Should the biggest mistake of Wishbone Ash was?

No question, of course they should have continued down the Argus path.

Edited by npjnpj - December 29 2009 at 07:47

I can see what you mean about argus being sort of a peak. I love that album but also like theres the rub. RE bands sticking witha format I like Genesis among others and would consider Foxtrot the ultimate   but in reality it isnt. It just the peak of that particular Genesis period  sort of victoriana melodramatic.   I love Selling and Lamb but they are quite different to Foxtrot.  Also like Trick and Wind.  I feel they lost the path when Hackett left.    Anyway back to topic  If They stuck with the Foxtrot fomula eventually the whole thing would have run dry. Good post though  

I was under the impression,( many years ago), that New England was their attempt at making another Argus stylish kind of album. It's not pulled off in that vain 100 percent, but maybe 50 at least. There are some traditional Irish harmony style guitar leads that will remind one of The King Will Come. There are hints of Argus throughout, almost a return to that sound but teasing in the  effect it has on the listener. The same musical detailed aspects in guitar playing can be found on There's The Rub. I bounced around with this band for many years. Always having mixed feelings for their various titles. Live was always the way to go with this band. Has anyone here ever been drinking a nice bottle of white wine while cranking up the version of Pheonix from Live Dates? It's a killer rush  The bass guitarist and drummer are so tight and thrilling to hear through a pair of JBL tower speakers, while duel guitar harmonies are demanding the attention of yours truly. Live Dates by WB is placed next to Gentle Giant's Playing The Fool for me personally. Both are diverse in your mind set, but are equal in the sense that the performances are phenomenal.

Argus is, and always will be, one of my favourite albums - easily in my top 5 of all time. Every song works perfectly and the mood of the album is very other worldly. The musicianship is magnificent. It probably won't suit the fans of Messhugah and the like and those who love "dark" music, but what the hell; that's their loss.

But to try to repeat this might have ruined the legacy. They tried rather different approaches (mainly due to Laurie Wisefield's harder guitar style) and some bombed - Locked In is the obvious example. But some of their subsequent output is excellent; There's the Rub, No Smoke Without Fire and Just Testing are excellent albums in a rather harder vein. And when they reinvented themselves with the original lineup under Miles Copeland, Nouveax Calls and Here to Hear are also very good.

So no, they shouldn't have tried to reproduce their masterpiece or continue in its style. That would have been boring and not progressive.


Edited by Hercules - October 11 2009 at 04:29

corrected!

Do you mean, they should have continued the sound they had on Argus? Your sentences aren't really making a whole lot of sense.