Lifeline (Wishbone Ash) (LP 4960 - 4966)

Wishbone Ash  Just Testing (Vinyl, MCA Records, 1980) ***  

Wishbone Ash  Live Dates Volume Two (Vinyl, MCA Records, 1980) ***   

Wishbone Ash  Trance Visionary (CD, Invisible Hands Music, 1998) * 

Wishbone Ash Clan Destiny (CD, Rajon Music, 2006) ** 

Wishbone Ash  The Power of Eternity (CD, Sanctuary Records, 2007) *** 

Wishbone Ash  Millenium Collection (CD, Digimode Entertainment, 1999) **** 

Wishbone Ash  The Collection (CD, Digimode Entertainment, 2003) **** 

Genre: Rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, Chaldon Books and Records, The Warehouse

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Lifeline (Just Testing)

Gear costume: Persephone (Live Dates Volume Two)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: The eighties started as the seventies had ended for Wishbone Ash. Just Testing followed No Smoke Without Fire and showed they had things in common with other hard rock bands like Deep Purple and UFO who turned out a successon of so so albums after a bright start. Post Wishbone 4, the band seemed content to record okay rock records with a couple of good moments on them. These they'd trot out regularly to the dwindling faithful.

Just Testing starts well enough with an AC/DC style boogie - Living Proof and ends with the best moment - Lifeline. Unfortunately, the songs between those two are pretty average rock songs that lack the early Ash dynamics and daring do. 

By the by: For some reason Steve Upton's drumming has morphed from sharp dynamic brilliance on those first three albums to rock mainstream plodding on the post Argus albums. Such a shame.

Live Dates Volume Two was recorded on dates between 1976 and 1980 (during the tour to support Just Testing). The original album was a single one, but my copy is one of the first 25,000, so it has a bonus album of other songs which includes the only song from their first three albums - Time Was (a weak version, sadly).

Generally, the songs are better in a live setting as these are four fine musicians, but they are still not brilliant songs. The highlight is on the bonus album for me, with an excellent version of Persephone.

Trance Visionary is a deeply weird album as it features techno and dance music from Andy Powell and Mike Bennett (a big name in techno apparently). I knew that going in - the title gives itself away and the back of the CD says the band can be heard exploring 'deep, fluid, and at times ethereal drum 'n' bass to industrial post-modernist techno'. I bought it anyway.

It's a laudable experiment but it's not my cup of tea. Nor really is Clan Destiny. Andy is now the only original member left and it's okay, like Just Testing is okay but I need more from Wishbone Ash than okay and average.

The Power of Eternity is much better, thankfully. The musicianship is excellent, although the singing still leaves something to be desired, and the newest guitar foil, Muddy Mannimen, can write some decent songs. 

Highlights on this album are the Hendrix-ian Driving a Wedge and Growing Up. The acoustic interlude songs are a nice breath of fresh air as well. Their best album in a long time.

Millenium Collection is a double CD that features two concerts: the first is from Liverpool in 1976 and the second is from Chicago in 1992.  The Liverpool gig is really good, even the older songs like Warrior are treated well. It's generally superior to Live Dates Volume Two. The Chicago gig is also a great addition. The slightly different arrangements of classic songs like The King Will Come are terrific.

Where do they all belong? There are so many compilations of their work out there but I think The Collection is an excellent introduction to the band. It has a smattering of songs from the first eleven years of the band. 

I don't have any huge desire to add to my Wishbone Ash collection, but if they ever appear in the Little Red Bookshop sale...