|
Post by JTull 007 on Dec 29, 2021 2:03:09 GMT
Jethro Tull - The Zealot Gene Limited Vinyl 2 LP + CD + Booklet Estimated delivery Wed, Feb 09 Arriving by Wed, Feb 9, 2022
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Dec 29, 2021 7:04:31 GMT
bravewords.com/INSIDEOUT MUSIC SHARES 2022 RELEASE PREVIEW CLIP FEATURING STAR ONE, JETHRO TULL, JONAS LINDBERG & THE OTHER SIDE, THE FLOWER KINGS AND MOREDecember 28, 2021, 17 hours ago InsideOut Music has shared a preview clip for new music being released by the label in 2022. Check out snippets of new material from Jethro Tull, Star One, The Flower Kings, Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side, and more. link
|
|
|
Post by steelmonkey on Dec 30, 2021 0:43:13 GMT
29 days and counting.
|
|
|
Post by JTull 007 on Dec 30, 2021 11:57:28 GMT
I CAN'T WAIT ... LINK PROG MAGAZINE#126 JAN 2022 -Jethro Tull+ Free Art Cards-Brand New
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Dec 31, 2021 13:03:04 GMT
www.loudersound.com/The return of Jethro Tull on the cover of the new issue of Prog, on sale now!By Jerry Ewing ( Prog ) published about 2 hours ago Plus Fish, PFM, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Matt Berry, Swallow The Sun, MoonJune Records, Rachel Flowers and loads more... (Image credit: Future)Jethro Tull grace the cover of the brand new issue of Prog, which is on sale now... We celebrate the release of the first new Tull album for 19 years, The Zealot Gene. Ian Anderson explains why he's returned to religion for inspiration for the new album, much as he did with Aqualung 50 years ago. He discusses what lays in store for Tull fans over the coming year and looks back on 1970's Benefit album and chats about his new lyric book too. You get two great Jethro Tull art prints free with this issue too, as well as a 20-track MoonJune Records sampler, featuring great new music from the likes of Stick Men, Soft Machine, PAKT, Markus Reuter and more. link
|
|
|
Post by smint100 on Dec 31, 2021 15:57:56 GMT
www.loudersound.com/The return of Jethro Tull on the cover of the new issue of Prog, on sale now!By Jerry Ewing ( Prog ) published about 2 hours ago Plus Fish, PFM, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Matt Berry, Swallow The Sun, MoonJune Records, Rachel Flowers and loads more... (Image credit: Future)Jethro Tull grace the cover of the brand new issue of Prog, which is on sale now... We celebrate the release of the first new Tull album for 19 years, The Zealot Gene. Ian Anderson explains why he's returned to religion for inspiration for the new album, much as he did with Aqualung 50 years ago. He discusses what lays in store for Tull fans over the coming year and looks back on 1970's Benefit album and chats about his new lyric book too. You get two great Jethro Tull art prints free with this issue too, as well as a 20-track MoonJune Records sampler, featuring great new music from the likes of Stick Men, Soft Machine, PAKT, Markus Reuter and more. link Thanks for the heads up Just picked up a copy, so will settle down with a cup of tea and a bowl of trifle and find out what the Big Man has to say
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Dec 31, 2021 17:11:25 GMT
www.loudersound.com/The return of Jethro Tull on the cover of the new issue of Prog, on sale now!By Jerry Ewing ( Prog ) published about 2 hours ago Plus Fish, PFM, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Matt Berry, Swallow The Sun, MoonJune Records, Rachel Flowers and loads more... (Image credit: Future)Jethro Tull grace the cover of the brand new issue of Prog, which is on sale now... We celebrate the release of the first new Tull album for 19 years, The Zealot Gene. Ian Anderson explains why he's returned to religion for inspiration for the new album, much as he did with Aqualung 50 years ago. He discusses what lays in store for Tull fans over the coming year and looks back on 1970's Benefit album and chats about his new lyric book too. You get two great Jethro Tull art prints free with this issue too, as well as a 20-track MoonJune Records sampler, featuring great new music from the likes of Stick Men, Soft Machine, PAKT, Markus Reuter and more. link Thanks for the heads up Just picked up a copy, so will settle down with a cup of tea and a bowl of trifle and find out what the Big Man has to say No spoilers please for those, like me, who are the only Tullie in the village.
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 1, 2022 6:46:04 GMT
www.rebelnoise.com/interviews/interviewthe-genealogy-of-jethro-tull-an-interview-with-ian-andersonThe Genealogy of Jethro Tull: An Interview with Ian Andersonby Jordan Blum / Dec 29, 2021 (Photo: Will Ireland)Mastermind Ian Anderson digs into the making of Jethro Tull’s upcoming 22nd studio LP, The Zealot Gene, among other things. Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson is an artist who likely needs no introduction. As the founding mastermind behind legendary progressive/folk/blues rock troupe Jethro Tull, he’s spearheaded some of the most iconic and influential popular music of the last half-century. (For more on that, feel free to check out my book on the band: On Track: Jethro Tull.) Despite being considerably prolific from the early 1970s to the early 2000s, Jethro Tull hasn’t released a new studio album in almost twenty years. That is, until now, as the group’s first new record since 2003’s The Jethro Tull Christmas Album—The Zealot Gene— is set to release on January 28th, 2022 via Inside Out Music. In preparation for the LP, I spoke with Anderson about the creation of the collection (including working with the latest line-up), the decision to categorize it as a Jethro Tull release, the impact of COVID-19 on the writing and recording processes, and much more! You’ve stated that The Zealot Gene is considered a Jethro Tull release because it’s more of a “band album,” with the longest line-up the group’s ever had. Obviously, it feels like a natural progression from your most recent solo work, but do you feel that there are any connections to prior Jethro Tull LPs? I really don’t think in those terms when I’m writing music. I think I’m always consumed with what it is I’m trying to do in the moment. I don’t try to replicate or draw upon earlier work; that doesn’t figure into my process. Subsequently, though, you might sit back and take a more objective look at it and draw some comparisons. I’m kind of on my guard a little bit when it comes to writing lyrics in that I don’t want to subconsciously parrot references or phrases that I’ve used before. I try to avoid that most, but I’m not really fretting over it or obsessing over trying to have continuity or avoid it. I just get on with the job of writing whatever’s coming into my head. That’s a great way to approach it. We always work with arrangements early on, so each song starts to have an identity pretty early on. That is the way in which I prefer to work. To be doing things carefully in preparation prior to going into a recording studio and pressing the button and a red light coming on. By then, I hope that we all know what we’re playing and have it all worked out. Maybe some room for a little leeway or improvisation. Having a clear-cut arrangement that gives the song its own identity is quite important before getting to the master recording. From what I understand, you had a lot of it worked out and recorded pre-COVID. We recorded seven tracks in 2017, and four of them I’d completed and mixed during that year. Then, we were on the road so much, and trying to get the guys to give up their free days in-between didn’t seem like the right opportunity for people to come back into it relaxed and with a clear head. So, I kept putting it off and, you know, being lazy. I’m sure that’s the simple way to put it. The intention to get on with it again in 2020 was completely sidelined by the emergence of the pandemic and the fact that we couldn’t get together in the studio. By the beginning of this year, I gave up hope that we’d be together in the studio again, so I decided to just finish the last five songs—which I’d already written but hadn’t recorded—so I recorded them alone at home with an acoustic guitar and a few other instruments. Oh, okay. Then, the other guys sent in their audio files to be incorporated into the mix. Things they’d recorded in their own homes, so it was finished in a rather distant way, which I normally wouldn’t feel comfortable with, but I think that the end result gained a degree of dynamic variation and contrast. The fact that some of them are not played together as a band probably turned out to be a good thing. That light and shade in terms of instrumentation, which was not the case on Homo Erraticus [2014] because all of the guys played on all of the tracks all of the time [laughs]. Sometimes, it’s quite nice to step away from drums, bass, and electric guitars and just have some space. Absolutely. That’s perhaps part of the success of Aqualung [1971]. It has a few rock songs on it and a few band tracks and then a bunch of songs that are just me in the studio with an acoustic guitar and then the other guys adding something later. I didn’t set out to do it that way on The Zealot Gene, though. The pandemic made the decision for me. It certainly didn’t hurt the album in any way. There’s a slight advantage to having changed the methodology for the last five songs. As I said, they were already written; I didn’t change anything in the music or the lyrics. It’s just that all that I had for the initial demos was me strumming an acoustic guitar and singing a few words, so I just did that in a slightly more professional context and got through them rather than sharing it amongst the band for a proper rehearsal and recording experience. Obviously, everyone who’s playing on it has been playing with you for many years, whether on solo albums or as part of the live Jethro Tull band. That is, except for guitarist Joe Parrish, who replaced Florian Opahle a year or two ago. Right. Joe was somebody that we found through a friend of a friend. Someone directed me to YouTube videos that he’d done, and I could see that he was steeped in progressive rock and folk music. He certainly had the technical skills, too. Of course, having been to music college for a few years and making some YouTube videos doesn’t necessarily make someone equipped for being a part of an international touring band, and Joe had never really performed in front of anybody. He literally was just playing to a camera on his computer. So, it was quite a big jump for him to go from that to performing on stage during the only two concerts he did (in Barcelona and Madrid) before the pandemic really hit. Wow. Those two shows must’ve been scary for him, but by the second night, he was settling in. These days, he convinces me that he’s actually enjoying himself [laughs]. That’s good. Quite. You’ve said that The Zealot Gene continues your exploration of religion. Do you see it as connected to Aqualung or anything else that also dealt with religious quandaries? No, not really. Every album is its own thing and quickly takes on its own form. There may end up being some sort of relationship that you see when you look at the finished product, but I’m not setting out to build in any moments that are indicative of earlier work or other artists’ work. That said, subject matter is fair enough to go back and reexamine with different words and music. Definitely. Did you always have the title in mind? I didn’t have the title in mind at first, but the general topic of the album was there after about three weeks of working on it. As a text document, it was all there so that I could stay on track. What led to “Sad City Sisters” and “Shoshana Sleeping” becoming the first two singles and music videos? Well, now we’re getting into the realm of marketing and promotion that I don’t personally derive any pleasure from. It’s when you hand it over to someone else to get their expertise and opinion. Contrary to rumor, I’m not a control freak all of the time, so the guys at the record company are supposed to know about this stuff and they suggested three songs that would be the subject of some promotional videos. If I was asked to choose three songs to introduce people to the album, I would’ve chosen three different songs, but that’s not my role and I mentioned it but they had their own ideas. I said, “Okay, fine, we’ll do it your way.” They felt that it was better to have songs that were better teasers rather than give away some pieces that are more musically emphatic. That’s fair enough. I understand the reasoning behind it. Ah, I see. The video for “Shoshana Sleeping” was done by somebody I’ve never met. It was something the label came up with and it seemed like a good idea. “Sad City Sisters” was done by Sam Chegini, whom I think was introduced to me by Jakko Jakszyk. He’d done a video for Jakko and I mentioned that to Warner Bros. when they wanted to do something for Aqualung. Sam did that and then I put his name forward to Sony in London as a person who might be able to turn around fairly quickly a video for one of the tracks. That’s great. Speaking of labels, what made you sign with Inside Out Music for this one? I read that they reminded you of Chrysalis Records? Well, maybe in that they’re a boutique label that specializes in progressive rock, and they’re just a few people in a couple of rooms. Because Sony now owns Inside Out, I’m dealing with both right now, and we have the best of both worlds. We went to six different companies, and I made my choice not based on who was offering the most money but who seemed to have the best approach to it. It came down to two and it was a difficult choice. I’m sure. I’ve also noticed that in recent years, you’ve done a lot of guest work for artists like Tim Bowness, Robby Steinhardt, and Louise Patricia Crane. Do you find yourself getting more of the opportunities now compared to decades ago, and do you enjoy it more? Part of the reason is that I’ve often worked with people who aren’t extremely well known, so their work didn’t reach very far, whereas now the internet gives us access to everything so it’s easier for newer voices to be heard. Maybe it’s being noticed more than it used to be. I experienced something of an upswing in general requests during the last couple of years because people are in their studios, and they imagine that I have more time on my hands. Obviously, I have to decline most things because I simply don’t have the time to do them. Or, it’s something that doesn’t really appeal to me. I’m more inclined to agree to something that isn’t really my cup of tea because it’s more of a challenge. Oh? I’ve done some weird ones over the years, you know, like playing with a thrash metal band from New York City or on William Shatner’s Christmas Album [2018’s Shatner Claus]. You look at it and think, Oh, that’s not really my thing, but then you take a second look at it and realize that that’s exactly why you should do it. To see if you can rise to the challenge of something that’s outside of your comfort zone. I’ve been asked to play on a lot of things that are really sophisticated, and I know that it’s going to take me so many hours to try to understand it and be able to play it well enough. Technically, I can’t cope with it. That’s an interesting reason to not do it. It is. I’m usually looking for things that let me use a degree of improvisation and my own judgment to add a little decoration to what’s already there. I certainly don’t want to “collaborate” with other musicians in terms of writing songs together. I’m a loner in that sense, and I want to push myself even with my own new music. You don’t want to make it too easy; you’ve got to step up to the occasion. That’s true for the other guys in the band as well. I’m not making it easy for them, but I’m usually confident that they’ll understand the music and notate it and work from charts. That’s how they focus on learning it, whereas I memorize things. It’s great that you’re still finding ways to step out of your comfort zone. So, what’s next? Any plans to start work on the follow-up? I had a long discussion with the boss of the record company a few weeks ago and we talked about a new album and decided that the release date would be the end of March 2023. I explained to him that on the first of January 2022, at 9:00 AM, I would do what I’d done with the last four recording projects: start working on something with an empty mind. Nothing preplanned. The important thing is to have a moment where you’re open to something a little more inspirational if you’re lucky. So, on the first of January, I’ll give it a couple of hours and if nothing is happening, I’ll take a break and try again. I would hope that within two or three days, I’ll have two or three ideas and then I can complete most of the writing process over the subsequent three or four weeks. Make some initial demos to send to the other musicians and hope that we can get on during the course of next year to record it. I’ve no idea what it’s going to be. Well, I can’t wait to hear it. Thanks again, Ian. Thanks, Jordan.
|
|
|
Post by Catqualung on Jan 1, 2022 9:15:21 GMT
Wow! With IA and JT you never know, and things recently have been much different from planned and much delayed... But according to what Mr. A says it seems to me that we are going to have a third single before the end of the month and even a possible new album coming next year! I should be excited! And probably I will be tomorrow: different from Mr. A the first day of the new year I am not very sober
|
|
|
Post by bunkerfan on Jan 1, 2022 14:52:30 GMT
|
|
|
Post by JTull 007 on Jan 2, 2022 1:52:37 GMT
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 2, 2022 8:02:11 GMT
www.ultimate-guitar.com/Top 5 Rock and Metal Albums to Watch Out for This JanuaryThis is a month for hope and new beginnings. Posted 17 hours ago Today marks the beginning of a new day, a new month, and, above all, a new year – and with it come the hopes of better times finally coming our way. And while we should probably still be cautious with our expectations as far as the general state of things is concerned, one thing is certain – this January will at least be full of some truly amazing new music. I won't get into any details now, so let's just jump in, and begin the year with some very pleasant surprises! ----------------------- Jethro Tull – The Zealot GeneRelease date: January 28 Label: InsideOut You know that 2022 has got to be better when one of the first albums coming out is also the first Jethro Tull album in 19 years! Throughout its decade-spanning discography, we've seen Ian Anderson and his legendary act tackle a vast array of themes and musical directions. This time around, "The Zealot Gene" will delve into what could be considered one of the household topics of rock and metal music – the ideas of Good and Evil, Right and Wrong, as seen through the lens of Christianity. Knowing Mr. Anderson, we can be sure to expect a take abounding with nuance and style. As Ian Anderson himself stated: "While I have a spot of genuine fondness for the pomp and fairytale story-telling of the Holy Book, I still feel the need to question and draw sometimes unholy parallels from the text. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly rear their heads throughout, but are punctuated with elements of love, respect, and tenderness. "Looking back on the earth-shaking disruption of the Coronavirus pandemic, which ultimately ended the band’s touring plans and hopes of a 2020 release for ‘The Zealot Gene’, Anderson shares, "It was so sudden. Amidst the concerns and warnings of the scientific community and a few more enlightened politicians, we all retreated in disbelief to our homes to wait out the storm." If you haven't already, you can check out the single titled "Shoshana Sleeping" here:
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 2, 2022 8:24:48 GMT
THE MUSICAL BOXPraise be! A biblically-inspired Ian Anderson draws from the good book on the prog icons’ first album in almost 20 years. Prog31 Dec 2021 Words: Grant MoonJethro Tull’s first new album in 18 years takes top billing, with reviews of Big Big Train, King Crimson, Hawkwind, Wobbler, Asia, Ozric Tentacles, Anthony Phillips, Airbag, Richard Dawson and Circle, Can, Renaissance, Strawbs, Karnivool, Ian Anderson, Tangerine Dream, Cardiacs, John Lodge, Bill Nelson, Nosound and loads more… "This is going to put some people’s noses out of joint,” Ian Anderson told this writer recently when discussing Jethro Tull’s 22nd studio record, their first since 2003’s Christmas Album. “But I think of drawing upon elements of the Bible in the same way as I draw on elements of society as subject material for songs. It’s taking something and turning it into something else. It’s what I do.” Few artists in the progressive realm or beyond make that conversion in such intelligent, idiosyncratic style. Anderson has turned his mind to religion before – Ronnie Pilgrim’s subverted metaphysical journey in A Passion Play; most of Aqualung’s second side – but rarely as directly as this. The Zealot Gene’s 12 songs come subtitled with the New and Old Testament passages that inspired them. The alchemy lies in how these biblical stories are set to music, and made new. The titular Mrs Tibbets is Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of Paul, pilot of the plane that dropped the Hiroshima bomb. The liner notes refer us to Genesis 19:24-28 (the bit about The Lord raining down burning sulphur on Sodom and Gomorrah, overthrowing cities and destroying all living things), while the song ponders how an individual can rationalise their involvement with such mass destruction (‘Don’t feel bad about the melting heat, the burning flesh, the soft white cell demise’). A heavy subject is set to a jaunty tune, with Anderson’s mischievous flute and cheeky vocal delivery in the top line. Throughout the record, that trademark flute radiates sheer character. Raspy and fluttering in parts, melodic and mellifluous in others, it’s the musical sugar on the thematic pill. The line-up that recorded The Zealot Gene (bassist David Goodier, keyboardist John O’Hara, drummer Scott Hammond and guitarist Florian Opahle) are a tight regiment, here to back the boss and showcase the songs. That priority is also reflected by the album’s frills-free production, almost Lutheran in its minimalism. Referencing Exodus and billed as “a late-life partner to Aqualung’s My God”, Mine Is The Mountain opens with grand, minor-key piano chords and develops into an exquisitely performed piece of prog theatre. With echoing, stentorian voice and ostensibly perched upon Mount Sinai, Anderson makes a good jealous God, exhorting Moses and Man to obey Him, not to mug Him off in any way, or else. ‘Bring me safe haven for tablets of stone to live through the ages, to scold and to guide you, threaten, cajole you and cut to the bone.’ It’s both funny, and also terrifying. The Betrayal Of Joshua Kynde is a rocky meditation on the Judases of this world (‘There’s always someone to spoil the party fun’), with a bluesy flute riff and a strong solo from Opahle. Evoking Calvary itself, Where Did Saturday Go? has a folky, modal flavour and a beautifully spare acoustic guitar riff. With its gutsy harmonica intro and mandolin lines, Jacob’s Tales is a short, spiky piece about sibling rivalry and greed, à la Jacob and Esau. The perky single Shoshana Sleeping underplayed the album’s darker tone, but in context this racy piece about voyeurism and fantasy makes thematic sense. Anderson’s aversion to schmaltz endures, but there’s a softness to Three Loves, Three:‘Be it love of spirit, of brothers, lovers, sons or blood-heat emotion, burning lava, bright it runs.’ The strident title track warns of mankind’s divisive nature at DNA level, the reductive, binary nature of discourse in the social media age and the dangerous allure of “the populist with dark appeal”. It’s strong and infectious, from its martial-metal intro to the coda’s sinister chords, a potent sting in the tail. Conceived after seeing drunken revellers during a walk through Cardiff city centre one Saturday night, Sad City Sisters references a passage in Ezekiel about two prostitutes, and features ‘Tramps on a night out, out of season/ Bare legs and arms at the taxi stand’). Thought provoking elsewhere, the all-seeing eye and unflinching worldview seem judgemental here – mean, even (‘So send them home to stumble in, and toss their knickers in the bin’.) The gorgeous folky instrumentation – accordion, mandolin and penny whistle – makes it easy enough to turn the other cheek. Given its biblical source, The Zealot Gene way well put a nose or two out of joint, but its poetic, erudite and relatively respectful approach should help avoid any spectacular blowback. Anderson’s expectations for it are modest: “Most fans don’t want a new Jethro Tull album,” he told this writer recently, “they want an old Jethro Tull album!” But he who has ears, let him hear: this literate and highly listenable work is a real grower. Ripe with fresh inspiration and resonant of past glories, it belongs high in the Tull canon. It’s ripe with fresh inspiration and resonant of past glories.
|
|
|
Post by adospencer on Jan 2, 2022 20:32:21 GMT
www.rebelnoise.com/interviews/interviewthe-genealogy-of-jethro-tull-an-interview-with-ian-andersonThe Genealogy of Jethro Tull: An Interview with Ian Andersonby Jordan Blum / Dec 29, 2021 (Photo: Will Ireland)Mastermind Ian Anderson digs into the making of Jethro Tull’s upcoming 22nd studio LP, The Zealot Gene, among other things. Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson is an artist who likely needs no introduction. As the founding mastermind behind legendary progressive/folk/blues rock troupe Jethro Tull, he’s spearheaded some of the most iconic and influential popular music of the last half-century. (For more on that, feel free to check out my book on the band: On Track: Jethro Tull.) Despite being considerably prolific from the early 1970s to the early 2000s, Jethro Tull hasn’t released a new studio album in almost twenty years. That is, until now, as the group’s first new record since 2003’s The Jethro Tull Christmas Album—The Zealot Gene— is set to release on January 28th, 2022 via Inside Out Music. In preparation for the LP, I spoke with Anderson about the creation of the collection (including working with the latest line-up), the decision to categorize it as a Jethro Tull release, the impact of COVID-19 on the writing and recording processes, and much more! You’ve stated that The Zealot Gene is considered a Jethro Tull release because it’s more of a “band album,” with the longest line-up the group’s ever had. Obviously, it feels like a natural progression from your most recent solo work, but do you feel that there are any connections to prior Jethro Tull LPs? I really don’t think in those terms when I’m writing music. I think I’m always consumed with what it is I’m trying to do in the moment. I don’t try to replicate or draw upon earlier work; that doesn’t figure into my process. Subsequently, though, you might sit back and take a more objective look at it and draw some comparisons. I’m kind of on my guard a little bit when it comes to writing lyrics in that I don’t want to subconsciously parrot references or phrases that I’ve used before. I try to avoid that most, but I’m not really fretting over it or obsessing over trying to have continuity or avoid it. I just get on with the job of writing whatever’s coming into my head. That’s a great way to approach it. We always work with arrangements early on, so each song starts to have an identity pretty early on. That is the way in which I prefer to work. To be doing things carefully in preparation prior to going into a recording studio and pressing the button and a red light coming on. By then, I hope that we all know what we’re playing and have it all worked out. Maybe some room for a little leeway or improvisation. Having a clear-cut arrangement that gives the song its own identity is quite important before getting to the master recording. From what I understand, you had a lot of it worked out and recorded pre-COVID. We recorded seven tracks in 2017, and four of them I’d completed and mixed during that year. Then, we were on the road so much, and trying to get the guys to give up their free days in-between didn’t seem like the right opportunity for people to come back into it relaxed and with a clear head. So, I kept putting it off and, you know, being lazy. I’m sure that’s the simple way to put it. The intention to get on with it again in 2020 was completely sidelined by the emergence of the pandemic and the fact that we couldn’t get together in the studio. By the beginning of this year, I gave up hope that we’d be together in the studio again, so I decided to just finish the last five songs—which I’d already written but hadn’t recorded—so I recorded them alone at home with an acoustic guitar and a few other instruments. Oh, okay. Then, the other guys sent in their audio files to be incorporated into the mix. Things they’d recorded in their own homes, so it was finished in a rather distant way, which I normally wouldn’t feel comfortable with, but I think that the end result gained a degree of dynamic variation and contrast. The fact that some of them are not played together as a band probably turned out to be a good thing. That light and shade in terms of instrumentation, which was not the case on Homo Erraticus [2014] because all of the guys played on all of the tracks all of the time [laughs]. Sometimes, it’s quite nice to step away from drums, bass, and electric guitars and just have some space. Absolutely. That’s perhaps part of the success of Aqualung [1971]. It has a few rock songs on it and a few band tracks and then a bunch of songs that are just me in the studio with an acoustic guitar and then the other guys adding something later. I didn’t set out to do it that way on The Zealot Gene, though. The pandemic made the decision for me. It certainly didn’t hurt the album in any way. There’s a slight advantage to having changed the methodology for the last five songs. As I said, they were already written; I didn’t change anything in the music or the lyrics. It’s just that all that I had for the initial demos was me strumming an acoustic guitar and singing a few words, so I just did that in a slightly more professional context and got through them rather than sharing it amongst the band for a proper rehearsal and recording experience. Obviously, everyone who’s playing on it has been playing with you for many years, whether on solo albums or as part of the live Jethro Tull band. That is, except for guitarist Joe Parrish, who replaced Florian Opahle a year or two ago. Right. Joe was somebody that we found through a friend of a friend. Someone directed me to YouTube videos that he’d done, and I could see that he was steeped in progressive rock and folk music. He certainly had the technical skills, too. Of course, having been to music college for a few years and making some YouTube videos doesn’t necessarily make someone equipped for being a part of an international touring band, and Joe had never really performed in front of anybody. He literally was just playing to a camera on his computer. So, it was quite a big jump for him to go from that to performing on stage during the only two concerts he did (in Barcelona and Madrid) before the pandemic really hit. Wow. Those two shows must’ve been scary for him, but by the second night, he was settling in. These days, he convinces me that he’s actually enjoying himself [laughs]. That’s good. Quite. You’ve said that The Zealot Gene continues your exploration of religion. Do you see it as connected to Aqualung or anything else that also dealt with religious quandaries? No, not really. Every album is its own thing and quickly takes on its own form. There may end up being some sort of relationship that you see when you look at the finished product, but I’m not setting out to build in any moments that are indicative of earlier work or other artists’ work. That said, subject matter is fair enough to go back and reexamine with different words and music. Definitely. Did you always have the title in mind? I didn’t have the title in mind at first, but the general topic of the album was there after about three weeks of working on it. As a text document, it was all there so that I could stay on track. What led to “Sad City Sisters” and “Shoshana Sleeping” becoming the first two singles and music videos? Well, now we’re getting into the realm of marketing and promotion that I don’t personally derive any pleasure from. It’s when you hand it over to someone else to get their expertise and opinion. Contrary to rumor, I’m not a control freak all of the time, so the guys at the record company are supposed to know about this stuff and they suggested three songs that would be the subject of some promotional videos. If I was asked to choose three songs to introduce people to the album, I would’ve chosen three different songs, but that’s not my role and I mentioned it but they had their own ideas. I said, “Okay, fine, we’ll do it your way.” They felt that it was better to have songs that were better teasers rather than give away some pieces that are more musically emphatic. That’s fair enough. I understand the reasoning behind it. Ah, I see. The video for “Shoshana Sleeping” was done by somebody I’ve never met. It was something the label came up with and it seemed like a good idea. “Sad City Sisters” was done by Sam Chegini, whom I think was introduced to me by Jakko Jakszyk. He’d done a video for Jakko and I mentioned that to Warner Bros. when they wanted to do something for Aqualung. Sam did that and then I put his name forward to Sony in London as a person who might be able to turn around fairly quickly a video for one of the tracks. That’s great. Speaking of labels, what made you sign with Inside Out Music for this one? I read that they reminded you of Chrysalis Records? Well, maybe in that they’re a boutique label that specializes in progressive rock, and they’re just a few people in a couple of rooms. Because Sony now owns Inside Out, I’m dealing with both right now, and we have the best of both worlds. We went to six different companies, and I made my choice not based on who was offering the most money but who seemed to have the best approach to it. It came down to two and it was a difficult choice. I’m sure. I’ve also noticed that in recent years, you’ve done a lot of guest work for artists like Tim Bowness, Robby Steinhardt, and Louise Patricia Crane. Do you find yourself getting more of the opportunities now compared to decades ago, and do you enjoy it more? Part of the reason is that I’ve often worked with people who aren’t extremely well known, so their work didn’t reach very far, whereas now the internet gives us access to everything so it’s easier for newer voices to be heard. Maybe it’s being noticed more than it used to be. I experienced something of an upswing in general requests during the last couple of years because people are in their studios, and they imagine that I have more time on my hands. Obviously, I have to decline most things because I simply don’t have the time to do them. Or, it’s something that doesn’t really appeal to me. I’m more inclined to agree to something that isn’t really my cup of tea because it’s more of a challenge. Oh? I’ve done some weird ones over the years, you know, like playing with a thrash metal band from New York City or on William Shatner’s Christmas Album [2018’s Shatner Claus]. You look at it and think, Oh, that’s not really my thing, but then you take a second look at it and realize that that’s exactly why you should do it. To see if you can rise to the challenge of something that’s outside of your comfort zone. I’ve been asked to play on a lot of things that are really sophisticated, and I know that it’s going to take me so many hours to try to understand it and be able to play it well enough. Technically, I can’t cope with it. That’s an interesting reason to not do it. It is. I’m usually looking for things that let me use a degree of improvisation and my own judgment to add a little decoration to what’s already there. I certainly don’t want to “collaborate” with other musicians in terms of writing songs together. I’m a loner in that sense, and I want to push myself even with my own new music. You don’t want to make it too easy; you’ve got to step up to the occasion. That’s true for the other guys in the band as well. I’m not making it easy for them, but I’m usually confident that they’ll understand the music and notate it and work from charts. That’s how they focus on learning it, whereas I memorize things. It’s great that you’re still finding ways to step out of your comfort zone. So, what’s next? Any plans to start work on the follow-up? I had a long discussion with the boss of the record company a few weeks ago and we talked about a new album and decided that the release date would be the end of March 2023. I explained to him that on the first of January 2022, at 9:00 AM, I would do what I’d done with the last four recording projects: start working on something with an empty mind. Nothing preplanned. The important thing is to have a moment where you’re open to something a little more inspirational if you’re lucky. So, on the first of January, I’ll give it a couple of hours and if nothing is happening, I’ll take a break and try again. I would hope that within two or three days, I’ll have two or three ideas and then I can complete most of the writing process over the subsequent three or four weeks. Make some initial demos to send to the other musicians and hope that we can get on during the course of next year to record it. I’ve no idea what it’s going to be. Well, I can’t wait to hear it. Thanks again, Ian. Thanks, Jordan. Ah, Mr Blum again. I see he plugs his book "on track" before the interview. In my humble opinion its very much "off track" and said why I thought so in my Amazon review, so I wont repeat it here. (Perhaps that counts as plugging my own review?) . Honestly though as a long time Tull fan I found it a very frustrating read.
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 3, 2022 12:55:35 GMT
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 4, 2022 6:42:18 GMT
With 2021 now in the rear-view mirror, it’s a good time to look ahead at some of the artists planning to release new music in the new year. January alone will see the arrival of new studio efforts by John Mellencamp, Jethro Tull and Elvis Costello and the Imposters. Mellencamp’s new album, Strictly a One-Eyed Jack, will be released on January 21, and will include three collaborations with Bruce Springsteen. Jethro Tull’s first new studio album in 18 years, The Zealot Gene, will be issued a week later, on January 28, while Costello his longtime backing group’s latest, The Boy Named If, will hit stores on January 14. www.deltaplexnews.com/whats-new-in-22-john-mellencamp-jethro-tull-scorpions-more-releasing-albums-this-year/
|
|
|
Post by smint100 on Jan 4, 2022 14:10:27 GMT
This was quite an interesting interview (although the sound isn't brilliant) about the new album
|
|
|
Post by steelmonkey on Jan 5, 2022 1:28:23 GMT
The closer it gets, the better it looks.
|
|
|
Post by bunkerfan on Jan 5, 2022 11:30:37 GMT
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 5, 2022 16:45:00 GMT
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 6, 2022 7:48:33 GMT
planetradio.co.uk/planet-rock/news/rock-news/rock-albums-released-2022/35 rock albums to look forward to in 2022Another great year for the rock genre Planet Rock presents 35 rock and heavy metal albums we’re looking forward to lending our lugholes to this year. The list includes confirmed albums from acts including Slash, Magnum, Scorpions, Saxon, Beth Hart, Kris Barras Band and Stone Broken, plus a number of records that are currently in progress from artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Halestorm, Megadeth, Alter Bridge, Shinedown and Ghost. Check out the set-in-stone (and tentative) new album releases for 2022 below! ____________________________ Jethro Tull – ‘The Zealot Gene’Progressive rock veterans Jethro Tull release their new studio album 'The Zealot Gene' via their new label home of InsideOutMusic/Sony Music in early 2022. 'The Zealot Gene' is Jethro Tull's first album since 'The Jethro Tull Christmas Album' way back in 2003 and their first record of original material this millennium – their 20th album 'J-Tull Dot Com' was released in 1999.
|
|
|
Post by smint100 on Jan 7, 2022 10:07:47 GMT
Round Table Review here: DPRP Reviews
The first review now makes me want to go and revisit The Secret Language of Birds which I've not listened to in a while Only 3 weeks to go!
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 7, 2022 12:49:58 GMT
Round Table Review here: DPRP Reviews
The first review now makes me want to go and revisit The Secret Language of Birds which I've not listened to in a while Only 3 weeks to go! An example of some of the most exciting flute-trilling occurs during the interchange between Opahle and Anderson in the unusually structured and enigmatic Barren Beth, Wild Desert John. The flute breaks that occur during the swinging instrumental passages of The Betrayal of Joshua Kynde are equally stirring. In this piece, Opahle demonstrates his wide range of skills. His fluent guitar solo and tasteful embellishments show just what a capable player he is.
Mine is the Mountain contains some of the stand-out instrumental sections of the album. John O Hara's measured piano introduction provides a perfect entry point for Anderson's haunting flute line. However, at the mid-point of the tune, the group have an opportunity to stretch out. This exciting passage ends all too soon, but the band interplay is quite brilliant. I was left with a feeling of open-mouthed awe, which positively saturated any negative preconceptions I may have had about the continued relevance of Jethro Tull in 2022.
As the album ends, its captured moments swell my senses and resist any sensory fade to grey! The walls burp, twitch and creak with a cheeky salute. Hushed silence descends and plays out a fond, temporary farewell.
So is The Zealot Gene a keeper?
It's simply damn good! In fact, it's a triumphant return!
Sounds good, the other two reviews are OK and a bit iffy.
|
|
|
Post by JTull 007 on Jan 9, 2022 1:51:48 GMT
Jethro Tull: 'The Zealot Gene' | New Album Review The new Jethro Tull album reviewed, track by track . What is it like? How does it compare to that classic Tull sound? In this review I look at the themes, music and ideas behind after a close listening of The Zealot Gene.
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 9, 2022 7:06:07 GMT
|
|
|
Post by tullabye on Jan 10, 2022 4:50:55 GMT
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 10, 2022 6:44:55 GMT
"This is an album packed full of the classic Jethro Tull sound of their early to mid 1970s heyday, with lashings of flute and the occasional usage of accordion and penny whistle, with Anderson’s whimsical voice – which on this album sounds better than in a long while – alongside some sterling guitar work and thought provoking lyrics. The music immediately brings to mind the Tull of the Minstrel In The Gallery era and is as rocky as they have sounded for some while."
|
|
|
Post by smint100 on Jan 10, 2022 12:32:50 GMT
Jethro Tull: 'The Zealot Gene' | New Album Review The new Jethro Tull album reviewed, track by track . What is it like? How does it compare to that classic Tull sound? In this review I look at the themes, music and ideas behind after a close listening of The Zealot Gene. Great review! REALLY excited now Will definitely have to revisit this once I've FINALLY heard the album
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 11, 2022 6:53:41 GMT
|
|
|
Post by maddogfagin on Jan 12, 2022 6:43:07 GMT
ultimateclassicrock.com/anticipated-rock-albums-2022/As 2022 gets underway, the first new music releases of the year are already upon us. January will see the release of Elvis Costello & the Imposters' latest album, The Boy Named If, as well as a new LP by John Mellencamp, Strictly a One-Eyed Jack, which features three guest appearances from Bruce Springsteen. Jethro Tull will also release an anxiously awaited project, The Zealot Gene, their first album of new material in nearly two decades and their first to be released under the band name since 2003. And there's more to come. Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder will release a solo album, Earthling, in February. Slash will also put out another solo effort, 4, backed by longtime collaborators Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators; the LP will be the first release on Gibson Records, a new label owned and operated by the guitar manufacturer. Jack White will release two albums in 2022: Fear of Dawn will arrive in April, while Entering Heaven Alive will follow in July. And Ozzy Osbourne has all but officially confirmed his untitled next album — which, according to the Black Sabbath singer, will feature contributions from Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Tony Iommi and Zakk Wylde — though a release date has yet to be announced. Even though the future of live music and full-scale touring is still somewhat unclear –several early 2022 tours have already been postponed to later in the year – there will be fresh music to accompany the new year nonetheless. We take a look at the 13 Most Anticipated Rock Albums of 2022 below. ---------------------- 3. Jethro Tull, 'The Zealot Gene,' Jan. 28Since 2012, Ian Anderson has been releasing music under his own name, but he's reviving Jethro Tull for the first time in nearly 20 years, asserting that their upcoming LP, The Zealot Gene, is a collective endeavor. "This is the longest-surviving lineup of any version of Jethro Tull in terms of musicians that we’ve ever had," Anderson said in a statement. "So it seemed appropriate to honor the long-standing relationship with this group of musicians by releasing it as a Jethro Tull album."
|
|