There's the Rub

{{short description|1974 studio album by Wishbone Ash}}

{{other uses}}

{{use British English|date=May 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}

{{More citations needed|date=September 2018}}

{{Infobox album

| name = There's the Rub

| type = Studio Album

| artist = Wishbone Ash

| cover = TheresTheRub_WishboneAsh.jpg

| alt =

| released = November 1974

| recorded = August – September 1974

| venue =

| studio = Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, Florida, US

| genre = Hard rock

| length = 38.40

| label = MCA

| producer = Bill Szymczyk

| prev_title = Live Dates

| prev_year = 1973

| next_title = Locked In

| next_year = 1976

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = Allmusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r22115|first=Bruce|last=Eder}}

| rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

| rev2Score = D+{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: W|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=W&bk=70|access-date=March 22, 2019}}

}}

There's the Rub is the fifth studio album by rock band Wishbone Ash. It is the first album to feature guitarist-vocalist Laurie Wisefield, who would be a major part of the band's creative direction for the next 11 years. It also marked a change in sound. It was the band's first album to be recorded in America and was produced by producer Bill Szymczyk. Although the trademark twin guitars were still evident, the album had a more "American" feel with a smoother production sound. Nevertheless, after the disappointing critical response to the previous studio album, Wishbone Four, reviews for There's The Rub were much more positive.

The title is taken from Shakespeare's Hamlet; "To sleep—perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub."{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

The track "F.U.B.B." caused controversy upon the album's release because of the acronym's meaning ("Fucked Up Beyond Belief"). Moreover, the haunting ballad "Persephone" would go on to become one of the band's most popular live songs. The lyric of "Lady Jay" is based on the Dartmoor folk legend about Kitty Jay.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

The cover art designed by Hipgnosis shows a cricketer rubbing (in effect, polishing) a cricket ball on his trousers, leaving a mark – a common practice by fast bowlers who do so to make one side of the leather ball shinier than the other. This helps the ball to swing as it travels through the air after being bowled, so making it harder for the batsman to play it.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}

The album peaked at No. 16 in the UK Albums Chart.{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| page= 607}}