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Post by colbefc on Feb 26, 2017 23:26:16 GMT
I am a newbie to this forum but not new to Jethro Tull. I loved them from when I first heard This Was and bought every album as soon as it came out, then I bought Thick As A Brick and my love for Tull came to a shuddering halt. Maybe being a teenager I guess I didn't have the attention span for a 2 track album (or is it 1 track, I'm not sure)? I just stopped buying their albums, still loved the songs I heard on TOTP and other music shows ( yes, in those days they actually had shows dedicated to music, where did they all go?) In my teenage years I had two main musical loves, Jethro Tull and Genesis and after hearing TAAB I left Tull behind and continued my infatuation with Genesis until a certain person who shall not be named (Phil Collins) ruined them, for me at least. Anyhow back to Jethro Tull, I am not sure why but a few weeks ago I listened to Stand Up again and BANG, after many years I realised how amazing it was. I listened to This Was, Benefit and Aqualung and they were all just as good, I even listened to TAAB and loved that as well. I am an active member of a Genesis forum so I decided to see if there was a Jethro Tull forum, which led me to here, luckily for me. From what I have seen up to now I picked the right place. So i have decided, starting in March I am going to buy the next Tull album in chronological order, post TAAB, starting with A Passion Play. I am going to really listen to them and then post my thoughts and observations in this thread. I am just hoping the post TAAB Tull albums are better than the post And Then There Were Three Genesis albums? If they are as good as the first four I am in for a treat. I am going to buy A Passion Play on the 1st of March which is this Wed and as soon as I have some initial thoughts I will let you know. I apologise in advance because I am not very good at descriptive writing but what I write will come from the heart. Can't wait for Wed now
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Post by nonrabbit on Feb 26, 2017 23:52:37 GMT
I am a newbie to this forum but not new to Jethro Tull. I loved them from when I first heard This Was and bought every album as soon as it came out, then I bought Thick As A Brick and my love for Tull came to a shuddering halt. Maybe being a teenager I guess I didn't have the attention span for a 2 track album (or is it 1 track, I'm not sure)? I just stopped buying their albums, still loved the songs I heard on TOTP and other music shows ( yes, in those days they actually had shows dedicated to music, where did they all go?) In my teenage years I had two main musical loves, Jethro Tull and Genesis and after hearing TAAB I left Tull behind and continued my infatuation with Genesis until a certain person who shall not be named (Phil Collins) ruined them, for me at least. Anyhow back to Jethro Tull, I am not sure why but a few weeks ago I listened to Stand Up again and BANG, after many years I realised how amazing it was. I listened to This Was, Benefit and Aqualung and they were all just as good, I even listened to TAAB and loved that as well. I am an active member of a Genesis forum so I decided to see if there was a Jethro Tull forum, which led me to here, luckily for me. From what I have seen up to now I picked the right place. So i have decided, starting in March I am going to buy the next Tull album in chronological order, post TAAB, starting with A Passion Play. I am going to really listen to them and then post my thoughts and observations in this thread. I am just hoping the post TAAB Tull albums are better than the post And Then There Were Three Genesis albums? If they are as good as the first four I am in for a treat. I am going to buy A Passion Play on the 1st of March which is this Wed and as soon as I have some initial thoughts I will let you know. I apologise in advance because I am not very good at descriptive writing but what I write will come from the heart. Can't wait for Wed now Hello colbefc and a warm welcome to the Forum!Glad you found us and hope you enjoy searching through the place. Look forward to your views and contributions on the band,songs,albums and all the other threads. We speak from the heart and some of us occasionally make sense EnjoyCheers nonrabbit
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Post by colbefc on Mar 1, 2017 23:46:39 GMT
Listened to A Passion Play twice now and at the moment it is all blending into one, but it always takes me a good few listens to an album for it to sink in. Quite often I have to stop listening for a few weeks and then listen to it with fresh ears. No tracks jump out at me at the moment apart from "The Hare" is it just me or what is that about??? As usual the musicianship is superb and Ian Anderson is, as far as I am concerned, one of the two best singers in the last 40 years,Peter Gabriel is the other. Listening to the Overseer Overture as I write this. I am looking forward to getting to know the songs better and I will post again when it sinks into my brain, it might take a while.
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batcom
Prentice Jack
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Post by batcom on Mar 2, 2017 16:06:42 GMT
No tracks jump out at me at the moment apart from "The Hare" is it just me or what is that about??? Since you asked... The story itself is just meaningless absurdity. The presence of that track is meant to act as an "intermission" between the two "acts" of the play (being the first and second side/tracks of the album). I think it was probably included just for the comedic effect of having such a random and bizarre episode in the middle of an otherwise quite serious spiritual and societal commentary.
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Post by steelmonkey on Mar 2, 2017 16:34:34 GMT
Keep listening...soon you will see a bright light....go to it.
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Post by bunkerfan on Mar 2, 2017 17:23:37 GMT
Listened to A Passion Play twice now and at the moment it is all blending into one, but it always takes me a good few listens to an album for it to sink in. Quite often I have to stop listening for a few weeks and then listen to it with fresh ears. No tracks jump out at me at the moment apart from "The Hare" is it just me or what is that about??? As usual the musicianship is superb and Ian Anderson is, as far as I am concerned, one of the two best singers in the last 40 years,Peter Gabriel is the other. Listening to the Overseer Overture as I write this. I am looking forward to getting to know the songs better and I will post again when it sinks into my brain, it might take a while. The first time I heard 'A Passion Play' was live at The Empire Pool Wembley back in 1973 and nobody had a clue what it was about and everyone clapped in the wrong places. Stay with it and you'll love it. Believe me
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Post by colbefc on Mar 5, 2017 10:48:06 GMT
Just listened to A Passion Play again and suddenly it clicked. It was like looking at a closed flower, then the sun comes out, the flower opens up and you can see it in all its glory and smell all the subtle fragrance. It is a superb album, if the rest as as good I will be a happy Tull fan I still could not pick out my fav songs althought I do like Foot Of Our Stairs and Magus Perde. Think I will leave APP for a while now and go onto War Child.
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batcom
Prentice Jack
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Post by batcom on Mar 6, 2017 23:29:37 GMT
Just listened to A Passion Play again and suddenly it clicked. It was like looking at a closed flower, then the sun comes out, the flower opens up and you can see it in all its glory and smell all the subtle fragrance. It is a superb album, if the rest as as good I will be a happy Tull fan I still could not pick out my fav songs althought I do like Foot Of Our Stairs and Magus Perde. Think I will leave APP for a while now and go onto War Child. I'll be really interested to hear your thoughts on War Child. That album, to me, has always been the biggest low point of 70's Tull by a pretty big margin.
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Post by colbefc on Mar 8, 2017 0:34:53 GMT
I have listened to War Child a few times and i am still undecided. I had an advantage in that I know Bungle In The Jungle and Skating away already. I like The Third Hurrah but nothing else has planted itself in my head yet but I will have to give it a few more listens. I am convinced but hopefully I am wrong, that no new Tull album I listen to will come close to the first five albums, which along with the first five Genesis albums, as far as i am concerned, are the best 10 albums EVER recorded I have also bought The Secret Language Of Birds which I love and Homo Errectus which I haven't had a chance to listen to yet. Must admit I hate the cover to War Child and the less said about IA's codpiece the better
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Post by futureshock on Mar 8, 2017 1:30:40 GMT
I have listened to War Child a few times and i am still undecided. I had an advantage in that I know Bungle In The Jungle and Skating away already. I like The Third Hurrah but nothing else has planted itself in my head yet but I will have to give it a few more listens. I am convinced but hopefully I am wrong, that no new Tull album I listen to will come close to the first five albums, which along with the first five Genesis albums, as far as i am concerned, are the best 10 albums EVER recorded I have also bought The Secret Language Of Birds which I love and Homo Errectus which I haven't had a chance to listen to yet. Must admit I hate the cover to War Child and the less said about IA's codpiece the better Nothing as striking as the first five albums? Forum, we have a babe in the woods! Here's a list of bright galaxies: Passion Play Minstrel In The Gallery Songs From The Wood Heavy Horses Broadsword And The Beast Crest Of A Knave Roots To Branches NightCap Divinities 20th Anniversary first releases group .............and that omits many albums others consider favorites, for many reasons. Drop that needle wherever, you're in for fine fine weather. (that rhymes, if you use it in a song, I get $0.15 annually or it's a no go)
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Post by colbefc on Mar 8, 2017 23:08:08 GMT
Must admit i am really really struggling with War Child now. Apart from Skating, Bungle and The Third Hurrah nothing is sticking, and have to say I HATE the way IA sings Sealion, it is horrible. I will give it a few more spins but I think this might have to be marked down as a miss, by me at least.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2017 0:06:05 GMT
I suspect (but I'm not sure) that you'll think 'Minstrel' blends the brilliant with the 'meh'. 'Too Old' you may hate (at first), but that may change (it did for me - bigtime - but it literally took years!). The big question is what you'll make of 'Songs' and 'Horses'. For me, they're five-star, watertight classics - as near perfect as makes no difference. BUT...your view will probably depend on how you react to the folkiness and folksiness (though that's often overstated).
PS I absolutely love 'Warchild', but I totally understand why some Tull fans are underwhelmed by it.
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Post by JTull 007 on Mar 9, 2017 1:35:30 GMT
Must admit i am really really struggling with War Child now. Apart from Skating, Bungle and The Third Hurrah nothing is sticking, and have to say I HATE the way IA sings Sealion, it is horrible. I will give it a few more spins but I think this might have to be marked down as a miss, by me at least. I had the same feeling initially back in 1974. After "A Passion Play" this album was somewhat difficult. In those days "Bungle In The Jungle" was all over the radio. I was also uncertain about "Skating Away". Probably the most commercial tunes in general which made it seem a little too POPular...
With many TULL albums you need to give it about a month to sink in. My faves are "Ladies" and "Back Door Angels"
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batcom
Prentice Jack
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Post by batcom on Mar 9, 2017 18:19:16 GMT
You should definitely make it through the end of the 70's. I would venture to say that the last "excellent" 10 out of 10 Tull album was Songs From the Woods, so I think you still have some good stuff ahead of you. The period of Tull that you're in right now (mid-70's) I would say is a little odd in that there's tremendous peaks and valleys. War Child is a low followed by the peak of Minstrel in the Gallery, followed by another relative low in Too Old to Rock n' Roll and then a high again with Songs From the Woods. Will be interesting to hear your take on it.
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Post by colbefc on Mar 10, 2017 0:48:13 GMT
I have listened to Minstrel a couple of times and although no songs has jumped out I do like the mood/atmosphere more than I did with War Child. You hit the nail on the head Symphony, sometimes it takes years to understand an album, you can leave an album for years and play it one day and bang you "get" it, happens to me a lot, and I have no problem with folkiness, I love Nick Drake and John martyn, though i am not really sure if they would be classed as folk Just listened to the first three songs on Minstrel again and I like them all, and I like Requiem as well. Thanks for all your comments, I am enjoying my Tull adventure
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2017 16:54:00 GMT
A thought just popped into my head - when you're approaching these albums, not having heard them before, do you still think of them automatically in terms of Side 1 and Side 2? Or as a single continuum, as befits our 'CD/download age'? Be interested to know whether you have a Side 1 or Side 2 preference where 'Minstrel' etc are concerned (and for that matter, in the case of any of the pre-TAAB albums too).
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Post by colbefc on Mar 10, 2017 23:39:44 GMT
That is a thought that got me thinking I have been buying cd's since they first came out so I look at albums as a single continuum. When i am listening to a new album I tend to listen to it right through a couple of times and them listen to 3 songs at a time, so I will play tracks one, two and three until i really know them, and so on, just my way of doing things. I have looked at the pre TAAB albums and my mind just can't see them as side 1 and side 2 but I would be pushed to find a track I do not like in any or them. I really do like Minstrel now, slowly getting to know it. Way too early to say which songs I really like, just like or don't like, but they just seem better songs than the ones on War Child. At the moment I like Baker St Muse, Crash-Barrier Waltzer and Requiem but this is likely to be completely different tomorrow. Minstrel deffo goes into my "Must play often" list Gonna go onto Too Old to Rock 'N' Roll tomorrow, I gather this is not a fav of a lot of people on here which is disappointing, I remember being on holiday in Spain in 1976 and going into a bar for a beer or three and hearing this album blasting out. The Spanish owner loved English rock, and I always loved the title track since hearing it that night but can't remember any others, too much cerveza Of course I asked if he had heard of Genesis, he said he had but hadn't got any of theirs so I told him to buy Foxtrot which he promised he would. I have been looking forward to hearing Too Old to bring back some happy memories but maybe it won't but I have always loved the title track in any case
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Post by futureshock on Mar 11, 2017 3:02:02 GMT
Must admit i am really really struggling with War Child now. Apart from Skating, Bungle and The Third Hurrah nothing is sticking, and have to say I HATE the way IA sings Sealion, it is horrible. I will give it a few more spins but I think this might have to be marked down as a miss, by me at least. Interesting, because my first reaction to Warchild's non-radio songs was I loved the spirit of them, the over the top gesturing, emotional indulgence, lyrical color and the whole extra layer of character given to the musicians on the back cover and the instrumental strength of the album all over the place. I also like Red Skelton, Monty Python, George Carlin, Paganini, Beethoven, The Who, all those over the top types (but who have the substance to back it up start to finish of show/album), and Warchild had it in spades, a real visual stage play as well as a music album and tour. As they say, "NOW THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!". I remember reading a Tull concert review in one of those major music magazines in the later 1970's and the reviewer said that the show was above all a "cathartic" experience, and certainly Warchild fits in that style as the perfect material for a stage performance that's cathartic. I had seen Tull at least once (starting in 76 at Pontiac Stadium, about 2 weeks before the famous Tampa show featuring Tullavision) and by then knew what cathartic meant. Hell, I thought seeing Gordon Lightfoot the first time (around then), was cathartic too, but for different reasons I guess, because Lightfoot's live show isn't in the Tull category, but doesn't need it to be an authentic great performance. It was around that time that I also starting seeing more concerts of all types and that includes the never-aging PDQ Bach. Anyone catch any of those shows? Hilarious and damned bizarre, but musically very adventurous. Cheers.
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Post by steelmonkey on Mar 11, 2017 18:09:42 GMT
If Clem Cladiddlehopper could read my mind...what a tale those thoughts could tell. I know what you mean...hard to define and categorize magic...that either is or is not there. In about 1975 I saw a 1/4 ring circus perform in the public area of my college....just three people travelling in a van and making a few bucks a day passing the hat...but the main guy had 'IT' whatever it is...and watching him for an hour made my day and stayed with me a long time....maybe I should google it...to this day, 42 years later, I remember the 'Royal Liechtenstien 1/4 Ring Travelling Circus'.
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Post by steelmonkey on Mar 11, 2017 18:12:29 GMT
Thank you Futureshock...big wiki article on the thing you made me remember...and memoir written by the Jesuit priest, main guy that I remember touched me that distant Fall day in Ohio...a few days before or after MITG release.
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Post by colbefc on Mar 11, 2017 23:27:48 GMT
I am not dismissing War Child out of hand, when I am finished my chronological stroll through the Tull catalogue I will be revisiting every album over the months. I certainly would not say that Bungle and Skating are 2 of my fav Tull songs, they are a long way from that, just that I knew them before I listened to the album and of course they are 2 of the most immediate songs on War Child. The other songs may take longer to assimilate and I haven't given up on them yet I also like OTT things, Beethoven, The Who and one of my stage shows ever was Rammstein a few years ago. They are too predictable these days but the first time I saw them live, wow. I have always loved Monty Python, I saw them live many years ago and was talking to John Cleese and Michael Palin at the stage door after the show. They asked me the way to a local Indian restaurant that had been recommended to them I remember after the encores of the dead parrot and the cheese sketches the stage curtain came down the there in big letters was a 2 word message to the audience " PISS OFF " which of course everyone thought was hilarious
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Post by colbefc on Mar 15, 2017 0:28:24 GMT
Just given Too Old To Rock And Roll it's first listen and the songs all feel very lightweight and not very good. Still like the title track but of course it might take a few listens to get into it but I think I am gonna struggle with this one, but you never know.
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 15, 2017 8:55:38 GMT
Just given Too Old To Rock And Roll it's first listen and the songs all feel very lightweight and not very good. Still like the title track but of course it might take a few listens to get into it but I think I am gonna struggle with this one, but you never know. Originally envisaged as a theatrical musical starring Adam Faith, it became a Tull album when the band recorded the songs after backing for the musical wasn't forthcoming. One that divides the fans - the individual songs are fine but for me it doesn't sit well as a complete album. Plus the fact that the production was not up the Tull standards which showed up when it was issued on CD. This has been rectified on subsequent remixes. However there are very many fans who love the album although perhaps the title track has been hammered to death during the last 20 years or so in a live setting.
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Post by zobstick on Mar 15, 2017 12:41:15 GMT
You are about to hit gold-dust with the next three offerings Colbefc..! Maybe take a little time to let the anticipation build.
I am loving this thread, and in many ways, I wish I was you!!!
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Post by colbefc on Mar 16, 2017 0:38:27 GMT
Thanks Zob, looking forward to the next three albums then After I finish listening to Too Old I think I will take a couple of days break and listen to something different. I have listened to nothing but Tull for the last couple of weeks and my ears are getting jaded. I originally intended to listen to a new Tull album every month and I think I will go back to that. I have been listening to too many new songs too quickly without giving them enough time to sink in. I am going to start listening to Songs From The Wood April 1st. Thanks Zob for saying you are enjoying this thread. It's funny but as someone who was a songwriter for many years I am not very good at describing my thoughts and feelings about songs. I am doing my best but I know my best is not very good. I think from the next album after a week or so I might do a one or two line review of each track and then do the same in a couple of weeks and see how my thoughts differ with getting to know them. Might be interesting, see how I feel then.
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Post by colbefc on Mar 16, 2017 10:52:05 GMT
I was just checking my emails and had Too Old on in the background and I really enjoyed listening to it, instead of listening on my headphones as I usually do. I will have to remember that next time
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Post by steelmonkey on Mar 16, 2017 15:46:20 GMT
Breaks are needed from Tull diet. Ian holds the wheel pretty tight. Some messy Neil Young and Crazy Horse or Grateful Dead sloppiness provide a nice balance.
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Post by JTull 007 on Mar 16, 2017 18:20:52 GMT
Breaks are needed from Tull diet. Ian holds the wheel pretty tight. Some messy Neil Young and Crazy Horse or Grateful Dead sloppiness provide a nice balance. When I'm not playin' TULL, it's some radio station which will play TULL during THE RIDE LINK
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cecil
Journeyman
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Post by cecil on Mar 18, 2017 21:25:33 GMT
I really hope you're getting the remixed 40th anniversary versions of the albums Warchild was a movie soundtrack so the songs are quite commercial. Sounds like Tull playing pop. The band were planning to do 3 albums in 74. A soundtrack, a Tull album and an orchestral album. The Warchild 40 year box has all of this. There's some gems on the second disc. 3 albums worth of material and most of the best songs weren't on the soundtrack which was released as the album. Similar with Too old to RnR which is another soundtrack. They planned to do 2 albums. A pop soundtrack and a Tull album. They didn't quite finish the Tull album but they have half an album which consist of the bands best songs that year. Tulls best albums were during the early and late 70s but mid 70s would have been just as good if the band forgot about the idea of doing soundtracks and just released the other stuff they recorded then. The aqualung 40 year box has a double album worth of tracks. Many gems on disc 2. A passion play 40 year box has 2 albums worth of tracks and a great extra minute on the original album. You probably have the remastered albums. At least they have some cool bonus tracks on Minstrel, Benefit, Stand up and This was. Tull have 20 albums worth of music from 1968-84 although only 14 albums were released then. Of my fave 100 Tull songs, 50 of them would be bonus tracks found on the remixed albums lol
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Post by colbefc on Mar 20, 2017 0:21:43 GMT
I actually bought all the 40th Anniversary versions of the albums, apart from TAAB which sadly I cannot find under £250 which i am not prepared to pay. I am only listening to the first cd's at the moment, listening to the bonus tracks etc would be overload. Listening to the albums I have, Minstrel, War Child, Too old, and also listening after a 20 year break, to the first few albums, I am just grateful that I am discovering the new (to me ) albums as well as rediscovering the early albums I bought first time round. I can still remember going into my local record shop in 1968 and buying This Was, OMG I was only 15, it is hard to beleive I was ever 15, though I still am in the head
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