Wishbone Ash rides the wave into 2008 with a new studio recording, "The Power of Eternity," and international tour dates
On the heels of a whirlwind year, Wishbone Ash begins 2008 with what has become an annual tradition: a tour of Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland, followed by spring tours of the United Kingdom and the United States.
Amid touring, the band promotes its latest studio recording, The Power of Eternity, set for an October 2007 worldwide release on Eagle Rock (in the U.K. it will come out on Talking Elephant, the bands longtime label).
Wishbone Ash is the pioneering British twin-lead guitar band that influenced the likes of Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden, along with a crop of new, young guitar bands.
The band features founding guitarist Andy Powell, whose name is often associated with the Gibson Flying V, which he has popularized over the years. The lineup includes Finnish guitar slinger Muddy Manninen and the longtime rhythm section of bassist Bob Skeat and drummer Joe Crabtree.
2007 has been a banner year for Wishbone Ash. There were tours of Greece, France, Germany, Poland, Holland, Belgium; two tours of the States and two of the U.K.; two fan conventions on two continents; appearances at major festivals, the recording of The Power of Eternity, and two DVD recordings.
According to Powell, this year revolves around The Power of Eternity. Recorded in the Finland at The Sound Factory in Lohja., the CDs 10 tracks were recorded during the Spring of 2007.
Powell says, We went in the studio very well prepared. The album has a lot of energy, a lot of creativity.
The Power of Eternity was produced by Wishbone Ash and engineered by Giles Christenson & James Zaner.
According to Powell, The work seems, to my ears, to be a natural follow on from [previous studio release] Clan Destiny, but with even more focus on the songwriting.
Formed in October 1969 in London, Wishbone Ash was gigging by 1970. The band garnered notice in the early days for a unique blend of blues, jazz and English folk. But it was the way the guitars played melodic leads together that would become Wishbone Ash's trademark.
Throughout the years, many notable musicians have contributed their talents to the band, including Asias John Wetton, Trevor Bolder from Uriah Heep and Laurie Wisefield, who would later play guitar for Joe Cocker and Tina Turner.
