In 1987,original Wishbone manager Miles Copeland began a new project “No Speak”, which was to be a series of albums featuring all instrumental music. Copeland asked the four original members of Wishbone Ash to consider reforming to record an all-instrumental album. For the first time in 14 years, Andy Powell, Steve Upton, Martin Turner and Ted Turner got together and recorded the album Nouveau Calls, which was released in February 1988.
The band went out on tour playing tracks from the new album, and old favourites. I saw them with a group of mates at a gig at Newcastle Mayfair on 27th March 1988. The ballroom was packed and the band were given a heroes welcome. It was great to see the original line-up playing together again. Ted Turner had only recently come over for the tour, and hadn’t rehearsed some of the songs, so for the first part of the tour the first seven songs were played with Jamie Crompton (who had been in Wishbone Ash in 1985) on guitar, with Ted Turner entering for “The King Will Come”. I remember Turner playing a lot of slide guitar at the concert.
In August 1989 Wishbone Ash released a new album (this time with vocals) “Here to Hear”. Around this time they played at Sunderland Empire (20th September 1989), which was another excellent show. The reunion lasted until 1991 when Steve Upton and then Martin Turner left the band. Ted Turner quit in 1994, leaving Andy Powell as the only original member. I’ll bring my Wishbone Ash memories to a close tomorrow, covering the Andy Powell-led line-ups which I have seen in concert.
Setlist early 1988: Tangible Evidence; Living Proof; Genevieve; No More Lonely Nights; Real Guitars Have Wings; Something’s Happening In Room 602; Underground; The King Will Come; Throw Down the Sword; In The Skin; Clousseau; Phoenix; Blowin’ Free; Jailbait; Bad Weather Blues
31 Jan
Vintagerock's Weblog. 
Posted by lance jordan on December 12, 2020 at 2:16 pm
Do you have any videos of the 1987 – 1994 concerts? I went to the very first one at Hammersmith Odeon in 1987 and probably another dozen or so in that period. Luckily I recorded the first concert off the radio as it was recorded for Radio 1 and and subsequently put it on CD and into my I Tunes – these were my favourite Wishbone period – the guitar tones were at their best best I think.
Posted by vintagerock on December 12, 2020 at 2:30 pm
Hi Lance I’m afraid I don’t have any videos. Are there any on YouTube? Happy days Peter
Posted by lance jordan on December 17, 2020 at 10:50 am
Hi Peter,
No problem thanks for the reply. There are a few on You Tube, one full concert that I attended at the Town and Country Club, and another one somewhere to the west – Swindon or somewhere like that, although both lacking the incredible version of Phoenix as played at the reunion concert…
Posted by vintagerock on December 17, 2020 at 1:10 pm
Thanks Lance Best wishes Peter