Totally agree. I still remember going round to a friend's house and he played me this. I had heard very little rock music up until then and it blew me away. We both started to learn guitar because of this album and when one of us learnt a new riff we would teach it to the other.
I don't even like wishbone ash normally. Argus is the only album i could get into. But its securely in my top 10 favourite albums of all time. It's ridiculously good
Thanks for revisiting this neglected band, they deserve to be heard and discussed more. They were indeed contemporaries of Floyd, Yes, Uriah Heep, King Crimson, etc. Imagine going to a concert back then to hear 2 or 3 bands of this caliber, real musicians playing live music without tape machines or some idiot scratching vinyl because he can't figure out how LPs work.
In 07 at Fairport Convention Cropredy Festival, Wishbone Ash played Argus in toto. Next day Strawbs did Grave New World.. 2 of my all time favourites. Timeless classic
Saw Wishbone Ash in 1973 at The Hollywood Pladium with opening bands Elvin Bishop, and JoJo Gunne. Ticket prices under $6.00. Outstanding guitar work by all three bands!! Once again, hallucinogens thoroughly enhanced the show...took us over an hour to find where we parked, only one block away. BTW This was well before I met my wife, Sandy.
I always loved loved loved the crystal clear sound of their guitars. "Argus" is their 3rd album and their most successful I think but I personally prefer their self titled debut album. One reason may be that it was one of the most played albums in my preferred bar at that time. Though the guitar playing gets the greatest part of attention the rhythm section deserves to be mentioned as well. All in all a great band.
@@Rowenband I agree. And if you listen carefully to the other song on the side - Phoenix - and compare it to parts of "Release, Release" by Yes you could come to the conclusion that Steve Howe appreciated Wishbone Ash, too. Another aspect of that album for me is on a level that I cannot really explain but although I love the music of other great bands of that time, this album and Rare Bird's "As Your Mind Flies By" are somewhat like the emotional essence of the early 70s vibes.
I think Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac blues guitar playing informed a lot of the blues style playing during the 'song' stage of this piece. The use of reverb is straight out of the Peter Green playbook. Very tastefully done too.
Argus was voted best album of year 1972 in a Melody Maker (UK music paper of the day) poll which is a high accolade when you check out what other albums were relesed that year. However much you like their output the general consensus is that they are one of those bands whose live work trancends the stuidio recordings.
> Argus was voted best album of year 1972 in a Melody Maker I purchased this album, but no way was it better than Trilogy or Close to the Edge or other albums that came out that year. Melody Maker was like Peel, idiotic.
For 1972, one of the greatest years for groundbreaking releases across every genre, that vote was a HUGE stretch of the imagination. Maybe that article & the album were released & written in Jan of that year.
You called Peel, idiotic? I think you're the idiot. He brought so much great music to the ears of thousands of young people who decided to make music off the back of it. Especially poo kids who couldn't afford records.
I haven't started the video yet but just wanted to say it is such a joy to see you've posted a reaction so some incredible classic rock song I love. Happens quite often.
This is from the early seventies, not to far from the hippy movement, so it is laid back and at the same time rocks and grabs and keeps attention.Twin guitars compliment each other,the Bass anchors it all and adds to the sound overall. i saw Wishbone Ash recently,at least Andy Powell's version. They were good,but I wish Martin Turner had been there playin bass and singing.
This masterpiece has been one of my favourite albums since the day I first heard it way way back in 1972, an absolute gem!! .. And what an outstanding gatefold!! ..
Another great band from the 70s, pioneers of the dual lead guitar sound (Ted Turner and Andy Powell). I would do "The King will Come" next from the same album.
One of my favorite Ash songs. Drummer Steve Upton is awesome on this song. The bass and drums are wonderful. Great guitar work. One of W.A.’s best songs for me is Handy from their first album.
I got so enthused that I downloaded 4 more albums and put them to disc, I also made 2 discs for my brother who's willing to give then a try, I'm giving him "Live Dates Volume Two" and "Argus" with 5 tracks from their first 2 albums. This happens often after watching Justin react to a great band.
SO GLAD to see you get to Wishbone Ash! They were one of the earliest adopters of the "twin guitar" sound! "Argus" album is a proggy, folkie, hard-rockie wonder! I spent many hours listening to this album! I first heard it while sitting around a campfire on a fantastic camping trip in the SW Texas mountains! Saw them in concert in 1976, and they were amazing! Nearly perfect playing, so mesmerizing! Yes, I picked up the Floyd influence, and most definitely the Yes influence with that bass and those harmonies, but I had never picked up on the Rush influence before, and now, well, at least with this song, I will always hear it! Thank you! You will also hear hits of Jethro Tull, ELP, Crimson, and even Doobie Brothers, among others. And you will hear Yes many times in their vocal harmonies! While WA is not nearly as mind-blowing as Yes or ELP or Crimson, they were still well worth the money spent on the albums!
Unlike some Wishbone Ash fans, the hero of the band to me was *Martin Turner.* Without his bass playing + lead vocals, WB would not have appealed the way it did to me. Andy Powell was/is talented, but Ted Turner also did a respectable job playing the second lead. WB is a guitar band...doesn't pretend to be anything but. If you don't have an appetite for guitar rock bands, you won't be able to appreciate WB. Also, in spite of the hype Argus got, I actually think I liked one of their earlier albums better, featuring as it did *Handy* (Martin's great on the bass) and *Phoenix,* two more lengthy songs that "developed" slowly to a peak, like Sometime World and Time Was and Blowing Free...
I have to agree with you that their self titled first album was better though I don't remember liking their 2nd album, Pilgrimage, as much. Handy is my favourite song of theirs with Phoenix not far behind.
Hi JJ, I can but disagree slightly. Any successful rock band has to be the some of its parts- sometimes it works, mostly it doesn't. In this case you have a supreme lead in Andy, great rhythm/lead in Ted, awesome bass in Martin whose voice is also underrated and then there's Steve on drums- one of the best stickmen at that time. My point being that they were all stand-outs of that era and hence a top band overall..........I only got to see them eight times between 73-78.
Another reason why I love this channel - I always heard of Wishbone Ash in my youth, but never gave them a decent listen for Punk and New Wave caught my attention. Very cool group. Thanks JP!
Line-up changes (1981-1986) Turner was replaced by bassist and vocalist John Wetton, formerly of Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep and U.K. Number the Brave was released in April 1981 and featured Wetton's lead vocals on just one song, although during album sessions he had offered songs such as "Here Comes the Feeling" that would eventually sell millions when released on Asia's 1982 debut album. Wetton did not continue with Wishbone Ash beyond the album sessions and instead co-founded Asia. In an interview with Guitar World in 2011, Steve Harris from Iron Maiden said "I think if anyone wants to understand Maiden’s early thing, in particular the harmony guitars, all they have to do is listen to Wishbone Ash’s Argus album."
Two things. The very first solo has something that you will not find in music anymore because of the overuse of compression, and that is dynamics. There is a particular flow to the notes that feels entirely organic. Also, since you have started with WA now, do yourself a favour and go straight to "Throw down the sword" on the same album. The counterpoint twin solo at the end of that song is at the same time a throwback to something from the renaissance as it is some sort of poetry in musical form, and in my opinion the most beautiful guitar piece ever recorded. Yes, I said it, it is better than any Knopfler, Clapton, Hendrix, Gilmour or whoever else you want to insert here.
Thank you JP for playing Wishbone Ash at all ! What a great band and the fore-runner of the double lead . What a great and underappreciated prog rock band.
Bit of trivia for you: Andy Powell played the electric guitar solo on Ashes Are Burning title track for Renaissance, and in exchange John Tout played organ on Throw Down the Sword on Argus. Martin Turner, Chris Squire and Jon Camp all play the bass as if it is a lead instrument. Nice reaction, JP. Perhaps it's time for more Renaissance?
Check out their track Blowin' Free. It is PRIMO STUFF, also Silver Shoes and Persephone from the album There's The Rub. Saw them live in the late 70s, excellent and underrated band.
There is quite a bit of jazz influence in there. When you listen to some of the chord progressions you can hear the jazz coming through. Saw these at a free festival before they were famous. They were playing most of the first album: Phoenix, Lady Whiskey, Blind Eye, etc. I couldn't wait for the first album to come out.
Afternoon, JP. Dave from across the Wide Open Space. Given how you love great bass playing, I was hoping you would get round to Sometime World. The bassline in part 2 is Martin Turner at his best. Argus and Pilgrimage are two of my favourite albums of the 70s. I love the twin guitar leads, and the contrast between Ted Turner's quiet, melodic solos (as in part 1) and Andy Powell's rockier licks (as in part 2). Shame Ted left after Wishbone Four. No offence to his successor Laurie Wisefield, but I never thought the band were quite the same again. Live Dates is a classic live album, and I was fortunate to be at one of the gigs (Reading University) they recorded for it - three hours of sheer bliss!
The best guitar solo from a band not known for a lead guitarist is Ashes Are Burning by Renaissance with none other than Andy Powell!!! The whole reason John Tout appeared on Argus the reciprocal was Andy appeared on Ashes Are Burning album from the same name, apparently Ted Turner's appearance on John Lennon's Imagine lead John Tout (also on Imagine) to meeting the members of Wishbone Ash, Miles Copeland III was their manager as well as Curved Air and later Renaissance so those three Progressive Rock bands were connected!!! Curved Air are bringing out a new album hopefully in 2022 anyone want to support this they have created a Patreon account for this very purpose!!! 😊👍❤
I have not taken the Wishbone journey. Been waiting for your guidance... I don't even recall listening to any DS9 reactions for them... But that could be me and my horrible memory sometimes... I will go back and check out the other song you mentioned you did. Some sweetness for me for sure. This one ended to me more rocking than I expected with the start, and when in that mood it certainly works for me. Thank you! All the best. Oh yes, I hear the Getty bass rhythm big time, love your insights....
Yay! Well-spotted, JP - tech. can be a friend, or it can be a real pain. 🤨 "Sometime World"? Always a friend of mine, and real treat played live, but it tends be a rare event because of the impact of the thematic songs "King/Warrior/Throw Down the Sword" on what we oldies refer to as Side 2. [...and there goes "Leaf and Stream" - a little gem.] The arrangements on Wishbone Ash songs are always rich, worth studying, quite apart from the impact that the song may have on the ears. The gently building melodic passage leading, sometimes not so gently, into an accelerated passage where the interplay between the musicians is sharp, dynamic and exhilarating is a common frame for their song-writing, then and now. It can feel formulaic but that's only when you forget to sit back and enjoy the inventive musicianship of the great majority of their material, whichever line-up is involved, in the studio or on the stage.
I saw Ash on the Argus tour at Birmingham Town Hall back in '72 not long after it's release. I think they played every track off of Argus with the exception of this, my favourite track. 😞
A great album, Justin, and I still have it. Thanks for doing this. I still love to play side 2 of the album, with ‘The King Will Come’ ,’Leaf and Stream’, ‘Warrior’ and ‘Throw Down the Sword’. Great twin lead guitars and fabulous harmonies.
The second band I ever saw live at a gig in 1970. First was Tear Gas (later The Incredible Alex Harvey Band) and headliner was Keef Hartley Band. It was immediately obvious that Wishbone Ash was something special. Argus is just an amazing album from start to finish with no fillers. Of course, they were the ones who made me discover twin lead guitars and the sound has never got old. Are you working your way through the album or are you keeping the two monsters - The King Will Come and Throw Down The Sword - for the end? Anyway, this is an album you can never get tired of listening to.
Thankyou JP, great stuff. The whole of Argus is brilliant, The King will come, Blowin' Free, Throw down the sword et al, are all well worth a listen. Their influence on Mark Knopfler is obvious. Ted Turner also played guitar on some of the tracks on John Lennon's Imagine album, I assume someone must have invited him to take part in the sessions, one can only assume it was Lennon. Wishbone's version of Jack McDuff's 'Vas Dis' on the Pilgrimage album is better than the original, and shows the band were perfectly capable of playing Jazz very competently.
Argus one other great song. Great bass line on that one. Martin Turner has some very superb and melodic bass lines. I think he sings on that song too. I really hope you go further on with this album. Only good songs on it. Not comparing with Rush is a good thing. WA has something very melodic in the bass. And it's powerfull. Rush weren't in the picture at the time. But as you said, I don't think they had influence in either way. The connection with Squire is more efficient IMHO.
Yes all music from them on was distinctly evoked from Wishbone Ash. Being a music freak I can assure you their music has inspire Many bands and subsequent music vids
Wonderful band that somehow slipped under the radar compared to many other 70s rock greats. Especially their 'Live Dates'-album from 1973/74 shows what this band was about when performing live, but their first four or five studio albums aren't to be neglected either!
This song has a lot of what I like! Funny, one of my friends loved them, but I never was inspired to buy anything from them. Sometimes it’s good to be a better listener! My wife taught me that. Nice listen.
That transitional section reminded me a whole lot of Free Bird, where the Skin-nerds halfway lucked out, but that's another gripe. But then it started getting interesting and original and, alas, familiar, with the guitar lead amid the swirling aural maelstrom. I then remember hearing it at a party in high school, and my ears suddenly perking up. As a progressive head, I was spoiled by the technical and creative and visionary prowess of the Brits. After seeing King Crimson, Jon Anderson told either Chris or Steve...we need to practice more. Maybe that is why they are so damn good.
David, I felt the same thing re: Free Bird, except reversed. Argus was released 18 months before 'Pronounced', so to me, Skynyrd's guitar playing sounded like Wishbone Ash.
A completely overlooked band from the early 70s… you can just take their albums and play them in the background of anything you’re doing and get that groovy feel.
This is from the WA album 'Argus', the very first album I bought back in 1973 and STILL in my top 10 albums of all time. This is my second favourite track off this album, my favourite being the closing track 'Throw Down The Sword', which you MUST listen to. Great musicianship in this band ... Andy Powell & Ted Turner on guitars, Steve Upton on drums, and Martin Turner (no relation to Ted) is one of the finest bassists you'll ever hear. Great band !
JP - Thanks for reacting to this classic song! My favorite section is Ted Turner's quiet guitar solo during the first part of the song. Very melodic and beautiful.
There are a few standout Wishbone Ash albums...their debut self titled,Argus, There's the Rub, New England,No Smoke without Fire...there were two Ted Turners..at different times of course...and later Laury Wisefield
I really liked this album back then but very seldom listen to it nowadays. But I did enjoy this, after a long time. I remember eagerly waiting for their next album but was disappointed when it came out. They changed their sound to some kind of pub rock, which I still wonder since Argus had such a great potential.
Justin, one more thing about that album. If you want to listen the last tracks, please do Warrior and Throw Down The Sword together. These two are really complementary. And an amazing end to the album…
I've never given this band a good listen. I liked what I heard on this song. You had some good points about Yes and Gilmore. I also fell a Tull vibe of Crosseyed Mary when they broke into the guitar lead. This is definitely a product of it's time, and I say that in a positive way, as a kid from the 70s. However, I'm still not totally sold. If you hit some more, I have to listen and see if I can draw a conclusion. You'll know you sold me if I go on line and buy the album. I'm not there yet.
Their first approximately 10 albums are fabulous. Then, a few good ones through the years. Really fine musicians who sounded like nobody else in terms of the guitar harmonies and group vocals. ARGUS is one of THE great prog rock records of the era. And their vocals are so much better than Rush, IMHO.
It’s a pleasant song but, basically a variation on a theme. Got a bit old… waiting… I think my sister was into them but I just never clicked. I know I’ve heard them here and there through the years. Always willing to give them a chance. Peace and waiting Music
Imagine if you could hold and control two brushes at the same moment, making them dance across the canvas in time to the bass and drums. Colours leaping and soaring into infinity. Peace brush wielder.
The version of "The King will Come" from Live Dates-in fact, the suite of three songs from _Argus_ that starts that album-is some of their finest work.
I had forgotten how good this song was. Handy off their first album is better imo but this is still a very good song. I am glad you found time to come back to this album and band. When I was a teen listening to them, I would drop into a dream like state mentally dancing with the guitar notes moving in and out with each other and around the bass. It was heady stuff in the day and has stayed with me ever since.
The first 4 albums by Wishbone Ash are superb. After that they fell off somewhat. Sorrel off the Wishbone 4 album and Handy off the first album are my 2 favorites. By the way, the cover picture on the first Wishbone Ash album is great.
Justin, if you want to hear where David Gilmour was inspired for Dark Side Of The Moon, listen to The Pretty Things Parachute as David has admitted to that album inspiring him for Dark Side, Victor Unitt is an amazing guitarist!!! 😊
Very important and highly influential UK band that blended twin guitar rock, folk and jazz elements and the like ... with creative and interesting lyrics ... the documentary DVD re making of Argus has Martin Turner explaining his sources / influences - it is a great watch ... The Mark 1 version of the band created the 1st 4 legacy studio albums (and Live Dates) before Mark 2 came along with Laurie Wisefield (ex of Home) stepping in for Ted Turner. There's the Rub is a great album which was produced by Bill Szymczyk (spelling could be flakey) before he went on to do Hotel California ... some folk claim / believe that the classic twin guitar solo at the end of Hotel California was Eagles doing the equivalent of Wishbone Ash ... coincidence given the producer? Maybe yes / Maybe no ... skipping Locked In - not the greatest LP, Mark 2 version produced other great LPs (my view) in New England, Front Page News, No Smoke Without Fire (gotta love The Way of the World), Just Testing and the superb Live Dates 2 (the 2 LP version) ... fabulous stuff ... 1980's saw things fracturing for a few years / albums before Mark 1 resurrected for a wee while in late 80's (instrumental album Nouveau Calls - pronounced "no vocals" - pun intended, some live shows (available on video / CD), and, if memory serves, Here to Hear and Strange Affair) ... please check out Standing in the Rain track from this era - just majestic and a real fan favourite ... 1990's saw Andy Powell begin journey to keep band as going concern (new albums, keep gigging going) ... 2000's saw messy court case ... Andy "won" right to keep name.... currently Andy still tours the "official" Wishbone Ash ... Martin Turner has his own band (doing classic Ash as well as some solo material) ... both versions give you a superb night out if you go to a gig ... fabulous tunes, duelling guitars, great lyrics ... O have seen the bands several times in Aberdeen, UK - most recently on both the 50th Anniversary tours ... one of the "must have" bands if you are of a certain age ... fabulous ... really, really important band.
just to add..wishbone ash..were the first band in the world to have two lead guitars,..also steve harris, of iron maiden..said wishbone ash, were their major influence...also. wishbone ash,... were pre "yes"..and ..pre 'rush"..and pre chris squire...so wishbone ash...were very definatly , a major influence, to up and coming bands, to follow their lead!...hope you play more wishbone ash!!....incidently...the album "argus"...from what this track is from..is still in the top 20 british rock albums,of all time, as voted from new musical express, and other british rock media...do yourself a favour..listen to the whole album...its in your ball park..its a concept album..about medieval war, and its effect..
Good track but I can't say I'm crazy about it. I have always preferred the second line-up of Wishbone Ash (with Laurie Wisefield replacing Ted Turner on guitar) in which the band's music is more rock and less bluesy or folk. Justin, try the instrumental "F.U.B.B." Taken from their fifth album There's the Rub (released in 1974) to see the difference in style.
I think I maybe liked Ash for about a week in 1972, probably bc I liked too many others bands much more. They didn't do a lot to make me feel that I was getting a one of a kind experience from them
