and Stream
5. Warrior
6. Throw Down the Sword
7. Blowin' Free

Personnel

• Martin Turner – bass guitar and lead vocals
• Ray Hatfield – acoustic and lead guitars and vocals
• Danny Willson – lead guitar and vocals
• Keith Buck – lead guitar and vocals
• Rob Hewins – drums and percussion and vocals

with special guests

• John Wetton – harmony vocals
• Geoff Downes – Hammond organ

Written in the Stars (2015) as 'Martin Turner, founding original member of Wishbone Ash'

Track Listing:

1. The Big Bang (Overture) (M Turner/R Hatfield) – 1.20
2. The Beauty of Chaos (M Turner) – 3.40
3. Written in the Stars (M Turner) – 4.25
4. Lovers (M Turner/N Greenway) – 4.30
5. Vapour Trail (D Willson/M Turner/T Brown/R Hatfield/E Burns) – 5.50
6. The Lonely Star (D Willson/M Turner) – 4.05
7. For My Lady (M Turner/R Lynton) – 4.15
8. Pretty Little Girls (M Turner) – 4.55
9. Falling Sands (R Hatfield/M Turner/T Brown/D Willson) – 6.00
10. Mystify Me (R Hatfield) – 5.20
11. Interstellar Rockstar (M Emery/I Jewel/M Turner) – 7.00

Personnel:

• Martin Turner – bass guitar and lead vocals
• Danny Willson – guitars and harmony vocals
• Misha Nikolic – guitars and classical guitar
• Tim Brown – drums and harmony vocals

with sincere thanks to Ray Hatfield for guitars and harmony vocals throughout this album

Additional musicians on track 11:

• Ivan Jewel – orchestral and choir arrangement
• Jennifer Rhys-Williams/Ivan Jewel – choir vocals
• Harriet James – recorders
• Ree De Lacey – ad-lib female vocals

Spoken words on track 6 by Austin Willson

DVDs

• The Life Begins Tour (Live in Leicester 2010) (2011)

References

1. "Between : ANDREW POWELL Claimant and MARTIN ROBERT TURNER Defendant : Case No. 3242". Bailii.org. Retrieved 28 January 2018.

External links

• Martin Turner official site
• Wishbone Ash history site, endorsed by Turner, Upton, Turner and Wisefield
• Ted Turner's website