Just Testing is the tenth studio album by the British rock band Wishbone Ash, released on 18 January 1980 by MCA Records. Recorded primarily at Surrey Sound Studios in England, it was the last to feature the original lead vocalist and bass guitarist Martin Turner until the release of Nouveau Calls (1987). The track "Helpless" is only the second cover version released by the band on a studio album, the previous one being "Vas Dis" on Pilgrimage.
| Just Testing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 18 January 1980 | |||
| Recorded | 1979 | |||
| Studio | Surrey Sound Studios, Leatherhead, England; except "Helpless" at Kingsway Recorders, London | |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 38:00 | |||
| Label | MCA | |||
| Producer |
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| Wishbone Ash chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Just Testing | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
The album reached number 43 in the UK Albums Chart.
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Martin Turner, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Living Proof" | Laurie Wisefield, Claire Hamill | 5:44 |
| 2. | "Haunting Me" | 4:34 | |
| 3. | "Insomnia" | 5:10 | |
| 4. | "Helpless" | Paul Kendrick | 4:03 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | "Pay the Price" | 3:35 | |
| 6. | "New Rising Star" | 3:58 | |
| 7. | "Master of Disguise" | Andy Powell | 4:26 |
| 8. | "Lifeline" | Turner, Powell, Wisefield, Steve Upton | 6:29 |
| Total length: | 38:00 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Come On" | Chuck Berry | 3:23 |
| 10. | "Fast Johnny" | Turner, Powell, Wisefield, Upton | 4:04 |
| 11. | "Blowin' Free" (live) | Powell, Upton, Ted Turner, Turner | 6:34 |
| 12. | "Helpless" (live) | Kendrick | 3:46 |
| Total length: | 55:43 | ||
Personnel
editWishbone Ash
edit- Andy Powell – electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals
- Laurie Wisefield – electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals
- Martin Turner – lead vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals; co-producer
- Steve Upton – drums and percussion
Additional musicians
edit- Claire Hamill – vocals (on "Living Proof", "Pay the Price" and "Master of Disguise")
- Ian Kew – organ (on "Master of Disguise")
Technical personnel
edit- John Sherry – co-producer
- Martin Moss – engineer
- Bob Broglia – engineer
- Colin Elgie – sleeve design
- Hipgnosis – photography and art direction
Charts
edit| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[2] | 51 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[3] | 41 |
| US Billboard 200[4] | 179 |
References
edit- ^ Allan, Mark. Wishbone Ash: "Just Testing" > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Wishbone Ash – Just Testing" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "Wishbone Ash Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.