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Wishbone Ash rides the wave into 2009 with a new live recording, “Argus Then Again Live” recorded in a session at world renowned XM Satellite Radio studios in Washington D.C. The band played the entire ‘70’s classic before an invited studio audience. Featuring all the album’s songs in sequence with the absence of overdubs, double tracking and so on the CD also features extra bonus tracks like The Way of The World and Mountainside. On the heels of a whirlwind year, promoting their most recent studio album, "The Power of Eternity,"Wishbone Ash begins 2009 with what has become an annual tradition: a tour of Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland, plus dates in Scandinavia, followed by spring tours of the United Kingdom and the United States. 2009 is also a real milestone, being the band’s 40 th anniversary year Andy Powell in particular, the longest surviving founder member, will be taking time to reflect during a guest filled show at London ‘s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on May 16th. The show as well as the after show acoustic session and party, will be recorded for future DVD release. 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. You can hear echoes of their work in songs by such diverse artists as Steely Dan and Franz Ferdinand. Today, just as in 1969, features founding guitarist Andy Powell, whose name is often associated with the Gibson Flying V, which he has popularized over the years. The current lineup includes Finnish guitar slinger Muddy Manninen and the stalwart rhythm section of bassist Bob Skeat and drummer par excellence, Joe Crabtree. 2007 and 2008 have also been great years for Wishbone Ash. There were tours including Greece, France, Germany, Poland, Holland, Belgium; two tours of the States and two in the U.K; fan conventions on two continents; appearances at major festivals, the recording of The Power of Eternity, and two DVD recordings. No let up and no reliance on lame ‘heritage rock’ labels, which the industry tries to pin on them. According to Powell, the recent Power of Eternity recorded in the Finland at The Sound Factory in Lohja, displays the band’s current song writing and soloing muscle, the twin lead guitar sound loud and proud at center stage. Powell says, “We went in the studio very well prepared but the album has a lot of energy, a lot of creativity”. Powell adds, “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 song writing. Formed in October 1969 in London, Wishbone Ash was gigging in earnest 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. A chance jam between Andy and Ritchie Blackmore, on a show as openers to Deep Purple prompted Blackmore to recommend them to producer Derek Lawrence who in turn aided their signing with MCA / Universal in L.A. and he [Derek] was responsible for producing their best albums including the classic Argus. Throughout the years, many notable musicians have contributed their talents to the band, including Asia’s John Wetton, Trevor Bolder from Uriah Heep and Laurie Wisefield, who would later play guitar for Joe Cocker and Tina Turner. http://www.myspace.com/wishboneashband
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