Martin Turner

Martin Robert Turner (born 1 October 1947) is an English musician best known for his time as the bass guitarist, lead vocalist and a founding member of the rock band, Wishbone Ash. Turner is now the lead singer and bassist for "Martin Turner Ex-Wishbone Ash".

Early life Turner was born in Torquay. He started playing guitar as a child and switched to bass at age fourteen. Turner formed his first band, The Torinoes, in 1963 with his brother Glenn. They also briefly toured as "Tanglewood" before disbanding. He played on their first ten albums, which includes the album Argus to which he also contributed vocals as well as the bulk of the album's lyrics.

In 1980, a decision by the rest of Wishbone Ash to introduce a frontman led to Turner parting company with Wishbone Ash. The frontman never appeared and Turner was replaced by John Wetton, who was formerly with King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Family and Roxy Music

In 1987 the original quartet reformed, and Turner produced and performed on the albums Nouveau Calls, Here to Hear and Strange Affair as well as undertaking worldwide touring with the band between 1988–1991. In late 1991 Wishbone Ash decided to continue without Turner. He did, however, perform with Wishbone Ash again on several occasions, including the band's 25th anniversary celebrations in 1995–96, and the Ashcon event in November 1997. He has also been involved in the mixing and remastering of several back catalogue, compilation and archival Wishbone Ash CD titles.

Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash later released Argus: Through The Looking Glass, a 2008 re-recording of Wishbone Ash's album, and Life Begins Tour, a 2CD/DVD recording of a performance at Leicester Y Theatre in March 2010.

In 2013 Andy Powell took Turner to court in the UK over the name of his band. Turner had been out of Wishbone Ash since the 1990s and had resigned ownership of the band name. Powell believed the two Wishbone Ash names were causing confusion in the market and he wanted Turner to change his band name so it was clear Turner was a former member of Wishbone Ash and not fronting a spinoff of the group. Turner claimed that he wanted the registration to be declared invalid. Powell won the court case and Turner changed the name of his band to "Martin Turner Ex-Wishbone Ash", as it is still known today. In 2018, Turner's live album, Beauty of Chaos – Live at the Citadel reached number 35 in the UK Rock & Metal Chart. Sonny Flint (son of Hughie Flint) played drums with the band from June 2022 until his departure in November 2024. Tim Brown rejoined on drums in 2025.

Solo work and production Turner went on to a career in studio management and record production in the 1980s

Instruments Turner was known for playing a Jetglo Rickenbacker 4001 bass guitar during Wishbone Ash's early albums by 1972. Martin had by the release of their third album Argus been playing a Gibson Thunderbird bass guitar. He has also regularly performed with a Hamer bass, and a white model of the Gibson Thunderbird which he bought from Peter Overend Watts of Mott the Hoople.

Discography Wishbone Ash Wishbone Ash (1970) Pilgrimage (1971) Argus (1972) Wishbone Four (1973) There's the Rub (1974) Locked In (1976) New England (1976) Front Page News (1977) No Smoke Without Fire (1978) Just Testing (1980) Nouveau Calls (1987) Here to Hear (1989) Strange Affair (1991)

Studio albums: Walking the Reeperbahn (1996) Argus Through the Looking Glass (2008) Written in the Stars (2015) as 'Martin Turner, founding original member of Wishbone Ash'

Live-recordings: New Live Dates Volume 1 (2006) New Live Dates Volume 2 (2007) Life Begins 2CD (2011) The Garden Party - A Celebration of Wishbone Ash Music 2CD (2014) Recorded live at Liscombe Park Buckinghamshire, 31 August 2012 The Beauty of Chaos (2018)

DVDs The Life Begins Tour (Live in Leicester 2010) (2011) Other

"My Son John / Low Toby" (1969 single with The Empty Vessels)