WISHBONE ASH & MILES COPELAND 111
by Graham Sclater
I have been in the music business for more than fifty years: as a professional musician, songwriter, producer and music publisher and having just read Mile Copeland’s book, TWO STEPS FORWARD - ONE STEP BACK .......
I found so many parallels between us.
For those readers who aren’t aware of Miles Copeland, as well as setting up IRS, his record label, he was also the manager of Wishbone Ash, The Police, R.E.M and so many more artists from the early seventies into the late nineties. In 1969 he found himself in London, where he lived with his parents in St John’s Wood, a few yards from the EMI studios in Abbey Road.
I had played with Steve Upton, the drummer of the band, in the Bluesounds, a local blues band before I left for Germany in the early sixties. When I returned, Steve had joined brothers Glen and Martin Turner in a three- piece called the Empty Vessels (MT Vessels) which I believe refers to Martin Turner, the bass player. They shared a flat with the bass player of my new band and I remember them changing their name to Tanglewood before moving to London, where they hoped to sign a record deal.
This is how they linked up with Miles Copeland. Soon after arriving in London, Miles was approached by the band Rupert’s People who asked him to manage them and although he agreed his association with them was short lived. But at one of their gigs, he met Tanglewood, the three-piece band from Torquay. He liked them and invited them to rehearse in the basement of his parent’s house. But things were not looking good. Glen Turner, the lead guitarist, had decided to return to Torquay so Miles suggested the two remaining members audition for a replacement guitarist. They shortlisted two and decided to ask both to join. They were Andy Powell and Ted Turner (no relation to Martin.) The twin guitars were to become their recognisable sound. They needed a name and after selecting the final two names from a hat; Wishbone and Ash, Martin decided to link the two together. During the new line-up’s lengthy rehearsals, Miles used the time to talk to agents around the country and he was able to fill their date sheet. He took them to the US where they also achieved huge success which set him up for the following success he achieved with the Police.
Another link to the Turner family was Kim, their younger brother, who was a wonderful drummer. He joined his brother in London and when Miles began to work with the Police, Kim became their sound man, driver and tour manager. Kim is credited for giving them their unique live sound. He became Sting’s personal manager but like so often in the music business they had disagreements and he was eventually sacked by Sting. After expensive legal proceedings he settled out of court for a substantial sum and moved back to Torquay but died from cancer at the age of 45.
There was yet another twist. After releasing twenty albums and the break-up of Wishbone
Ash, the use of the name by various members has led to huge legal problems resulting in its
founder Martin Turner not being permitted to use it. However, he is still touring with a
band and filling venues in the UK and across Europe under the name of Martin Turner -
Ex Wishbone Ash.
Ironically Sting also fired Miles in 2001 and as a result Miles changed direction and after
briefly working with Arab fusion music he began lecturing around the world.
TWO STEPS FORWARD - ONE STEP BACK
My life in the music business
Miles A. Copeland 111
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