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Pilgrimage by Wishbone Ash

My all time favourite Wishbone Ash album and the album that lead to me Wishbone Ash and their great music.

It was the early 90’s and a few words about my audio gear in those days. I used to be the very happy owner of the Sansui CP7, a portable Cassette Deck, Tuner and Amplifier stereo that was fully detachable. The Tuner and Amplifier was a unit, the cassette deck another and of course the left and right two way speakers. But did I say cassette deck? Oh yes, you bet it was! I am not referring to another good cassette player/recorder but one where you could adjust the right and left channel recording levels while recording and where one could do a Dolby B, or C recording. Besides these the the LCD display for the tuner could also double as a digital clock with full timer control. Which means like the VCR’s of those days you could program the system to turn itself on at a particular time, perform a recording for a particular duration like when your favorite radio show would begin and end and after the recording turn itself off. Similarly you could even program to start playing music at a particular time like an “alarm” and automatically switch itself off after a particular duration. It was a one of a kind stereo and with a truly great sound. Sansui was only second to Nakamichi in those days when it came to making some of the finest cassette decks available. Enuff said! Now to how I first listened to this great album.

In those days Madras B was one of the two big channels on radio in Chennai (then Madras) and one that played western music regularly. However western music be that rock, pop or classical were played only at particular times of the day. Real FM programming was a distant thing. Most of my music in those days on radio were heard almost only on this channel.

It was one of those summer afternoons when I came home and switched the radio on on the Sansui that I listened to something I have never heard before. The program had already begun and the music so good, I was dying to know who the band was. I could hear great drumming that I was not used to, terrific guitar playing that told me instantly that it couldn’t come from just one guitar and singing that hardly had any lyrics. I only became mad with curiosity. This was exotic stuff. I was actually listening to “Vas Dis” but I didnt’ know then. Then the song concluded in style and the next song started. The DJ hadn’t paused the broadcast to mention anything about the Band, Album or song. The next song was more exotic than the first, beginning with slow acoustic guitars playing for alomost over a minute then getting into a roaring start with the drums and bass. The drummer was making me dumbfounded with some super fast playing. Then the singing began which resembled the chants of monks. It went for a short while and then more music and then again the chant. I knew there wasn’t time for the song to conclude but whatever I heard was literally “out of the world” stuff for that time. Imagine the effect it can have on a rock fan who was listening to this for the first time. I begged God to make the DJ announce what she was playing and God did answer my prayer. I would never forget her precious words. “And that was The Pilgrim. In this afternoon of western music you were listening to Wishbone Ash….” and that was all I wanted to know.

Next stop, Stereovision, the shop in Chennai that had almost any album you wanted under the Sun. Steriovision had the best and biggest album collection on LP and EP and if you couldn’t find a Pre-Recorded Cassette in the market you could always go to them to get a recording made onto a blank tape. Was that illegal? I am not sure but that’s how we used to listen to rare songs and albums in those days. The recordings were very good. So I go there and open one of those huge binders where details of albums are listed sorted alphabetically. I scroll down aphabetically to W and check out the albums there. I am happy they carry Wishbone Ash and under the list what do I see? An album called “Pilgrimage”. I knew instantly that was the album that contained the song “The Pilgrim”. I double check this with Babu, one of the guys who does the recording about the contents of the album and I confirm the album and the song. I give him a blank cassette and he tells me the album would be ready in a couple of days. I cannot wait. Two days later I get the recording. Back in my room I slip the cassette into my Sansui and lock the doors of my room. From the small scratches I hear at the cassette plays I know that the recording is from an old LP. The drum roll of “Vas Dis” begins and the room is filled with rock bliss for the next 30 plus minutes.

Here’s my review of the songs from the album.

1. Vas Dis
A great opener for a great album. If this is your first Wishbone Ash recording that you are listening to then be prepared to be blown away. Steve’s drum roll begins and Martin’s thundering bass joins in, followed by the lead guitars from Andy and Ted. As for the singing it is only scat from Martin sans any lyrics but it is enjoyable. Musicians flex their music prowess and Steve brilliant at his drum kit almost gets into a solo at the end.

2. The Pilgrim
Highly creative and done in progressive rock style. Andy and Ted begin this song chipping on their guitars creating the atmosphere of a monastery for a while. Again no lyrics on this one too. Then the musicians simply explode and unleash their music finesse. When the singing starts it resembles the chanting of monks. A classic punctuated with guitar and drum solos. Steve’s drum solo is smaller but he compensates for it with terrific drumming throughout the song.

3. Jail Bait
Nice Rock N Roll number and great for a live act.

4. Alone
The softer numbers begin with this one. A small introduction to the other slow numbers that are to follow. It is amazing to hear Andy and Ted play their lead portions at the same time, so typical of their finesse defining their trademark twin lead harmony guitar sound. This and the next two slow numbers can be played repeatedly and you’ll never be tired of them.

5. Lullaby
Guitaring that will put you to sleep, a song that features only the guitarists, Andy, Ted and Martin. Beautiful melody you can’t get enough of.

6. Valediction
On one ocassion my sisters friend had visited her. They were alone in a room where I was playing the album. As I left when they came in Alone had just begun. When I came back after a while to check on them, Valediction was nearly coming to an end the music had already put them to sleep. Lovely singing, great melody and great guitar work.

7. Where were you tomorrow
Good bluesy number recorded live.

8. Jail Bait (Live) – This is a bonus track available on the CD recording.

I now recall what a miss it had been that Wishbone Ash had performed in Chennai with the Boomtown Rats and I didn’t go to see them. How many times had they advertised in “The Hindu” regarding the same. Was this the reason why I remembered the advertisement in the popular newspaper so well even after all these years?

If there is only one Wishbone Ash album that you consider listening to, then pick this one, “Pilgrimage”. Originally released in 1971 it is unbelievable that this album can still stun listeners to this day after well over three decades. Most of the band members were only in their early twenties at the time of this recording.

Listen to MP3 clips of the songs here.

Buy Wishbone Ash’s CD Pilgrimage at Amazon.

Better still download the album for free at UnlimitedDownloadCenter.com.