"Live Dates" by WISHBONE ASH – November 1973 US Live Double-Album, December 1973 in the UK Both on MCA Records - featuring Martin and Ted Turner, Andy Powell and Steve Upton (November 1995/July 2002 UK Beat Goes On (BGO) CD Reissue – 2LPs onto 1CD - Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 

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"...Blowin' Free... "

 

Ah! the classic Live Double Album from your favourite Rock Band of the Seventies – their prowess in front of an enrapt audience not so politely slaughtering the mildly tepid studio versions that preceded them. Deriguer in those days baby...

 

And so it was no different with the Flying V duo of Wishbone Ash – their "Live Dates" 2LP bonanza from late 1973 (after four studio albums) holding a hot-water bottle comforting place in the aging tickers of (well) aging tickers. To the Kings and Pilgrims and Phoenixes and girly types with Whiskey on their breath and a glint in their eye for the guitar player (and his Bassist brother)...

 

UK released 24 November 1995 (reissued 25 July 2002 and 2007 with same catalogue numbers and Barcodes) - "Live Dates" by WISHBONE ASH on Beat Goes On Records BGOCD293 (Barcode 5017261202932) offers a full 2LP Live Set Remastered onto 1CD that plays out as follows (79:52 minutes):

 

1. The King Will Come (7:50 minutes) [Side 1]

2. Warrior (5:50 minutes)

3. Throw Down The Sword (6:00 minutes)

4. Rock 'N Roll Widow (6:0 minutes) [Side 2]

5. Ballad Of The Beacon (5:20 minutes)

6. Baby What You Want Me To Do (6:33 minutes)

7. The Pilgrim (9:15 minutes) [Side 3]

8. Blowin' Free (3:28 minutes)

9. Jail Bait (4:39 minutes)

10. Lady Whiskey (6:15 minutes) [Side 4]

11. Phoenix (17:13 minutes)

Tracks 1 to 11 are their fifth album release (first live) "Live Dates" – released November 1973 in the USA on MCA Records MCA2-8006 and December 1973 in the UK on MCA Records ULD 2-1/2 (MAPS 7169). Produced by WISHBONE ASH – it peaked at No. 82 on the US Billboard LP charts (didn’t chart UK).

 

Recorded live at four British locations – Fairfield Hall in Croydon on 17 June 1973 (Tracks 1, 8, 9 and 11), Portsmouth Guild Hall on 21 June 1973 (Track 6), Reading University on 23 June 1973 (Tracks 4, 5, 7 and 10) and Newcastle City Hall on 24 June 1973 (Tracks 2 and 3) - all songs are Wishbone Ash originals except "Baby What You Want Me To Do", a Jimmy Reed Rhythm and Blues cover version exclusive to this release.

 

WISHBONE ASH was:

ANDY POWELL – Lead Vocals and Guitar

TED TURNER – Lead Vocals and Guitar

MARTIN TURNER – Lead Vocals and Bass

STEVE UPTON – Drums

 

This BGO release originally issued in November 1995, was reissued in July 2002 with a slightly different back inlay and that version again sometime in 2007 (appears to be on their catalogue roster ever since). The 8-page booklet keeps the DOUG LING liner notes of 1995 reproducing the photos of the band on stage that graced the inner gatefold. Ling gives a brief history of the band, but it might have been nice if BGO used the 2002 reissue as a reason to include the 4-page booklet that came with original American vinyl copies. And although it doesn't say so specifically - a Remaster is evident – probably ANDREW THOMPSON their resident Audio Engineer. Either it rocks like the proverbial hairy-man it is.

 

Quickly establishing their twin-guitar assault on the audience, not surprisingly "Live Dates" opens Side 1 with three from their most popular platter "Argus" – their third studio album issued April 1972 in the UK on MCA Records (June 1972 in the USA on Decca). After a short drum roll and barely-spoken Good Evening - "The King Will Come", "Warrior" and "Throw Down The Sword" all share Martin Turner and Andy Powel handling Lead Vocals and Guitars - whomping the party faithful in front of them with a group that has clearly become tight, tight, tight. The audio is full and really good for the time frame involved – those flicked guitar notes that open "Warrior" alarmingly clear. And I've always loved the slow slightly Proggy vibe to "Throw Down The Sword" – Upton's symbol swishes and the crowd's clapping - well recorded.

 

Up next is the fourth studio platter "Wishbone Four" from only five months earlier in May 1973 – that album represented by two - "Rock 'N Roll Widow" and "Ballad Of The Beacon". The slide guitar sound that opens "Rock 'N Roll Widow" gets that concert distance it needed – an album that wasn't really loved after "Argus", I have always held a candle for it. The pretty "Ballad Of The Beacon" slows down the mood – leaving this town in the morning – it sounds great and as a song is actually a genuine grower (dig that guitar solo too).

 

We get a weird one in the shape of a Jimmy Reed cover version – "Baby What You Want Me To Do" - the only cut recorded at the Portsmouth gig on 21 June 1973. Maybe because the Audio quality feels a little bootleg-plus – it's good but just a tad unconvincing if I'm honest. Faith is very quickly restored with a fantastic nine-plus minute version of the builder that is "The Pilgrim" – their control and playing subtly on fire – notes building – symbols shimmering – Pilgrim is the kind of stoner track so few bands would do nowadays – but when that change and dual assault kicks in at three minutes – it's like Todd Rundgren's Utopia on a great night out. And on it goes via the youthful "Blowin' Free", the almost Danny Kirwan Fleetwood Mac 1970s riffage chug of "Jailbait" to the monstrous seventeen-minutes of "Phoenix" which I would admit may test my staying power at the age of 64.

 

Back in the day Wishbone Ash fans would have been lucky to get their hands on Live material by the band - with one exception - the famous "Live From Memphis" 3-Track EP put out by Decca in the States in 1972 as a sort of mini Promotional LP (Decca Records DL 7-1922) to promote the group amongst US Radio Stations and their Rock-friendly jocks. Recorded 21 August 1972 in the studios of WMC-FM Radio in Memphis, Tennessee – MCA used one of its cuts – the 17-minute "Phoenix" as a Bonus Track on the 2CD Remaster of "Live Dates" in 1992 (MCA Records MCAD2 10396). Beat Goes On have never used that song nor any of the others, but the Promo EP’s three can be found on both the single CD remaster of "Argus" from March 2002 or on the 2CD Deluxe Edition of "Argus" from November 2007. And as recently as 2020, "Live Dates" was repressed on a Vinyl Is Beautiful 2LP set in the USA – MCA Records 410012/13 being a Limited Edition of 1,500 copies in (wait for it) Yellow and Blue Translucent pressing aping of course the original Hipgnosis cover-scheme artwork. And we are back to what rocked then and now.

 

April 2018 saw a ginormous 30CD Box Set on Madfish Records called "Wishbone Ash The Vintage Years 1970-1991" – one for the uber-fan with more money and real estate in Cornwall than sense. And in 2022 and 52-years burning down the Rock and Roll Road – original guitarist Andy Powell keeps a version of a four-piece Wishbone Ash ticking over.

 

But this is where the rep for and legend of Wishbone Ash was hewn – "Live Dates" - with the wind in your hair, blowin' free. Enjoy...