Carl Plamer, Wishbone Ash and The Strawbs

"Giants of Rock and Folk" tour.  Got tickets for 4th March in Exeter.
http://www.carlpalmer.com/tourdates.php
http://www.strawbsweb.co.uk/index0.htm
https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/martin-turner-plays-the-music-of-wishbone-ash
 
Dave Cousins is 70 this year, Carl Palmer 65 and Martin Turner 67.
 
 
 
 

jamesg1213
That should be good! Lots to enjoy there. Seems a shame that Andy Powell and Martin Turner can't reunite in Wishbone Ash. Powell still has rights to the name I believe. One of my favourite bands still.

Torquay's Finest! I doubt if that will happen any time soon, looks like the legal battles were quite bitter. I remember Turner's brother played bass in the resident band in a Torquay night club we used to frequent at the time of Argus. Aparently he had left WBA as he did not want to give up his day job.
Strawbs are the "Acoustic Strawbs" incarnation with Cousins, Lambert and Cronk. Shame they could not get Wakeman or Tony Hooper to sit in!
 
I have not seen the line up for Carl Palmers current band.
 
 
 

Reading Dave Cousin's biography is increasing my anticipation.
 
I just dug out a 16 year old post of mine on the Strawbs website.
 

I was at the May 1974 concert at Paignton Festival Hall mentioned by Peter Yearsley in the Strawbs Stories section of your web site. The mellotron breakdown, I thought it was early in the set. Well it did have its upside. Dave Cousins solo performance of a "just written" Grace Darling. This left a lasting impression and seemed so much better than the heavily produced version that was released on Ghosts some time later.
 
This was the second of three Strawbs concerts I have attended at Paignton Festival Hall, the first was at the time of Bursting at the Seams. Great concert, the group were in the bar in the interval with the punters!
The third had them supporting Lindisfarne just before Christmas, it must the 1994 tour referred to by Peter. OK it was a short set but they were in fine form.
 
Unlike Peter Yearsley I no longer have my ticket stub from the 1974 concert. If there is ever a repeat concert however it won't be at the Festival hall. It's been pulled down and is being replaced by a cinema.

 
So this will be my 5th Strawbs concert spread out over a period of 42 years! The First being the "Bursting at the Seams" Tour in 1973. The Strawbs and Lindisfare concert refered to above was actually Dec 1993. I have no idea of the data of the 4th concert which was in Exeter. Tony Hooper had rejoined the band.
 
Last and only time I saw Carl Palmer was with ELP at the Empire Pool Wembley in 1974 with his revolving British Steel drumkit.
 
I have never seen any incarnation of Wishbone Ash before.

There are a couple of Wishbone Ash going around. Andy Powell owns the rights to the name, so this one is billed "Martin Turners Wishbone Ash"

Legal battles were bitter. 'Still if Waters and Gilmore can share a stage there is always hope.

Well, it was last night and I really enjoyed it!
 
Strawbs were on first as an acoustic trio of Cousins, Cronk and Lambert. Chas Cronk was impressive on acoustic Bass, 12 String and bass (or more correctly synth) pedals. The pedals expanded the sound pallet considerably and even songs like “Ghosts” worked in the acoustic environment. Lamberts lead playing was excellent, only occasionally did you miss it being an electric guitar. Dave Cousin’s voice is this beginning to show signs of his age, but it was still an impressive performance.
 
Carl Palmer answered the question “how do you do ELP without Emerson and Lake” by choosing to do an instrumental set without a keyboard player. Instead we had a guitarist and a bass player with a six string bass and chapman stick and the focus was on the drumming. It worked; The Set included “Howdown”, “Tarkus”, “Jerusalem” and “Karn Evil 9”. Only on “Fanfare for the Common” man were recorded synths used.  Carl looked positively youthful and played superbly!
 
In contrast to Carl’s youthful looks Martin Turner is more in the Keith Richards / Steve Tyler school of ageing rock star.  He is an excellent frontman his bass playing and vocals were very good. Of course on 25% of the original Wishbone Ash but Ray Hatfield and Danny Wilson handled the twin guitar roles admirably.

jamesg1213
 Did WA play The King Will Come? Love that.

Yes, and also from Argus "Throw Down the Sword" and "Blowing Free". I beleive Martin wrote most of the lyrics on Argus. He is also fit for his 68 years, he just has that aging rock star look.

jbow
They should call it Wishbone Hash! That's a band I'd like to see but I don't know how much they are like they were in the Vas Dis days...
 

Its a good question, how many members of the original band do you need before you are no longer a tribute act? This band was actually billed as Martin Turner Plays Wishbone Ash for legal reasons. It was probably a fair billing too.
I would have loved to have seen Andy Powell, Ted Turner and Steve Upton up there but that was not going to happen. The band however was very competent, the set centred on material from Argus, but did include some new songs and "Jail Bait" from Pligrimage, the album that included "Vas Dis".
 
Carl Palmer's approch was intresting, by eliminating keyboards he removed any chance direct comparisons with Keith Emerson would get in the way.
 
The Strawbs were the closest to an original line up even as an acoustic trio. Cousins, Lambert and Cronk were in the Hero and Heroine, Ghosts and Nomadness lineup. Cousins has beenin very line up and Lambert on least three other of the 1970's albums.
 
 

I'd like to see Greg Lake but in more of an early King Crimson context. At least not in a ELP context. I always liked I Talk To The Wind. I like Lucky Man too, I assume it is a Lake song but I really don't know. I lost interest after Tarkus.
I wonder if there is any truth to the old rumor that ELP originally was to be HELP, but Jimi died. It would have been an ODD fit.

Glyn Barnes
Lucky Man was a song Lake wrote while he was still at school. It was recorded when they were short of a track for the first ELP album. Apparently Emerson was not keen and went to the pub. When he returned and heard what had been done he changed his mind and added the Moog solo.

I doubt there is anything in the HELP story, stranger things have happened but it seems very unlikely.

I didn't think so re: HELP and I guess Emerson needed to "get a clue". Lucky Man is the best thing on their first album, IMO. I always wanted to get someone to do a needlework of the Tarkus cover on the back of a blue jean jacket.. but those days are lost to me now... I guess.
 

Kalle Rantaaho
 
I feel pain every time some youngster (who quite obviously thinks he/she is really cool and international) on the radio talk about Wizzpone A**.

 
Especially if they're wearing their 'Ramones' T-shirt