Wishbone Ash's Blog

Wishbone Ash^® is about to embark on a really intensive 6-month tour plan, a 'final fling' taking the band 'round to next July in the 40th anniversary of its long career.

The October tour of the UK begins on the 2nd and ends the first week of November. Then in January 2010 the band hits the road again for the Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia. Canada's blues prodigy, Jimmy Bowskill, will be opening for the band on this 6-week tour. For a complete list of tour dates and venues visit http://www.wishboneash.com/tours.asp

In addition we'll be revisiting Warsaw and Poznan in Poland. The Czech Republic is now on the date sheet.

A USA East Coast tour is in the final booking stages, planned for March 2010.  Keep your fingers crossed on this one.

Italy and Switzerland will also be visited this time around just prior to the usual spring U.K. tour

A USA West Coast tour, plus a possible Far East visit, are being discussed for June

The new DVD "Wishbone Ash^® 40" Live in London is set for a European release on October 10th,  although we've been assured of tour stock for the beginning of the U.K. tour. This new DVD was produced by RCN TV, the same team who made the highly acclaimed Live in Hamburg DVD. This 40th anniversary show from Shepherd's Bush Empire contains performances of Blind Eye, Runaway, Right Or Wrong, Sometime World, Rainstorm, The Way of the World, Everybody Needs a Friend (featuring Mark Birch), The King Will Come, Throw Down The Sword, Cell of Fame (featuring Mervyn "Spam" Spence), Almighty Blues & Faith, Hope & Love (featuring Ben Granfelt), Engine Overheat, Phoenix, Jailbait & Blowin' Free. If that's not enough, this production has a special 51-minute bonus road movie as well. Featuring back stage scenes and travel footage - a kind of "week in the life of the band" leading up to the big London show. The format is stunning Hi Definition video, 5.1 Surround Sound as well as regular stereo. And yes, this DVD will be offered for sale on the band's website once we have it in stock.

A separate live CD of the 2-hour performance as well as a vinyl pressing will be available.

Two new T-shirt designs will be presented on the U.K. tour: one similar to our last popular design, a baseball flash style shirt in men's and ladies styles (pictures). The 'tumbling wishbones' motif as seen on stage during the band's 40th anniversary London show will also be featured on a black tee. More designs will be forthcoming this year to add to your T-shirt collection.

Big News: After a 10 year run, our website is currently undergoing a complete makeover by North Carolina's Samedis Design. The site will be in a modern larger format, featuring video, Twitter, MySpace &  FaceBook access. 

New album: As many of you know, Wishbone has been hard at work on new material, in various locations like Normandy, France and Lancashire, England. The team, including engineer Stephan Ernst, and Sometime lyricist Ian Harris, is contributing skills to a set of new songs said to feature mucho guitar work courtesy of Powell/Manninen plus a level of rhythmic dynamics never before heard in this band by the team of Skeat and Crabtree. Some of the works in progress for example are Searching for Satellites, Big Issue and Man With No Name.

New stage songs for the set list! 70s album title track Front Page News has had a makeover and will now make its return back into the set, as will the seldom-heard but favorite of many, Lady Jay. The latter being the recounting of the well-known Dartmoor legend. Recounting the death of Kitty Jay was recently the subject of a BBC ghostbusters-style documentary.

October 5th features the band at a special competition winners show at the Gibson Event Theatre in London sponsored by Planet Rock Radio.

This Just in: Universal Music is embarking on a plan for Wishbone Ash's back catalogue. So far they have scheduled in a Anthology and a Box Set. We will keep you abreast of this as we find out more.

Many of you will have noticed the enhanced provincial media presence of late. This is due to the efforts of Manilla PR in the U.K. October interviews with Andy Powell and the band are slated for BBC6 - live interview on the Cery's Matthews Afternoon show on Monday October 5th Total Rock Radio - Live interview on Monday October 5th Rock Radio - and look out for an October interview Numerous regional BBC Radio appearance including BBC Devon, BBC Notts, BBC Coventry and many more to come.